Chapter Text
Part 1: 991–992
8 December 2018
Dear Mrs Potter,
One of the sealed vaults at Gringotts opened 24 th November. The Ministry was contacted and have conducted an investigation. The vault contained a chest of letters, addressed to Ginny Potter. It also contained a few other items, including a holly wand we believe to have belonged to your late husband. Please meet the investigators at Gringotts on the 14 th of December 12 o'clock.
Best,
Marion Kingston
Department of Magical Law Enforcements
Ministry of Magic
To Ginny Potter
From Harry Potter
991
Dear Ginny,
How are you I don't know why I’m writing this
this is stupid
I'm sorry
Gin, you'll never believe where I am! I'm at Hogwarts sitting next to Godric bloody Gryffindor! He's right there, talking to his mates, Helga, Rowena and Salazar, as I write. I shit you not! It's so surreal. They're not what I imagined at all. Hermione would be ecstatic!
The castle is so different. For starters, it looks brand new! Rowena Ravenclaw (Merlin, that's so weird to say) told me that they only opened a year ago. Can you believe that? Also, it's not buzzing with magic like Hogwarts at home. I suppose that only happens to a place when it has been filled with magic for hundreds of years. The hallways are different too. Alfreda, one of the students here (there are only a handful of students yet!), showed me pathways around the castle that I've never seen before. I wonder if they still exist.
I wish you could see this. I wish you were here with me. I wish I were back home with you.
I miss you, Ginny.
I love you,
Harry
991
Hi Ginny,
How are you They think I am a potter. As in a pot maker! When I told them my name when I got here, I didn’t realise where when, I suppose, I was, so I told them my name. I probably shouldn’t have—preserving history and all that. But it doesn’t matter, because they don’t think it’s my family name, and I haven’t corrected them. So they think I’m a potter.
I have a terrible headache now, though. I don’t understand a thing of what everyone is saying, so I’ve been using translation charms to get by. Helga Hufflepuff (I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to saying that) has been helping me, but now I can do it myself. Mostly. It works fine when there aren’t that many people around, but when lots of people are talking it’s just too many voices, and everybody is talking in each other’s mouths, and it feels like my head is spinning.
Hope you’re doing okay.
Harry
991
Hi Ginny.
I want to tell you how I ended up here. I just get sad when I think about it, so I just haven’t done it yet.
Fuck, I don’t know why I’m even writing this it’s not like you will read it anyway
To be honest, I'm not quite sure what happened myself. It was during the search mission in Scotland. Simple enough. We had apprehended the suspect earlier that day and gotten a warrant to search the house. It was one of those old Pureblood family homes. Should have known there would be some sketchy shite there. (I’m not supposed to tell you this, but since you probably won’t read it anyway it doesn’t really matter.)
We searched the upper floors, and it all seemed normal. Until we got to the basement, that is. There were cauldrons and parchment everywhere. Turns out they were doing all kinds of weird experiments, if the notes I read before everything went wrong are anything to go by. Speaking of everything going wrong. The weirdest thing there was a room filled with bottles of goo and—get ready for it—time turners. Failed experiments, if I'm right.
Typical me to just jump into something without thinking, right? And look where it got me.
It's all pretty hazy from there. I rem ber smoke , nd a stench more awful than you could imagine, before hearing a loud crack, almost like appa r tion, just louder. Then there was this blinding white light. And then I was he re.
I'm sorry G n ny . (All I seem to do is ap ogise.)
I'm really re ly sorry. I'm sorry I was such a n i diot, I'm sorry for leaving you. I'm sorry for missing our an v ersary . I onder if you ever found your gift? I bought it before I left. I hope you liked it.
I miss you.
Yours,
Harry
991
Hey, Ginny.
Merry Christmas. Or Yuletide. Yule. Idk. They don’t call it Christmas here. It's nothing like Christmas at home. Or Yule at Hogwarts. Which is ironic, considering I'm here, at Hogwarts. I'm writing this in the Great Hall, it's Christmas, but there's not a single Christmas tree and there are no Christmas decorations. I feel so out of place. I shouldn't be here. I miss home.
I hope you have a nice Christmas. And Hermoine and Ron and Molly and Arthur and George and Percy and Charlie and Bill and Fleur and Teddy and Aunt Andromeda and everyone. I miss you all.
