Temporal Paradox: The Second Chance of Harry Potter

September 2nd, 1976

"Is there a reason why you are eating even more than you usually do?"

'Actually, there was...' True to Aurelius' recommendation, Harry had gone all out last night and held his overpowered Incendio charm until he could barely perform a Lumos. Bathing the entire Chamber of Secrets in searing flames had been a sight to behold. 'And it had made him extremely hungry.'

Harry looked up from his bowl of oats, fruits, and yogurt to see his girlfriend shooting him an amused look. He swallowed the contents of his mouth: "I'm a growing boy."

The Elder Wand performed exceptionally well last night after the ritual. The thin piece of wood had perfectly channeled his magic and intent into a bright blaze, scorching rough walls, high pillars, and stone tiles until they were blackened by the flames. Cleaning up the mess afterwards had been far less entertaining, especially since Harry had to wait roughly 15 minutes until his core had replenished sufficiently to cast a strong enough Aguamenti charm.

"You're over six foot tall already, Harry." Marlene giggled and let her eyes roam over him from head to toe: "How big would you like to get?"

He replied after taking a large sip of orange juice and nodded towards the teachers' table, where the headmaster just entered the Great Hall from the side: "At least as tall as Dumbledore. Can't have you trump me whenever you decide to wear heels now, can I?"

"He's got a point there." Florence Fawley, Marlene's best friend, who sat across from them chuckled: "Though I'm surprised that Seeker is your favorite Quidditch position. You have more of a Beater build if you know what I mean..." She looked him up and down, apparently a bit too appreciatively for Marlene's liking.

"Are you done ogling my boyfriend?" The blonde asked, raising a delicate eyebrow. She snuggled closer to Harry's side and pressed a chaste kiss to his jaw: "This one is mine, Florence, go find yourself a different one."

"Since when did you become so possessive?" Harry laughed and pulled her closer by her waist so that she was almost resting in his lap: "I think I like that side of you." He whispered in her ear, not missing the way the small hairs on her neck stood up immediately.

"Stop it, Harry." The blonde fought with a small blush: "Unlike you, I have been chosen as Prefect and I need to set a good example for the younger students..."

"I am sure Minnie would have picked me as Prefect as well if I had been here from the very beginning." Harry's hand trailed from her waist to her hip in a very teasing manner: "And we can make it very educational for the younger years if you want to, Ms. Penny Prefect."

He looked around to the occasional Ravenclaw, who still watched him warily. It had been a rather common occurrence for Harry to join Marlene at the Eagles' table during the end of the last term. Still, he certainly stood out with the golden and red highlight on his school robes, surrounded by a sea of blue and bronze.

Marlene shook her head in laughter and slapped his hand away: "You are incorrigible, Harry."

"And yet you still put up with me?" Harry grinned and helped himself to some fried eggs: "But in all seriousness, I had an exhausting workout last night and need the energy right now."

"Let the poor boy eat, Mar." Florence chimed in once more with a giggle: "Besides, I remember you mentioning multiple times to me that you like the way Har-"

"Ouch!"

Harry looked up to see a very painful expression on Florence's face and a smug grin on Marlene's. He bent to the side and peeked under the table to watch Florence rubbing her chin with a hand. 'That will turn into a nasty bruise.': "I would have liked to know what she was going to say, Marlene."

"No!" Marlene pouted: "My dear best friend must have forgotten that some things don't have to be shared with others!"

"Spoilsport," Harry whispered just before someone called out from behind him.

"Mr. Peverell, as much as I like seeing inter-house cooperation, I would prefer if you and Ms. McKinnon would keep at least a few inches between yourself during breakfast in the Great Hall."

Harry turned around to see his head of House approaching him with rapid steps, her lips pressed into a thin line and her nostrils flared: "Good Morning, Professor." He shot her a bright smile: "Allow me to be the first to welcome you to the table of the Eagles! What brings you here on this beautiful day, ma'am?"

"Your timetable, Mr. Peverell." McGonagall placed the sheet of parchment on the table in front of him with a tat more force than was necessary, almost spilling Harry's drink: "And I would advise you to follow my instructions concerning public display of affection and keep your hands to yourself. You have not had the honor yet, but I am sure Mr. Potter and Mr. Black can tell you all about how much they enjoyed sitting in detention with me."

