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SIYE Time:11:42 on 29th March 2024
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Tempus Fugit
By Spenser Hemmingway

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Category: Alternate Universe, Post-HBP
Characters:Harry/Ginny, Harry/Ginny, Hermione Granger, Hermione Granger, Luna Lovegood, Luna Lovegood, Other, Ron Weasley, Ron Weasley
Genres: Action/Adventure
Warnings: None
Story is Complete
Rating: PG
Reviews: 12
Summary: It's New Year's Eve and Harry has a couple new challenges. He needs to destroy the Horcrux that they have discovered, but at the same time save Ginny from the mysterious new threat.
Hitcount: Story Total: 4418



Disclaimer: Harry Potter Publishing Rights © J.K.R. Note the opinions in this story are my own and in no way represent the owners of this site. This story subject to copyright law under transformative use. No compensation is made for this work.





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Tempus Fugit

By Spenser Hemmingway


People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint - it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly...timey wimey...stuff.”–-The Doctor



It was the morning of December the thirty-first, and everyone was actually looking forward to the end of their Christmas holiday. Almost the entire school had remained inside the comparative safety of Hogwarts, and while it had been a wonderful Christmas, the vast majority of the time had been spent trying to overcome the boredom. That very evening, New Year’s Eve, an impromptu masked ball had been hastily arranged for the students. It was partly a celebration, and partly a way for the staff to thank everyone for general patience, and for not destroying the castle with their idle hands. Well, at least most of the castle–-Seamus did have to explain a little damage in the exploding Christmas toffee factory he had set up with some other students.

In the Gryffindor Common Room, a few students milled about, talking about the costumes they would improvise, who they hoped to go to the ball with, what the band would be like, who the spy was that Voldemort had secretly placed in Hogwarts.

“You can’t possibly be serious Hermione,” Harry told her, excited by her message, but still trying to keep his voice low, “How could there possibly another Death Eater in the school? After what happened last spring, the castle has more protection than the Queen’s loo.”

“Actually Harry…”

“Don’t you dare say it Ron! Show some respect,” Hermione yelled at him, but then caught herself, and again lowered her voice. “Harry, the owl from Alastor Moody was very specific. There is someone in Hogwarts who intends to try to kill Ron and Ginny…and please do not give me that look. This has nothing to do with you being with Ginny again. The Weasleys have long been targets of the Death Eaters. It is exactly why Lucius Malfoy selected Ginny to be possessed by Tom Riddle her first year. You-Know-Who hates Ron’s family almost as much as he does you.”

Harry knew what she was saying was true, but still it caused his stomach to turn at the thought. His reuniting with Ginny, as well as his return to Hogwarts to be near the girl was the result of his faith in her and all his friends to take care of themselves. Ron, Hermione…everyone had taken turns that summer drumming the message into his head about how nothing that happened to them was his fault. That responsibility lay with Voldemort and his followers. All he could do was his best to quickly defeat the Dark Lord, and to keep his relationship with Ginny a secret until he did. Knowing that, and completely feeling it, however, were quite often two different things.

“Hermione, did the Order give us any details about what this person was going to try to do to them?” Harry asked then.

Hermione shook her head, “All they know is that there is someone here with whom we are familiar. It is someone who has been here as long as we have, and that we might not suspect. I am afraid that the tone of the letter was such that they had a great deal of difficulty obtaining what little they did. They also wrote that they intend to place a guard on Harry again.”

Harry stood up like a man poked with a stick and took the letter from Hermione. For a full minute, he carefully studied it, before going over to find a quill and some parchment on the table. As he began to write, Ron and Hermione exchanged a worried look. They knew what was going to be in that note. When he had finished, he called over a first-year that their little circle had sometimes entrusted with small chores.

“Bernard, would you do me the favor of taking this to the owlry please? It’s addressed to Ron Weasley’s parents. I believe that you know which owl is mine.” Then, after the smiling boy had left, “I told them that we greatly appreciated the information, and that they should protect your family Ron, but that any Order interference with my life henceforth will be dealt with as if it were a personal attack. I also mentioned that I am carrying two wands again.”

Ron and Hermione both nodded at his words. The Order of the Phoenix were friends and family, but all too often over the years they had tried to shelter all of them to the point that they felt cut off from what was really their fight. Things had changed dramatically for the group when they had undertaken a successful mission of their own that past summer, but, especially where the over-protective Mrs. Weasley was involved, the Order still tended to make decisions that tried to shield, even seclude Harry.

“I’ll write Mum tonight to try and calm her down after receiving that one mate,” Ron said, “She’ll understand, she’s just…”

Just then, the portal to the Common Room opened, and a very shaky Ginny entered, supported by a confused but equally concerned Spenser. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were out of their seats and over to them before the door had even closed.

“I found her just outside the door. She said that she was feeling dizzy,” Spenser told them.

“Okay, then she’s normal,” Ron said as an attempted joke, but he wasn’t smiling.

“I’m fine now everyone,” Ginny said, but really didn’t sound convincing, “I’m just a little tired. It’s been a very exciting holiday here, and I’ve been overdoing it.”

It had indeed been an interesting winter’s break that year. Over the past few weeks, they had explored, met new friends, and she and Harry had even had some mysterious experience about which they were still trying to find the right words to relate to Spenser, the group’s resident story collector. They could all understand Ginny’s being worn out, but Harry’s intuition told him that this was something more.

