Ok, so it may seem a little slow, but it won’t be I don’t think. This is my first time travel story. Reviews welcome.

Disclaimer, Still not as rich as the queen of England. In fact, I’m not even British. I do not own Harry Potter or his magical and homicidal friends. Pity that…

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On the second night of the new term at Hogwarts Harry Potter could be found sitting on his four poster bed, stretched out and yawning deeply. The marauders map that he had inherited through a long line of trouble makers sprawled out in front of him against his pillow.

Harry had finished his homework early, an event he had not expecting at all. Sixth year workloads were supposed to become very challenging and Harry, clever opportunist that he was, was all too happy to have free time in which to savor the quiet of an empty dormitory.

Harry watched the map in front of him, tracing the tiny labeled spots as they wandered through the corridors and classrooms with his finger. It was surprising how many people seemed to roam the halls after hours. Harry watched amused as Snape, who had been pacing up and down the fifth floor corridor stopped to pull Filch out of a broom cupboard. Harry marked this as odd and continued his casual scan of the page wondering if perhaps he still had some crackers left in his trunk. He shifted so that he might reach his trunk and dig through it a bit when something caught his eye. With a horrible lurch in his stomach Harry leaned in closer. Snape had rounded the corner only to bump straight into- Lucius Malfoy? Avoiding the feeling of unease that was fast curling in his stomach Harry managed to withdraw his cracker tin. Popping it open Harry couldn’t help but wonder how many strange occurrences his map had bore witness to over the many years of it‘s existence. Possibly its knowledge wound back further even than that. The map traced the paths of an ancient building. This history in the magic binding the pigments to the map was probably more powerful and encompassing than Harry could even guess.

Suddenly rather curious, Harry ran his hand across the map’s rough faded surface. He wondered what the map remembered or had been told. The marauders had probably unknowingly injected Hogwarts whole history onto this little piece of paper.

Harry pulled out his wand and jabbed the parchment lightly. “Revealious.” Harry frowned when nothing happened, remembering Snape’s difficulty in his third year making the map reveal its secret. With this in mind Harry was suddenly driven to discover the maps secret. Inexplicably, Harry found himself quite determined. Mysteries had always driven him mad.

Harry pointed his wand at the map and had a sudden idea. There were a few spells he might try using but something stayed his wand. He didn’t want to damage the map his father had made and worse than that he didn’t want to come to any harm trying. Then as if in memory of Snape’s maply run in words began to across the faded surface. “Those who seek the truth might look no further than their own.”

Harry looked back at the parchment struck, a cracker in his hand shaking slightly. Seek their what? Harry thought hard. Seek his own truth? What was it Snape had said to the map? Reveal your secrets. “Oh!” Harry jumped and dropped his cracker on to the bedspread then without really thinking lumbered forward in an epiphany of sorts. He poked the map. “Reveal my truth- er my secrets that is.”

With a slick lurch of irony it seemed, as soon as Harry had said it he knew that it had been a mistake. The map suddenly began to vibrate and blue grid marks bled through the sheet of parchment glowing ominously. The fibers of the map seemed to tremble in protest. Harry was getting to his feet and backing away when the map seemed to implode into itself. An explosion of blue light swirled forward and wrapped itself around a fretful Harry and with a crack the sixth year dormitory was deserted save a blank sheet of old paper on a bed laying perfectly still.

Harry was falling, out of light, air, fluff or something like that and was welcomed back to reality rather cruelly as he fell to a stone floor. Harry’s head cracked against the ground and he whimpered slightly, feeling for his glasses. Breathing in and out he cracked his eyes open to white lights in front of both retinas. He blinked his watery eyes and tried to focus. The sunlight filtering down through the high windows told him it was late afternoon. Harry pulled himself into a sitting position and found his eyes were no longer blurry. The hall he was sitting in came back into focus. Harry looked around slowly, wondering for a moment if he was dreaming. When the sharpness of his consciousness told him he wasn’t he had to look for a wall to lean on.

