Chapter 175: The Time-Turner
Professor McGonagall's gaze moved between Dylan and Hermione.
"This item is extremely precious, and incredibly difficult to acquire—only truly exceptional students are qualified to use them."
Professor McGonagall's tone was serious, and her expression even carried a hint of gravity.
—It seemed even more stern than the demeanor she exhibited in class.
"I know you are both outstanding—and you are both perfectly qualified to use them to complete the courses you've chosen that have time conflicts."
"But I still require you to keep this a complete secret. Absolute secrecy. Apart from us, you must not reveal this to anyone else, not even Dumbledore."
Hermione blinked: "Professor, what do we need to do?"
"You will swear to me—an Unbreakable Vow, promising that you will not disclose this item."
Professor McGonagall stared at Dylan and Hermione.
"Swear with a magical oath?" Hermione seemed a little surprised.
"This is a necessary procedure. If this item is exposed while in your possession, it will cause considerable impact—it could lead to you being targeted by certain individuals. I must be very cautious about this," Professor McGonagall stated.
"Alright..."
"But don't worry, by the time you've finished your courses, this item will most likely have become ineffective, and then you won't need to keep the secret anymore."
Under Professor McGonagall's guidance, Dylan and Hermione took the vow one after another.
Only after confirming the vow was unbreakable did Professor McGonagall nod, leaning forward slightly to pull open a drawer beside her.
She rummaged inside for a moment.
Finally, Professor McGonagall took out a small, exquisite box.
The box had an antique luster, its deep brown texture appearing calm and substantial.
She placed the box gently on the table and opened the lid, revealing two necklaces nestled inside.
Dylan looked.
The two necklaces appeared to be made of pure gold, their chains shimmering with a golden glow.
The central pendant was an oddly shaped hourglass.
Sparkling golden sand flowed slowly within it.
The hourglass was firmly encircled by two concentric golden rings.
Dylan examined it closely, noticing intricate and complex runes carved onto the rings.
"This is..." Hermione showed a look of curiosity.
"A Time-Turner," Professor McGonagall stated, enunciating each syllable as if it carried significant weight. "It will allow you to travel through time to complete your conflicting coursework."
"What?!" Hermione's eyes widened sharply, her mouth involuntarily falling open, a gasp threatening to escape her throat.
However, in the next second, she quickly raised a hand and covered her mouth.
Harry and Madam Pomfrey were still outside the door, and Hermione didn't want her gasp to draw their attention.
Professor McGonagall's expression remained very serious.
She did not directly hand the Time-Turners to them.
"The Time-Turner can help you travel through time. Remember, you must only use it to complete the conflicting coursework on your timetables."
Professor McGonagall continued to stare at them both: "I require you to swear again that you will not use it to change the past and cause irreparable consequences!"
"Time travel is not a safe endeavor; on the contrary, it is extremely dangerous! Carelessly altering the past can lead to the collapse of reality and the future, resulting in catastrophic consequences!"
"The existence of the Time-Turner is to be used solely for academic purposes, and not to arbitrarily change the past. This is an ironclad rule set by the Ministry of Magic, and violators will face the severest of punishments."
Professor McGonagall warned repeatedly.
Dylan and Hermione nodded quickly.
Whether it could be used or not, even if they swore now, didn't it still depend on old Dumbledore in the end?
And Professor McGonagall only said they couldn't change the past while causing irreparable consequences.
Didn't that imply—that they could change the past?
After all, they wanted to travel back to a previous time to attend classes they had already completed in another timeline.
This itself was an act of changing the past.
Therefore, if Professor McGonagall made them swear not to change the past using the Time-Turner, what would be the point of giving them the item at all?
Dylan certainly wouldn't casually alter history.
He simply wanted to get his hands on a Time-Turner and research it.
—What if using a Time-Turner unlocked a time-related achievement and triggered some critical reward?
He might even be able to get an artifact stronger than a Time-Turner!
That was Dylan's ultimate goal!
Only after watching them both swear again did Professor McGonagall hand a necklace from the box to Dylan and Hermione respectively.
The moment he received the Time-Turner, Dylan cradled it in his hands, examining it carefully.
A sentence was inscribed on each of the two concentric rings surrounding the hourglass.
