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Chapter Text

"You're such a toerag, Potter!" Lily called out while angrily walking away. She has lost count of the amount of times, James pulled these type of stunt.

"Lily, wait!" James called after her. She heard him running to catch up with her.

"Why must you always be like this? Can't you just be considerate for once?" Lily was huffing annoyed as James had finally caught up.

"I'm sorry. I thought it would impress you," James admitted let down.

"What in Merlin's name gave you the idea that I'd like a marching band of house elves and fireworks in the Great Hall? How would that convince me to go out with you?" Lily asked sarcastically.

Someone behind them started barking in laugher. It was Sirius Black of course. Next to him, stood Remus with a grin shaking his head. The only reason Peter wasn't there, was because he had a detention with Professor McGonagall for skipping out of homework too many times.

"Ok, I guess I went a little overboard," James touched the back of his neck, as he always did when nervous. He quickly started to defend himself further when he saw Lily opening her mount. Probably to start yelling at him again. "But I'm at the ends of my wit here. I've liked you for so long and I've been trying all sorts of things in order to get you to give me a change. To no avail. I'm becoming desperate."

"Oh, I can tell you're desperate," Lily snorted before turning around and heading up the stairs. "Ever thought of getting me a book about a topic I enjoy? Or go the traditional route and get me flowers?"

"I wanted to do something creative. To stand out from all your other suitors," James followed behind her, shadowed by a sniggering Sirius that Remus tried to control to the best of his abilities.

"James," Lily started turning around to face the poor lad. "When you’re treating people like actual human beings and not fooling around all the time, I actually quite enjoy your company. Why not try to swoon me like that?"

That confession turned the pout into James' iconic grin. "So you enjoy my company after all?"

"You are impossible," Lily huffed, turned around and got back to climbing the stairs. "You are such a toerag! An arrogant toerag!"

Without none of them realising, they had reached the seventh floor. Still bickering away, a door appeared on their right hand side. All four of them stopped to look at it.

"I'm not dreaming this, am I?" Sirius whispered loudly, and dramatically swung his left arm to Remus. "Moony, pinch me. Am I awake?"

Remus suppressed a laugh before pinching Sirius, earning a loud "aw" from his friend. "In my expert opinion, I conclude that you are very much away, Pads."

"That door wasn't there before," James frowned. If it was, they would have added it to their map.

"Way to state the obvious, genius," Lily rolled her eyes.

"Let's open it!" Sirius proposed enthusiastically. Before waiting for a response from the other three, he moved forward and took the door handle. "I hope there are snacks."

No snacks could be seen as all four of them where blinded by white light.

Sirius quickly closed the door again. "What's the point of that?"

"Oh, no," Lily gasped. The three boys turning to her. "What did we do? We destroyed school property?!"

Now, looking around, they saw the damage that was done to the pillars and the ribs of the gothic windows.

"Ok," Sirius dropped his jaw in disbelief, "but that wasn't me. No way, you can blame it on me opening the door."

"You couldn't just leave it alone, could you?" Remus laughed silently. Padfoot could be so adorably impulsive sometimes. He was too curious for his own good. Pads childlike innocence needed protection, and Remus was all to glad to guard it.

Suddenly, a gasp was heard behind them. Turning, they saw Professor McGonagall. Peter was already done with detentions?

"That's not possible," Professor McGonagall shook his head in disbelief.

"It's not as bad as it seems, professor," James started, as always trying to explain and if necessary negotiate to get them out of a detention. "You see, all we did was open that door-" He wanted to point to the door Sirius had opened but it had disappeared again.

"What door?" Professor McGonagall had a look of confusion none of the Marauders or Lily had ever seen before. "How are you still alive?"

"I know we can be reckless, Minnie, but even for us, that's a bit extreme," Sirius flashed his famous smile.

"It is really you," Professor McGonagall said in disbelief. She took another second before she composed herself, "Quickly! Follow me before someone sees you."

The four looked at each other as if to check if one of them got what was going on, before following along.

"Ginger Newt," the professor said once they'd reached the large and ugly stone gargoyle that guarded the headmaster's office. "Go up, quickly! Before someone sees you."

"Why so secretive, Minnie?" Sirius asked in his regular flirty tone. "So keen to get us to yourself?"

"Sirius, behave," Remus sighed. His friend could be a bit much, sometimes.

Once up, James noticed the new interior. "Did Professor Dumbledore renovate recently? It's only been a week since we were here for a scolding."

"Can you tell me exactly what you did?" Professor McGonagall asked while taking place behind the desk. The four of them confused that she sat on Dumbledore's place. Lily was the first to start talking and explained what happed.

"So by opening a door, you traveled through time," the professor mumbled, processing the story she just heard.

"Traveled through time?" Remus repeated. "What do you mean?"

"What year do you think it is, Mr. Lupin?" McGonagall asked.

"1977," Remus answered though it sounded more of a question.

"It was, before you opened the door. But here, it hasn't been 1977 for a long time. Welcome to 1998."

Chapter Text

"James and I got married?" Lily repeated perplexed.

"Out of everything she just said - our son surviving the death curse and defeating You Know Who, Peter being a traitor, Sirius going to Azkaban and Remus having a kid that is a Metamorphmagus - you marrying me is what you cannot grasp?" James looked at Lily dumbfounded.

"Oh shh, you," Lily waved her hand at him. "I just need to process this."

"Agreed. It's a lot to take in Prongs," Remus said while he rubbed Sirius' back. Ever since McGonagall mentioned Peter's betrayal, Sirius got an unfocussed gaze. Even now, it was like he lost his ability to speak or even react to anything happening in the room. The only time James remembered his best friend looking so broken, was when Regulus flooded him to his house after their dearest mother has used the Cruciatus Curse to punish her son for getting a tattoo.

"Oh, Padfoot," James sighed and joined his friend. "I'm so sorry that was in your future. It cannot have been easy."