Merry Christmas.
Love,
Harry
1 January 992
Happy new year, Ginny!
It's a new year. For me at least. Most of the people here don't use calendars the way we do. I shouldn't be surprised, but it's still strange. It's just something I've never thought about or questioned.
I've been hanging out with Salazar Slytherin of all people, this Christmas. He really isn’t all that bad. I know, I’m was as surprised as you are!
You’re probably wondering why I would voluntarily spend my Christmas with The Slytherin. Well, I wasn't quite able to enjoy the holiday this year (for obvious reasons), and I felt very out of place, to be honest. And the one who offered comfort was Salazar, of all people, who had his own reasons for not enjoying the holiday season. It was surprisingly nice, having someone to be bitter with. I couldn't bring myself to tell him the exact reason why I was sad, but to be fair, he didn't either. Cryptic slytherins. I guess they had to get it from somewhere.
I think the most shockingly revelation this far must be that—and brace yourself—Salazar Slytherin, founder of Hogwarts, is a Muggle-born! Yup, you heard that right. I didn’t believe it either to begin with, but that's the truth. I wish I could see the Slytherin Pureblood supremacists' faces presented with that piece of information!
He does hate Muggles though. I guess that’s were all the rumours of Slytherin came from. He grew up with them after all, and while the witch-hunting didn't really kick off until the 1400s (see, I didn't always sleep in Binn's classes!), it wasn't exactly easy being magical in this time and age. Hogwarts was supposed to be a safe-space, and Slytherin didn’t want the families of the Muggle-borns to know what they were and where they were. And to be honest, I get where he's coming from. Just look at the people I grew up with. I don't blame him for being afraid.
I'm running out of parchment, so I'll have to wrap it up. During the Yuletide, I've been looking into time travel, but I haven't had much luck. But I promise, I'll find a way to get back to you. Just have to keep looking.
Hope you're doing okay.
Love,
Harry
6 January 992
Hey Gin! Guess what? I'm learning Old English! Above, I've written:
‘Hello. My name is Harry and I am 23 years old. I live at Hogwarts. How are you? Do you speak English?’
Cool, right? Helga Hufflepuff has been teaching me some. I get by with translation charms, but I get terrible headaches when I use them for too long. Not to mention that I still can't read or write it. So Master Hufflepuff offered to teach me. She's an expert at languages, she speaks English, Welsh, at least two Gaelic dialects and Norwegian Norse? I think it's Norse. Did you know that she grew up with Vikings? She told me that her father was from Norway (I think? It's not called that now. Somewhere in North at least) her father is from there, and that's why she has a Norse name and can speak Norse.
Anyway. I thought it would be useful. If I'm going to search for more information about time travel, it would be nice to actually be able to read the language. And I won't get a headache whenever someone talks to me. That's a win-win situation!
Hope you're doing alright.
Love,
Harry
8 January 2019
Hi, Hermione,
Did you ever read about any Harrys in Hogwarts, A History? Or elsewhere. From the Founders Era. Did the Founders have any friends called Harry?
Ginny
9 January 2019
I can’t remember reading about any Harrys in Hogwarts, A History. I can check some other sources, if you’d like.
What spurred this on?
Hermione
13 January 2019
Hi, Ginny,
In fact, there actually was a person named Harry at Hogwarts in its early years. As you must know, there aren’t many records from this point in time, but I found a Harry Iamus in the listings in the archive from this period. Apparently, he was a staff member in the early days of Hogwarts. He taught Magical Defence. Isn’t that funny? Our Harry worked with defence as well.
I sent a copy of the translation of the contract with this letter.
Would you like to come over for tea on Saturday?
Love,
Hermione
28 August 998
This agreement made on the Twenty Eighth Day of August in the Year Nine Hundred and Ninety Eight. Between Master Rowena on behalf of the Hogwarts School of Witchcræft of Year Nine Hundred and Ninety on the one part and Harry Iamus on the other part. The said Harry Iamus for and on the conditions hereafter mentioned, binds himself to Hogwarts School, taking oath to protect the School and its Students by any means in times of need if it so may be on the expense of his own life. The said Harry Iamus will take upon himself the position of teacher in the Course of Magical Defence and Counter Curses 1 , and will commence the First Day of October in the Year Nine Hundred and Ninety Eight. Hogwarts School will provide housing to the said Harry Iamus from the First of October above mentioned to the end of the school year.
