Chapter Text
It was a cold dawn in the old, shop-filled alley. It was far too early for any of them to be open or for anyone to be walking around. Yet, a man started approaching the middle of the street. He was tall, around 5'11 - 6'0, with wide shoulders and an obviously strong build. His hair was a thick and luscious, tawny brown, that fell just below his shoulders. He had a face worth fawning over by men and women alike. But his most striking feature was his eyes. Those almond-shaped, unnaturally bright green eyes, as green as the killing curse he faced twice.
The man paused in his step when he reached the middle of the street. He faced East and waved his hand. A rune started forming on the ground, about 5 feet away from him. Once he was done, he faced South and began to form another rune. He continued to move West and finally, North. When all the runes were complete he pulled out a cloak from a pouch on his belt. He placed the cloak on himself and disappeared from view.
Suddenly he began speaking in what seemed like Greek. He continued to speak as the wind bellowed and the runes burned. There seemed to be a storm forming all around him. The earth was shaking and he was being pulled from the inside out. The scene was terrifying if witnessed but it was too early for any to be there. And a few moments passed before time and space began to mould. The shops were changing, the street was renewing and the sky was becoming less clear and the weather more chilly.
Finally, things settled and only the runes remained unchanged in the scene. The wizard pulled away his cloak and restored it to his pouch. Then he whispered, "Tempus totum." He felt the date and time appear in his mind. 1st of January 1981 05:30 am, it read. He released a calm breath and started walking. He strode purposefully to the large building at the centre of the street. 'Gringotts Wizarding Bank' the building carving stated. Little did people know, that this bank was open 24/7 but the man knew and entered through the door.
Inside, there was no queue but the desks were all occupied by the employees. The goblins lifted their heads to glance at the newcomer. Many raised their eyebrows in surprise, while others sneered at him. The man wasn't fazed by any of the gazes and simply continued his journey to the nearest teller. "Good morning, my name is Harry James Potter, I would like to open a new account and change my identity," he stated.
The goblins were now all interested in the man. The teller facing him, gave a toothy smile, "very well Mr Potter. My name is Lodwick, please follow me into the office," said the goblin and got down from his perch, to lead the way inside. Harry followed silently and expressionlessly. When they reached the office, the goblin offered the wizard a seat and a drink.
"Tea please," said Harry. A small pot and a cup appeared on the table in front of him. The man poured himself the beverage and slid the cup into his hands.
"Well, Mr Potter, do you have an account with us?" Questioned the goblin.
"Not me but the younger version of me does. I wish to separate our identities and use different vaults," explained Harry nonchalantly.
"I see, very reasonable indeed. So then, how much are you depositing into the vault and how secure do you require it to be?" Asked the Goblin, taking down notes on his clipboard.
"I'm depositing 203,000 Galleons, 35,000 Sickles and 80,000 Knuts," said Harry. The Goblin was delighted at the sound of the numbers. "As for security, I wish to have the vault in section 700 if there is space," continued the man.
"Good decision, our sections increase in security the higher you go," said the Goblin. "Now, for your identity, what would you wish it to be?"
"I would like to remain related to my family but from a distance, to avoid suspicion. I would like the name, Edward Ignotus Peverell," replied Harry as he sipped his tea. The man's expression hadn't changed since he entered. It was that of polite indifference but indifference nonetheless. "As for my date of birth, make it be 1st of January, as I have arrived today, 1954, as I am over 27 years of age at the moment," explained the wizard.
"Ah, interesting. You chose quite the ancient name but I suppose it is within your right as a member of that bloodline," said Lodwick with intrigue. "As for your birth certificate, that can be arranged," he continued, as he noted the information on the clipboard. "Currently vault 733 is available for use. We can deposit your money while my colleague issues your birth certificate and a new identity." Harry nodded in agreement and they headed to the carts.