“Where have you been Ginny?” Harry asked, guiding her to a seat, “I was starting to get worried.”

“I’ve been in the Great Hall with Luna. She’s still very upset over that row that she had with Neville. Spenser, do you think that you could talk to her?”

“Sure, and Neville too after he quiets down.”

“Spenser Hemmingway, what did you do to Neville?” Hermione asked in a harsh voice.

“I filled his bed with dead trout. Luna’s my best friend, and it is not her fault that the story mentioning his parents was in The Quibbler a few weeks ago. If he’s so dense that he doesn’t realize it…well then Neville is going to be sleeping with the fishes.”

That drew a giggle from Ginny, an even sterner look from Hermione, and after an initial smile from Ron and Harry, exasperation that they would be sleeping in the same room as that smell.

“Oh jeez, Harry I almost forgot,” Spenser said then, once again serious, “Can we all go somewhere private…I mean if you’re feeling better Ginny? I have some good information about the You-Know-Who doohickeys that you’re looking for.”

Everyone’s eyes were suddenly on Spenser, wide with shock. Only their very tight-knit little group knew about the Horcruxes. It had been a monumental decision to tell Luna and him, made by the four of them after a great deal of thought and discussion. Family, friends, even the Order didn’t know about these containers that magically held pieces of Voldemort’s soul. One of the hardest things that Harry had ever done was to break his word to Dumbledore about sharing the secret, but he knew that he absolutely needed their help. The others felt it the highest mark of friendship that he had told them. Now, one of those people might actually hold the means of finding another Horcrux.

“Of course, Spense, maybe the Muggle Studies classroom,” Harry said after a moment, “It was empty when I passed it an hour ago. Ginny are those a couple of gray hairs?”

Ginny touched her head, and then shared a perplexed look with him.


*****



Ron quickly locked the door as they entered, placing a Silencing Charm the room as a precaution. It had become their habit to do so, and all too often this past school year they had had to perform both spells to ensure privacy.

While none of them had taken Muggle Studies during their time at Hogwarts, everyone, even those with exposure to the Muggle world, found the classroom fascinating. The new instructor, Professor Marvel, had a number of displays around the room, including one with some simple kitchen appliances labeled Inert Potion Aids, and another one with plastic movie figures, depicting a scene familiar to Harry, Hermione, and Spenser. It was labeled Muggle Encounter with Unknown Magical Beasts. Someone would have to explain Ewoks and Wookies to the professor and the two Weasleys.

Once everyone was satisfied with their privacy, the group turned their attention to Spenser, who was studying an old Superman comic book tagged Muggle Mythology. Embarrassed at being distracted, he came over to the group and began to pace in front of them, obviously collecting his thoughts.

“You know that I have this other hobby. Well, I sort of was practicing it early this morning with a couple guys from Ravenclaw and this really cute girl from Hufflepuff,” Spenser started, but immediately noticed an impatient look on Hermione’s face, “What? I told her that I was going home to America after graduation. It’s not like I was…”

“Spenser, you were playing poker again with unsuspecting students, weren’t you?” Hermione said with a sharp tone to her voice. Everyone felt that her friendship with the exchange student had always been a strained one at best. Her stern attitude toward him was easily distinguished from the affectionate albeit spirited banter that she always shared with Ron.

“Um, yes I was Hermione…but no, I didn’t take all their money this time, just a couple Galleons and a very interesting story about a certain artifact.”

Everyone’s attention was fixed on him now. Curiosity was mixed with apprehension about what he might have discovered. Even Hermione backed away from her antagonism and refrained from making a comment about his gambling habits.

“Anyway, one of the Ravenclaw people was losing pretty heavily, and was starting to get a little frustrated. You know him Harry, Matthew Pabst, the substitute Keeper for their house. The other one was his little brother Donny.”

“I know him,” Ginny said, “We have Transfiguration together. Ouch, my hands are all stiff suddenly…and my shoulder hurts.”

Harry looked over to her, and he was instantly concerned. There was something about her appearance that bothered him, but he couldn’t place his finger on it. He suddenly had a bad feeling, and his look was taken by Spenser as a signal to continue…with the abridged version.

“Harry, Pabst decided that I might be interested in a good story in exchange for his losses. It was only a few coins, and I thought that I might be coming out on the better end regardless.

“He told me about a castle in a place called MacArthur’s Glen. This was the home of family by the name of Puffinbury.”

“The Death Eater!” Ron called out, standing up with excitement, “Dad told me that they had been trying to find his home since Harry was a baby.”

“Um, yeah,” Spenser continued when Ron retook his seat, “Well Matt said that this castle…actually a big stone house contained some relic that was associated with the end of the year. Something that You-Smell-Who placed there a long time ago. Something called a Samhain Glass.”

“What! A Samhain Glass?” It was Hermione’s turn to jump from her seat excitedly to pace the room. Finally, she came to a stop in front of Spenser, and then placed a hand on his shoulder in order to assure that she had his attention.

“Yes Hermione, he did say Samhain Glass, and you obviously know what that is,” Spenser said then.

“…and you think that this might be a Horcrux,” Harry finished for him.

“Yes, I do Harry. A Samhain Glass is associated with very ancient Celtic magic, and one such was also linked to the Ravenclaw family at one time. The artifact is actually an hourglass that was used hundreds of years ago to mark the passing of the old year, and the initiation of the new. It has been rumored to be a source of great residual magic as well–-the manipulation of time, the slowing and acceleration of aging, even the altering of prophecies.”