“ Bloody Hell.” Harry mumbled, pulling himself to his feet. He quickly found this decision unwise and he leaned against the nearest stone corner breathing heavily. Once sure he wouldn’t crumple and fall back to the ground, Harry did a better job analyzing his surrounding. He was not in his dormitory, there was sudden daylight and as Harry looked closer he realized he could not recognize the part of the lake he could glimpse through the window. It was however Hogwarts, he decided with a sigh, spotting a bag tucked under a statue nearby bearing the crest. With a start the images of the map came rushing back to him. The map had never taken him anywhere before. Harry had never even embraced that thought that it actually could. The questions were piling up and Harry wasn’t going to find the answers. He had to find someone. Anyone. Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall- hell even Malfoy would have been a welcome distraction. Got to find someone. He lurched forward and stumbling slightly took the corridor at a hasty clip. He turned a corner and by the portrait of a sleeping dog he did not remember having seen before and made his way down a flight a flight of stairs. Once Harry had reached the landing he realized with a soft touch of comfort that knew now where he was. The third floor corridor stretched out in front of him, familiar and silent. Then with a bang that disturbed his momentarily newfound comfort a classroom door shook open and began to expel students.

Harry watched them pass, eagerly searching for a face he knew. Several students passed and Harry came to the abrupt realization that he knew none of them. Backing up silently until he bumped the wall behind him he watched the steam of boys and girls pass. The whole line of students that filed out looked about his age and yet in not a single set of eyes could he find any traces of familiarity. Who where these people? Harry watched them frantically. They were coming out of the old transfiguration classroom, which Harry had known to be deserted for his entire education. One of the boys who passed him shot him a strange look which Harry returned. Could he be in a memory? Like Riddle’s diary? He reached forward and grabbed the boy’s robes, expecting his hand to pass through him.

Harry fingers met the relatively solid surface of a Slytherin’s school robes. The boy looked at him now disgusted and Harry backed away muttering an apology. These people were real.

He stood frozen in the hallway as the students made there way around him and for once in his life nobody pointed at his scar. Nobody goggled at him or made a face. Nobody even seemed to acknowledge his existence. He was no one. Nothing. Alone. Harry trembled slightly in the breeze of the moving cloaks when a voice from inside the classroom made him turn around.

“ I expect a full two rolls of parchment this time Stebbins and you know I hate to give detention” Harry’s whole body loosened. That was Dumbledore. An immense sense of safety and happiness spread over him. If he needed help, Dumbledore was the best person Harry could think of to run into.

Harry quickly hurried toward the classroom, stepping aside to avoid being crushed by the by the thick boy Stebbins as he came to the door. Dumbledore was bent over his desk in a state of deep concentration, his half moon spectacles low on the bridge of his nose, a nose that for some reason seemed less crooked to Harry. Harry stood there awkwardly for a moment, wondering what professor Dumbledore was doing teaching a class. Finally he cleared his throat. “Excuse me professor”

Dumbledore looked up from the pile of papers and pieces of parchment on his desk. The look on his face was nearly unreadable. Harry thought he saw a trace of surprise. He blinked as though waiting for Harry to continue. “ May I help you?” he asked, looking passive.

Harry opened his mouth to speak when his eyes fell on Dumbledore’s hair. It was not the gleaming silver he had come to expect, but a slightly peppered orange. “Oh God-” The professor’s eyes grew slightly alarmed. “You have no idea who I am do you?”

“ No, I do not though I am quite certain that I am about to find out.” His face maintained it’s sparkle though Harry thought he could read concern.

“ I’m Harry Potter and-” Harry stopped feeling suddenly foolish. Dumbledore watched him waiting for a better response. ”I’m a- you‘re a, I’m a student and you know me.” Dumbledore’s eyes wrinkled. He rushed on. “Or you will at least.” There was a pause in which Harry stared at Dumbledore pleadingly, waiting for, by some mystical knowledge a gleam of recognition. “Professor! Why are you teaching in a classroom?” he asked finally, a slight quiver to his voice.

“ Would you prefer I taught outside?”

Harry took a deep breath and put his face in his hands. “What year is it?”

Harry thought he saw Dumbledore half smile before his responded. “1949.”

Harry felt a wave of shock roll over him. This was real, he could touch and talk, This was real. He sunk down onto the top of a desk and pressed his hands against his face.

“Is there something wrong?” the professor queried, clasping his hands loosely.

Harry nodded and said bitterly between his fingers, “ When I had class yesterday it was 1999."

