The first morning of term began with its usual Hogwarts chaos, only for 3rd years and above this chaos was more about setting up your class schedule.
First and second years would spend this free day exploring the castle and getting a feel for the grounds themselves.
Owls swooped.
Students shouted.
Prefects lost their minds, trying to guide the wayward ducklings of the new students.
Cassius, however, walked with absolute calm as he, Hermione, and Daphne moved through the corridors toward Dumbledore's office.
All three had received identical summons:
"Please report at once. —A.P.W.B. Dumbledore"
Hermione walked briskly, clutching her course schedule like a holy relic.
Daphne glided beside Cassius, expression perfectly neutral, though her eyes glittered with the smug amusement of someone who enjoyed breaking unspoken rules.
Cassius simply enjoyed the irony.
Hogwarts was about to discover that its most dangerous students were not pranksters, nor dark heirs, nor heroic saviors…
…but ambitious academics.
~
"Sherbet lemon," Hermione said crisply as they reached the gargoyle.
Nothing happened.
Daphne smirked. "Given the man's age, try something older."
Cassius snapped his fingers.
"Cockroach cluster."
The gargoyle groaned and moved aside.
"Of course," Hermione muttered. "That's ridiculous. Why would—never mind, fine."
The old headmaster was known for only ever using candies and treats as the password to enter his office, but the summons this time was missing the current password possibly because he had yet to change it for this year, luckily it was still the same one from the previous year, which allowed Cassius to guess it simply.
They climbed the winding staircase.
At the top, the office door swung open before any of them could knock.
"Enter," Dumbledore called.
The office was as chaotic as ever—trinkets whirring, portraits pretending to sleep, Fawkes watching everything with unsettling intelligence.
Dumbledore gestured gracefully to the chairs before his desk.
"Mr. Snape. Miss Greengrass. Miss Granger." His fingers folded beneath his chin. "You have applied to take… every class."
Hermione nodded immediately. "Yes, Professor. I believe with proper organization and magical assistance—"
Daphne cut in. "We're capable. If others struggle, that's not our problem."
Cassius crossed his legs casually. "I've already passed my O.W.L's in a couple of subjects to take those classes is more of a refresher course for me before i advance onto my N.E.W.T.S."
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, but the expression didn't reach his core.
He was studying them—measuring them—trying to predict their futures.
"Quite," he murmured. "Do you understand the strain this will place upon your schedules?"
Hermione straightened. "Yes. I've prepared a full timetable. Factoring travel distances, meal breaks, assignment projections, and—"
"Enough, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said gently. "Your preparedness is… heartfelt. However still impossible unless you can be in two places at once."
Daphne bit back a laugh, hearing Hermione being put in her place by the headmaster, the young girl having thought she could manage by attending every other class and just studying extra hard on the side.
Dumbledore steepled his fingers. "Then we must discuss… the necessary accommodations."
The temperature in the office shifted.
Hermione's breath caught.
Daphne's eyes narrowed with interest.
Cassius leaned forward ever so slightly.
So it was time.
The Time-Turners
Dumbledore reached into a drawer and withdrew a small velvet pouch.
Within it, three delicate hourglass pendants glimmered faintly with sand that shimmered like crystallized moonlight.
The girls didn't react afterall how would they know about one of the wizarding worlds most kept secrets?
Cassius said nothing—simply extended his hand.
Dumbledore placed a Time-Turner into each of their palms.
"These devices," he said quietly, "are among the most strictly regulated magical tools in existence. Misuse can be catastrophic. to say the least."
He let the words hang heavily in the air.
Hermione nodded reverently. "We understand, Professor."
Dumbledore gave her a long, piercing look—as though determining whether she truly did.
Then he spoke clearly, with the tone of absolute law.
"There are three rules."
"One." His eyes fixed on Cassius never even travelling to the girls by his sides. "Do not be seen. By anyone. At any time. Least of all by yourselves from the past."
Cassius's lips twitched slightly in annoyance that he was being singled out by the old man. "Simple enough."
"Do not treat this lightly, Mr. Snape. Even a single sighting may fracture cause and effect."
Cassius inclined his head. "Understood."
"Two." Dumbledore turned to Daphne finally feeling the air in the office getting uncomfortable the longer his gaze stayed on Cassius. "Never go back more than three hours. No exceptions. Time is elastic, but only to a point."
Daphne toyed with the hourglass chain. "I would not risk inefficiency, Headmaster."
"Three." His gaze settled last on Hermione.
"You cannot change what is already known. Time will resist you. Destiny will punish you. And paradoxes…" His voice dropped an octave. "Well lets just say the nicest outcome is your very existance will cease."
Hermione swallowed hard. "We won't interfere with anything, Professor. We're only doing this for academics."
Cassius had to forcibly restrain a smirk.
Daphne rolled her eyes.
Dumbledore sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Miss Granger, I must emphasize: the temptation to 'fix' mistakes will be great. But you must not."
Hermione nodded solemnly.
Cassius tucked the Time-Turner beneath his robes. "Was that all?"
Dumbledore finally leaned back in his chair, studying the trio.
"You three… represent some of the brightest minds of your generation. But brilliance without restraint is… volatile."
Cassius met the old wizard's gaze without blinking.
"Then be grateful we are restrained."
Dumbledore did not smile.
"I am grateful," he said softly. "I am also… concerned."
"About what?" Hermione asked.
He looked at Cassius alone when he answered:
"About the future."
Cassius offered a polite, unreadable smile.
"Well as they say the future is ever changing until it become the present."
~
The door closed behind them.
Hermione clutched her Time-Turner like a sacred artifact. "This is incredible. We can truly learn everything."
Daphne slid hers into a concealed pocket. "Obviously. That's the point."
Cassius walked ahead, hands in his pockets, steps light, expression neutral.
Inside, he was already calculating.
Schedules.
Classes.
Battle lessons.
Arcanum training.
Quidditch.
Dueling.
Girl development.
Future planning.
The Time-Turner wasn't just a tool.
It was freedom.
It was acceleration.
It was another weapon.
Hermione caught up beside him, eyes bright with excitement.
"Cassius… we're going to accomplish so much."
He glanced at her, then at Daphne joining his other side.
"Yes," he said quietly. "We are."
And Hogwarts—Hogwarts would never be the same.
Plus now that he had a time turner, he could analyse it and send what he could find out to the Arcanum to fashion a more powerful device a true 'time machine' if you will, where he could go to the past or future to guide time how he wanted it to go.