[The memory she saw, of him in a hotel room spilling his story to Nott and Beauregard, was only a little less than a year ago, but it feels so much longer. He was still dirty, dressed like a homeless person, but more obvious is how manic he was, how paranoid and untrusting, the obvious evidence of insanity. . . he doesn’t recognize that anymore.

He thinks of the ending, telling Nott excitedly he had a few ideas to “make up for it,” and feels a little ill.]

Time travel in my world. . . It is theoretically possible. A few wizards have attempted it, but always. . . ended in disaster. Too high a cost, too complicated, any change to the timeline even worse.

But I always had this idea that maybe I could. . . I had this plan, where I could pull it off. Go back and save my mother and father.

Crazy, completely crazy. A madman’s tinkering. But. . . I don’t know. If you could do it without changing anything, then couldn’t it. . .?