"I mark the hours, every one, nor have I yet outrun the sun."
"My use and value, unto you, are gauged by what you have to do."
Dylan held it in his hand.
He clearly felt some magic he couldn't understand, contained within the Time-Turner, pulsating.
"I must reiterate, the Time-Turner is an extremely precise and dangerous magical artifact. The one you hold can turn back time by a maximum of five hours."
Professor McGonagall's expression was grave as she stood before her desk, her gaze sweeping over Dylan and Hermione in turn.
"Remember, after casting the spell, each turn of the hourglass is twisting time. One turn represents one hour back. You absolutely must not turn it more!"
Professor McGonagall paused slightly, looking at the Time-Turner in Dylan's hand.
Dylan was currently shaking the chain, and the golden sands within the hourglass rippled gently.
"Furthermore, when using it, you must ensure that no one around you notices."
"If the timeline becomes confused, it will not only lead to serious magical catastrophes and temporal accidents, but you yourselves will suffer irreversible harm, and may even disappear from time."
"—Completely disappear!"
Professor McGonagall's serious voice echoed in the office.
Hermione had initially been curiously fiddling with the Time-Turner in her hand, but hearing Professor McGonagall's warning, her expression also became solemn.
"Remember one thing: time is a very fragile thread. Do not try to leap on it."
"We understand, Professor."
Hermione and Dylan nodded again.
After jotting down the key points Professor McGonagall had mentioned, even in a notebook, Professor McGonagall finally let them go.
The three of them walked out the door, joining Harry and Madam Pomfrey, and headed towards the Great Hall.
Their pace was quick.
—Mainly because Professor McGonagall's strides were so long, she moved like the wind.
Forcing the others to quicken their pace to keep up.
Upon returning to the Great Hall, despite their haste, the Sorting Ceremony had already concluded.
Dylan glanced around.
Since Professor McGonagall had been with them, Professor Snape had conducted this Sorting Ceremony.
Dylan looked at the first-year students.
—These poor youngsters, especially those from the three Houses other than Slytherin.
Each of them looked as if they had been intimidated by Professor Snape.
Their postures were rigid, their faces pale, and they seemed to be on pins and needles.
Even the Slytherin first-years weren't much better.
Clearly, they had witnessed Professor Snape's venomous tongue firsthand.
Dylan quickly walked to his seat.
Professor Snape, whose Sorting Ceremony duties were over, was also walking back. Seeing Dylan's figure, his gaze swept over him.
Dylan's lips curled upwards, meeting Professor Snape's gaze—his eyes full of friendliness.
Professor Snape, however, subtly tilted his chin, turned his head away, swished his black robes, and strode back to his seat.
Then he cast a cold glance at the person sitting beside him, before turning his head away again.
"Old tsundere."
The curve of Dylan's lips remained unchanged, but as he sat down, he secretly muttered to himself.
It had been a whole summer since they last saw each other.
This old bat must have missed him terribly, right?
Otherwise, why would he have looked at him first the moment he returned?
Inside the Great Hall, candlelight flickered in the high ceiling, making the long tables glow like molten gold.
Dylan's fingers unconsciously rubbed the Time-Turner hidden inside his robes; the sharp edges of the hourglass pressed against his palm through the fabric.
Hermione was quietly explaining the year's course choices to Harry, but whenever her gaze swept over Dylan, she unconsciously pressed a hand to her collar.
"You two have been acting strange ever since you came back from the hospital wing," Ron said oddly, poking his empty plate with a fork. "Professor McGonagall didn't make you sign some devil's contract, did she?"
"Like making you study non-stop for the entire school year?"
"Just some course enrollment guidelines," Dylan smiled. "Like having to memorize twelve full pages of Advanced Transfiguration Safety Regulations."
Hermione pursed her lips, saying nothing.
"Alright," Ron smacked his lips.
At that moment, Dumbledore slowly stood up.
He looked very tall, his robes swaying gently with his movements.
Dumbledore raised his hand, then lowered it.
The slight murmuring in the hall immediately quieted.
Everyone's gaze uniformly turned towards the head table.
Dumbledore's gaze gently swept over every young, tender face below, and he raised his voice with a beaming smile.
