Well, where's the TARDIS when you need it?

 

How about a magical device. I know magical devices have been used before, but how about something like a time portal. I don't ever remember seeing something like that although I have no doubt something like this is out there.

A scenerio that comes to mind is that Harry performs some type of accidental magic (perhaps the previously mentioned apparating to the roof). Vernon is pissed (not drunk) and decided he has had enough of this freak. He takes little 7 year old Harry to the ___ woods (I would look and see if there are any protected forests near London) and dumps him. Little Harry is scared and it is starting to get dark. In the process of searching for a house, he notices a light in the woods. He also has a strange feeling/attraction - not a scared feeling, but almost as if he is drawn to it. The light is coming from a hidden cave. The portal (or maybe a veil?) would be hidden in the cave. You can describe what it looks like. Maybe it has some type of greek phrase or runes written on it. He steps through or falls/stumbles through.

What do you think?

 

Could always give him control over time (I've been watching Heroes again ) and have him accidently tap in to it while he's wishing to get away. Maybe have him apparate through some sort of magical surge (again accidental magic) or even have him be the magical surge after an attempted kidnapping by portkey.

Halfway through the portkey travel Harry lets loose some accidental magic and is thrown off the portkey and into the past.

Not very good ideas I know, but its the best I could come up with without being too cliché.

Aekiel

 

Well, on the topic of numbers and their meanings (aka what date should he leave?) I've got the standard numerology/arithmancy (I sub out the two because I don't know arith) answers...

Zero - the number of nothingness. It is the potential to do anything, and it is nothing. It is both creation and destruction in equal parts. Balance, Tao, paths.

One - the number of completeness, unification, and other boring concepts.

Two - the number of partnership. Rather obvious, not very powerful. Also loosely associated with journeys or travels. Not much to say about the number two.

Three - the number of strength. One of the three strongest single digit numbers (why are there three and why is three one of them? who knows). Cuts through opposition and impossible odds.

Four - another "completion" number. It represents the end of a process, a stopping point in a journey (like a crossroads), or a higher ideal to achieve (for some reason people feel "complete" when they have a goal or a cause). Rather boring or predictable. Ask someone to draw a shape randomly, 75% of the time it's a square, ~20% it's a circle (either one side or zero depending on how you look at it), it's that other ~5% that make things worthwhile. Which brings us to...

Five - the number of chaos. My personal favorite of the base ten, this is the second of the "big three" for power numbers. It is unpredictable and ever present. Two of the three most infamous numbers in numerology come back to five. Twenty Three (currently the topic of a movie) is one of the most perniciously recurring numbers in daily life. Add the digits, two plus three is five. Seventeen is only slightly less ubiquitous, one plus seven is eight. Eight is two to the third power, two plus three is five. Like entropy, chaos and the number five is in every aspect of your daily life. When things go wrong, look for the five. When things go right, look for the five. If life is just plain weird or abnormal, the number five is involved.

Six - the number of responsibility and experience. Whether you've got a sixpack of beers or six kids, there's a lot of work to be done and guess who just got handed the job... It's not all bad, it might be two threes combining their strengths for a special project or job (but then watch oout for that five of chaos rearing it's ugly head again).

Seven - the number of perfect order. The antithesis of five and the last of our "big three" numbers. In seven years your credit is fine, the cops stop looking for you, and you'll have one hell of a week. The chaos is gone, it's got no power in the nice logical realm of rules and order.

Eight - number of success. Why? I'm not certain but that's what my book says. I'm going to have to trust Agrippa on this one, apparently it's something about twice the completeness or finishing power of four. I guess having a purpose in life and then completing it is the definition of success. Very minor "new beginnings" association with chaos and five (two to the third power).

Nine - number of spirituality. Inner strength and service to the universe is the name of the game here. "Spirituality" encompasses destiny, fate, religion, philosophy, and all those mysteries of life. Mildly significant/powerful but only when focused on oneself. Has no power or meaning to others.

All other numbers derive from these base ten. Add the digits, add the roots/powers (if applicable), and add the factors (things that multiply to equal the number) in that order. Most important is the digits, mitigated by the other two.

Example; 125 is 1+2+5=8 but also 5^3 (5+3=8 ), and [1,5,25,125] (1+5+25+125=156=1+5+6=12=1+2=3). So it's interpreted as a stronger than average success (but not unreasonably strong/flashy/noticible).

So is there a special date to time travel on? Sure, if it were me I'd say 2:09am on May fifth. Two, journeys or travels, nine fate/destiny, double dose of chaos (fifth day of the fifth month). Add it all up, the date is a three (very strong day to do something), he's seven years old (perfect age between naivety and beginning to see the truth of the world), makes a one (completely bullshit reason, numerology is crap).

 

How about eating a time stone (Dudley forced him?) that is normally used in time turners except it is ground down into dust, and then flowed from one chamber to the next to actually control the time flow - digesting the stone, coupled with uncontrollable bursts of magic make Harry temporally unstable, and will have to be grounded by a Master.

