The next morning, they were sat in the empty Great Hall, Delilah's food untouched and she felt like she was going to pass out. She's never felt so nervous in her life.

  The constant beat of her heart was like a tick and she wanted to claw it out of her chest to tell it to shut the hell up. Her hands were shaking and her knee was bobbing up and down, sometimes painfully hitting the table.

  Tom staring at her wasn't helping either. "What?" She snapped and he shook his head, drinking his tea and muttering, "nothing."

  Groaning, Delilah buried her hands in her hair. What if they hate her? What if they don't listen?
What if she's kicked out of the Order? What if, what if, what if, what if...

  It was driving her mental.

  In just a few hours she'd actually be home. She'd see all her friends again, she'd get to see her brother. God, she missed Harrison. Delilah thought she was doing okay with dealing with it but last night she got so worked up she ended up puking and Tom had to hold her hair back as she lurched over the toilet.

  What if they would try to kill Tom the first chance they got? After all, if they killed his past self, he would no longer exist. She shivered at the thought, hopefully they knew better than that.

  Harry had a short temper, but he wouldn't kill someone, not even the man who ruined his life.

  At least she hoped so.

  Footsteps approaching met their ears and they turned, Dumbledore had just entered the hall, carrying the gleaming box and offering them a small smile. Delilah tried to return it, but all she did was grimace.

  He came to a stop next to Delilah, "good morning, I hope you two are doing well."

  Tom eyed her, "trying to."

  The professor sat down, the image odd seeing as the tables were typically for students. The box thudded on the table softly and the sight of it alone made her stomach churn, she felt like she was going to throw up again.

  "I understand this is nerve wracking," Dumbledore began, specifically looking at Delilah over his half moon spectacles. "But I hope you know what you're doing is very brave, and not to worry you more but it is pivotal for the world's history. Muggle and Magic alike."

  Delilah felt like hitting him, but snapped out of it when Tom nudged her under the table. When she looked at him he had a brow raised and gestured to her hand. She had grabbed onto her goblet without noticing and her knuckles were frosted white with tension.

  "Now," the old wizard said, drawing the two teens attention away from each other. "I feel like this is obvious, but just to make sure I've been absolutely clear, you need to avoid running into Voldemort, at all cost."

  Delilah hated how Tom flinched.

  It wouldn't be likley that they met, the man was rarely seen. Seeing as he usually had his followers deal with minorities. Then again, Delilah was 'returning' from the dead. Voldemort had a bad history with some people staying in the ground.

She didn't think avoiding him would be a problem. However, if one were in the company of Harry Potter that was a heavy gamble.

"Are you ready?" Dumbledore's voice was soft and she turned to him, taking a deep breath before looking around the Great Hall. The Hogwarts they were about to arrive to in the future was ruined, she wasn't sure if she could handle it. All the months she's been relatively safe, but now another target was on her back.

Two technically, seeing as it appeared two dark wizards wanted her dead. Funny, she had a one up on Harry in that department now.

Looking to Tom, he nodded and she smiled at him. "Yeah, I think so."

Tom, Delilah, and Dumbledore walked down to the Great Lake, passed the beech tree and where they had laid only hours prior before they came to a stop.

The very spot where she first arrived.

It hit her as if it was yesterday, her starting awake, throwing up and confused. It sounded stupid, but she missed her red converse. Without them it didn't feel full circle. Delilah was returning with nothing the same except her wand. She had new clothes, her hair had changed a bit, and she had changed.

Hopefully for the better, but that was a matter of opinion.

The sun glinted it's pale, early morning light. The air cool as it caressed her skin and ruffled Tom's hair. Dumbledore held the box and lifted the lid, the gold glimmering against the red comforter it sat on.

Dumbledore handed Tom the box, a reassuring smile on his lips and began to back away, but Delilah practically leapt forward and hugged him tightly, burying her head against his silken robes.

He smelt like lemon.

Slowly the professor returned the hug, giving her a firm squeeze and she pulled back, smiling and she noticed his eyes weren't so different from hers. "Is it bad to admit I'm scared, sir?"