That seemed to get the tiniest reaction out of Sirius. "You died after finally getting the girl you always wanted because you got betrayed by one of your closed friends, and still you're more concerned about me? What have I done to deserve a brother like you." Sirius whispered the last part as he went in for a hug. He really needed one.

"That's what family does, Pads," James whispered back. "I'll always be there for you. For as long as I'm around."

"How is he?" Lily asked in a small voice. "Harry, I mean. How is he dealing with it?"

"Since the students education was greatly disturbed and many couldn't attend because of their blood status, the Ministry has decided that all students should redo last year. The first years that'll arrive, will join last years batch. Harry got the offer to be exempted and to join the Aurors immediately because of the knowledge and experience he showed," McGonagall explained. "He refused, though. Harry chose to return to finish his schoolings."

"A very mature choice," Lily nodded.

"Yes," McGonagall continued, "And one away from the press. Here we can shield him from the attention while he processes his grief."

"The Boy Who Lived, The Chosen One, Our Savior,..." James mumbled. "Our son is famous for such a saddening reason."

"Us being here," Remus started, "could we take advantage of it? Meddling with time is dangerous but if we gain all the information we need and manage to get back to our own time, we could change the outcome and save so many lives."

"What you're proposing, is very dangerous, Mr. Lupin," McGonagall looked at him over her glasses.

"But wouldn't the possible gains outweigh the dangers?" Sirius asked with newfound strength.

"Agreed," Lily said determined. "Our son was just a kid. He should never have had to have carry the burden and shoulder the future of the whole Wizarding World. That's the adults' job! If I can help it, I'll make sure that Harry will never have to go through that!"

"We're all on the same line, professor," James declared. 

"Very well," McGonagall responded. "Professor Dumbledore trained Harry personally. I, as were all the other teachers, were kept in the dark. I don't know where to start but I'll assist in every way I can. I've always greatly respected Albus but I didn't agree with how he raised Harry to burden it all. Since your son never shared how he managed it,- per request from Album I presume, so his plan wouldn't fail and afterwards because it might be too traumatic - perhaps it is best if you were to befriend him. It gives you both the opportunity to get to know him and to get the information that is needed to change the past."

"But won't he recognize us?" Sirius asked.

"You're a wizard, Mr. Black. Might I suggest changing your features using your wand," McGonagall pursed her lips, though her eyes revealed her amusement.

"I'm aware," Sirius rocking on heels, becoming more and more like his regular self. "What I meant, Minnie, is that even if we look different, it's impossible to not act like us."

"That shouldn't be a problem," McGonagall replied while getting out of the chair. "To point it out cru, Harry was too young to remember anything about his parents habits and your mind was partly broken due to the after effects of twelve years of exposure to the Dementors. The only person who'll have to mind his words, is Mr. Lupin. But even so, you kept your distance most of the time. Out of survivors guilt, I presume. I don't expect Harry to recognize you based on your behavior."

"That was indeed very cru of you, professor," James muttered.

"Now, enough with the grim faces. Let's get you transformed so you won't be recognized," McGonagall raised her wand. "The students are arriving this evening, I'll announce you as transfers from Ilvermorny. You'll need to catch up on the history of the school in case you're asked about it, as well as some recent historical developments so you don't blow your cover."

The three Marauders and Lily became unrecognizable. Lily's hair was now black, her eyes blue and her freckles were gone. To counter that, Remus went ginger but also opted for blue eyes. Sirius and James went full sibling mode. They could have passed as twins. Both now had light brown hair, brown eyes, broad shoulders and were the same height.

While the evening fell, the history lesson by McGonagall came to an end. It was time for the opening feast. Time to meet Harry.

Chapter Text

"Welcome to our newest students, and welcome back to those who have walked our corridors before. This year will be one for healing," Professor McGonagall greeted the Great Hall. "Last year, we were under the rule of Voldemort. We were bravely saved by the selfless deeds of those who stayed behind in Hogwarts. We must remember the sacrifices of those who died. Remember the pain of our losses, so history doesn't repeat itself. But we must also learn to forgive, to heal, to move on and live. For those who need guidance or just want to talk, there will be an extra post at the infirmary. Madame Pomfrey and one of our new staff members Mister Roberts are always there for those who need it. As are our teaching staff as well. So please don't hesitate if you need help. For the post of Defense Against The Dark Arts, we welcome Professor Ardley. For Transfiguration, please welcome Professor Leighton."

"Now that all the introductions have been made, let's start with our newest students," McGonagall continued. "This year, we welcome four transfer students from Ilvermorny, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in North America. They arrived prior to the train and got sorted privately. All four of them were place in Gryffindor. Miss Evers, Mister Devaughn, Mister Pierce and Mister Pierce, please take place at the table with the red and gold decorations on the left of the hall. Then, now it's time for the exiting part. First years, get ready for your name to be called in order to be sorted."

One by one about seventy students got called to the front to sit on the stool and be sorted. After everyone was seated at their House table, the food appeared.

Lily, who had taken a place close to someone who looked remarkably like James, turned to the boy. She was stunned when he looked back at her. Lily knew she was staring but she couldn't look away. She was mesmerized. Her own eyes were looking back at her.

"I don't give autographs or do photo requests," the boy mumbled while turning away again.

"I didn't expect you to," Lily blushed and quickly turned to the potatoes. She glanced quickly at the Marauders, who looked just as surprised at Harry's blunt response as she was. While placing a small portion of the potatoes on her plate, she observed her son from the corner of her eyes.

When Lily had first faced him, she had only noticed the striking resemblance to James. Now, while taking a better look, she started to notice the small differences between the two boys. Harry's nose was round and had a handful of freckles, much like her own. His skin was also paler than James' and his cheeks weren't as angular or sharp. However, what concerned her was the sad look in his eyes as well as the clear signs of malnourishment, both from his childhood as from a recent period of little food.

Lily felt a newfound fire burning inside of her. If she was determined to change faith before, she sure as hell was now. Looking at her son and seeing him so deflated, pained her greatly. Lily was resolute; no matter the cost, she would give Harry a past and future full of love. 