Dumbledore’s eyes flashed. “Then this is quite wrong.”

Harry dropped his hands and stared hard at him. “You have never seen me before have you? How could I get past security? You have to believe me!”

The professor stared back at him, his blue eyes burning into his soul before sitting back, satisfied and surprised.

“I choose to believe you Harry, yes.” Harry gasped in relief. “But it would be prudent to remind you that these things rarely happen without cause and effect. Surely you must have some idea how you were brought here.”

Harry went on to explain the accident with the map the night before, but in doing so he found it harder to remember the exact specifics. Dumbledore listened patiently and upon the closing of Harry’s story began to speak again.

“ Well it would seem that you will not be welcome back in your present time until you have witnessed what this map intended you for you to see.” He looked sternly at Harry. Harry looked back feeling suddenly nauseous.

“You mean you can’t just fix this?”

Dumbledore smiled softly at this. “No Harry, this like so many other mysteries is at the moment beyond me.”

Harry choked. “Where will I go?”

Dumbledore leaned forward. “You are a Hogwarts student are you not?”

“ Yes sir” Harry nodded.

“Then I see no reason to send you away. In fact I judge that your way of returning to the future is most steadfastly fixed to this place.”

Harry nodded. Looking at his feet. “Right.”

“I will speak to the headmaster about an informal sorting this evening.” Dumbledore continued, “ There should be plenty of room for you in classes.” Harry followed intently. “I suppose I will have to take your word on your OWL results.” he added with something of a glimmer in his eye.

“ Sir, I received seven and I’m a Gryffindor”

Dumbledore nodded. “That is very helpful Harry, but I fear for the sake of enrolling you certain ceremonies must be repeated.”

Harry nodded feeling foolish. “Right. Ok.”

Dumbledore smiled, “I shall speak to professor Dippit this evening. You will report to the headmasters office after dinner.” He paused to scribble something on a piece of paper. “You may present this throughout the day should any professor stop question you as you attend classes.” He handed the note to Harry and standing up behind his desk he moved toward Harry. “The headmasters office is-”

Harry cut him off quickly, “ Behind the statue of a gargoyle on the seventh floor.”

Dumbledore stared at him fixedly. “ Exactly Harry” Harry could have sworn that he had seen a bit of a smile light Dumbledore’s features. “The password is twinkle toe and if I am not mistaken now might be the best time for us to take out leave. There is a Slytherin and Gryffindor potions class that is about to commence in the dungeons. That would be an excellent place for you to begin your day.”

Harry nodded and stood. The professor who only minutes ago seemed tired and distracted was now alert. “I will be meeting with you after your sorting tonight Harry for further questioning. For the sake of both simplicity and safety I would ask that you keep this information to yourself until we have had a chance to speak again. If you are asked, you should announce yourself as an exchange student for I believe that if this situation were common knowledge you might find yourself besieged and endangered.

Harry nodded, feeling a that endangered was a fairly strong word.

“I do not believe that anything you do will remain permanent after the magic of the map sorts you back to your rightful time,” Dumbledore continued, “as you are likely in a fugue state of memory.” Dumbledore paused. “Still, it would not do for you to be announcing the future as I can not be sure what would come of it.”

Harry nodded, feeling grateful. “Of course. Wait, do you mean that anything I would be erased when I went home?”

Dumbledore shot him a wry smile. “That is my belief,” a pause in which Dumbledore considered the door frame, “Of course I could be wrong.”

A shiver crept down Harry’s spine. “Thank you professor.”

Dumbledore held the door for him and Harry walked out clutching his not tightly.

“Until this evening Mr. Potter.”

Harry nodded and stumbled away. The halls were so familiar they almost made him forget his predicament until he reached the main floor. This was confusing. What if he couldn’t get back? Maybe the future Dumbledore would be able to help him? What if Ron and Hermione did not know he was gone? He reached the dungeon. Feeling somewhat awkward he eyed the students gathered around the doors waiting, bored.

Harry sauntered over feeling a little out of place. Nobody even looked twice at him. It was the most peculiar feeling. Harry wandered over to the wall and leaned against it, watching his new fellow students socialize. Harry hadn’t a clue how long he might be here, so he wanted to see as much as he could. What if he missed the secret? The other sixth years mulling around and looking ready for their class to start seemed not unlike the students of his time. Harry yawned deeply was interrupted in his thoughts by a tall slimy looking teen.

