Severus Snape struggled to his feet. He tied Sirius Black with a rope and dragged him behind. Then he bound the unconscious Harry and Hermione together and carried them on his back. Finally, near the Whomping Willow, he found Ron—his leg broken, completely unconscious—and picked him up as well.
Jon and Dumbledore had been watching quietly from the edge of the Forbidden Forest.
"It looks like Severus will take care of them," Dumbledore said softly.
"Black… wasn't he innocent?" Jon asked cautiously.
"Yes," Dumbledore nodded. "It seems tonight we'll be saving more than one innocent life."
Snape struggled on, carrying the three students toward the castle, where he ran into Cornelius Fudge and a group of Dementors rushing to the scene.
After a brief exchange, he handed Black over to Fudge and carried the three students to the Hospital Wing.
"What should we do now, Professor?" Jon asked urgently.
He no longer knew where the story was headed… Even now, Harry and Hermione with the Time-Turner still hadn't appeared.
Dumbledore calmly drew his wand. Strands of silver mist gathered, taking shape as his phoenix Patronus. He leaned close, whispered a few words into its ear, and the silver phoenix flew off toward the castle.
"I've sent a message to Minerva and Filius," Dumbledore explained. "I told them that Black is innocent. Once Cornelius temporarily locks him up, they'll take Buckbeak and deal with the guards to rescue him."
"Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick?" Jon was surprised. With those two teachers, it would be simple to free Black from Ravenclaw Tower…
"Yes. They trust me… and Buckbeak as well." Dumbledore glanced at the hippogriff. "He should leave with Black."
"Finally, we need to take care of the aftermath," Dumbledore murmured. "Peter gave me very important information. Someone has to take responsibility for all of this… otherwise, it will raise suspicions. Because if I were here, Peter could never have escaped—they would suspect me instead."
"You mean you want me to turn myself in to the Ministry of Magic?" Jon stammered.
"I wouldn't oppose it," Dumbledore said with a wink. "If you're willing to spend a few years in Azkaban, I'll personally come fetch you when your sentence is over."
"Professor… you're joking, right?" Jon forced a strained smile.
"Of course…" Dumbledore mused. "It doesn't have to be known by everyone… so…"
His pale blue eyes glimmered as inspiration struck. "I'll tell Filius and Minerva to transform themselves into Mr. Potter and Miss Granger. They'll take Buckbeak and rescue Black."
"Professor, you mean…"
"The Department of Mysteries has a magical device called a 'Time-Turner.' It lets a wizard go back a few hours. Such a journey is, in a way, just an illusion—a dream that can't truly change anything. But Tom doesn't know that. He's always been terrible in this field."
Dumbledore took a few steps forward, then turned back to Jon with a meaningful look. "A few months ago, when I was corresponding with a friend in exile on Corsica, he told me your mastery of Memory Magic was impressive."
With that, Dumbledore strode toward the castle.
Jon understood everything now, and a faint smile crossed his face.
He was the one who had saved Buckbeak. Snape had driven away the hundred Dementors. McGonagall and Flitwick would free Black from his cell. Which meant…
He asked, "Professor, in an hour, may I visit Miss Granger in the Hospital Wing?"
"Of course you may."
...
Around nine o'clock that night, Jon Hart entered the Hogwarts Hospital Wing.
"I heard my friend, Miss Hermione Granger, was injured. May I visit her?" Jon asked calmly.
"You may, but not for long," Madam Pomfrey said sternly. She led Jon into the ward where Harry, Ron, and Hermione were.
Harry and Hermione lay in a deep coma. Ron seemed somewhat conscious, but his sheets were soaked red with blood, and he groaned in pain from time to time.
"The Order of Merlin, Second Class, is certain. First Class… if I can push for it!"
"Thank you, Minister."
The voices of Fudge and Snape carried from outside the door.
Then Albus Dumbledore pushed the door open and entered.
"For heaven's sake, they need rest!" Madam Pomfrey stormed over, shouting hysterically. "Is this a Hospital Wing or not?"
"Yes, Poppy…" Dumbledore smiled. "Dilys just told me a method for treating broken legs. I think it might work for you—and for Mr. Weasley."
"Headmistress Dilys Derwent?" Madam Pomfrey exclaimed excitedly. "Professor Dumbledore, you must teach me!"
"Of course."
Together they wheeled Ron's bed into an inner ward of the Hospital Wing.
"You must leave immediately," Madam Pomfrey said sharply to Jon before departing.
"Of course, Madam…" Jon nodded. "I'll just say goodbye to her."
"Poppy, quickly!" Dumbledore's voice urged from the inner ward.
With Madam Pomfrey gone, the room was left with only Jon, and the unconscious Harry and Hermione.
Jon stepped forward, drew his wand, and pointed it at Harry Potter's forehead.
"Obliviate!"
As several silver threads vanished, he moved to Hermione Granger's bedside.
"Obliviate!"
Harry's memory needed only the smallest adjustment. Hermione's, however, had to be rewritten almost entirely—an entire year.
Silvery strands pulled from her temples slipped back into her mind. Jon's wand was steady—his hand did not tremble once.
"I need to fetch some medicine!" Madam Pomfrey's voice called from the inner ward.
"Let me go. You stay with Mr. Weasley," said Dumbledore.
Nearly ten minutes passed before Jon finally lowered his wand.
He took out the pendant given to him by the house-elves, loosened Hermione's collar, and placed it around her neck.
Then he straightened her clothes and pulled the blanket up over her.
"From this day forward, you shall be known as the Time-Turner."