~ Foz

 

For some reason, when I read the idea of eating a time stone I thought of Father Time eating a rock... Dunno why, as it had nothing to do with Father Time eating a stone.

Out of curiosity, numerology is pretty much Arithmancy, right? If it is, I think I know how Arithmancy may relate to spell making.

 

I figure it's at least partially involved. Maybe like geometry and trig mixed with numerology so you can understand the principles behind the magic and how to get the best results.

Why do "Light" rituals most often use hexagrams and why do "Dark" rituals use a pentagram? Responsibility and experience versus chaos and randomness...

You want to lay a ward over this property, it requires twenty one runes total. How many groups do you divide them into and where do you put them? Sure it'll probably work anyway you lay them but for best effect make seven (perfection) groups of three (strength), arranged in three (strength again) overlapping heptagrams (seven sides, perfection again) in the center so the magic flows in that star shape. See how it makes a nice web of power and protection?

 

Yeah, I can see it.

The thing is it can also be related into smaller spells. If each spell has a formula made purely out numbers, it could be something like 7+7+5+9=28 >2+8=10 > 1+0=1. And according to Wikpedia, 1 is Aggresor/Indivudual. So with the two perfections, the chaos and the inner strength it could be the formula for the Patronus charm. Perfection usually comes up with happiness, and one of the 7's to counter-act 5. The 1 is because the animal will show their protector, or their inner strength in other words. And because it is aggresive aginst the Dementors. So overall, it is an aggresive spell.

I may have to start a new thread on this somewhere actually...

 

Any time you have obscure magical theory questions, feel free to send me a pm or email. I've got a pretty decent collection of "real" magic books from the middle ages (forget that new age wicca crap the universe is not kind and loving, it hates you). Mostly reprints but a few ebooks and one genuine article from the early 1800s (it's on herbalism and home remedies but there is all kinds of obscure bits of hearthcraft in the margins).

The astrology books are the most fun, especially as what we call astrology used to be called geomancy. Making up one from scratch and then looking through the paper is very humorous. Newspaper horoscopes are complete trash not that the real thing is much better but it's clear that whoever writes those things wouldn't know a trine or conjunction if it bit them in the ass.

 

Its often said that no one knows all hogwarts secrets, could it be possible that hogwarts has a room that is more powerful then the room of requirements. Harry could accidently stumbles across, wanting to go anywhere to escape from the life of voldemort and the dursley's. He's willing to go anywhere, the room realising this doesn't send him where, but when. I suppose that then you would have to find a way to get 7 yr old harry to hogwarts.

Maybe when you place the mirror of erised in the room of requirement it becomes a portal to what the person really wants to be.

I'm just fishing here

 

You can always borrow Diana Gabaldon's (she's a real author - see the books Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, etc) where she postulated the standing stones (read druid circles) could be used - on certain days of the year such as Belhaim, Samhain, etc - to travel in time (and guess - they take you back about 200 years!).

You could do your own theory with that, such as what rules actually govern a person's ability to use the standing stones (most people get burned up when they try. DG had a lot of stipulations on why they worked - except for Claire and her daughter Brianna - in which you could use natural stones <red precious gems> to protect you and things like that. But as I said, you could use the 'standing stones' <maybe Harry's on a field trip?> and make up your own rules (so you make the idea more uniquely yours).

That's all I have though.

--Bella

 

magical portals, falling through a rip in space time continuum, make the planet go backwards and i'm just continuing to make up crap as i go along. Being original is incredibly tough.

 

Harry throws a clock out of a window to watch time fly + accidental magic + desire to leave Dursley's. Done on the Autumn Equinox (aren't they supposed to be more magicaly important than the Solstice's?)

 

Or if the fics not serious you could go the so terribly unoriginal route that it is in fact somewhat original and have him find the car from back to the future.

 

Jesus Christ uses his heavenly powers to yank Harry through time and space so Harry can save him from Crucifixion.


They then start jumping through time and foiling the plots of evil-doers everywhere!






Praise Jesus!

 

Seriously the Delorean is the way to go. Start the story during CoS
and when Ron and Harry are trying to reach Hogwarts in the car have it reach 88 mph. Problem solved.

 

No really have him meet up with the Dr. Who for a very short crossover, and then go on with your story.

Or not?

 

two things, a bad acid trip and a potato clock.

 

Aquylyne: That is awesome incarnate, but where would he get the acid? Maybe Dudley's stash?

Lord Xantam: Also awesome, but Ron would ruin the fun. Have Harry push him out mid time-stream flight or something, then it's all good.

I like the idea of the DeLorean myself. How about Dudley having one of those little cars that runs on a battery that used to be popular. So, when the Dursleys go out sometime, Harry takes a joy ride in it, except it's storming. In his rush to get home he subconsiously uses his magic to speed up to about 35 mph (88 would be impossible on a sidewalk). Lightning gets pulled to the magical source and Bam. Instant time travel.

 

Get it right! That's passover you want if your goal is to mock Christians. Or at least three days after that somehow...


--bornagainpenguin

PS: Moorcock did it already, so I don't know how well this would work for the story dante's trying to write since he's already said he was looking for a NEW idea and all...