“It sounds as if it’s the perfect applicant for a Horcrux,” Ron said then, “Did Pabst say anything else?”

“Yeah, he went out of his way to tell me exactly where MacArthur’s Glen was located. He also seemed to be very curious about how Ginny was,” Spenser said then. He had become very thoughtful suddenly and noticed a concerned look on his friends’ faces–-except Ginny, who he thought was still less than a hundred percent.

After a full minute, where everyone was sitting quietly, Harry spoke up, “Ginny, someone here in school is trying to kill you and Ron.” Ron gave both Harry and Ginny a worried look. Ginny showed no emotion at all or at the very least a look of peaceful trust in Harry. Harry drew on that and could once again feel her inside him. Her love and faith in him gave him strength, and he tried to send his back, while blocking out the obvious concerns he had.

“Harry, I have a bad, bad feeling about Pabst…at least the older one,” Spenser continued then, noticing that Hermione and Ron already shared his opinion, “Donny seems like a good kid, but his big brother lost that money to me on purpose. He wanted me to hear that story.”

“Only the five of us and Luna know about the Horcruxes,” Ginny added, forcing herself to sit up straighter and attempt a normal expression. “How many of the Death Eaters know? Even if they don’t, could Voldemort use someone to drop us some hints?”

“This really does smell like a trap Harry,” Ron added, “I think that we need to talk to the Pabst brothers.”

“We also need to inform Professor McGonagall that we will be taking a trip this evening,” Harry finished.


*****



Absolutely not Mr. Potter,” the professor had immediately told them, “It is far too dangerous at this time, and our agreement was that you would remain on the school grounds over the winter holiday.”

Harry and Spenser went to speak with the headmistress immediately after the meeting, more as a courtesy than to ask permission. Harry’s agreeing to her request to return to Hogwarts had been dependent upon their being able to come and go as they pleased in their search for the Dark Lord. Her response now left them both extremely surprised.

“Professor, if this has something to do with the warning that we received from Alastor Moody, then you should know that I have already informed the rest of the Order to refrain from interfering with my actions. You may be able to stop me in the short term, but the infirmary beds will be full, and you will eventually lose all of us regardless. You would also be going back on your word.”

McGonagall’s expression abruptly changed, and Harry knew that he had deeply hurt his old friend with his words. After several moments, she composed herself, and decided to take a different tact.

“Harry…there is a great deal of difference between two or three of you quietly slipping away at times, and all of you displaying a very public absence from tonight’s holiday function. You have just told me that you have received some manner of information about Death Eater activity. You are telling me as well that this information conveniently comes to you at a time when we know that the Dark Lord has been, shall we say, extremely active. This is in addition to the warning that the Order has received today regarding the threat to the two Weasleys.

“I am merely asking you…yes Harry, I will ask all of you…to refrain from your search for a full day until the masked ball is complete, and the New Year is upon us.”

Harry’s own mood softened, and he weighed her words carefully. He knew that if he alienated her, he would lose a valuable ally, could be separated from Ginny, and this in addition to cutting himself off from a number of other people that were very close to him.

“Professor, I will think about what you have said,” Harry carefully started, “I will promise you that we will be careful.”

Harry and Spenser started toward the door, both at a loss as to what to do next. A second later the headmistress stopped them, placing a hand on Harry’s shoulder.

“Harry,” she said, “I believe that if you take Miss Weasley this time, the secret of your relationship will be revealed.” Harry did not turn to look at her, but merely nodded and continued out of the office.


*****



Outside the chamber, Spenser noticed the intense look on Harry’s face. He was about to inquire how he was feeling, when Ron and Hermione came running up to them.

“Harry,” Ron began, clearly out of breath, “Pabst is gone. No one has been able to find him since his game with Spenser this morning. Harry, this sounds bad mate.”

“What do you mean he’s gone? Where’s Ginny? Who’s with her?” Harry blared at both of them.

“Luna is. She took Ginny back to the Gryffindor Tower to get some sleep before the ball. She…said that she’s not going with us tonight, but she’s insisting that Luna help her with a costume,” Hermione said then.

Spenser cringed remembering the house Halloween party the year before when Seamus, Luna, and some friends had conspired to get Harry and Ginny together during that masked event. He started to say something when Harry took off at a full run in the direction of their house.

“What’s going on?” Ron asked to no one in particular.

From behind a pillar Donny Pabst stepped out and began slowly walking toward the startled group. “My brother Matthew is trying to kill all of you,” he said meekly, tears running down his face, “I’m the one that warned Professor Moody.”


*****



Harry burst into the Common Room and started toward the girls’ dormitory with his wands drawn. Forget secrecy–-he would take down the tower to see her before he would let the wards stop him that prevented males upstairs. Fortunately, Ginny had anticipated him and was propped up on one of the sofas, still awake. Luna was curled up in a chair knitting, avoiding his eyes.

“I’m fine Harry, and you’re overreacting,” she told him. He didn’t believe her. Her face was drawn, and her hair was peppered with gray. Something was wrong. “Harry, I will be fine, I just can’t go with you tonight. I…I need to keep up our act. I can go to the ball and let everyone see me dancing with other people. They’ll…”

“Ginny, I am the one person that you can’t lie to,” Harry said, trying to keep calm, “You know something is wrong.”

“Yes Harry, I know something is wrong.”