Signed,
Rowena, Charms Master
Hogwarts School of Witchcræft
Harry Iamus, Pot Master
Eidyn 2
1 Name of the course Defence Against the Dark Arts before the curriculum revise in 1534.
2 Name of the region around modern Edinburgh
Translated from Old English by Robaster Uddlewick, 1898
for Randell and Grimblehawk Publishing
7 January 992
Dear Ginny,
I still haven’t told anyone that I'm from the future. First of all, would they even believe me? Sure, we live in a world of magic, but honestly, I'm not sure I even believe it myself. Sometimes, I still think I'll wake up, and this will all have been just a dream. It certainly feels like a dream. I mean, I'm in 992, sitting next to Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw at meals (and I'm not talking about the Houses).
I have to admit, one of the reasons why I'm not telling them is because I want them to think differently of me. It's really nice to not be “The Boy Who Lived”, “The Saviour”, or any of that crap. Here I'm just Harry. I don't want to be “Harry the Time Traveller”, or some shit like that.
But most of all, I'm afraid I might do something to change the future. Who knows what it will do to the time line? Me just being here is already pretty risky. If I'm not careful, I might do something so none of us are even born. Ugh, no, I would rather not think about that.
People are always asking me where I'm from, because of the way I talk, and I don’t know what to tell them. I hate lying, but what other choice do I have?
I hope you're doing better than me. I miss you.
Love,
Harry
29 January 992
I miss modern infrastructure. I miss showers, I miss toilets, and I miss toothbrushes.
It's not like they don't care about hygiene. They do. (Well, not as much as I would prefer.) But I would give anything to take a shower with proper soap and hot running water. It's been about three months now, but I just can't get used to it.
At least almost everything else is mostly the same. For once, I really appreciate that the Wizarding world is terribly conservative, from writing with quills to wearing robes. Though I do miss t-shirts and trousers. Unfortunately, I only got to bring with me whatever I had on my person. I wore my Auror robes, I had my wand of course, and all sorts of junk in my pockets, most of which is useless here, or would raise too many questions for me to use. But I didn't want to throw it away (it's the only thing I got that still connects me to my own time), so Slytherin gave me a chest were I could keep everything. Save for my wand, of course.
Love,
Harry
16 January 2019
Dear Hermione,
Thank you so much for the help. I’m sorry I didn’t respond sooner. I’ve had a lot on my mind lately. The reason I asked does have to do with Harry. I don’t want to say too much in letters, though. I would love to come over on Saturday, if the offer still stands. I have something I want to show you guys.
Love,
Ginny
15 February 992
Dear Ginny,
I'm bored.
I feel like I mostly just sit on my butt all day. The founders are all busy with classes, I can't read, and I can't go anywhere. Or, I could leave if wanted to, but I don't really have anywhere else to go, you know? I try to read, but I don't understand the words. (At this point, even the books in French seem more approachable! I should have taken Fleur up on her offer to teach me French when I had the chance.) To make everything worse, the handwriting of this time is almost unreadable. (And of course all the books are handwritten, because the printing press hasn't been invented yet. Ugh.)
So I spend most days strolling around the castle. It never ceases to amaze me how different, yet so similar, the castle is from the future my own time. I didn't find the Room of Requirement for instance. The secret passages out of the castle aren't here. The stairs aren't moving, and there are almost no paintings. The grounds outside of the castle is different as well. Hagrid's hut isn't there, The Womping Willow isn't there. The Forbidden Forest is not forbidden, and it's seems to be smaller? Younger, maybe.
Sometimes, I join classes. I've actually been taught by the founders themselves. That's not something everyone can say! I recognise a lot of it, but much is different. There are a lot more spells based on English here. I wonder when we started using latin-based spells. Hermoine would know. Anyway. I was hoping to improve my Old English, so I try to go to classes without a translation charm. It's for the best anyway, the more people talking, the worse the headache gets. I still don't feel like I've made any progress.
