1926 *rewritten*
I fall to the floor heavily and keep laying on the floor, breathing heavily from the feeling time travel had given me; it certainly wasn't comfortable. As I lie there, I look around. The room does not look much different, but the minor differences that are there, like the light blue curtains that used to be yellow, or would one day be yellow, tell me it had worked. After another few deep breaths, I stand up slowly, the world still spinning slightly around me. I would have to find out when exactly I had landed myself.
Looking down at my clothes, I realise that I should probably change out of my jeans. They wouldn't fit in at diagon alley, no matter the time, so I decide to transfigure them into cotton trousers for now, as well as transfiguring the bed sheet into a nice coat for myself. Probably better than jeans. I open the door to the room and peer outside, careful, not to be seen and hold my breath in anticipation until I stand outside the Leaky Cauldron, looking at Diagon Alley. Everything looks…the same actually. Walking through Diagon Alley, passing the shops and taking in the sights, I soon discover that not much had changed over the years. The buildings and shops seem the same, even the people do not seem much different.
At the nearest store that sells copies of the Daily Prophet, I get myself a copy with the few coins I had in my pocket and look at the date. December 30, 1926. It really worked. I really am in the past. 1926, that was the year Tom Riddle was born. Or rather it is the year he will be born. If I recall correctly. Packing up the newspaper, for later use, I head back to the Leaky Cauldron to get to Muggle London where I start questioning people for the next orphanage. I can't recall what the Orphanage Tom Riddle grew up in was called, but I’m sure I’ll recognise the name if I see it. It took a while and a lot of questions, but after four different Orphanages, I finally found the right one. Wools Orphanage. Thats it. This is where Tom Riddle's mother would give birth to him.
My feet hurt as I sit down on a bench close to the grand house, keeping the entrance in my view. It’s a few hours later when I see a thin woman with dark hair and pale skin walking towards the Orphanage. She looks sick and tired, with dark bags under her eyes. I get up and follow her. This had to be her. Merope Riddle nee Gaunt. The woman I have been looking for the whole day. I follow her quickly and grab her to pull her into the alley next to the Orphanage.
“Who are you? Let me go! ” The gaunt woman calls out.
“Merope! Merope, I need you to calm down. I know that you don't know me, but I am here to help you and your child.”
“Who are you?” Merope repeats her question.
“My name is Harriet. I am…a seer. I saw something that made me look for you. We are connected through our ancestors Merope, I think that's why I got this vision. I saw destruction and war. And your son was in the middle of it all. I want to prevent that from happening.” I try to explain.
“A son?” mumbles Merope. “Was he, I mean, will he, was he bad?” she continues with a lost look in her eyes.
I stay silent for a moment before finally admitting “Yes. But I want to change that. We can change that. I believe he deserves a chance to grow up differently.”
“I don't survive it, do I? Childbirth, I mean. I can already feel it.”
“No” my eyes stay on the floor. “He was raised in that very muggle orphanage here, which frankly isn't the right place for a magical child to grow up in.”
“You will help?”
“Yes”
“Okay. Come with me then. I still need their help while giving birth.”
“...Okay…”
With that, I follow the slightly older woman out of the alley where I help her up the stairs to the building. She knocks and we wait.
The door is opened by a rather young-looking woman in a blue dress. “Yes?” she asks.
“I need help,” says Merope. “I will give birth any moment now.”
“We do not have room for another child. Go to the hospital.”
“Listen. My sister is about to give birth. We know chances are she won't survive. In that case, I will take care of the child. We just need help with the birth, to give her and the child a chance to survive this.” I jump in. That woman really infuriates me.
It takes a moment and I can see the indecision on the woman's face, but she lets us in and leads us to a sofa.
“We do not have any free beds, so this will have to do.”
It took five hours until Tom Marvolo Riddle was put into my arms, huddled into a green blanket. Merope's eyes had almost lost all their life when she reached for my Timeturner and whispered a silent “Pretty.” as she pokes it with her pointer finger. The Pendant starts spinning at that exact moment. Panicked, my eyes widen as I tighten my grip on the baby before that tugging feeling in my stomach returns. The last thing I see is a smile on Merope's face as her eyes close forever.
Once again I fall to the ground, this time though, something is laying on top of me. Waiting a moment for the spinning to cease, I look around. We’re still in the Orphanage, luckily no one is around to see us. I get up and once again tighten my grip on the baby. “Just you and me, Tommy Boy.” I sigh. “I guess the plan still stands. Just further in the past than I thought.”