Harry slowly edged a few inches away from Marlene, who was spotting a furious blush by now: "Detentions with you are actually their favorite, Professor. They always mention that you don't work them nearly as hard as any other teacher at this school. Perhaps you want to increase the - uhm - intensity. It is supposed to be a learning experience after all." He finished with the most innocent expression he could pull off.

The Scottish woman's lips thinned impossible further, and she glared at Harry: "Originally I had also planned to congratulate you for your spectacular performance in your Transfiguration OWL. However, I notice that spending time in the company of the so-called Marauders..." She wrinkled her nose: "... has not done you any good. Stay out of trouble, Mr. Peverell!"

Harry watched in amusement as she turned on the spot and darted straight over to her lions.

"I have no idea how you've not lost at least 20 points and gotten a detention for that." Florence giggled: "I have never seen anyone handle McGonagall like that and get away with it."

"Minnie and I just understand one another." Harry grinned at the girls, who both shook their heads.

"I am glad you get along with the members of staff so well, Mr. Peverell." Someone squeaked.

"Professor Flitwick." Harry greeted the half-goblin: "It's good to see you, though I do think, unlike your colleague, you are not here to talk to me."

"Indeed, Mr. Peverell. However, unlike my colleague, I will use this opportunity to congratulate you. Your performance was one Professor Tofty and Professor Marchbanks will quite likely never forget. You have left quite the impression." The Charms Master grinned at him.

"Thank you, sir. I aim to please." Harry inclined his head.

"Ms. McKinnon and Ms. Fawley." The half-goblin addressed the girls: "I am immensely proud of you two as well. You have both exceeded my expectations by scoring among the top 5% of all students in the last ten academic years."

"Thank you, Professor Flitwick." Both girls expressed their gratitude and beamed up at the compliment.

"Now, I have your timetables here." The man nodded happily and passed them out: "I wish all three of you best of luck for the new academic term. Continue making House Ravenclaw proud."

"I wish my Head of House was as supportive." Harry joked, almost done with his breakfast. He glanced over his timetable: "I assume you guys have Defense with me first period?"

"We do." Marlene nodded and stored her own timetable in her bag: "We should arrive early. Best to make a good first impression on the new teacher."

"What's his name again?" Harry pushed back the bench and let two bananas slide into his bag. 'That should do as a snack until lunch.'

"Edward Bletchley." Florence reminded him as they left the Great Hall.

"Bletchley..." Harry mused. The name rang a bell. There had been a Miles Bletchley back during his original timeline. The git had been the Slytherin Keeper and responsible for sending Katie Bell to the hospital wing with a charm that made her eyebrows grow at an alarming rate. Since his girlfriend knew pretty much everyone's name in the wizarding world, he searched her gaze: "A Slytherin alumni?"

She nodded absently as they passed a group of first years, who were luckily already receiving instructions by some fifth-year Prefect: "His son, Jonathan Bletchley was in my brother's year. The family runs a law firm and is rather well connected."

Having met his fair share of Defense professors, Harry decided to simply wait to make himself a picture of the man. They reached the third floor and walked down the corridor towards the Dark Arts classroom. As expected, a few other students had decided to come early. Harry's eyes darted from Severus Snape and a few other Slytherins to two spare Hufflepuff, which sat together from some Ravenclaws.

"Let's join Lily." Harry gestured for the redhead, whose emerald green eyes had darted up and she shot him a small smile.

Marlene hesitated only for a split second before following him. Harry and his girlfriend occupied the bench next to Lily, while Florence took a seat beside her.

"Hey, Harry." His mother greeted him and briefly smiled at the two Ravenclaws: "Excited for the first DADA class?"

"I am thrilled." Harry waggled his eyebrows while he took out the book they had been instructed to buy: "After skipping through the first few chapters, I am especially curious about the interaction between theoretical knowledge and the practical application of what we learn here."

"I know right." Lily edged a bit closer to him and lowered her voice to a whisper: "The book's author certainly had a more liberal understanding of the Dark Arts."