"Welcome back safely to Hogwarts, students!"
He wasn't sure if old Dumbledore had used a Sonorus Charm or if he simply had a naturally loud voice.
His voice was impressively resonant.
And it didn't sound like an old man at all.
—His voice was extremely vibrant.
"The Sorting Ceremony is over. Dear first-years, welcome to our ranks. Next is dinner, but before that, I must inform you of a few matters."
"Especially one matter, which is extremely important, and I think I need to clarify it before everyone gets too stuffed to think straight."
Dumbledore cleared his throat lightly, the smile on his face still lingering but growing faint.
"I imagine you've already encountered them on the Hogwarts Express—those Dementors from Azkaban."
"These special guests will be performing their duties at our school—they have been sent by the Ministry of Magic and will remain at the school until Sirius Black is apprehended."
"Until then, the Dementors will guard every entrance."
At this point, old Dumbledore's expression was not pleasant.
—He was even quite displeased about it.
This was also why Dylan dared to capture several Dementors directly on the train without worrying about anyone coming to find trouble with him afterward.
Whether anyone would discover that he was the one who captured the Dementors was one thing.
Even if someone noticed the reduced number of Dementors, would Fudge dare to question old Dumbledore about it?
Even if he did ask, old Dumbledore would probably only reply, "You sent Dementors here to perform their duties; are the Houses supposed to protect the safety of those Non-Beings?"
Perhaps they were dissatisfied with the Ministry's control and fled; who knows!
"Although the Ministry assures that their presence will not affect our daily activities, I must warn you again—as long as Dementors are at the school, no one is permitted to leave the school grounds without permission!"
"They will not understand any pleas or appeals, nor can they distinguish between prey and those who simply get in their way. No disguise or trick will fool them—not even an Invisibility Cloak."
"Therefore, do not give these evil creatures a reason to harm you. Dementors are born knowing no forgiveness."
At this point, Dumbledore paused slightly.
"The prefects of each House, and the newly appointed Head Boy and Head Girl, you must do your utmost to prevent any student from having any conflict with those dreadful creatures!"
Dylan secretly took out a piece of chestnut tart and popped it into his mouth.
Listening to old Dumbledore's nagging, he understood but wasn't particularly concerned.
In any case, even if an Invisibility Cloak couldn't evade Dementors' tracking, it didn't mean his Shadow Ring couldn't avoid them.
Stepping back further, even if the Shadow Ring didn't work—an Animagus form could fool Dementors.
"It's just my Animagus... sigh!"
Dylan was really hoping the system would give him a reward for a second Animagus form.
However, since he completed Animagus so long ago with no further movement, he figured it was probably a long shot.
"Hey! Dylan, where did you get that chestnut tart from?"
Ron, sitting opposite, noticed Dylan sneaking a bite, and his eyes widened.
Dylan paused, swallowed the pastry first, then raised an index finger to his lips.
"I brought it myself. Don't worry, you'll get dinner soon."
Ron pouted.
"Everyone, let's not be so serious. As long as you attend your classes normally, those evil creatures will have no reason to harm you."
Dumbledore's tone picked up again.
"Now, I am delighted to announce another matter—we have two new teachers who will be instructing you this school year."
Dumbledore first looked towards the teachers' table on the left.
"At my invitation, Professor Lupin has agreed to take on the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts—good luck, Professor."
Dumbledore extended a hand.
Professor Lupin, sitting beside Professor Snape, also stood up.
A smattering of applause broke out in the Great Hall.
It wasn't enthusiastic, even sounding sparse; most of the clappers were first-year students.
—Clearly, the previous year's Defence Against the Dark Arts professor had left too deep an impression on everyone.
However, even though the students' applause wasn't very warm, Professor Lupin's expression remained very friendly.
He tugged at his slightly tattered robes and nodded to the students.
The professors at the teachers' table also applauded.
Only Professor Snape maintained a cold face, his expression rigid, his movements reluctant, clapping his lower palm three times before immediately lowering his hand.
Dylan clearly sensed that Professor Snape held some hostility and animosity towards Lupin.
Of course, mostly it was disdain.
"Our Care of Magical Creatures professor has decided to retire, which is a pity—but classes cannot be suspended."