Love,
Harry
21 February
Dear Ginny,
I talked to Slytherin's pet snake today (because of course he has a pet snake). She's red and yellow (I know, ironic, right?) and her name is Ruth. I met her on my way to the Great Hall, and she showed me a short cut I don't think exists in the still exists. It was actually really nice. I don't think I've talked to any snakes since Hogwarts. They're interesting creatures.
I still haven't told everyone that I'm a parslemouth. I've hesitated because, you know. Stigma. But Slytherin is a parslemouth, and no one seems to care. So I don't know why I'm so reluctant.
It's hilarious though! Slytherin is always muttering to himself or Ruth. I really didn't picture Slytherin as the witty type, but it's so funny to listen to him, especially to what he says when he doesn't think anyone else is around to hear or understand him. I feel a little bit bad about it. I'm kind of eavesdropping. Perhaps I should tell him? It would be nice to talk to someone in a language I actually understand without the need of those bloody translation charms.
Love,
Harry
1 March 992
Hey, Ron! Happy birthday, mate!
How’s work?
I haven’t been up to much lately. Just trying my best to understand the mess that is Old English. God, you have no idea how terrible it is! And not only because words don’t mean what I think they should, or because the pronunciation is not at all like Modern English, or because I don’t understand a thing! It’s so—old! The way they’re talking is so strange. It reminds me of Draco when he’s being an arse. When he gets all posh and uptight. Does he still do that? I used to think it was funny, but this isn’t funny at all!
I miss work. I miss being out in the field. You think it’s strange? That’s what got me here in the first place, after all. But it doesn’t matter. I still miss it. I feel so useless, sitting around on my butt all day.
Hope you’re doing great!
Harry
Daily Prophet, Saturday 2 April 2019
Harry Potter Has Been Found!
Harry Potter, also known as The Boy Who Lived, The Chosen One, and The Saviour of the Wizarding World, has been found! The young Auror disappeared without trace 16 years ago.
In December 2018, Ginny Potter received a box of letter from Mr Potter that has been sealed in an unclaimed Gringotts vault for 550 years. The content of the letters has not been available to the public view. Our source at the Ministry has revealed to the Prophet that the letters were indeed written by Mr Potter, and it is safe to assume that The Hero of the Second Wizarding War is trapped in the past.
Ownerless Sealed Vault
The letters have been at Gringotts since its founding in 1474. Sealed vaults has not been known to open, despite the effort of the most skilled curse-breakers of our time. Very few have names attached to them, and most of the vaults remain ownerless. The most famous Sealed Vault of our time is Vault 1009, which is said to have once belonged to the great inventor Bowman Wright (1492-1560) himself, inventor of the Golden Snitch.
The letters written by Harry Potter was found in Vault 120, one of the oldest vaults at the Bank. The last attempt to open the vault took place in 1870, and was led by famous Curse-Breaker Arnulf Strolger. Strolger’s team did not manage to open the vault, and received only minor injuries. The vault is still under investigation.
Will Harry Return?
It is uncertain if Mr Potter ever managed to get back to the present. We know little about the content of the letters as of yet.
All we can do is hope.
Harry Potter went missing 5 June 2003, and was presumed dead in December 2009. He left behind his wife, War Hero Ginny Potter (née Weasley), and an unborn son, James Sirius, who is currently in his third year at Hogwarts. Mrs Potter has not been available for comments.
3 March 992
Dear Ginny,
I’m not doing so good.
Merlin, I miss you so much it hurts.
I’ve realised that there’s a possibility that I don’t get to come back. That I’m trapped.
It’s so hard to actually write it out. I think I might have been in denial.
I should just give up. I’m not getting back. God, I’m trapped
11 March 992
Dear Ginny,
I’m feeling pretty down right now. I can’t seem to find anything good in my life. Every day is the same. My existence feels meaningless.
I guess there are still some things that are good. I talk with people. I laugh. But then the moment is over, and everything seems bleak again. And I forget about the moment of happiness, like it never ha p ened. Most of the time, I just want to s it d n a nd cry. The other day, I start ed crying i c lass I was att end g. I couldn’t stop myself, and I just had to leave. It was embarrassing. I can't show my face ever again.