As always, the arrival of the Marauders was announced by laughter and joking. Sirius and James strode lazily into the classroom, followed by Remus. Pettigrew had failed to score the necessary grade to continue with the class.

Harry watched as James' hazel eyes scanned the classroom and fell on Lily. The shift in his demeanor was instant. He pulled himself together and took a seat two rows behind Harry's group. Instead of continuing to joke with Sirius, he pulled out his material for the class. Harry merely chuckled at the other boy's attics. Lily would not be fooled by some mask. The change in behavior had to be genuine. Nevertheless, progress was made as Harry noticed how his parents exchanged a small, polite smile.

The door to the attached office suddenly opened and Harry took in their latest professor. Edward Bletchley was of slightly above average height and could definitely lose a few pounds, though he was nowhere near Slughorn's size. His blue eyes spoke of intelligence and a sharp mind, yet the way he walked displayed more than just confidence. Harry spotted unmistakable traces of arrogance and superiority. It looked like a slightly less sophisticated version of how Malfoy used to stride around the castle as if he owned the place.

"Good morning, class." The man greeted them with a firm voice and remained standing next to the blackboard. Similar to Umbridge, he pointed his wand at the board: "My name is Professor Edward Bletchley. I was a student at this fine establishment long before anyone thought of you and worked in the Department for Magical Law Enforcement before opening my own law firm."

Large white letters formed words on the blackboard to capture the highlights of what he was telling them.

"Simultaneously I work as a consultant for the Ministry on matters related to the legality of the Dark Arts. Therefore, in addition to theoretical and practical defense, we will also learn the situations in which one may legally utilize spells of darker nature."

Whispers went through the rows of students. The Slytherins looked rather excited while students from the other three Houses exchanged curious or slightly worried glances. Harry had to admit that the man managed to successfully capture his attention. While he was a strong supporter of the American saying 'Better be judged by twelve than carried by six' He could not deny that it was useful for the average student to know which curses could be used in what situations.

"Silence!" Bletchley stopped the bickering: "There will be no one else speaking when I do. I don't tolerate misconduct and you will quickly learn that I will discipline students as I seem fit."

Bletchley looked around challengingly once more before heading over to his table. He took out a small piece of parchment from within one of the drawers: "You will all address me as 'Sir' or 'Professor' without exemption. Let's start by taking attendance: Alton, Reginald!"

Harry quickly noticed a pattern and so did Lily and Marlene next to him. Any pureblood received a short sign of acknowledgment, usually an inclination of the head from the new professor. Muggleborns like Lily or Remus, due to the condition Bletchley had undoubtedly been told about, received the faintest sneer. The man did not seem to like Harry either. When it was his turn, Harry could swear to have seen a glimmer of irritation flicker behind the man's eyes. 'Great... Dumbledore had hired another pureblood bigot.'

"The first topic we will discuss this term are Dementors." Bletchley's voice echoed through the classroom: "The average magical citizen is quick to judge them because they are labeled as supposed 'Dark Creatures' but our current alliance with them is of great value for both of us. Can someone tell me why?"

A few people raised their hands, including Lily, Marlene, Snape, and some other Slytherins. Harry did not bother.

"Dementors feed on happiness and positive emotions to survive. The purpose of a prison is to punish its inhabitants and prevent an escape." Elena Rosier answered: "Using dementors as guards for a prison, as we do with Azkaban, is mutually beneficial for all parties involved except the prisoners."

"Very well said, Ms. Rosier! Five points to Slytherin." Bletchley nodded: "The record supports this line of argument. Ever since its creation as a prison in 1678, Azkaban has never been broken out of. That is a feat no other European magical prison has managed with the exception of Nurmengard."

Harry barely managed to hide his snort. Azkaban was strong, no doubt, however, its defenses were far from impenetrable. Wizards of a certain caliber, like Dumbledore, Voldemort, and perhaps soon even Harry himself could easily escape. A prison like Nurmengard, whose complex ward scheme feeds off of the prisoner's magic, was much more suitable to incarcerate powerful individuals.