"Harry, would you like some potatoes?" Lily turned to her son, trying to gain his attention.

Harry turned to her. Without saying anything, he just stared, as if he was trying to determine if he could trust her. Another strike of pain went through Lily as she could only start to image what the boy went through to be so suspicious of others.

"Yes, please," sounded finally after seconds of silence that had seemed to continue for minutes. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Lily suddenly felt pride running through her. She was delighted. Even though her snobbish sister and boorish husband had raised him, Harry turned out to be a polite and humble person.

Lily turned to the Marauders and saw James’ hesitation. Giving him a look of encouraging, James cleared his throat, "Harry, as you know, we are new here. We don't know our way around yet. Could you perhaps give us a tour?"

In a similar manner as Harry had done with Lily, he looked James straight in the eye to assess him. Though this time around, Harry came to a different conclusion as he narrowed his eyes, "You see the red head over there? Her names is Ginny Weasley. She's the Head Girl and is also in our House. If you ask nicely, she'll show you where the common room is and if she's in a good mood, she'll even show you around the grounds."

James was disappointed but tried not to show it, "Thank you for the tip. I sure will."

After the rejection, none of them dared to address Harry. Planning to finish their meal in silence, the girl in front of Harry tried to get his attention. "Harry? You ok?" 

"I'm fine, Hermione," Harry mumbled without looking up from his plate.

"We're just worried about you. Maybe you should take McGonagall's offer and go talk to Madame Pomfrey," Hermione suggested. Harry only shrugged in response.

"Mate," the red haired boy next to Hermione started, "You're a bit gloomy."

"I'll try to be more cheerful then," Harry mumbled, again not looking up.

"You're not the only one who lost people dear to them," Ron sneered. "My brother Fred died, and it's almost like George died along with him. He hasn't been the same since."

Harry tightened his upper lip and got up, "I'll be gloomy elsewhere."

Hermione turned to glare at the boy. "Could you be any more inconsiderate?"

"What do you mean?" Ron stuffed another sausage in his mouth.

"Oh, Ronald. Don't you get it?" Both Lily and the Marauders tried to listen in on what the two friends were saying. "He's feeling guilty."

"Guilty?" Ron repeated while taking some more black pudding. "What for?"

"He thinks he's guilty so many people died. Fred, Colin, Lavender,... He feels like they died because of him. That, so many families are torn apart. He feels especially guilty for Tonks and Lupin. Feels like Teddy has to grow up without parents like Harry himself did because he survived."

"No person can feel that much emotional burden," Ron said while chewing whatever was in his mouth. "Beside, it's not true. It was never his fault to start with."

"Of course it wasn't. And I've said it before, Ronald; just because you have the emotional depth of a teaspoon doen't mean everyone does. But please try to extend your emotional intelligence."

"No matter how big Harry's spoon is, it's absurd!" Ron proclaimed.

"Again, I agree with you," Hermione gave him a pointed stare. "So maybe if you could stop stuffing yourself with pork, you could go after your best friend and talk to him."

"Nah," Ron turned to the chicken wings, "Let him cool down first."

"Sorry to but in," Lily turned to her sons two friends, "I couldn't help but overhear what you were talking about. I wasn't trying to eavesdrop or anything, but we are seated quite close together. I know you don't know me and we're just meeting now, but if you need anything - help or a talk - don't hesitate to turn to me. It truly upsets me to see such a brave person with such sad eyes. It breaks my heart 'cause I cannot even begin to imagine what you went through."

Hermione looked at her, like she was trying to read her eyes. "Thank you-," Hermione look at Lily, hoping she’d properly introduce herself.

"Rose Evers," Lily extended her head which Hermione took. "And these idiots are Dale Devaughn, Axton Pierce and Lowen Pierce. We transferred here together from Ilvermorny."

"Nice to meet you," Hermione said. "Welcome to Hogwarts. Some parts are still in ruin because of the recent war but I can assure you, it's an interesting and beautiful castle. Would you like me to show you around?"

"That would be lovely."

Chapter Text

A steady rhythm caught Sirius' ears. He turned around and saw Harry drumming his fingers on his cauldron, obviously bored out of his mind waiting for Sluckhorn to arrive.

The three Marauders, Lily, Hermione, Ron and Harry were all seated together at same table. Not a coincidence as the four of them had made sure to always be around Harry and his friends. Their ulterior motive: getting them to ease up to them. In fact, this would have been a peaceful Gryffindor table had it not been for a Slytherin joining them by taking the last available seat. Sirius wrinkled his nose. It was no ordinary Slytherin, it was a Malfoy-Black descendant. The worst type of Slytherin Sirius could think of.

The blond boy was quite. He too wore a similar defeated look in his eyes as Harry. Totally deserved, in Sirius’ expert opinion. The Malfoy spawn had chosen to wrong side. Sirius found it totally unfair how both his cousin and her son managed to escape being send to Azkaban while his older self received a one way ticket without as much as a trail!

Grinding his teeth, Sirius turned his back towards Malfoy. He needed to keep his cool and not lose it over some distant family member that meant nothing to him. Though, he couldn't completely suppress his thoughts. Sirius' mind had made the analysis and saw the similarities between the boy at his table and his brother Regulus. Both had been too afraid to stand up to the ideas of their family and had been forced to take on a responsibility they dreaded. The difference, as Sirius found out, was that Regulus died doing the right thing while the Malfoy boy survived out or fear and cowardice. At least Reg died a hero. But Sirius had vowed to himself that he would change his brother's faith, just as they were doing for his godson.

The sudden appearance of a walrus-like man brought Sirius back to the present. Professor Sluckhorn had arrived.

"Very well, everyone. It's lovely to see our group has grown," the professor announced excited. "Today, we'll be tackling on a very tricky and complex potion. Since you'll be brewing it for the first time, let's divide you into pairs."

They were already seated two by two on the square table, so the groups were already decided. Remus and Hermione, Lily and Ron, James and Harry, Malfoy and Sirius... And so Sirius was back to the teeth grinding.