Damn, I’m sorry. Now I’m crying again, smudging out the ink. It’s not even read ble anymo
25 May 992
Hi Ginny,
I’m sorry I haven’t written to you for a while.
I’ve been studying Old English for over half a year now, and I just got back from dinner in the Great Hall, where the most amazing thing happened! I was there without the translation charms, and I had that moment of realisation, I understood what they were saying. I did. I understood. Not everything, ‘course, but enough to know what they were talking about. It was an amazing feeling. I think I might have worried the people around the table with my wide grin. But I can’t really say I care.
For the longest time, I thought I was making no progress at all. It felt like I didn’t get any better, no matter what I did. It didn’t exactly help that I’ve been feeling depressed for the past two months. I feel a bit better now though.
I sat with Slytherin, young Helena, Raimund, Gilbert Herebeorg, Maynild, and Alfreda Alfsón. Alfreda is the same age as I am. There are quite a lot of people there who are my age, or even older! They don’t have the system of taking in people at 11 years old, and 7 years of education. So many people here never got the chance to learn how to control their magic. Either because they’re Muggle-born, or didn’t get any proper education from their parents, and didn’t have any masters to train them. Some even live their entire life not knowing their magical!
Master Rowena and her husband isn’t here at the moment. They don’t have anyone else to teach her classes (Charms and Arithmancy), so the classes have been cancelled for now. Slytherin looks after Helena for the most part. She’s 10, and absolutely adorable. She has so much energy, and was practically bouncing in her seat! It’s difficult to imagine that she eventually grew up to become the melancholic Ravenclaw ghost. It’s terrible. And I can’t do anyth
Hope you are well.
Love,
Harry
20 April 2019
Dear Mrs Potter,
The content of the letters previously located in a sealed Gringotts vault may be of historical value. Therefore, the National Library and Archives of Wizarding Britain requests to review the letters. On the behalf of NLAWB, I would like to discuss the matter with you further. Please let us know when an appropriate time for us to meet is in your response.
Best,
Thomas Cattermole
Section for Magical History and Ancient Times
National Library and Archives of Wizarding Britain
20 April 2019
Dear Mr Cattermole,
I would rather not.
Sincerely,
Ginny Potter
18 May 992
Dear Ginny,
Master Rowena is back now. We had Charms the entire day. I’m exhausted.
The spells aren’t all that difficult. It’s simple stuff, like the Silencing Charm and different cleaning charms. Third year curriculum, at most. But sometimes, the names of the spells aren’t the same. And I have to remember not to call the spell by a different same, or cast a spell that hasn’t been invented yet. I’m not even entirely sure if they are the same spells.
I’ve been trying to learn the spells like they do it here. It’s a challenge, but honestly, I don’t have anything better to do.
At least my English is improving.
I’ve been working on my nonverbal magic as well. It never came naturally to me. I can do nonverbal magic, of course. As an Auror, they do require us to have SOME knowledge of it. I still prefer doing the incantation though.
Love,
Harry
20 May 992
Dear Ginny,
I’ve been going to classes regularly now. Mostly to work on my English. And there isn’t really anything else to do around here. Obviously. It’s a school.
I thought I was going to hate being back in school, but I found that I really don’t mind all that much. It’s very different from my own years at Hogwarts.
Well. It has been a thousand years after all.
Or maybe it’s the absence of a nutter of a Dark Lord trying to kill me. It might be that as well.
15 June 992
Dear Ginny,
It’s June now, and classes are still going.
I asked Salazar about it, and he said that they have break in August. Something about the harvest in the autumn. So they have a couple of months off in the autumn so students can go back and help their families.
They don’t really have a very strict time table to begin with. There are only four teachers here, so they can’t have full days of classes. You don’t have to come to class either. You can leave if you want to. It’s a bit strange. They don’t have a Ministry here, or specific rules or regulations. They don’t have OWLs and NEWTs. The students aren’t sorted into years either. You don’t graduate. You can just come here and learn to control you magic. And they’ll help you.