"The Dementors are our allies and for as long as the Ministry continues to guide them with a firm hand, there won't be any conflicts between us." Bletchley continued: "However, to remain in control over them means to be able to establish dominance. Can someone name a few techniques we use to keep them in line or if necessary, defend ourselves?"

Many more hands went up this time, including Harry's. Bletchley ignored him and instead picked James.

"The Patronus charm is the most efficient method to scare them away." James explained: "However, as creatures of the dark, they also dislike warmth, brightness, and therefore fire. An Incendio won't physically hurt them, but it might buy you enough time to flee."

"Says the Gryffindor." Someone from within the students dressed in green snickered and the Snakes broke out in stifled laughter.

"If it means I get to live to fight another day." James shrugged seemingly unbothered, yet his knuckles whitened while clutching the edge of his desk.

"That is enough!" Bletchley interfered: "Mr. Snape, your hand has also been up. Do you have something to add?"

"I do, sir. Dementors can't physically harm humans with the exception of their kiss. Their weapons are psychological and mental torture. However, I have read that a strong and well-trained mind is able to resist their effects. Coupled with a Patronus charm it would make for a strong combination against them."

"That might be the case, however, you are children and the study of the mind arts is something far too dangerous for anyone who only recently sat their OWLs to attempt." Bletchley stood up from his desk and walked to the middle of the classroom: "The Patronus Charm is also too complex to teach. It is a spell private citizens will barely have to use anyways. Only Aurors, Hit Wizards, or other DMLE personnel should have experience with it."

Lily's hand shot up.

"Yes, Ms. Evans." The Professor's gaze lingered on her for a few seconds before picking her.

"Does that mean you will not teach us the charm, even though its execution gives bonus points in our practical NEWTs?" His mother challenged, emerald green eyes slightly narrowed: "Besides, you have not confirmed the proper way to defend ourselves against a Dementor yet. What exactly are we supposed to do now if we encounter one?"

The man's eye twitched in irritation: "If you do ever encounter a Dementor, Ms. Evans, it will be in an environment where no harm can come to you. Should for whatever reason that not be the case, then I urge you to contact the DMLE and do as your friend from Gryffindor suggested so bravely... Flee and Hide."

The Slytherin snickered once more. Harry turned around in his chair, knowing that James would speak up for Lily, and quickly shook his head at the boy. Verbal disputes with a man like Bletchley were pointless and would only cost them House Points. 'Not that Harry cared about those.'

"And to answer your other question, Ms. Evans, I will not be teaching you the Patronus charm because none of you will manage to produce even the smallest gasp of smoke, no matter how many hours I will be spending on the material with you."

Lily flexes her hand in disappointment and anger but at least she was smart enough to remain quiet and not reply heatedly as Harry would have at her age. However, Harry was not done yet... He raised his hand.

"Last question before we continue, Mr. Peverell. I don't intend on wasting the entire lesson debating my students." The man grit his teeth.

"I apologize, sir." Harry inclined his head: "I agree that arguing about it will get us nowhere. You are the expert in this subject after all. However, perhaps if you could just demonstrate the spell for us once really quickly, those in this class, who wish to try their hand on it during their NEWTs can practice it during their own time." His voice shifted to a more concerned tone: "That is, assuming as a consultant for the DMLE, you are actually capable, sir?"

Every single pair of eyes flickered back between Harry and Bletchley as the two held a silent staring contest for a few seconds. Harry's expression was one of curiosity and slight mock concern, the teacher's one of anger and almost fury.

"Of course I can cast a Patronus, Mr. Peverell." The man spat and pulled his wand: "Perhaps you can give the class the incantation since you seem to be so curious about it?"

Harry put on a fake frown and scratched his neck: "I believe it is 'Expecto Patronum', sir, though I am not 100% sure."

"You are correct." The man snorted and pointed his wand down the middle aisle of the classroom: "Now observe!"

"Expecto Patronum!"

A bright, silvery cloud burst out of the tip of Bletchley's wand and twisted until it turned into a large shield, its surface flickering every so often. Harry watched in amusement as the man's grip tightened around his wand and his forehead wrinkled in concentration. 'Pathetic.'

