Snape halted abruptly, turning with a mocking glint in his eyes.
"I recall a certain headmaster promising Professor McGonagall just moments ago. Backing out already?"
Dumbledore watched him silently, his expression unreadable.
Decades ago, he might have staked everything on a prophecy without hesitation. Grindelwald had made one then, leading to a path the complete opposite of his current one. Age had tempered his fire, leaving caution in its wake. The wizarding world couldn't afford another loss—not now.
Yet these two boys... One was the adopted son of a dear friend, a spitting image of his youth. The other, the prophesied savior he'd groomed himself. Rescuing them would be perilous. Failure meant losing them both. But inaction? Harry would die for certain.
After a heavy pause, Dumbledore's voice rasped out.
"Severus, you know him. Harry's condition leaves no room for delay. The best path is finding someone to pull him back to the proper timeline. He is the savior... and more."
He bit back the rest—Lily's only son—under Snape's piercing stare.
Snape's gaze bored into him. Harry mattered more to him than to anyone. But after Argus's sharp analysis and his own digging, blind faith in Dumbledore had eroded. Every move from the headmaster now reeked of hidden agendas.
And Argus? The boy had apprenticed under him for years—master and disciple, in the old sense. Risking his life for Harry? That gave Snape pause.
"Severus, it's Argus's call in the end," Dumbledore pressed. "He wants no risks? I won't push. But if he agrees, I'll shield him with everything I have. Even if we can't save Harry, I won't let Argus vanish into the temporal void."
Dumbledore's resolve hardened after long deliberation.
...
Meanwhile, Lupin hurried from the headmaster's office straight to the Room of Requirement, briefing Sirius on Harry's predicament. Maybe the old Marauder had a workable idea.
Sirius Black leaped to his feet, fury blazing. "Harry's been in our world nearly three years—how does he not know basic temporal rules?"
"It's basic for us, but Harry's had no exposure," Lupin said with a sigh. "He overheard Ron mention Time-Turners rewinding time and dashed off to save his parents. He didn't think it through. If it were that easy, we'd have done it ages ago."
"What did Dumbledore say? We need to haul Harry back!" Sirius paced, agitated.
"If I knew how, I wouldn't be here."
"Nothing in the Black family archives on this? Your lot's ancient—surely there's precedent."
Sirius ached for the Black library's dusty tomes, the easy access of his youth. But returning was suicide now, cleared name or not. The treasures would go to Argus anyway.
"There might be, but I can't get near them."
Lupin's sigh deepened. Then Sirius's eyes sparked.
"Wait—there was that case years back. A wizard used a Time-Turner to yank someone from a rift—"
"I know the one," Lupin cut in, shaking his head. "But Hogwarts is different. Kids juggle classes with Time-Turners daily; the timeline's too brittle for adult magic. Only minors could—"
He trailed off. No way Hogwarts would let a child shoulder that danger.
"Moony, fetch Argus. I need to talk to him."
Harry's place in Sirius's heart was unbreakable. Risk or not, he'd fight for a chance.
"Padfoot, McGonagall's already decided—"
"Remus! He's Lily and James's boy—we save him, cost be damned!"
Sirius's roar echoed, then he slumped, voice cracking. "I missed one shot already. I won't miss this."
...
Predictable. First Lupin and Sirius—Dumbledore's next.
Argus had anticipated this when they summoned him to the Room of Requirement. His own Time-Turner jaunt to the past was set, but why not profit off their desperation? Extracting someone from a temporal snag was no small feat. No coin, no help.
Sirius's frantic eyes only confirmed it: the man would pay any price for Harry.
"Argus, you know about Harry," Sirius blurted as Argus entered.
Argus nodded calmly. "Bits and pieces. I figured why Lupin called me."
"It's a tall order..." Sirius admired the boy—sharp, loyal. He'd never ask this otherwise. He drew a steadying breath. "Straight talk: Use your Time-Turner to pull Harry back. Name your price—anything I can swing."
His stare locked on Argus, braced for refusal. Lupin's look mixed hope and worry—save Harry, but not at a student's expense.
They expected demands or denial. A life-risking job with no upside.
Instead, Argus smiled, his eyes warm and genuine. "Sirius, Professor Lupin—don't forget. Harry's my mate. Second friend I made in British wizarding circles. Helping him out? That's just what friends do."
The pair froze, stunned. Refusal? Pricey terms? They'd braced for both. Not this easy yes—no strings.
That word—"friend"—hit like a hex, stirring shame. Sirius and James had been the same: ride-or-die, no questions.
"Argus, I... I..." Sirius choked, words failing. Staring at Argus, he saw echoes of James—their unbreakable bond.
He and Lupin shared a glance, decision made in silence. If Harry griped about Argus later, even as James's heir, he'd get an earful.
---
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