I wonder when all that started? Should have read Hogwarts, A History . Hermione would know. Maybe when I get back
I heard Salazar and Master Rowena talk about hiring a new teacher. They’re thinking about starting an Astrology class. We don’t have that yet. It doesn’t seem to be common with schools here. My understanding is that you get training from your parents, and/or train under a master. Master Rowena took her apprenticeship under Master Svaart. He’s Swedish. I haven’t met him, but she mentions him from time to time. She speaks very highly of him. He invented dozens of spells, apparently.
Love,
Harry
31 July 992
Hi Ginny.
It’s my birthday.
Well, I don’t actually turn 24. I left 2003 in June. I don’t even remember the date. Then arrived here sometime in November. I don’t know when exactly. I was pretty upset at the time, and I didn’t exactly have a calendar at hand. I actually didn’t find out what date it was until late in December. They don’t care about specific dates here.
You know, when I think about it like that, I suppose I’m already 24. Huh. I’ll be 25 soon.
Well, it doesn’t matter anyway. It’s the 31 st of July, so it’s my birthday. No one knows though. It’s in moments like these I miss you guys the most. I’ve gotten so used to people caring about my birthday, and getting congratulations, and celebrating.
Did you know I used to hate my birthday when I was young? I must have told you. I didn’t even know it when my birthday was until second grade. We were making paper plates with our birthdays on to hang up in the classroom, and I didn’t know mine. I didn’t think I had one. My aunt always made such a big fuss over Dudley’s birthday, and she never did that for me, so I figured that I just didn’t have one. The teacher had to go to the school administration to get it.
Birthdays don’t seem to be that big of a deal here. Many don’t even know when they were born. Or it’s vague, like “in the winter” or something.
Hope you’re alright.
Miss you,
Harry
8 August 992
Dear Ginny,
It’s autumn break now, and I have absolutely no idea what to do. Godric, Rowena, Helga and Salazar are all staying here, for now at least. Some of the students are as well. Those who don’t have anywhere to return to.
Helga was talking about visiting family in the north in September. Salazar is staying. He is not good terms with his family. I think I mentioned that before. They’re Muggles. Godric and his wife are staying as well. Did I ever tell you that Godric is married? I was gawking when I found out. I just didn’t think that it was even a possibility. It never occurred to me. I hope he don’t think I was gawking at his wife—Orella Gryffindor—because I certainly was not! I’m a married man myself! Master Rowena is also married, to a man called Walt. They don’t use surnames. They’re Anglo-Saxon, if that’s something that matters. ‘Ravenclaw’ is actually a nickname that her friends use. Or Ræfenclawu, as they say. I’m not entirely sure why. Maybe because her hair is black. Or maybe it’s just some inside joke. She’s called Master Rowena for the most part.
I was thinking about using the break to research time travel some more. I won’t find any more information here. I’ve read everything that is in the Hogwarts library—which was not much. I wouldn’t even go as far as to call it a library. Just some scrolls and a couple of shelves with books. (Did I mention that the library is in Ravenclaw's tower? Or, what will become Ravenclaw's tower. It's just a small room, nothing compared to the actual Hogwarts library). So I need to find information elsewhere. Perhaps I could ask Helga if she can look around when she travels north? Her family is magical. Maybe they know something, or someone who does.
Past few days have been mostly uneventful. Classes finished a week ago or so. We had a really nice meal. Nothing like the fests at Hogwarts in the future, but nice nonetheless! Now it’s empty here. I feel lonely. Perhaps it’ll be a good thing for me to travel. I’ll write when I figure out what to do.
Love,
Harry
11 August 992
Dear Ginny,
Happy birthday!
I wonder what you’re doing now. Well, not now. You’re not even born yet. And you won’t be for almost a thousand years. God, it’s so strange.
My biggest fear is that I will say something or do something that will change to course of history. It’s thousands of years between here and there. One minor change and everything will collapse. I try not to think about it, but deep down, there is a part of me that think that I’ve already messed up. My presence in itself is a major change in the course of history. I tell myself that I’m still here, so that means I was born, right? So you must also have been born.
Do you think it’s possible that I was already here? When I was born. That there existed a version of me here? When Hermione and I time travelled in third year, the time travel had already happened. I saw my future self cast that patronus. We had to go back in time, because we had already gone back in time. Merlin, that’s going to give me a headache if I think more about it.