"Since many were bitten during battle, there are more werewolves around. Therefor the demand for the Wolfsbane Potion has increased immensely. It's vital that as many learn how to brew it," Sluckhorn explained. "Can anyone tell me how the potion works?"

Normally, Lily would be raising her hand as she was a brilliant witch and had a talent for potions. But now, the four of them were looking surprised at one another. In the future there was a potion for Moony's furry problem? That was too good to be true!

"Yes, Miss Granger?"

"The potion does not cure a person who was bitten on a full moon, instead it gives the turner control over some of the symptoms of lycanthropy. For example, the turner will remain in control of themselves."

"Very well! Splendid!" Sluckhorn was as delighted as he was always when someone got it correct, "10 points to Gryffindor! Now, can anyone tell me what the ingredients are? Yes, Miss Granger again?"

"The main ingredient is wolfsbane, also referred to as aconite or monkshood. There are seventeen of said leaves needed for the base of the brewing process. Other ingredients are three drops of dragon blood, one powdered moonstone, the juice of seven sopophorous beans, two drops of Hellebore syrup, three Murtlap tentacle, a crushed Occamy egg and the juice of two Mandrake leafs."

"Perfect, as always! Another 10 points for Gryffindor," Sluckhorn laughed. "As you can tell by the ingredient list, it is a rather expensive potion to brew. Add on top of that the complex brewing process and the catastrophic consequences must the potion master fail... It adds even more to the price tag. Therefor, the Ministry wants to upscale the production to decrease the market price. For those of less fortunate financial backgrounds, they're planning a grant so it can become available for all those that want to. Now, that's enough theory. Take out your books, page 324 and let's get brewing!"

"That's amazing," Remus whispered in disbelief. In his time, werewolves were absolutely despised. They were considered as the scum of society. He found it almost too incredible to believe someone took the time, effort and finances to research such a potion. And on top of that, now, the Ministry was making it available for everyone. If it was really as complex as Sluckhorn claimed it to be, there was very little chance that Remus'd be able to brew it. But Lily on the other hand,... He hoped she wouldn't mind if he asked.

At the other side of their table, James looked lost. After his failed attempt of approaching his son at the opening feast, he didn't have much luck either. Now, they were to work together. James cleared his throat, "Shall I go fetch the ingredients?"

"Sure," Harry shrugged without looking up or making even any attempt to get started with their work.

"Right," James mumbled to himself while walking towards the ingredient cupboard. Lily was already there, "Help me please. I have absolutely no idea what to do. He doesn't seem to warm up to me."

"You're quite tense," Lily answered while scanning the shelves for the right ingredients. "It's obvious how nervous you are. Hermione told me Harry played Seeker for our Gryffindor Quidditch team. Apparently, he was the youngest player to join a house team in over a century. So he must be good for Professor McGonagall to ask for an exemption to the rule. Have you tried bonding over sport?"

"He was selected to play in his first year?" James repeated in awe. His son was amazing. "Good idea, I'll ask if he'll be playing this year. Thanks for the tip." Walking back towards their spot, James was determined to get Harry to open up to him.

"I thought you said you were getting the ingredients?" Harry frowned when he saw James, who he only knew as Lowen Pierce, returning empty handed.

"Right," James blushed, feeling stupid he was so exited to follow Lily's advice that he forgot what he went to do. "I was distracted by Rose Evers," James grinned sheepishly, opting to go for some very accurate excuse. "You see, I've been asking her out for years but she has turned me down every single time. I was so surprised she was talking to me that I forgot what I went out to do."

Harry snorted, "She obviously appreciates your company. What have you been doing to scare her away when you actually pop the question? Bring out all the bells and whistles?"

James smile widened, this was the first semi-positive response he got out of Harry. "Something like that. Last time, I had arranged for a marching band of house elves and fireworks. A bit much?"

Harry was now full smiling, with even some spark in his eyes. "Just a tiny bit. It's funny though, I've been told my dad did something similar but my mom wasn't impressed either. She just called him a toerag and let him be." It was obvious a fond memory, which made James warm inside.

"Really," James laughed. "He sounds like a fun bloke. But he won her over in the end, didn't he? How did he manage?"

"Well, Sirius, my godfather, told me my dad gave up on pursuing her. Because he chilled out and started to act normal around my mom, she got to know him better. In the end, she asked him out when she was ready for it. Sirius said my dad almost had a heart attack when it happened, "Harry chuckled, at the obviously fond memory.

"She’ll ask me out?!" James asked shocked.

Harry looked at him confused, "No, my mom asked my dad out. Doesn't mean it'll be the same for you but in any case, it wouldn’t hurt to leave the pomp and circumstances behind."

"Right," James scratched the back of his neck, a nervous habit of his. "I'll take that into consideration. It's as you said, the current approach isn't working so it's time to change tactics. Thanks."

"No problem," Harry responded before turning to their cauldron. "To be fair, I'm not the best at potions so my apologies in advance that I turned out to be your partner."

James chuckled, "Good thing I'm not the best either. We can suck at it together."

Harry chuckled along as well.

James felt proud he was making progress. With a big grin on his face, he turned around and headed back to the cupboard. This time to get their ingredients for real.

"Potter," Malfoy tried to catch Harry's attention.

"What?" Harry turned to the other boy, his face turning blank again.

"You're fire is too high," Malfoy said in what Harry presumed was a friendly tone. They had never spoken to each other in a civilized manner so he had never heard this tone before. "If you were to add your wolfsbane, you'd just burn it and waist the ingredients."

"Oh," Harry frowned. "Uhm, thanks for letting me know."

"Yeah," Malfoy obviously didn't know what to do. Having a normal conversation with Harry and hearing the Golden Boy thank him for the first time ever, it left the blonde feeling awkward. His cheeks however took it upon themselves to react on their own. Blushing he turned away, back to his own cauldron, only to get a piercing look from his potions partner. Sirius could smell something brewing...