The ride was quick and uneventful. They stopped at a large door, that was guarded by a gargoyle, similar to that of the headmaster. "Your security measure shall be a password and a locking code," stated Lodwick as he left the cart and took the lamp with him. Harry stepped out of the cart and stared at the gargoyle. "Well, go on, give it a password," ushered the goblin and moved away, to be out of earshot. Harry didn't care if Lodwick was present or not, he had a certain password in mind already.
"Riddle Marvolo Tom," hissed the wizard in snake language. A language known as Parseltongue and as a very rare gift, or a curse for some. Edward knew, that no one would be able to guess this password, not even the owner of the name. The gargoyle shifted at the password and opened.
"Fascinating," commented Lodwick. "Now give it a lockdown code. This is used when someone is trying to force you to open the vault," explained the goblin.
"Lupin Teddy," hissed Edward once more. The gargoyle shifted again but didn't do much.
"Very good. Now please deposit the money and we shall return," said Lodwick. Edward went inside the vault and reached for his pouch. He opened it wide and flicked his fingers. Gold started erupting from the pouch in stacks. They quickly piled into a corner of the vault, in a uniform fashion. When they stopped, a mountain had formed, of gold. Edward flicked his hand again and this time, stacks of silver left the pouch and started piling into another mountain. Lastly, there were bronze stacks, piled into a third mountain. "Excellent," stated Lodwick when it was finished.
"I would like a money pouch with a limit of 500 Galleons," stated Edward as they walked back into the cart.
"Of course," responded the goblin and they were returning to the front part of the bank.
When Edward Ignotus Peverell left the bank, it was 07:00 am. By now, some shops were opening and people were arriving in the Alley. Edward took a deep breath of fresh air, the first step in his journey was complete. The wizard had been working on this for over two years. In his timeline, he defeated Voldemort in May 1998, on what was labelled the 'Battle of Hogwarts'. He then became an Auror, a dark wizard catcher.
Although Voldemort was defeated, his followers and fans remained at large. For 6 years, Harry and his Auror companions were successful in capturing and killing many of them, among other dark wizards. However, a sick, ingenious or rather insane man by the name of Alexander Rushmore was able to create a very powerful, very dark ritual. It was necromancy and he sacrificed his own body and soul with 6 other followers, to resurrect Voldemort. The Dark Lord rose to power once more.
The third war was more brutal and more bloody than the second. Edward, or Harry at the time, knew that he had to do something drastic to fix the world. A few months after Voldemort's return, the idea of time-travel had manifested into the Chosen One's mind. The boy with Avada-coloured eyes had an idea more insane than Rushmore's. The idea continued to grow and probe at Harry's consciousness.
The idea of time-travel, finally solidified itself, when a raid with Ronald Weasley, Harry’s best friend, went wrong. Harry watched as his friend was hit by a cutting curse, unlike any other. Harry was too far away and already busy; fighting his own opponents, to reach his friend. He spotted the redhead, fall onto the ground and convulse due to the enormous loss of blood. By the time Harry had finished killing all the enemies, his friend had stopped breathing. Ron’s eyes were glazed and soulless. His skin was cold and his heart none beating.
Harry fell next to his friend's body and sobbed. It was worse when he had to inform his other best friend, that her husband was killed and she was widowed and her unborn twins, left fatherless. The two remaining best friends held a funeral for Ronald and kept each other company. Harry remained as close to Hermione as possible, in order to aid her in her birth and raising her two children.
Meanwhile, Harry worked tirelessly around the clock to find or create the perfect time-travel ritual. If there was one thing, you didn't do to Harry James Potter, it was to take his loved ones away. Harry was vengeful and his efforts saw fruition on September 22nd 2006. He created a ritual, using a modified version of another ritual. It was the perfect spell. Although it was limited, in the space, date and time, it provided the best outcome with the least consequences.