“You just want me to not have to worry about you tonight. I can’t help but worry about you, but you know that I can do this tonight regardless. You should go see Madame Pomfrey.”

“I will…really, I promise, as soon as I make an appearance at the ball. Of course, you can do this Harry. I’ll be with you,” she told him, giving Harry a small but sincere smile.

Harry looked over to Luna again. He knew that she was going through some personal problems herself, and he had never seen his friend appear so…serious. She hadn’t said a word, but her look told Harry that she would take care of her friend.

Harry started to say something to her when the portal flew open, and Ron and Hermione rushed in with the younger Pabst brother. Their expressions scared Harry as much as Ginny had.

“Harry,” Ron screamed, almost in tears, “…that son of a troll poisoned Ginny. He used some spell to speed up her aging. We have to help her!”

Harry felt sick, but he knew that he had to keep his wits about him now. He looked over at Ginny again, and their eyes met. Through whatever link that had developed between them over time, Harry again felt Ginny sending her love, trust, and all the strength that she could muster. Harry nodded and then turned back toward Donny Pabst.

“Please tell me what is happening?”

“Harry, my brother is a Death Eater, or at least he is trying to be. Our grandfather was Henry Puffinbury. He…he was a very bad man, but he was also family. Matt wants to hurt all of you, and please He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named. He wants to hurt the Weasleys. He also knows about the Ravenclaw Samhain Glass.

“The Dark lord entrusted it to my grandfather, along with a spell that he’s using now to hurt Ginny. He…he wants to see if it works with her. The Glass…it was very important to all of them for some reason. It’s at Grandfather’s house. Here I stole this parchment from my brother’s room.

The sands of time pass and cause a passage.
It is beheld only by that of the final day of the year.
One’s passing is undone at the passing of the other;
Their passing is redeemed by a kiss.
Time is the fire that burns.


“What does it mean? Hermione?” Harry asked, after reading it a third time.

“Harry whatever I say now is a quick interpretation…a wild guess. I need to study this,” she told him, “I believe that it means that only today can you locate the Samhain Glass, and that it is somehow associated with what is causing Ginny to age. Only by destroying the Glass today can you stop the poison in her. I…don’t understand the reference to a kiss. I need to research Celtic traditions and magic.”

Harry nodded to her, placing a hand on her shoulder, “You’ll find it Hermione…I know you will. Ron, I need you and Luna to protect Ginny while I’m gone.” Harry was pleased that they understood without discussion why they couldn’t go with him this time. Ron was also a target tonight, Hermione had to finish interpreting the parchment, and Spenser…

“Spenser, would you please come with me to MacArthur’s Glen tonight?”

“What?” he yelled, “Why would you want me? Ron is…”

“Much better in a fight? Yes, Spenser he is, and that is why I want him watching over his sister.” Harry saw a sad look on Ron’s face, despite his understanding, and a confused, scared look on Spenser’s.

“Spenser, you’re going to write this story someday, aren’t you?” Harry asked, deciding, despite his serious mood, that he needed to lighten things a little.

“Well, yeah Harry…someday. But I won’t publish it until you say that I can. You have my word on that!” he said with great emphasis. Harry knew that his mischievous friend would be dead before he would ever reveal a word of their adventures before they were ready. Experience had demonstrated that to them, and it was what had originally sealed their friendship.

“Well…good. This is far too serious of a story for my tastes Spenser. I need you to come with me for comic relief.” He winked at Spenser and saw everyone smile for a brief second. “Donny, tell us all about your grandfather’s home.”


*****



Harry spent over an hour with Donny trying to memorize every facet of the castle they were about to visit. This was another reason that he had wanted to bring Spenser along; his memory for story details was much better than his own.

Hermione had already excused herself to return to the library, while Luna had gone off in search of costumes for Ron and Ginny. She told them that she had come up with another remarkable idea, born of her Halloween scheme, but was approaching it with a much more serious attitude and end-goal than what they had tried the year before.

Harry considered approaching Neville for help as well, but he hesitated because of his friend's recent fight with Luna. Would that situation cause him to pause at a bad time if he came in contact with her? Harry felt that it wouldn’t, but he didn’t know that. Ginny was dying, and he needed to be sure of their team tonight.

Plans were made, shared, improved upon, and memorized. Harry and Spenser would take brooms to the far side of Hogsmeade, where they would Disapparate to MacArthur’s Glen. The castle was in open country, but Donny had indicated an old canal through which they might approach from the west. Harry was very impressed with the fifth-year, especially when he stopped everyone to remind them that he was a Death Eater’s brother and grandson, and that they were not to trust him. No one believed what he said was an act.

All pretending was cast aside when Harry said goodbye to Ginny in the Common Room. The few Gryffindors who had been watching them through the day had either given them a wide berth, or in a couple cases offered their help. Any animosity that Harry had ever found with any other students in his house had disappeared.

Seamus came forward at one point, his face tainted with soot from one of his mishaps, touching the wand protruding from his belt. Dean came up behind him, accompanied by Jordon, Colin and his brother, and then several other familiar faces.

“Harry, we don’t know what is going on mate, but we’re with you. You don’t have to tell us anything except how we can help,” Seamus told him.

Emotion was welling up again inside Harry at his words.

“Seamus, you know about Ginny and me. Please help us keep that quiet. We are going to be doing something seriously dangerous tonight. Please look after Ginny while I…well, please be alert this evening.”