Chapter Text

James and Harry were laughing as they made their way from the dungeons up to the Great Hall for lunch. Hermione, who was walking behind the duo, let Lily know how relieved she was to see her friend like that. It had been so long since she heard him laugh, or even smile in general.

Hearing this, gave Lily a tight feeling in the chest but at the same time she felt glad Harry was finally warming up to James. Her boys were finally bonding. That thought suddenly brought her to a halt.

"You good?" Hermione asked, confused by the other girl's sudden stop. "Did you maybe forget something?"

"Sorry," Lily started walking again. "Something I forgot to do suddenly crossed my mind. Nothing big though." When did she start to consider James as one of her boys? Harry she could understand, as he was her future son after all. But Mr. Arrogant Toerag James?

From behind, she observed the two boys. James was attractive. In an objective manner, of course. But he could be such an immature pain. How did they even end up together? If the boy acted normal, he wasn't horrible to be around but his looks couldn't excuse everything. After all, Lily wasn't one to just fall for looks. Maybe she should ask McGonagall how that came to be.

"That Malfoy brat," Lily heard Sirius say. She turned around and saw Sirius complaining to Remus, who was shaking his head in amusement.

"No new friend for you, uh-Axton?" Lily asked, still getting used to calling Sirius their made up names.

"Did you not see how he acted?" Sirius waved his hands around for extra dramatic effect.

"Totally civil, you mean," Remus smiled uneven, again shaking his head at the theatrics of his friend.

"Civil my ass," Sirius snorted.

"And what a fine ass that is," James had turned around to comment.

"All hail to that," Remus joined in.

"Oh, shhh, you," Sirius slapped Remus arm playing. "Let me complain in peace. As I was saying, that Malfoy brat was acting all depressing. Like he was remorseful or something. Who would believe that?"

"I'm alive because of him," Harry stated simply. The Marauders had gotten carried away in their bickering and teasing that they'd almost forgotten the Golden Trio, as they learned the three friends were called, were with them.

"What?" Sirius said dumbfounded.

"During the war, I was captured," Harry started explaining. "We were brought to Malfoy Manor. Hermione had cast a spell to disfigure my face. Before calling Voldemort to inform him of my capture, they wanted to be sure it was me so Bellatrix had called in Draco to identify me. And he lied for me, stating that he wasn't certain it was me while it was clear as day he knew for sure. His lie kept me alive and bought us time so all those who were captured could escape."

None of them knew what to say. Harry never spoke of the war before, not to his closed friends and definitely not to the Marauders. Hermione was the first to get to her senses.

"It was very brave of him," she added. "Without him, Ron and I would be dead that same night. As many of our friends would have as well."

"Brave?" Ron snorted in disbelief. "Malfoy wasn't brave. He was afraid. He only acted out of his own gain."

"Be that as it may," Harry stated coldly. "He was forced to take the Mark because his father failed. Voldemort had set him up to die because Malfoy Senior had made a mistake. His father’s sins shouldn't have been handed down to him. But they were. Draco did what he had to so he and his mother could survive. Every chance he could, he sabotaged little by little. Right below the scorching eyes of Voldemort."

"In a similar fashion as Regulus Black did," Hermione agreed.

"What?" Sirius was speechless for a second time around. But this time, his ever so eloquent response got completely neglected because of Ron's response.

"Both were slimy Slytherins," Ron wrinkled his nose. "They loved the Pure Blood ideology but when push came to bloody shove and things became too heated, they chickened out. Like the cowards they were."

"You weren't in that cave," Harry said fuming. "You have no right to judge Regulus' bravery. He let himself be pulled into a lake full of Inferi to die so his House Elf would live. There are not many wizards who'd give their life for a magical creature who's considered vermin by society."

"Ok, so he did one good deed. So bloody what?" Ron yelled back. "Does that exonerate them from everything else? From being accessory to murder? Why would you even speak in their favour during the trails when they are part of the same group that killed Fred?! When they’re family members of the bonkers witch that tortured Hermione?!" 

"I told you my reasoning before," Harry said coldly without raising his voice. "I'm not going to keep on explaining and defending my actions." Afterwards, the green eyed boy turned around and continued to climb the stairs.

"Fine!" Ron yelled at Harry's back. "Run away! Being on the run is what you do best, now, isn't it?!" Ron stomped down the stairs.

"Oh boys," Hermione signed, tears of frustration were filling her eyes. Lily put her hand on her shoulder in support. "Ever since the war, they're liking ticking time bombs. I don't know what to do? Both have so much anger inside of them. We went through a lot. All of us. But they never talk. They wait until the tension builds up or a sensitive topic comes along and they just explode and start yelling at each other. I don't know what to do anymore?"

"Let's go to the kitchen and get some tea," Lily tried to steer her along. "We can have some privacy there."

"Alright," Hermione agreed. Before turning away with Hermione, Lily gave a pointing look to James so he'd get the hint to go and talk to Harry about his outburst. And the boy thankfully seemed to get the message.

"And people say I can be dramatic," Sirius raised his eyebrows.

"Come on," James said. "Let's go find Harry."

"You two go up," Remus said. "I'll see if Ron can use any company."

Remus went down the same flight of stairs Ron had run of to, while James and Sirius made their way to the Great Hall. There they found Harry sitting alone, looking at his plate while playing around with his foot.

"Mind if we join?" James asked and without waiting for a response, took a seat in front of his son.

"So that was hectic," Sirius said while taking a seat next to James. "You two could have been human bludgers with the way you went at each others throats."

James gave his friend a pointed look for his lack of tact.

"Don't want to talk about it," Harry mumbled as he continued pushing his food around his plate.

"What do you want to talk about?" James asked cautiously. Harry just shrugged, not feeling like talking about anything. James thought it was time to try Lily's tip.

"I read on the bulletin board in the common room that you're the Quidditch captain. Any idea when the tryouts will be?"

"I asked around what would be a good timing and was thinking next Wednesday," Harry answered. "You're interested in joining?"