I make my way back to the Leaky Cauldron, and from there to Gringotts Bank. On the way, I acquire a new copy of the Daily Prophet. January 1916 it says. 10 more years in the past. It worries me a little but hopefully, it will be fine. I have everything I need for a new Identity with me. The year should not matter so I try to calm myself down.
Just as I did in my own time, I nod at the guard at Gringotts as I step inside the bank and walk up to the first manned counter.
“Good morning.” I greet, adjusting my grip on the boy.
“Morning” the goblin scowles.
“I would like to speak to the head of the bank, please,” I announce once again.
“On what matter?” asks the goblin teller with a scrutinizing look.
“Vital Information.”
“Name?”
“Harriet Potter.”
With the apparently traditional look of disgust and a sigh, the goblin climbs off his counter and indicates for us to follow. We walk through the beautiful corridor to the equally beautiful winged door that leads to Director Ragnok's office.
“The director will see you.” says the goblin.
“Thank you, sir,” I respond and turn to knock.
“Yes” comes the muffled reply from inside the office.
Ragnok sat at the same desk, in the same office, looking exactly the same as the last time I saw him.
“Hello, Director Ragnok. My name is Harriet Potter. I may have some vital information for you.”
“Sit down,” says the director, pointing to a chair in front of his desk. I sit down and cross my ankles.
“Now then, Miss…Potter,” Ragnok rests his chin on his hands, “What information do you deem so important?”
I smile despite the dismissive the goblin used and pull the folder with the Gringotts insignia out of my messenger bag to give the bank director.
“Please read these papers thoroughly, Director,” I instruct.
The goblin takes the files with a suspicious look and opens them. While Ragnok goes through the files, I get lost in my worried thoughts. Suddenly everything seems so unattainable to me. I get unsure of myself and of the whole plan I had hatched with the future Ragnok. What if this times Ragnok does not believe me? What if he does, but the Black family doesn't? What if-
“I see” I startle out of my thoughts as Ragnok gives me a thoughtful look. He scratches his chin and continues leafing through the files.
“I see,” he repeats, finally closing the folder, while his finger keeps tapping on his desk.
We keep staring at each other as the Goblin picks up the mouthpiece of his phone and speaks: “Miss Archer, send for the head of the Black family, immediately.”
I sigh in relief, I had not even realised that I held my breath since Ragnok pulled me out of my head.
“Feel free to wait here, Lady Black, I will bring Lord Black up to speed.” With that, he gets up and leaves the room.
It takes almost forty minutes for Ragnok to return, with a tall man behind him. The man, I would have to assume that he's the current Lord Black, has grey hair, a beard and wears an obviously expensive suit.
The Goblin speaks while returning behind his desk. “As I have already disclosed to you, Lord Black, I may introduce to you the future Lady Black, Harriet Black.
I tried to train my face into a neutral expression as I put a hand forward. Lord Black took my hand and blew a kiss over my knuckles.
“I will presume we’ve met before?” he asked me.
“We have not,” I answered him, earning a slightly confused face. I guess he would soon learn about his family's fate.
The Goblin took the files I had given him and handed them over to the man.
“These are the papers the Lady Black has brought with her from her … time. Between the Black Family and Gringotts Bank, there should be no trouble getting her and her … ward waterproof identities for this time.”
“Hm…” the lord filed through the papers, stroking his beard. “Yes, obviously I can not turn away the future head of my house. Though I believe there will be many things she might share with her new head of the house.” It seems like a query more than anything else, so I inclined my head in a positive reply. I knew I would have to give the current Lord Black something in return, even as a relative, for taking me, and especially Tom, in.
“Good. I assume you will take care of everything on Gringotts' side then, Director Ragnok?”
“Obviously, it is quite an interesting case. Before you leave, might I recommend having their new identities connected to your sister? Lady Elladora has been rather withdrawn from the public eye. It would be a surprise but not an impossibility, had she had a ward or even a daughter.” Ragnok suggested.
I look up, surprised, but it does seem like a good idea. Other than me being a lost relative, which would work less greatly, seeing as the Blacks had always kept a close eye on their relatives, there are not many other possibilities.
“I will talk to my sister about it, but I believe your idea will work rather well, Director.” Lord Black agreed “Now then, we will take our leave for now.”