“The world needs more lerts!” Spenser added smiling. Okay, it was old joke, everyone thought, but it broke the tension. Luna surprised him by coming over and giving him an extremely long hug. She broke away and gave Spenser a wordless stare for a good thirty seconds. She refused to show him that she was upset.

As dramatic timing goes, Professor McGonagall’s entrance was perfect. Everyone was silent as she walked into the room, although Harry placed himself between her and Ginny, quickly joined by Ron. The headmistress slowly approached them, pausing when she saw Ginny lying on the sofa. Her eyes shot straight to Harry’s and locked there; the fear and surprise that they all felt suddenly matched in her expression.

Ginny stood up and walked toward the woman, the pain in her legs as evident as the gray hair that was replacing the red. McGonagall’s stare reverted to her, and Ginny appreciated the look of concern as well as the headmistress’ obvious preparation to catch her as she walked. Ginny stood up straighter and lifted her chin.

“Professor, I will be attending the ball this evening for a very short time before visiting Madame Pomfrey. I will do this. Harry and Spenser will…undertake another chore. You may inform my parents of any or all of this as you see fit Headmistress.”

McGonagall stifled a smile, one born of pride as opposed to humor. She slowly nodded, at which Ginny returned to the sofa. The professor then turned to Harry.

“Mr. Potter, your Disapparation point will be engaged near Hagrid’s hut in exactly fifteen minutes. It will remain open for only ninety-seconds. You will have to risk a return through Hogsmeade. I strongly advise both of you to bring your brooms.”

“I don’t own one Professor,” Spenser told her.

“A certain Nimbus, which was left behind by its previous owner, is at your disposal Mr. Hemmingway. I wish you both good luck.”


*****



The two arrived at what the town’s clock tower told them was ten-thirty. The Muggle village appeared to have been abandoned, but it was still in a condition that suggested recent occupancy. It reeked of evil.

The snow provided them with excellent reflective lighting, which they both realized was a mixed blessing; they could see well, but so could the Death Eaters. They immediately moved on foot to a patch of woods approximately two hundred yards to the west. Harry and Spenser both made the point of dragging their brooms behind them, hoping that they would brush away enough of their footprints to hide their direction of travel.

Ten minutes of searching then located the canal that Donny had indicated. This was where they had to decide, once and for all, if he had told them the truth. They knew that they did not have the time to over-consider it, but neither did they have the luxury of failure in this.

“Okay Harry, heads we follow the canal under cover. Tails, we pull back and take the time to find another safe route. Call it!”

Spenser tossed the 1967 Galleon into the air, and at its zenith, Harry indicated that he wanted tails. Unfortunately, Spenser missed catching the coin and it came down in the snow, sticking on its edge. Both Wizards stared at it.

“Harry, what does that mean? Split up? Circle around? Check out the local pub? I could do with a very strong stout about now.”

Full frontal assault Spenser. Did you bring a bugle?”

How did I know that you would say that, Spenser thought. “Right in my back pocket guy, along with Satchmo’s ghost to play it.”

“They already know that we’re coming.”

“They undoubtedly outnumber us.”

“Probably, a thousand dementors, five thousand Death Eaters…”

“Giants, angry werewolves, vampires, game show hosts…”

“Voldemort himself may be inside,” Harry finally added.

Both of them stared out over the field taking in the whole situation. Both knew what was at stake, and both understood what had to be done.

“Harry, I’m as good on a broom as anyone I have ever seen except you, even if I don’t play Quidditch. We use that. We don’t fight our way in. We fly through it and then in. We have to reach Ravenclaw’s Samhaim Glass and destroy it. Nothing else matters…including me.”

“Cue the music Spenser,” Harry yelled, and then shot off toward the castle, swinging first to the left and then weaving to the other side.

Spenser watched him shoot off, and then his eyes widened, and he smiled. Raising his wand straight up, he called out a spell that he had never actually attempted but had silently practiced since he was a boy. All at once loud music filled the air, and both Wizards felt as if they were in the middle of a movie scene. Satisfied with the initial results, and hoping the din would confuse things a little, Spenser jumped onto his own borrowed broom and took off after Harry.

Harry and he had clearly been exaggerating to each other during their earlier conversation, but both knew that what was coming at them now was nothing to be taken lightly. A flock of crows, three times the size of normal ones, was barreling down on them. The two Wizards had split up, hoping to increase the chances that one of them would get through–-this in lieu of the mutual protection they could have had during the process.

Harry performed a series of jerky rolls, occasionally corkscrewing to the left or right, while Spenser chose straight all-out dashes, with occasional sharp turns to the left or right faster than the crows could mimic. Harry, at one point, dove straight at a streambed from a relatively high altitude, gaining speed as he went, and with the crows both on his tail, anticipating his route, and trying to head him off. At the last moment, he cut hard to his left without stopping the dive, weaving in and out through the trunks of several large trees before pulling up abruptly at the edge of the grove. The crows were not as agile.

Spenser reached the house first, but with his share of the birds almost upon him. Deciding to make use of the building, he brought his broom down to the slate shingles, and began flying map-of-the-roof, hoping to shake some of the crows away as he dodged chimneys, gables, and stone gargoyles. At least those weren’t real, he thought. After what seemed to be an eternity, Harry joined him to his right, and they were able to take turns firing Dispelling Spells into the increasing flock.

All at once Harry broke away and signaled for Spenser to follow him. After a quick loop that the second broom carefully matched, they drove the brooms through the largest ground floor window, magically dispelling the glass as they passed through. For some reason, the crows did not follow them inside. A heartbeat later Spenser understood why. The two of them stood in the middle of…nothing.