"Definitely," James smiled encouraging. "At Ilvermorny, my brother and I played for our house team. Axton played Beater, I was the star Chaser."

"Humble much," Sirius chuckled while licking his fork is an almost suggestive manner.

"Oh, bugger of," James shoved him playfully.

"Cool," Harry said. "We could use that. Ginny, the Head Girl I told you about, she's a brilliant Chaser but all the others graduated two years ago. Last year, there was no competition because of the War-plus, I was on the run anyway-so I don't know what the lever of the new recruits will be like. I look forward to see you at the tryouts. Same goes to you, Axton. The Weasley twins were brilliant Beaters and after they left school, we didn't find a decent replacement for them."

"What about the other positions? You remain as the Seeker I presumer?" Sirius asked.

"To be fair, I wasn't planning on continuing to play Quidditch this year. During summer, I was so demotivated and wanted the year to be more low pace. But as I got the captain badge, I couldn't force myself to refuse. I love the game," Harry opened up, to everyones surprise, including his own. Clearing his voice, "Anyway, to answer your question: yes, I'll be playing as Seeker. I love it. Tough, I will be looking for a backup, in case I'm out or have to do detention."

"Smart choice," James was in full analytic captain mode. "What about the Keeper?"

"Well," Harry sighed. "Ron was the Keeper in our sixth year. If he still wants to play on the same team as I, he's welcome to join the tryouts and defend his position."

"Back to Ron, it seems," James noted. "You sure you don't want to talk about it?"

"Very sure," Harry said while taking a bit of the meat loaf.

"Ok, let's focus on this lovely tentacle cake then," James sighed. He'd leave it alone. For now at least.

Chapter Text

The first week of the new school year was over and everybody enjoyed their first weekend. Still after one week of getting to know her son, Lily wasn't prepared to see Harry in regular clothing. Just looking at the rags on his body got her blood boiling. What was her sister thinking?

From the moment Lily found out Dumbledore sent her son to live with Petunia, the redhead knew her son had suffered. But after reading the biography Rita Skeeter wrote, Lily knew it was even worse than what she could have ever imagined. Making a child sleep in a cupboard, withhold any info regarding her and James, underfeeding him, refusing him to learn magic. The list of levels of neglect was never ending.

"You need a makeover," Lily said determined as she stood in front of Harry's sofa.

"Why?" His piercing green eyes looked emotionless.

Why? Lily couldn't grasp the level self-neglect and lack of self-worth the boy had come to mirror from her sister.

"Because you are beautiful and brave and strong. You shouldn't be wearing these excuses of clothing to efface yourself from the room. You should be proud of who you are and what you survived," Lily said determined. Harry was clearly flabbergasted by the fire with which she spoke.

"Ok," was his reluctant answer.

"Good," Lily was pleased her son didn't fight her on this matter. "I wouldn't have accepted a no. I already talked to Headmistresses McGonagall to arrange a shopping spree to Diagon Alley and I've asked Hermione to tag along. So get up."

"We're going right now?" Harry asked shocked.

"Of course," Lily huffed. "I'm giving you no chances to escape and weasel out of this. Besides, no time like the present right?"

The two of them walked in the direction of the Headmistresses' office where they met up with Hermione.

"You managed to convince him?" Hermione smiled. "I must admit I had my doubts. I can only admire your power of persuasion."

"She said she didn't take no for an answer," Harry grumbled, clearly feeling tricked.

"Like that ever stopped you from being stubborn," Hermione giggled.

"Enough about my misery. Let's get this over with," Harry said the password and walked up the stairs.

McGonagall had already prepared the fireplaces for Floo Transportation and before they knew it, the three of them stood in Diagon Alley, ready to start their shopping spree.

"Let's first check out the Potter vault to see if there are any nice heirlooms we could use for styling," Lily proposed.

"I've seen my vault," Harry frowned confused. "It's nicely stocked, yes, but with coins not with fashion accessories."

"That must have been your trust vault," Lily explained. "Many families have those for their children to give them a head start. But certainty the old and rich Wizarding families also own a big vault with the rest of their riches, important heirlooms and sometimes even important documentation or valuable books. Those are inherited by the family heir only.”

"So does that mean I have another vault?" Harry eyes were big of shock, looking to Hermione for confirmation but her face showed this was new information to her as well.

"I believe you have two more of those," Lily said. "You mentioned you were Sirius' heir. As the last remaining Black, he might have handed over the entire Black family vault to you. Although that is just a theory. It could have gone to Andromeda or Narcissa as well, eventhough they were not in direct line. Let's go to Gringotts and find out."

"They might not be very keen to see us though," Hermione hesitated.

"Because last time you were there, you broke into one of their high security vaults?" Lily teased. "You'll have to find out at some point whether they hold a grudge or not."

With a knot of anxiety in their stomachs Hermione and Harry followed Lily to the Wizarding Back. Once inside, they kept their eyes on the ground-too afraid to look up.

"Mr. Potter," the golbin behind the desk they stopped in front of spoke. "I hope you're here for you own vault this time around?"

"Yes, sir," Harry said looking him straight in the eye. "The Potter and Black family vaults."

"Very well," the golbin said. "Follow me."

"That's it?" Harry asked confused. "You're not going to rebuke us?"

"While we do not appreciate your break in," the golbin answered while taking a lamp and leading them too a card. "We are willing to look past the incident in light of what you and Miss Granger did to improve our status. But do not take this exemption as the rule. If you ever break in again, we won't be so forgiving again. Now, follow along. We don't have all day."

Both Hermione and Harry let out a sigh of release. Hermione hadn't noticed she had held her breath out of nervousness but now she was breathing freely again.

"Yes," Lily said excited. "Let's head down and see what we can find."

The goblin, whose name they learned was Nagnok, opened the first vault. Looking inside the Potter family vault, Harry saw gold which put his trust vault 687 to shame. Mountains and mountains of gold Galleons filled the first half of the vault. Further to the back, other valuables were stored. Harry noticed golden cups, tiaras, a whole wall stocked full with shelves of books, even a marble statue of what seemed to be a winged creature stood in the corner.