I wonder of there are any records of me in history. It wouldn’t say Harry Potter. Perhaps Harry the potter. Or Harry James. Sometime, they call me that. They pronouns it a little differently though. Harry Jamus. Something like that. I think I’ll just go with that. That can be my name.
If I find a way back, I hope I can get back to 2003. So I won’t miss anything. Then I can give you your anniversary gift. And we’ll celebrate Christmas together. We’ll go to the Burrow, and visit Ron and Hermione. I’d be there when little Hugo or Rose is born. And when your birthday came, I’d take you to the nicest restaurant in London. I’d by you dancing roses from Patel’s Plants. We could go to the planetarium you liked so much. Just the two of us.
I hope you have a wonderful day.
Love,
Harry
20 August 992
Dear Ginny,
I talked to Salazar today. He’s surprisingly good company. I don’t know. I suppose I thought he would be the same bigoted arse that the rest of his house seem to be in our time. I’m sorry, that wasn’t very nice. I shouldn’t be so quick to judge, that would be hypocritical of me. Not all Slytherins are bad. Most probably aren’t. I still have this picture of Slytherin House, though, that they’re all like how Draco was when we were young. Merlin, he was such a mess.
So Salazar and I were talking, and I was this close to telling him I am a time traveller. I didn’t, in the end. It’s weird though, because of all the people here, Salazar is the one who’s asked the least questions, and have never pushed the matter. Everyone else ask questions I don’t have the answer to, or force me to lie. They ask me where I’m from, about my family, my accent, why I don’t know anything about the time I live in. Or about anything, really. It’s not as bad now as it was when I arrived, but it still happens. But beside our first meeting, he’s never forced me to lie.
So I enjoy talking to Salazar. He has a really dry sense of humour, and can make me laugh so much that my stomach hurts, all while regarding me with an unamused calculating expression that reminds me of Snape (minus the disdain). At the same time, he has a dark side that I have yet to see the entirety of. There’s something in his eyes that scares me. I don’t know why it bothers me so much. Is it because I’m afraid of him? Or because I recognise those eyes when I look myself in the mirror?
I’m sorry, that got a bit dark. I’ll stop now.
1 September 992
Dear Ginny,
I’ve been here for almost a year now.
The weather is changing. It’s getting colder. It’s much colder here than it ever was at Hogwarts in my time. It was like that last year too. I wonder when the snow will begin to fall.
I ended up asking Helga about time travel. I tried to sell it off as just curiosity. She had heard of it. Stories of accidental time travel. But she hadn't encountered it herself. It can't say I was surprised, if a bit disappointed. Time turners was a 20 th century invention after all.
Love,
Harry
7 September 992
Ginny,
You’ll never guess where I’ve been the past week! I went to London with Rowena, Walt and Salazar! It was nothing like future London at all. Not even medieval buildings like Palace of Westminster or Tower of London are there. The only thing I recognise is the Thames. It was so clean. It was blue, and when I stood on the shore, I could see the bottom of it. You could probably even drink the water in it. I didn’t dare try though.
We travelled through a Rune Circle. The Floo hasn’t been invented yet, and neither has apparition or portkeys. I haven’t travelled by Rune circles in my own time. I hadn’t even heard of it! It’s quite time consuming, so I get why no one does it anymore. First, you actually have to draw a new Rune circle every time you travel, because the magic becomes unstable after a while, so you can’t just leave it there. I didn’t take Runes in school, so I don’t really get how all that works, but I’ll take Rowena’s word for it.
Secondly, you can’t travel very far. We had to take four circles to get there. Not to mention that it’s really uncomfortable. Even more so than portkeys. I never liked wizarding transportation (except for brooms), but this is so much worse. It feels like you’re being squished through a pipe the size of a straw. And like you’re stretched out like a gum. I would not recommend it.
Enough of that. Just talking about it makes me want to puke.
We went to the Muggle market. Rowena bought different kinds of food. There was a magical marked there as well. It was really strange, because it wasn’t hidden from the muggles. There weren’t any muggles there though. The magical market was on one of the back streets, and they sold all kinds of things, most of which I’ve never seen. Lots of magical amulets. There were two booths where they sold wands. I think we bought around10, for the new students who don’t have a wand yet.