All about them there was just white. There was no floor, ceiling, or walls. There were no shapes, forms, sounds, and smells. There was nothing, except Harry. He stood there, several feet to Spenser’s left, staring at something that wasn’t there.


*****



“Oh no, what have I done? Harry! Blast! I need to find Ron!”

Hermione dropped her books, for once not concerned for their care and safety, and then burst from the library running all out for the Great Hall. The answer to her research had been so simple that she at first had applauded herself before she realized its significance. How could such an insignificant thing be so significant? It made Hermione run all the faster.

Arriving at the masquerade ball, she realized that she had no idea what costume Ron, Ginny, or Luna would be wearing. She made a number of attempts to ask various students where any of her friends were, but to no avail, and even a locator spell was of little use since the staff had placed counter-spells on the room, hoping that anonymity would add to the fete’s atmosphere.

After an infuriating ten minutes of searching, Hermione finally located Seamus, who was again dressed as a werewolf the way he had been during the Halloween fiasco.

“Ron is over next to the dessert table Hermione,” he told her, “You should have thought of that. I think that he’s the one dressed like a guerilla.”

“Why does that make sense?” Hermione said, more to draw attention away from Seamus inquisitive attitude than out of any humorous display of surprise. She rushed over to the ape, and then elbowed him gently as she often did to get Ron’s attention. “Please, come with me now…I need you!”

The Gorilla turned to her and cocked its head, presenting as curious an expression as the costume allowed. All at once he pulled off his mask revealing a grinning Slytherin student that Hermione thought didn’t need the gorilla’s head in the first place. He abruptly grabbed her arm and gave her an evil look.

“I’m glad that you do Granger. It’s an hour until midnight, but you could use a real kiss now.”

His grip prevented her from reaching for her wand, and her arm was beginning to hurt. Before she could call out, a very sharp-looking sword was thrust onto the chest the Slytherin, with only his heavy fur preventing him from harm. At the other end was another costumed student, this one dressed as some kind of black-clad masked villain or hero. Pulling off his own mask, Hermione saw that Ron had found her.

“Look me in the eye you troll snot! The last person that laid a hand on Hermione didn’t stand up again, and I did not use magic,” Ron told the other student, “Please…please think that I’m joking! You hurt my lady, and I’m…”

Hermione grabbed a hold of Ron’s arm, and pulled him away, more irritated at him than grateful at this point. A slight blush revealed how his words had affected her, but she couldn’t condone such a violent response here tonight. Besides which, she had to get word to Harry about her mistake.

“Ron where is Ginny?”

“She’s dancing with Luna again. Ginny’s dressed like an older woman. We thought that that would be the easiest thing to hide her.”

“What do you mean she’s dancing with Luna?”

“Luna keeps changing costumes and pretending to be different people. It’s great! She keeps an eye on my sister, and she chases the other guys away from her at the same time. We were just about to take Ginny to the infirmary.”

Luna, now dressed as a large salmon, escorted Ginny over to the two of them. They both removed their masks, and all three were shocked to tears at Ginny’s appearance. Her hair had gone completely white, and her skin was shrunken to the bone. Her eyes were all that was left that they could recognize, and those expressed great pain at the poison’s effects. They had to get the girl to Madame Pomfrey at once, and they cursed themselves for waiting so long despite Ginny’s protests.

Hermione saw that Ron was about to break down at the sight of his sister, but he knew that they could not afford it at this point.

“Ron, listen to me! Luna and I can get Ginny to the infirmary. You need to get a message to Harry. If he is to save Ginny, he needs to be with her at the stroke of midnight to kiss her.”

“What? That’s an old storybook cure!”

“Which is based in fact. I don’t believe that Harry will be able to see the Samhain Glass to destroy it. Ron, it isn’t New Year’s Eve!”


*****



Spenser continued to try to feel his way around the void. Slowly he made his way over to Harry, who himself seemed to have his attention directed toward a certain place immediately in front of him. Spenser squinted his own eyes at the spot, but he couldn’t make anything of it.

“Okay Harry, what do you see, and shouldn’t I be seeing it too?”

“You can’t see it?” Harry said, shifting his gaze in Spenser’s direction for a brief moment before again returning his attention to…nothing.

“No. Is it that hourglass?”

Harry nodded, and then reached out a hand to touch something in a manner that resembled a mime in a street show. A spark of magic was evident in the void as Harry quickly pulled his hand away.

“Harry, what do you see, and why can’t I see it?” Spenser repeated.

“We’re in a large chamber. It’s a poor imitation of our Common Room, with filthy furniture, large bookshelves, stained carpets, and a small pedestal with the hourglass in the middle. It is about two feet tall, made of a black-stained wood, and the red sand inside is just about gone. It gave me a painful shock when I tried to touch it. I don’t know why you can’t see it if the magic Hermione described is true.”

“And if it isn’t?” Spenser asked.

“We will have to improvise a solution, and quickly.”


*****



Ron hadn’t taken even the time to change out of his costume. He had run from the ball, nearly colliding with a pair of dancing rhinoceroses, and seven-foot tall can of sardines. He made a mental note about cleaning the fish out Neville’s bed that night.