A thirteen-year-old Harry Potter had managed to conjure a stronger Patronus after a month of training sessions with Lupin. To be fair, other DADA professors like Lockhart would have likely obliviated half the classroom by accident during their attempt to conjure a Patronus. Still, Gilderoy Lockhart should hardly be taken as the benchmark for a Defense Professor.

Bletchley's Patronus finally crumbled and vanished with a small puff. The slimy Slytherins instantly started congratulating the professor on a job well done. The man's eyes snapped to Harry with a triumphant sneer: "I trust that will be sufficient as a demonstration, Mr. Peverell."

"A truly phenomenal display of skill, sir." Harry congratulated him with a bright smile: "I hope to one day achieve something similar. Thank you so very much, Professor."

Marlene shot him a small grin and squeezed his thigh under the table. She was the only one in the room, who knew that Harry could have easily put the professor in his place by revealing his superior skill. Harry felt the stares of the Marauders and Lily as well. Undoubtedly, they had expected him to actually do something instead of seemingly accepting defeat. Harry ignored them all, his eyes still trained on the professor and a small smirk on his lips.

"You will all open your book to page seven and start reading the passages about Dementors." Bletchley walked back to his desk and filled a cup with a stream of clear water: "For homework, I expect a twelve-inch essay on the history of the cooperation between Dementors and magicals and their benefits to us as a society. You may begin with it in class after finishing the literature."

Harry flipped open his book, eager to finish the essay as soon as possible and pursue his other interest. The morning had not been a total disaster. Bletchley had pretty much revealed his cards in the very first lesson already. The man was rather similar to Umbridge, in that he was a sucker of the rules and loved spewing Ministry propaganda.

He also seemed to favor those of pure blood, with the technical exception of Harry. He had no idea why exactly the man disliked him, but since Harry had been stepping on the toes of a few pureblood families from Slytherin, potentially Bletchley's clients, it didn't really come as a surprise.

"Thank you for not going all Gryffindor for once." Marlene leaned over ever so slightly and whispered in his ear: "You did the right thing, it's better this way..."

Harry nodded absently while his eyes continued to flicker over the pages: "There is virtually no point in revealing my powers to him. It won't get me a better grade in his class or make him like me more. Besides, any brief satisfaction from publicly embarrassing him would be overshadowed by giving certain people too much information on how powerful I truly am."

'Dumbledore for example... or even Voldemort depending on how much Bletchley sympathizes with his views.'

"He does not seem like the smartest teacher..." Marlene hummed as she turned the page: "A true Slytherin would be more careful challenging you like that, especially after you have displayed magic far beyond your years on multiple occasions already. It's times like these I wonder how you ended up with the Dorks in the first place. You show more cunning than anyone I know."

"People will continue to underestimate me, the less I reveal about myself." Harry nodded in agreement: "Sooner or later an opportunity to expose him as an unfit teacher will present itself."

"Can you teach me the charm?" Marlene pulled out a fresh roll of parchment. A smile played with the corner of her pink lip: "I'd rather know how to defend myself instead of calling my brothers or you for help."

"It would be a pleasure to teach you, Ms. Independent." Harry chuckled and dipped his own quill in her ink bottle.

"You should be careful, Harry, otherwise it will stay a study session and nothing else will happen in the Room of Requirements later." Marlene bit her bottom lip and batted her eyelashes at him. Sometimes he was convinced his girlfriend had an allure stronger than Fleur Delacour's.

"If you don't feel like it…" Harry shrugged his shoulders, acting unbothered: "Perhaps I'm not even in the mood today."

His girlfriend snorted audibly, making even Florence and Lily look at the two: "I know you better than that, Harry. Now be a good boy and let me finish this essay so I can make some private time for you."

Harry used the fact that Bletchley had been called to one of the Slytherins and leaned over to Marlene to whisper in her ear: "Perhaps we should arrange the Patronus session all the way at the end of the day. It will be easier to learn when you have a pleasant enough memory to work with, love."

September 10th, 1976

Harry whistled a happy melody as the sound of his footsteps echoed back from the high walls and ceiling of the antechamber. Dinner had been excellent and with Marlene on Prefect patrols, Harry decided to use his free time to finally make some progress with Aurelius' spell for repelling Dementors.