"Wow," Lily said, eyes wide and brows raised. "I knew the Potters were rich but I never imagined this rich."

"I didn't know," Harry said in awe.

Lily composed herself before turning to the two friends, "Let's look at the jewelry." She dragged Hermione and Harry to the back of the vault where the tiaras were on display.

"I don't think those are really my style," Harry pointed to an extravagant silver tiara embellish with a dozen blue and yellow sapphires.

"Oh, I don't know," Lily giggled. "Maybe you should try it on just to be sure."

"I have to agree with Harry on this one," Hermione joined along. "I believe this one will look better. It'll bring out the colour of his eyes." She pointed to an even more ridiculously embellished tiara that was downright the epitome of decadence. It was gold and was made out of fine threats woven into delicate leaf designs embedded with green emeralds. The thing was almost 15 centimeters high for Merlin's sake.

"What does one even need that for?" Harry asked perplexed.

"It has no function," Lily admired the craftsmanship in admiration. "Just to make the warier look pretty and important. It's beautifully made. But enough joking around, we're on a mission."

Leaving the tiara's for what they were they turned to the velvet boxes that were place the drawers of the armoire the tiara's were place on. While Hermione and Lily were exploring, opening boxes to see what type of accessory they held, Harry turned to the large wall of books. Looking at the tiles, he noticed all sorts of titles. Some dealt with ancient nature magic while others focused on wandless magic. There were also many potions books. Harry recalled Sirius talking about his grandfather Fleamont Potter and mentioning he was a potions master. Where these the potions he made? Harry wished he was better at potions so he could try some of them. It felt like he could get to know the man his grandfather was if Harry would brew with Fleamont's books beside him. He was sure his mother would have enjoyed that as well since she was brilliant at it.

"Harry," Lily called to get his attention. "Look at this."

Harry came closed and noticed her holding a box which contained silver snake-shaped cufflinks with a matching collar pin. In the other hand she held another pair of cufflinks. These were gold antlers. This set was completed with a matching lapel pin. As he looked at some of the other oped boxed, Harry noticed many more cufflink sets. Some with collar or lapel pins, others with collar broches or other collar accessories that looked almost necklaces of which he didn't even know what they were called. Everything looked fitting for a Lord of some centuries ago.

"Which ones do you like best?" Hermione asked. "You're blessed with a natural undertone so both silver or gold would look good against your skin."

"My dad's patronus was a stag," Harry said, eyes returning to the antlers set.

"Perfect," Lily stated, "So we're certainly taking these. These snake set is really elegant as well. So is this corsage style set. And this trapeze brooch is a splendid stand alone piece. Look at the beautiful setting of these black stones. They're onyx, I believe. And this watch is just exquisite. Look at the details."

"Are you seeing anything else you like?" Hermione asked.

"I found this book," Harry turned back to the shelves and took a small one with a green leather cover. "It talked about the Potter family till the 1890s, when the Wizarding aristocracy was still in place."

"Were the Potters one of the aristocratic families?" Hermione browsed quickly through the book.

"Seems they were one of the twelve aristocratic houses. The Blacks were another one of those houses," Harry said. "I know so very little of my own history. I'm curious to learn more."

"Shall we head towards the Black family vault?" Lily asked and the three of them followed the goblin to the next vault. Same as for the Potter one, the first half had too many mountains of Galleons to even attempt to start counting. The second half however was more dark themed. Many of the object resembled items Harry had seen at Borgin and Burkes. There was a coffin in the corner that resembled an Iron Maiden. An antique picture frame with a giant eye that followed their every move, gargoyles that tried to bite you if you came too close and more wrought-iron candle holders than one would ever need.

"I'm hesitant to touch anything," Hermione voiced what all three of them thought. "Everything looks like it might be cursed or infused with Dark Magic."

"There," Lily pointed. That dresser is what we came for. Agreed on leaving the rest alone."

Similar as in the Potter vault, the two girls started rummaging while Harry looked around. Again Harry started with the books. At first glance it was clear the dark theme continued in the content on their pages. Titles such as Necromancy & Maledictions, The Noble Art of Schadows and Grimoire of Dark Art Curses filled the shelves. Harry quickly turned away. He wanted out of this space. Walking back to the entrance of the vault, he only stopped to fill his money pouch with some extra Galleons before exiting.

Lily and Hermione followed soon after. They had found a black Zirconium ring with a dark purple stone in it, another silver cufflink set, plus a mother-of-pearl style one with phoenix’s on them, and a fancy looking, long, charcoal coat.

"We got something borrowed," Lily was clearly excited with her hinds. "Time to find something new."

They headed back up to the surface and once back in the streets of Diagon Alley, they went straight to the hair dresser. Harry got a much needed trim and with the help of some magic hair product, his untamable hair was now not sticking around in all directions but had some nice light waves in it. The hairdresser assured him that if he were to grew out his hair again, the product would give him some lose curls. Lily agreed this would look really nice on Harry so she convinced him to by extra. 

After also fixing some contact lenses, something the Wizarding world only recently imported from the Muggle world, they were on their way to fix him some cloths. This was the part Harry dreaded the most. Luckily, when they entered Madam Malkin's Robes, Harry noticed they had the shop for themselves. He sighed in relief.

Madam Malkin immediately came to greet them. "Welcome back, Mr. Potter. I presume it's you we're shopping for today?"

Lily snorted, "What gave it way?"

"I'd say it were the oh-so-stylish baggy elephant pants," Madam Malkin answered dryly after giving Harry a look over. "Let's get you on the platform, dear. We got lot's of work to do. And you two, please take a seat. This may take a while."