He reached the Quidditch field, and instead of unlocking the storage barn doors merely blew them to pieces in his haste. Ron grabbed what he knew was the fastest of the school’s brooms, and mounting it, sped off before even clearing the building. A full three minutes later, sure that he was free of the school’s protective wards, he blindly Disapparated in mid-air toward the site that he hoped would be MacArthur’s Glen.

Reappearing over what he assumed was the right castle, he immediately was aware of two things. First that the broom wasn’t responding well to his controls, and second that a large cloud of giant crows was flying straight toward him. He had one chance, and that all depended on how fast the stolen broom really was. He saw one blown-in window with a light that he prayed was Harry, as opposed to a Death Eater convention.

Ignoring maneuvers that he couldn’t afford to do even if the broom was functioning properly, he merely nosed her in and willed every ounce of speed that she could give him. The crows didn’t make a sound behind him, but he was sure that they were there. He couldn’t look back, but instead tucked his head down and dug in his knees.

“Faster blast you!”

One of the crows closed in on him, and he felt the bird’s claws rake his left shoulder, and the blood run down his back. At the last possible second Ron passed through the broken window. He almost fell from the broom trying to stop so suddenly at the sight of Harry and Spenser. He managed to pull the tip of it up, while greatly diminishing its speed. Still, it did not keep him from sailing between the other two, crashing into something that momentarily caused him a painful shock, before the even more painful encounter with a wall.

Spenser immediately saw the room that Harry described appear before him, although he still could not see the hourglass that he had mentioned. Removing it from the pedestal must have partially affected the protective spell. He also noted the four Death Eaters enter the room with wands drawn. Harry saw them as well.

With the speed acquired in a number of fights, Harry’s wands were out and two of them were instantly dropped using a quick Zapfzz stunning spell. One more was taken down by a dazed Ron, and then the last by Harry using a Stupefy Spell. It was Matthew Pabst, their Ravenclaw classmate.

Rushing over to Ron, Spenser saw that, apart from a heavily damaged broom, a sliced shoulder, and a bruised forehead, he was well and good. Running back to the window then, Spenser scooped up a handful of snow for his friend to use for the swelling. He then proceeded to bind the Death Eaters, hoping they didn’t have friends. Harry had already torn away part of one of their shirts to use as a makeshift bandage for Ron’s shoulder.

“Ron, what are you doing here? Is Ginny all right?” Harry asked. He then heard Pabst start laughing at them.

“Potter, you may have escaped our trap, but your friend is going to be dead in twenty minutes, and there isn’t anything that you can do about it. Only the Samhain Glass can save her, and you can only see it on the Celtic New Year.”

“What is he talking about Harry?” Spenser asked.

“Harry, Hermione found out about the Glass,” Ron shouted at him, again almost in tears, “The word Samhain refers to the start of the Celtic year–-November first. You won’t be able to see the hourglass tonight. You won’t be able to destroy the bloody thing.”

“And only by breaking a Samhain Glass at the same time that you deliver a kiss to the victim of a Fugit Spell can you save that person. Even if you could see the Glass, you couldn’t be in two places at once. You have really done well here tonight Potter. Not only did you find my grandfather’s house, and dramatically enter the very room where it was stored, you…”

“…can see the hourglass? Harry, you can actually see it. Why?” Spenser asked in a totally perplexed voice, “It isn’t their New Year’s Eve.”

Harry’s chin came up, and he knew why he could.

“Their New Year begins on the first day of November. ‘It is beheld only by that of the final day of the year’. My parents were killed on Halloween, and I survived Voldemort’s attack that evening–-the Celtic New Year’s Eve. Tonight is ours, so the magics must have combined somehow allowing me to do this. Pabst, you lose. I’m going to destroy the Glass at midnight.”

“Harry, the kiss! You can’t do both,” Ron cried out, clearly on the edge of his own breaking point.

“Harry, you can do it! It will take every once of speed in your Firebolt, but you can get back in time,” Spenser desperately told him, “Ron can take my broom and fight off the crows until you’re through. I’ll smash the glass at midnight. I’ll find a way, I promise.”

“Spenser, there has to be some type of protective spell,” Harry said, with a desperate tone to his voice.

“Of course, there is,” Pabst blurted out with an arrogant tone to his voice, “A Samhain Glass can only be destroyed at the exact moment that you deliver that kiss. Its protection lies in both events having to occur simultaneously. Your being able to see it tonight is a fluke. The Dark lord will prevail. The hourglass will be safe, and the Weasley girl will die.”

Harry had his wand at the bound student’s face, but he realized that he didn’t have time. Grabbing his own broom, he tossed Ron Malfoy’s old one, and started for the window.

“Spenser,” Harry called back as they started off, “the glass is on the floor, exactly two feet in front of that black marble stand there. Please be careful and destroy it at exactly midnight.” With that they were gone.


*****



Exactly fifteen minutes later, Harry Apparated into Hogsmeade. He had heeded Ron’s warning, and didn’t try to do it while still in the air, risking damage to his own broom. He had exactly three minutes to get to Ginny.

He had been there perhaps four heartbeats when he was again airborne; pouring every ounce of his life and soul into the magic that propelled him forward. He risked a brief second of his intense concentration to worry if Ron had escaped the guardian crows. He couldn’t allow himself any more than that, but he had absolute faith in his friend’s abilities and the quality of that other borrowed broom.

Harry kept close to the ground, trusting his memory of the landscape rather than wasting time gaining altitude. He had to make it. He would make it. The rest was up to Spenser.