"I am pleased to announce that his replacement, filling the vacant position, is Rubeus Hagrid—he has enthusiastically accepted my request to take on this teaching post in addition to his duties as Gamekeeper of the Forbidden Forest."
Regarding Hagrid, compared to the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, students were more familiar with him.
Secondly, after Hagrid's name was cleared, all the young wizards had a change of heart about the big, always enthusiastic man.
Therefore, this round of applause was considerably louder than before.
Especially in the Gryffindor section, some even stood up.
This made Hagrid, sitting at the teachers' table for the first time, somewhat nervous, his large face turning an alarming shade of red—the color spreading from his cheeks all the way to his earlobes.
Hagrid involuntarily grinned, his smile hearty and shy.
He raised his large, fan-like hand and awkwardly scratched his head—making his already bushy hair even more disheveled.
"Alright, everyone, now begin to enjoy the feast before you—the banquet begins!"
Old Dumbledore clapped his hands.
The goblets before the students instantly filled with various beverages.
The golden plates on the tables were also laden with countless kinds of food.
"Finally, time to eat!"
Dylan immediately picked up his knife and fork, devouring the food like a whirlwind.
Until he was full to bursting, feeling light-headed from all the food.
Only then did Dylan stop.
"Even though Mum's cooking is delicious, the house-elves' food just hits different!"
Dylan rubbed his stomach.
He lightly raised his wand.
"Digero Cibus!"
The intense feeling of fullness slightly diminished.
Dylan didn't digest all the food at once.
After all, he had just eaten his fill.
He didn't want to get hungry again too soon.
The feast ended.
Dylan stood up.
Following behind the Gryffindor group, he slowly walked out of the Great Hall.
Hermione walked beside him, leaning in and lowering her voice.
"Did you feel it? The sand in the hourglass, it's like it's alive!"
Dylan nodded.
He had noticed it the moment he got the Time-Turner.
At the core of this overpowered item, the golden sand would float in defiance of gravity, and as it flowed, it would also form constantly shifting ancient runes.
"Remember, don't always observe this thing," Dylan said. "Professor McGonagall said, the Observer Effect—your observation has a probability of materializing temporal fissures."
Hermione nodded: "I know that, of course. I'll be careful using it."
"Actually, being careful or not makes little difference; it's just a probability event—in most cases, such extreme situations shouldn't occur."
Dylan said softly.
The two were about to follow the group out the door.
Suddenly, an older student walked up and blocked their path.
Dylan looked at the crest embroidered on the wizard's robes.
—It was from Slytherin House.
This older student was not like Malfoy, who would speak as if addressing people through his nostrils; instead, he spoke to Dylan very plainly.
"Professor Snape asked me to tell you that he's in his office. He wants you to go there as soon as possible."
"Hmm?" Dylan raised an eyebrow slightly.
He was about to ask something more, but the student had already turned and left.
He tilted his head slightly.
Dylan was a little puzzled.
What did Professor Snape want with him again?
He shouldn't have any classes that would require him to be summoned on the very first day of school, right?
But this small matter didn't require Divination.
—Professor Snape certainly wouldn't just eliminate him the moment they met.
"The professor is looking for you. You go on ahead. I'll head back to the common room," Hermione said.
"Alright, classes start tomorrow. Get some good rest tonight," Dylan nodded, turning away from the main group.
He walked all the way to the Hogwarts dungeons.
The light here was dim, the torches on the walls flickered, and droplets of water seeping from the dungeon's stone walls reflected a turquoise sheen in the torchlight.
The air was also permeated with a faint scent of potions.
He arrived at Professor Snape's office door.
The door was ajar.
He raised a hand and gently knocked on the door, then walked inside.
Professor Snape was seated at his desk, shrouded in his black robes. In the dim environment, his figure seemed to merge into the darkness.
However, Dylan could still clearly see his gloomy face, as rigid as the portraits on the surrounding walls.
"Professor, you sent for me?"
Professor Snape raised a hand, and upon seeing Dylan, his expression slightly softened.
But it remained cold—his hooked nose casting a long shadow in the dim light.
....
For 70 advanced chapters:
Get advanced chapters ahead of everyone else.
👉 Join now: patreon.com/Chaos_God