“So,” he pointed to Harry’s forehead, “What’s that?”

Harry had to suppress a laugh. No hello who are you? It would forever be his scar. “ A scar. Why, you don’t like it?”

“ It looks like a lighting bolt”

“ Really, I hadn’t noticed” Harry stated sarcastically. The slimy boy looked at him strangely. Unfortunately the attention of this greasy Slytherin had drawn the attention of a pack of them. A group of Slytherin boys were making there way over to him. Not wanting to drawn unwanted attention he focused on leaving but the Slytherin pack was too fast and had over taken him.

A boy elbowed his past the one who had insulted his face so that he way in front of Harry himself. His pale face took him in with a sneer. “Who are you.“ He asked bluntly. “I’ve never seen you around.“ This boy was tall and blonde, he had a familiar air about him, one Harry didn’t like.

“ Harry Potter.” he paused. “I’m new?”

The boy sneered. “New? I didn’t know we did new.” The boys behind him laughed. “ I’m Grodiusius Malfoy.”

There you had it. He was a Malfoy. It made sense. Malfoy held out his hand for Harry to shake. Harry shook it as quickly as he could for politeness sake, not wanting to anger anyone just yet. He was absolutely more than happy to release Malfoy’s hand.

“ So what are you doing here Harry Potter?” he asked. “Surely you aren’t here for the view, damp as it is and packed with Gryffindor mudbloods.”

Harry had to suppress the urge to roll his eyes. Draco it seemed, certainly had a lot in common with his grandfather.

“ No, I’m enrolling” Harry stated a little harder than would have been advised.

Malfoy raised his brow, “ Really, what house are you in?”

“ I haven’t been sorted yet”

Malfoy looked quite interested now. “ Are you a pure blood?”

“ Does it matter?” Harry asked, his dislike for the Malfoy family deepening by yet another generation.

“ Yes it does Potter, because you see, pureblood’s actually deserve to be here.” He was scowling again.

“ Pretty place it is down here too, you must be right at home.” Malfoy surveyed his haughtily and Harry was hit with a pang of deja voo. The resemblance was eerie.

“ I suppose I can safely assume that you’re not then.” Malfoy eyed Harry with sudden distaste.

“ Assume what you’d like.” Harry turned as the doors opened and strode into the dungeons.

The class made their way into the dungeon and found there regular seats. That left Harry standing searching for a one He spotted an empty seat next to a boy with dark hair in the middle of the classroom. Harry walked over and sat down, feeling naked without his bag or his books.

The boy next to him was engrossed in a book and paying very little attention to Harry. Professor Slughorn rapped his wand on his desk drawing the class’s attention to him.

“ Today we will be experimenting with the elixir of confinement. Can anyone tell me what this particular potion does?

A blonde girl in the front row raised her hand a fraction of a second after a much younger Slughorn had finished speaking.

“Sir, it is a very complicated potion that when forced can send the drinker into fits of terror. When drunken in moderation it can be used to help a wizard to reveal their greatest fear.”

Slughorn beamed at the girl with a fatherly pride. “Very good Susan!” Susan smiled, looking smug. Harry rolled his eyes once more involuntarily. Professor Slughorn continued speaking.“ You are to partner with the table mate to the right of you, the instructions are on the board. You have an hour and half. “ He smiled and grabbed a book from his shelf and walked over to his own desk. “Starting now!”

Harry looked around the room where various partners were talking quietly, preparing their potions. Harry looked back at the boy in the seat next to him and received a shock to find his face was more than familiar. He was tall, fairly well built, his facial features were quite handsome. His blue eyes were a deep color, his hair was a dark brown and his mouth though unsmiling wasn’t harsh. Though Harry had seen him before this time was more vivid. This time Harry knew a secret. Harry found himself staring for the second time face to face with Tom Riddle.

Tom gave him a startlingly pleasant smirk.

“ Potions are easier with the book.”

Harry surprised himself by returning the smile “ Yes, but then I wouldn’t have an excuse for flunking would I?”

