The castle was dying.
Stone walls groaned as if the ancient structure itself could feel time tearing apart around it.
Albus and Scorpius ran through the broken corridors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Behind them the library ceiling finally collapsed with a deafening crash.
Dust and magical sparks filled the hallway.
Scorpius coughed.
"I really hope the real Hogwarts still looks better than this."
Albus didn't answer.
His mind was racing.
Delphi had the Time-Turner.
And she was heading for the Astronomy Tower.
If she reached the right moment in history…
The entire wizarding world could change forever.
---
They reached the final staircase leading up the tower.
But the staircase was broken.
Half the stone steps had crumbled into empty air.
A violent wind howled through the open tower walls.
Scorpius looked down at the massive drop below.
"Please tell me you know a spell for this."
Albus pulled out his wand.
"I have an idea."
He focused hard.
"**Wingardium Leviosa!**"
Broken stones rose slowly into the air.
One by one the floating pieces slid into place, forming a temporary staircase.
Scorpius stared.
"That's actually impressive."
"Let's go!"
They climbed quickly before the spell faded.
The higher they climbed…
The stronger the magical disturbance became.
The air crackled with unstable energy.
Time itself felt distorted.
Sometimes the corridor lights flickered between old and new.
Paintings on the walls appeared… then vanished.
As if the castle couldn't decide which version of reality to follow.
Scorpius whispered,
"I think we're inside a timeline fracture."
Albus nodded grimly.
"That's exactly what this feels like."
---
Finally they reached the top.
The door to the Astronomy Tower stood open.
Cold wind rushed out.
Lightning flashed across the sky.
The storm was enormous now.
They stepped onto the circular stone platform.
And there she was.
Standing at the edge of the tower.
Delphi.
Her long robes whipped violently in the storm.
In her hand…
The Time-Turner glowed like a small star.
She turned as they approached.
"Ah."
"You made it."
Albus raised his wand immediately.
"Give it back."
Delphi smiled.
"You really believe you can stop me?"
Scorpius stepped forward.
"Actually yes."
"Because if you break the timeline completely, you lose too."
Delphi laughed softly.
"You still don't understand."
She raised the Time-Turner.
"I'm not trying to save this timeline."
"I'm trying to replace it."
Lightning exploded across the sky.
Thunder shook the tower.
Albus shouted over the storm.
"You want to change the Battle of Hogwarts!"
Delphi nodded proudly.
"The moment when Harry Potter defeated my father."
Her eyes burned with dangerous determination.
"If I change that moment…"
She whispered the name almost reverently.
"Lord Voldemort will win."
Scorpius shook his head.
"That battle decided the fate of the entire wizarding world."
"Exactly."
Delphi stepped toward the edge of the tower.
Wind roared around her.
"History will finally be corrected."
---
The tower trembled violently.
A massive crack ran across the stone floor.
The castle below them was collapsing faster now.
Reality itself was coming apart.
Albus realized something terrifying.
They didn't have much time left.
He took a step forward.
"You're wrong."
Delphi tilted her head.
"About what?"
Albus spoke slowly.
"My father didn't win that battle alone."
Scorpius stepped beside him.
"Thousands of people fought against Voldemort."
"Students."
"Teachers."
"Families."
"They chose courage."
Delphi's expression hardened.
"Courage is irrelevant."
"Power decides history."
Albus shook his head.
"No."
"Choice decides history."
For a moment the storm seemed to pause.
Then Delphi raised the Time-Turner.
"You've said enough."
The magical device began spinning.
Light burst from the hourglass.
Time started twisting again.
Scorpius shouted,
"She's activating it!"
Albus ran forward.
But it was already too late.
The Time-Turner exploded with brilliant light.
The tower vanished.
The storm vanished.
The broken castle vanished.
History was moving again.
And this time…
They were heading toward the most important battle in wizard history.
---
The night when the wizarding world stood together.
The night when Harry Potter faced Lord Voldemort for the final time.
And Delphi intended to change everything.
---