The ritual only reversed time in years. Meaning that Harry had to pick the right place and hour to perform it, in order to be returned to where he wished to be. That is why he chose Diagon Alley, on January 1st, at 05:30 am. He went back exactly 27 years. He also didn't bring any items that were available in the past. His invisibility cloak was left behind but he bought a cheaper one that did the trick. He left his wand, which would belong to his younger self in 10 years. He also didn't bring any money from the Potter Vaults.
All the money he brought, were from his earnings as an Auror and his income from the Joke Shop. George had insisted that he gets 30% of the income after Fred's passing. The extra 20% went to Ron, which then went to Hermione after his death. The Joke Shop was a massive success that brought thousands of Galleons monthly, so Harry was able to accumulate quite the fortune, especially with his minimalistic lifestyle and lack of a family. He and Ginny hadn't lasted long, once she became a Quidditch player and his work as an Auror, took too much of his time.
Nevertheless, Harry, now Edward, was happy with his decision and vowed to use this chance to the best of his abilities. He prayed that things work out and swore that he'll do his best to improve the future. With that thought, he set off to his next destination. He found himself in front of an old building. He smiled at the sign. It had been over 16 years since he set foot into the shop. He walked in, causing the bell to jingle on the door. He gazed at the rows upon rows of boxes and signs.
"Ah Mr Potter, or shall I say Mr Peverell now. Here to choose a wand?" Asked the grey-haired man, who was perched on a ladder. Edward met his eyes and smiled politely.
"It's good to see you, Mr Ollivander," he greeted.
"And you," responded the man, as he came down. "I'm guessing you wish for a wand different from your counterpart?" Said the man with an amused smile.
"If you please," responded Edward politely. Ollivander didn't waste any more time and began ruffling through the wands. He handed Edward a rather long wand.
"14 and 1/2 inch, Acacia with dragon heartstring," said the wand-maker. Edward took the wand and waved it. Nothing seemed to happen. "Nope, not at all," stated Ollivander and went back to searching his collection. One after the other, Edward tried. It appeared that his affinity for phoenix core was unmoving. No other core seemed to fit him. Then Ollivander came back with a rather bent, very pale wand. "13 and 1/4 inch, poplar with phoenix feather core," stated the older man.
Edward immediately felt the connection with the wand, without touching it. When he did touch it, his magic and the wand sang together in harmony. "Ah, of course! I should have known," said Ollivander with a wide smile. "Your moral personality and power, may only fit the wands that favour these traits," continued the man.
"It's perfect, but I dare say, I will be in need of another," said Edward. He was still admiring his wand.
"Auror training?" Asked Ollivander, more rhetorically than wondering. Edward nodded with a chuckle. The wandmaker didn't ask further questions and simply went back to searching for a second wand. "I suppose this should do. 12 and 3/4 inch, cedar with phoenix feather core, of course." Edward took the second wand and just like the first, it sang with his core. "Ah, your power is vast," said Ollivander. "I wouldn't wish to be on the receiving end of any of your spells." That concluded step two of Edward's plan. He had one last task to complete in Diagon Alley, before the most difficult one, he had to do.
Edward had decided to have some breakfast before continuing his work. He went to the Leaky Cauldron and greeted Tom. He ordered a large breakfast and left a tip for the owner. Edward cast a few spells on his food, out of habit. "Another Moody I see," whispered the bar owner, incredulously.
"Pardon? I'm not moody, I'm rather happy today," commented Edward.
"Oh, my apologies. I meant to compare you with Auror Moody, he's also just as wary of his surroundings," said Tom with a flush on his face.
"I see," replied Edward and ate his breakfast. There wasn't any more conversation between him and the bar owner, as more and more people were arriving. Once Edward was done, he went back to Diagon Alley, this time in search of a place to live, for the upcoming year.