*****



Back at Puffinbury’s house, Spenser confirmed the location of the Glass with a very painful shock to his outreached hand. Taking a tablecloth, he tried to cover the artifact, only to see the fabric dissolve into dust just as it landed atop of it. He would have to rely on memory.

About eighteen minutes after leaving, an even more battered Ron flew back in through the window. The birds, fortunately, continued to avoid the building.

“Welcome back. I take it that you got Harry off okay.”

“Yeah, I thought that you could use some help,” Ron said, “Harry will cover his part of this. Any idea how we are going to destroy this thing?”

Just then, the clock began to chime midnight. Picking up a large fireplace poker, Spenser took a large swing at where he now knew it to be, only to be thrown halfway across the room by a blinding flash of magic. Ron, trying to tip the marble stand over onto it was almost crushed when it was hurled back at him. The forth bell struck.

A levitating spell, as well as a retracting one fed energy back into their wands, hurling them out of their hands. The sixth bell struck.


*****



Harry pulled up on his broom. He knew that at the very least the protective wards on Hogwarts would not allow him to enter the school at such a speed. He did know that Professor McGonagall would be expecting him back, but she would not know when. He aimed his broom at the building wing housing the infirmary. The doors and windows would be secured this time of night, and he didn’t have time to use the exception at the Great Hall. He imagined that he could still hear the music from the masked ball there. He had one chance.

Pulling the broom up still further, he suddenly pointed it straight down, hoping that that the insanity of his stunt wouldn’t affect his skill on the broom. Well if Father Christmas could do it… Down the chimney he shot, pulling out just before slamming into the infirmary fire. Releasing his grip, he rolled across the room, upsetting a cart full of food, but then instantly on his feet and racing toward Ginny’s bed.


*****



“Wait…I know how to do it,” Ron yelled, “Light the fireplace…now!

As Spenser lit the logs with his wand, Ron took the remains of his first broom and set himself on the far side of the invisible hourglass. Locking his legs around the large table, he reached out with the broom in his hands and willed it forward.

Spenser rushed over to help anchor him, and for two more clock strikes he watched as the broom tried to pull Ron with it across the room and into the fire. All at once, he released it, sending it, along with the Samhain Glass into the flames, causing an explosion that filled the room with the brightest of light.


*****



Harry reached Ginny’s side as the clock there was sounding as well. Ignoring her frail appearance, he leaned over and gave her a long, intense kiss, breaking away only with the last chime. Madame Pomfrey rushed into the room to find Harry and a fully recovered Ginny locked in a strong embrace, welcoming in the New Year. Their plan had worked. The horcrux was destroyed, Pabst had been found and captured, and Ginny was alive and well.


*****



Almost an hour later, Harry and Ginny welcomed their friends into the infirmary. Madame Pomfrey, despite Ginny’s miraculous recovery, had insisted that she spend the night there. The others had received permission from Professor McGonagall to join her in the room as well. It had been difficult to refuse such a request after sending word that five Death Eaters were now awaiting Ministry escorts. Her pleasure had been countered by her disappointment that they wouldn’t completely reveal what had happened to Ginny that night. Everyone else was equally frustrated when Hermione voiced her strong opinion that the Samhain Glass was in fact not a Horcrux, but rather just a powerful booby-trap.

“So how did you know to use fire to destroy the hourglass Ron?” Hermione asked.

Ron took his time answering, enjoying the sight of his sister and best friend slow dancing, as well as Spenser off to one side talking to Luna, who was now dressed like a large chicken.

“It was something that you read off Pabst’s parchment, Hermione, ‘time is the fire that burns’. It just made some sort of crazy sense that it would work.”

“Well Ron, I am glad that you pay attention occasionally,” she said, giving him a quick kiss.

“I have to Hermione. You tend to break my ribs when I don’t.” Ron ducked her half-hearted swing, and then returned her earlier kiss.

Another minute passed, the music box ended, and Harry, Ginny, Spenser, and the chicken joined them. Everyone looked exhausted, not just Ginny, but they all seemed determined to somehow welcome the New Year properly.

“So, what’s in store for this year?” Ron asked everyone.

“We defeat Voldemort, and then I kiss Ginny in front of the whole school…no the whole world,” Harry said.

“I’m going to be selected for the next Quidditch World Cup team, and Hermione is going to have to handle all of my fan mail,” Ron said, tongue in cheek.

“All two letters, delivered by a very confused owl,” Hermione added, “I believe that I may need to find a less conceited boyfriend. Are you available Spenser?”

“Of course, Hermione–-we can run away together to some place exotic like Oshkosh, or Bullhead City, Arizona.” Spenser saw a hurt look on Ron’s face, and Hermione reached over to hug him, confirming that it had been a joke. “What about you Luna?”

“I believe that I shall fall in love this year and have a very nice adventure.”

Everyone seemed to enjoy that prediction, but they also realized that it was getting close to two in the morning. Harry couldn’t risk being seen curled up with Ginny the way that Ron was planning to be with Hermione, but he did pull his own bed closer to hers. Luna took a place near Spenser, and neither one of them seemed to feel sleepy in the least.

“So Luna, you really think that everything will work out for all of us this year?” he asked her in a quiet voice.

“Oh yes Spenser, I am very sure that everything will be just splendid,” Luna told him, “Everyone loves happy endings, don’t they?”

“Yes, Luna they do, and I’ll do my level-best to write one for everyone–-just the way that I will for this story.”

Mischief managed!
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