Over a week had passed since his last ritual. Two more times, Harry had powered himself out completely by holding an Incendio charm for as long as possible. Each time, he had managed to conjure a slightly greater and more powerful flame. Therefore, his ancestor had finally given him the green light and mentioned that the very next time he found himself down in the Chamber of Secrets, Harry should go ahead and give the Butcher spell the first try.

The stone snakes slithered over the rough walls, after Harry's hiss, unlocking the main chamber and granting him access. Carrying the heavy tome in his bag, Harry headed for the wooden table, only to stop when he suddenly felt the hairs on his neck stand straight.

'What is this?'

His eyes widened in terror when a bright ring of blackish flames rose around him, blocking his vision completely. The Elder Wand flicked into his palm within a split second and Harry dropped his leathery bag on the cold stone tiles to take a protective stance in front of it. His mind was racing with different theories of what might be happening around him, yet Harry banished those thoughts aside. He could think about the 'why' once he dealt with this ambush.

The black flames lunged forwards one after another, snapping through the air like an angry whip at Harry. The boy conjured his strongest shield in a protective dome all around him and started waving the Elder Wand in long, fluent patterns. Black smoke engulfed him completely, cutting him off from every direction.

The circular wall of flames slowly narrowed around him, edging closer and closer each time the spike of a flame struck his shield. Despite the magical barrier, Harry felt the heat becoming almost unbearable. Harry held on until the last possible second, then unleashed the build-up power of the Elder Wand.

With a primal roar, Harry slashed his wand upwards towards the Chamber's ceiling. The two large pools of water lining up towards Salazar Slytherin's statute bubbled and gurgled as the swells inside it swapped over the edges of their containers.

Two giant waves rose impossibly high, almost touching the Chamber's ceiling before they came crashing down on Harry and the flames surrounding him. The air was filled with loud hissing as the two elements collided, yet the blazing trap stood no chance against the tsunami-like magic, which swapped over the entire chamber, drenching every single stone.

Right in its center, Harry flicked the Elder Wand again and redoubled the power he thrust into his shield, so as not to be tossed aside by the waves like a child's toy in the wild surf. The water was repelled by his invisible barricade, leaving him and the tome somewhat dry if one ignored the fact that he was drenching in his own sweat from the efforts.

Seeing as the black fire had been obliterated, Harry forced the water back into either pool with a long fluent motion of his wand. The waves subsided, leaving small puddles of water every few meters on the Chamber's floor. Harry panted heavily but kept his wand up high, trained at whatever the Chamber might throw at him next.

"Homenum Revelio!"

The detection spell indicated that no one else was there, at least not right now. The trap must have been activated by Harry's arrival down here, yet there was no easy method to know how many more were waiting for him. 'Hopefully, his wave had triggered most of them.' Harry grit his teeth and carefully took a few steps forward while checking to his left and right.

A high whizzing sound made him spin his head back towards the statue. A small cloud of thin silvery arrows surged towards him from a gap that opened underneath Salazar's mouth.

The Elder Wand flicked upwards and broke a few large tiles from the floor, which successfully blocked each of the deadly projectiles.

Deadly indeed... Harry frowned as he levitated one of the splintered arrows and analyzed its sharp head. The tip was blackened and even the dimly lit Chamber allowed Harry to see that it had been dipped into some substance. He carefully held it closer to his nose and took a whiff.

'Basilisk Venom, taken from the small supply he stored in the study... Coupled with a withering curse by the looks of.'

Harry dropped the arrow on the ground and crushed it with his heel. His heart began beating in his chest faster than ever since his arrival in this timeline... He felt the adrenaline pumping through his veins as the realization hit him. There was only one possible explanation for who, or better, what could have laid those traps for him.

"I no longer need a 'Talking Hat' and or Dumbledore's 'Pet Bird' to beat you." Harry's lips curled into a cold smile. If Voldemort had decided to present him his diary on a golden plate, then so be it.

His grip on the Elder Wand tightened as he strode to the statue in confident steps and a loud hiss escaped his lips:

"I promise you a much more interesting fight this time around, Tom Marvollo Riddle."