The task was more difficult than expected. He had roamed the Alley for five hours, asking building owners for a place to stay, at a reasonable price. Even if he had good money, he didn't wish to spend too much of it on simple bedding. Edward was beginning to get frustrated. He didn't wish to go into Muggle London, due to the constant raids being performed by Death Eaters. He also didn't wish to go into Godric's Hollow, to avoid meeting his parents. Or even Hogsmeade, to avoid Albus.
There were slim options but finally, he was able to convince an owner of a building, near Knockturn Alley, of 50 Galleons a month for a small bedroom and bathroom flat. With that dealt with, Edward redirected his attention to the most difficult, or rather complicated, task. He told the building owner, that he would be back in the evening to check into the flat. The owner didn't care much and simply handed the key over, after receiving 150 Galleons as the first three months rent.
Edward headed into the Alley again and went to the floo network. He paid for some of the floo power and pulled into the queue for a fireplace. He waited 5 minutes before it was his turn and he stepped in. "Ministry for Magic," he stated clearly and felt the flames pull his body. In seconds, he was out of another fireplace, in the middle of a large Atrium. The fountain of the brethren to his left, as he exited.
Edward walked purposefully to the check-in. "My name is Edward Peverell, I'm here to register for exams," he told the officer. The man checked both the visitor's wands and directed him to the Department of Magical Education and gave him a badge stating 'Exam Inquiries'.
Edward went to the lifts and pressed the summoning button. He patiently waited as the lift arrived and entered with a few others. Both men and women were observing him. It wasn't anything new for Edward, it still shocked him that it happened even with the absence of his scar and his fame. The scar had faded over time, with the help of a few salves. Plus, he didn't look anything like James Potter now, so hardly anyone would recognise him. Edward wasn't sure why they still stared.
When he reached his floor, he exited the lift and went straight to a teller. "Good afternoon, my name is Edward Peverell and I have returned to the UK after many years. I have not taken either my OWLs or NEWTs, due to my constant travelling," said Edward. The teller was wearing a badge that stated her name as Evelyn McGwire. She was a chubby-faced woman with beady, green eyes and a rather wide nose.
"Good Afternoon, Mr Peverell. I understand your situation. So you'd like to take the examinations?" Asked the woman, her voice surprisingly sweet.
"Yes, please. I'm aware that you hold examinations at the Ministry for overage wizards, during the months of May and August," replied the man. Evelyn looked up and as she saw his face, her cheeks turned rather pink. She giggled awkwardly and gave a nod.
"Yes we do but you must complete your OWLs before applying for NEWTs," said Evelyn with a sweeter tone.
"Of course," Edward didn't react to her behaviour.
"Okay, you must fill in this form and then I need to check your ID," she said, as she reached for a parchment. Edward thanked her and took the paper. He stood to the side and used his wand to levitate the form. He read it thoroughly and began to fill it with a quill, he grabbed from his pouch. It was a self-inking quill.
OWLs form for the adult Witch/Wizard
Name: Edward Ignotus Peverell
DOB: 1954 - 01 - 01
Gender: Male
Species: Human
Date requested for OWLs (circle one): May/August (May)
Pick OWLs (tick - no limit):
Arithmancy
Astronomy ✅
Care of Magical Creatures ✅
Charms ✅
Defence Against the Dark Arts ✅
Divination
Herbology ✅
History of Magic ✅
Muggle Studies
Potions ✅
Study of Ancient Runes ✅
Transfiguration ✅
Reasons (please state in 200 characters or less, the reason for taking your OWLs at a later age):
I travelled the world with my parents, never settling into one place. I was homeschooled and never went to Hogwarts or any magical school.
Signature: Edward Ignotus Peverell
Approval signature (by Head of Magical Education):
Once Edward was done with filling the application, he went back to Evelyn and handed it to her. "Alright, please give me your address, so that once the Minister signs his approval, we can send you a timetable for the exams," she said and Edward stated his address. "Alright, the reply usually takes up to 10 working days," Evelyn continued with a smile. Edward thanked her and left. He went straight to the flat, ready to pass out.