Tom grinned and pulled out his own barely used copy and slid it down the table.

“ Here, take mine. I won’t need it.”

Harry raised his eyebrows. “Really?”

Tom nodded. “Take it, I have what you could call a natural talent”

Harry couldn’t stop himself, what he said next was less than kind. “ Then Slughorn likes you, right?”

To Harry’s great surprise Tom smirk widened, he clapped his hands together in applause twice.“ Very good, most people don’t guess until at least the end of a class. What was your name again?”

Harry was taken aback by Toms sudden approval.

“ Oh, Harry Potter”

Tom gave a small understanding gesture. “Tom Riddle”

Oh I know. Harry pulled the book closer to him and flipped through the pages until he found the potion that they were currently dealing with. He went over to the store cupboard and got the supplies taking his time in doing so. He had forgotten that Tom Riddle would have been in his year. Thoughts were zooming through his head. He couldn’t permanently get rid of Tom, history wouldn’t retain it. Then again, Tom didn’t seem evil. Harry could at least observe him. Maybe he would learn something about how to defeat Tom’s future self. How much harm could he cause? Harry suddenly realized with a thrill of horror that he could speak to Tom. He could speak to the earliest form of Voldemort without being killed. Maybe Tom Riddle was the cause of Hogwarts best secret? Harry could be sitting next to the key of defeating the worlds most evil wizard and his only way of going back to his time. Harry walked back over to his table still deep in thought.

Tom took the flobberworm and cut it in half, the ghost of a grimace passing over his face. He threw the flobberworm into the cauldron in a way that seemed almost careful and caught Harry’s overcurious eye.

“So,” he asked casually, “are you enrolling?”

“Yeah, It’s a lot better than being stuck at home.” Harry remarked slicing his beetles evenly even though his hands were shaking.

“ You don’t like your parents then?” Tom asked a hint of real curiosity now woven into his tone.

“ I wouldn’t know” Harry remarked trying not to sound to hard, “ I’ve never met them.”

Harry couldn’t help but realize the reason for this was sitting next to him. Strangely enough though Harry found it hard to blame him. Tom Riddle just didn’t seem to be Voldemort. Perhaps it was his human form.

“ Really?” Tom asked and this time Harry could hear real curiosity blossoming in his speech. “You’re an orphan?”

“ Yeah.” Harry scraped the beetle halves into the potion as well.

“ Did you grow up in an orphanage?” There was an edge of understanding in Tom’s voice.

Harry shook his head no. “ I was begrudgingly raised by my aunt and uncle. I probably would have been better off in an orphanage.”

Tom looked doubtful, the small spark that united them fading.“ Obviously you have never been in one.”

Harry remembered that Tom was raised in an orphanage a moment too late.“ Maybe not” Harry agreed, “ but you have never met my aunt and uncle.“ Harry laughed somewhat bitterly and he wondered where that came from. “ I was raised in the cupboard under the stairs until I was twelve.”

Tom looked at him doubtfully. Harry stared him in the eyes hoping maybe he was already somewhat accomplished in legilimens. After a moment Tom seemed to believe he was telling the truth.

“ Well it doesn’t sound like your childhood was fun.”

Harry snorted, “ No, not particularly.”

The small spark was back. “Why, were you raised in an orphanage?” Harry asked already knowing the answer.

Tom seemed somewhat hesitant. “Yes.” He told him casually, restraint visible in his face.

“Are your parents dead then?” Harry asked carefully trying not to sound either uninterested or too interested.

“ One of them is.” Tom answered without changing his tone. For some reason however Harry could tell that he had just entered dangerous waters.

“ I’m sorry.” Harry told him, as he reached out to stir the potion clockwise.

“Don’t be.” Tom added, a glint of something in his eyes that Harry could identify in Voldemort’s, gleaming subtly waiting for a chance to pounce.

Harry moved the potion counterclockwise and let it sit and simmer. Moments later Harry bottled it and handed it to Tom who brought it to Slughorn’s desk. Slughorn remarked upon it to the class and awarded ten points to Slytherin. The dinner bell rang and Harry stood up and absent-mindedly reached for his bag. Upon remembering that he didn’t have one he made a mental note to ask Dumbledore how he could by a bag at school after dinner.

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