He shook his head, patting her cheek softly and his lips tilted to one side. "My dear, being afraid keeps you aware and safe. But don't fret, you will do beautifully. I have faith." He looked at Tom then over her shoulder, "I have faith in both of you."

Tom nodded in regard, it felt odd, finally having Dumbledore's trust. It was like a ripple passed between them, opening up a doorway for so much potential.

Delilah cleared her throat and stepped away, "thank you, so much. For everything. I know I was a lot to deal with sometimes."

  Dumbledore patted her on the back, chuckling in a fatherly manner. "You were a delight. I know I can be just as well as infuriating." He winked and she flushed, she should've known when he picked up on her annoyance.

  "See you soon."

  She smiled tightly, she never had the heart to tell him he was already dead. Turning, Delilah walked over to Tom, her chest contrasting as she stared at the box in his hands. She could feel her pulse in her throat, her palms were sweating, and she felt light headed.

Taking a shaking breath, she nodded.

Tom clenched his jaw, mentally preparing himself for what they were about to walk into. He was actually doing this, jumping fifty plus years into the future. He was excited no doubt, but he wasn't ignorant to the amount of obstacles they were going to have to deal with head on.

Joking a finger, he brought out the time turner, the golden chain long and thin, but sturdy. They gazed at the shining hour glass, a date already imprinted, all they had to do was spin it.

Something so simply yet so detrimental.

Tom stilled his hand, noticing it was shaking a bit. He needed to snap out of whatever nerves he felt, Delilah looked as if she was about to pass out and he knew if he appeared calm it'd help her.

Putting the chain around his neck, the material was cold and bit into his skin, and then he lifted it over her head, their bodies pressed together.

All this time Delilah thought she was heading home, when now, it felt as if she was leaving it.

His coffee dark eyes locked into hers, steady, "ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

She wrapped her arms around him, and he twisted the dial. All of time shifting around them, fading in and out like a picture book.

  Delilah's eyes glazed over as she watched history play itself out, the castle standing tall and different generations of students passing by, unaware of the couple appearing and then vanishing for a split second.

  She held her breath once the battle of Hogwarts flashed in front of her eyes, glad Tom's back was to it so he didn't see the actual destruction taking place. As she exhaled the breath she took in the forties, they arrived in crisp morning air, this time much colder. Seeing as they arrived in the middle of October.

  Tom looked around, the gleam of a child curiosity in his eyes as he took in the surroundings. He froze once he turned around and saw the castle, his only home he's ever had.

  "Merlin," he said quietly, Delilah eyed him carefully, he sounded hurt. He gulped and absentmindedly reached for her hand, "did I do this?"

  A pain struck in her chest as she watched him, giving his hand a tight squeeze. "No," her tone was set true and she stepped next to him, leaning her head on his shoulder.

  "Voldemort did, and you're not him."

  Tom's jaw was strained as he analyzed the complete ruin of the castle, how some towers were completely missing, windows shattered, and it looked like the Great Hall's ceiling had caved in.

  He didn't understand, he loved this place. Truly, ever since he was a kid he held a devotion for the grounds. Tom felt he owed it, it provided him refuge and an answer.

  Yet he tore it apart.

  Bringing his hand to her lips, she placed a chaste kiss to his knuckles, "c'mon. We have to go. People are on watch in Hogsmeade we can't stay out here." Tom was out of it, like he wasn't really there, he couldn't stop gaping at the rubble and she had to tug on his arm.

  "Tom."

  "Right, sorry." He cleared his throat and her brows furrowed and the tremble in his voice. Shaking his head, they started for the forbidden forest, the cool October air biting into his skin.

  Tom and Delilah walked for awhile, the silence heavy on their ears, watchful for any Death Eaters. They had to get out of the grounds to apparate, seeing as an alarm would sound if they tried before then.

  Sticks and grass crunches beneath their feet, their hands still entwined, his heart beat pouring into her and it calmed her down. She could face what was a ahead, she could handle the confrontation. She could do it.

  After about two hours they reached the foot of one of the mountains, standing tall and teasing the low hanging clouds in the sky. The promise of rain whispering in the air.

  Her eyes met Tom's, and they apparated to London.