It seems pointy hats are still fashionable! Salazar bought me a pointy hat. It’s purple, and looks like the one McGonagall used to wear. He told me every wizard with an ounce of self-respect has a hat. I feel stupid in it though. I never liked wearing those hats. But every wizard and witch here got one, and they wear them all the time. Not just to formal occasions.
I’m running out of parchment, so I’ll wrap it up. We bought that too, by the way. I got myself a new quill and few metres of parchment. Hope you’re okay.
Love,
Harry
19 September 992
Dear Hermione,
Happy birthday! Hope you're doing great!
I miss you a lot. There are so many things here that reminds me of you. Or, rather, there are so many things here that makes me think of you. I often find myself thinking, 'Hermione would love this', or 'Perhaps Hermione knows?'. I feel so lost all of the time. I wonder if you would have managed better than me. You'd probably be home by now!
I thought I would share some things that made me think of you. Perhaps if this letter somehow found you, it would brighten your day.
Did you know that the enchanted ceiling in the Great Hall was part of the original construct of Hogwarts? It was in fact Helga Hufflepuff that made it, and not Rowena, as many believe. The ceiling was originally plain grey. Helga wanted to make it beautiful. She always envisioned the Great Hall as, well… Great!
Which leads me to the next thing: The Great Hall really isn't all that great now. For instance, it's smaller, and the door leading here is very insignificant. It's not even called the Great Hall! It's just the dining hall. Sometimes, I slip, and call it “the Great Hall”. People find it funny. Helga is always delighted when I do that, though, so maybe it’s okay.
Did you know Gryffindor's original crest is a Griffin? I have absolutely no idea where the lion thing came from. It's seriously weird. At least the colours are the same!
Did you know that Salazar Slytherin is Muggle-born? I know, it sounds crazy, but it's true! He told me so himself. I think that's perhaps the most shocking revelation I've come across yet.
Well, that's all I can remember for now. Perhaps you could see some of the previous letters I wrote. Perhaps you could make a new edition of Hogwarts, A History! I wonder why there are so little left of this time period in our time. To think that the knowledge that Salazar is Muggle-born would get lost in time! How different wouldn't the world have been if we'd just remembered.
No, I really shouldn't go down that road. It won't do me any good to think about what might have been. It's hard though, when you've trapped in time. Time travel does that to you. Think of everything you could change! Everyone you could save. Remember our third year? When we saved Sirius and Buckbeak? It seriously messed me up. I was obsessed with the thought of everything I could have done, all that I could have changed, if I had had a time turner in my possession.
No, I won't think of that.
Anyway. Happy birthday. I miss you. Say hi to Ron for me.
Love,
Harry
21 September 992
To Harry Iamus, Hogwarts
From Helga Huffelpyf
My dear friend, how are you? I heard news that you travelled to Lundenburg in the company of Ravenclaw, Walt and Salazar. I have been there a few times myself, and the market there really is a sight. Hope your journey went well. You asked me about travelling in time last month, and I could not give you the answers you seek. I asked my relatives, hoping they could. Unfortunately, they knew little. My aunt could tell stories of a witch she met in her younger years called Ragnhild, who claimed to have come from the future to warn her people about a great disaster. True to her word, war came to her land the following month, and Aunt Freya's family fled. The people was saved, but not Ragnhild herself, who was accused of bringing them war, and executed. Aunt Freya said that she arrived in a Rune Circle, not unlike the ones we use for travelling between places. Until we meet again.
31 September 992
Dear Ginny,
I’ve been here for about a year now.
The rest of the students return tomorrow. Alfreda came back last week.
It began snowing today. The younger ones are out playing and having snowball fights. Seems like some things never change.
One of the things I found the most strange when I got here, was that everyone seemed so normal. The children whine about school, people laugh and chatter, and they sigh and tell jokes. I didn’t think it would be like that. Having been here a year now, it seems stupid to think it would have been any different. Of course they’re normal. They’re just people. I suppose I just have this image of people from the past as being stuffy and serious all the time, like you see in old Muggle photos.
I received a letter from Helga yesterday. She told me her aunt once knew a time traveller, Ragnhild, who travelled trough a rune circle. I wonder if I can get a rune circle to send me back? I regret not taking Ancient Runes. But I promise I will try.
Love,
Harry