And the definition of a while turned out to be a whole afternoon. After trying on many different shades and fabrics, Harry walked out with half a dozen silk dress shirts, a tailored jacket, two pairs of wool trousers and one pair of high-waisted linnen pants, a pair of twill chinos, a pair of stylish joggers, a green velvet cumberband, two pairs of shoes with matching leather belts, a collection of silk ties and even an ascot.

"Look at me," Harry snorted. "Aside from my school uniform, I've never gotten new cloths. Always hand me downs from Dudley. Only the dress robes Mrs. Weasley got me for the Yule Ball were bought for me. Though they came from a second hand shop. And now I'm walking around with they shy number of seventeen bags of clothing. All for me."

"It was really long overdue, then," Hermione smiled along. "We should have done this earlier."

"You'll look really smart in your new wardrobe," Lily said, pleased with the fruits of their shopping spree.

"Do you mind if we quickly go by Grimmauld Place?" Harry asked. "I'd like to pick up one of Sirius' leather jackets."

"Not at all," Lily smiled, happy her son showed an interest in trying to integrate something extra of his family.

After getting a jacket from Sirius' room, they Flooed back to Hogwarts. Both Lily and Hermione encouraged Harry to go and get changed into some of his new clothes before dinner. They were so curious what the Marauders would think. Harry hesitated at first but agreed after some persuasion.

Carefully opening all the brown packages containing Harry's newly bought clothing, he first placed them all in his closet before deciding what to wear. Harry changed into a green silk dress shirt, added the silver snake-shaped cufflinks, leaving the pin in the box, and put on his pair of charcoal wool trousers. When turning to the mirror, he almost didn't recognize himself. After years of hiding his body behind the oversized clothing of his cousin, the tailored clothing showed his figure for the first time. He was still on the skinny side from their previous year of camping but after starting to work out during summer as a way to distract himself, he started to gain some of his Quidditch muscles back. With the shirt tucked in his trousers, his small waist was on full display for the first time. And even Harry had to admit the paints made his behind look good. Also the new hair and contact lenses gave his face a more elegant character to match the clothes. Maybe the makeover hand't been such a bad idea after all.

As Harry got out of the dorm and walked back down the stairs, James and Sirius welcomed him with wolf whistles making the boy blush.

"You look really handsome," Remus was the first Marauder to compliment him with words.

"Thanks," Harry looked shy, not used to the attention. Others in the common room starting gawking at him, both genders alike.

"Girls, you did a wonderful job," James said. "I can only agree with Dale, Harry. You look absolutely dashing. Everyone will be swooning and lining up to ask you out."

"Please stop," Harry blushed even further in embarrassment. "Let's just go eating."

On their way down to the Great Hall, they ran into Malfoy.

"Potter?" the blond stuttered while letting his eyes glide over the dark haired boy in admiration.

"Impressed, Malfoy," Sirius teased with a wide grin.

Harry believed Draco must have lost him mind when he heard the other stumble on his words while furiously colouring pink, "You look good. I mean, you always looked good but now you look good good."

"I believe the expression you're looking is 'deliciously fine'," Sirius helped his cousin once removed, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. "Is anyone else feeling hungry? I feel like I could devour something. Food is calling us."

"You are an idiot. I hope you know that," Remus snorted and shook his head while taking his friend by the arm and guiding him to the Great Hall. The others following along so only Draco and Harry remained behind.

"You coming along?" Harry asked, not knowing where this newfound confidence came from. Maybe it was an inherent magic of his new cloths.

"Sure," Draco responded. His brain was taking a break, it seemed. He just couldn't think of anything else to say. Stupid Potter in his stupid new clothes.

Chapter Text

"I'm still not convinced of the new look," Ron looked at Harry skeptical. It was Sunday morning, the day after the already well gossiped makeover, and the Marauders, the Golden Trio and some former DA members were all seated together for breakfast.

"Well, I like it," the dreamy voice of Luna Lovegood sounded. "You look very well proportioned, which helps to keep Gulping Plimpy's away."

"Yes," Ginny agreed, not even bothering to question what Gulping Plimpy's had to do with any of it. "Bugger off, Ron. You're just jealous he's getting more love confessions now."

"Shouldn't you be jealous of that?" Ron wrinkled his nose. "You two used to date. Why did that even end?"

It was Ginny's turn to wrinkle her nose, "It was like dating an adoptive brother. It felt weird. Besides, we function better as friends. We have way more fun and less drama."

"Can we please stop talking about my looks and love life?" Harry asked embarrassed. He might have looked more confident in his new garderobe, but the boy still hated being the center of attention.

"Let's talk Quidditch then," James proposed exited. "Harry told me you play Chaser, Ginny?"

"Yes, I've played for the team," Ginny confirmed. "I have filled in for Harry as Seeker on the rare occasions when he wasn't albe to play, but my main position is Chaser."

"Nice," James grinned. "I'm a Chaser as well. I already told Harry I used to play for our house team and like to try out for this years Gryffindor team. Is the time officially scheduled yet?"

"Yes," Harry joined the conversation. "I've scheduled the Pit for the whole of Wednesday evening. I'm expecting a lot of people to turn up. Last time, the try outs lasted well into the evening."

"Are we allowed to come and watch?" Lily asked.

"I don't think it'll be very exciting," Harry shrugged. "But you're welcome to sit on the bleachers."

"Dale and I don't play," Lily said. "But we love to see the dynamic of the group here."

"I don't play either," Hermione said. "Can Neville and I join you?"

"Sure!" Lily really got to like Hermione. She was fun to be around and a great study buddy.

"Do you think Malfoy will play again?" Ron asked. "The last two years, he didn't bother playing for his house team. Do you think he still feels too good to play with the mob"?

"What? Are you missing the rivalry with your boyfriend on the play field?" Ginny teased her brother.

"It'd definitely be more fun," Harry chuckled. "The extra scoffing had become part of the pre-game excitement."

"I'm sure Malfoy wouldn't mind some other form of excitement either," Sirius whispered loudly to Remus, his volume high enough everyone of them must have heard him.

"Must you always make everything suggestive?" Remus gave his friend a playful bump with his shoulder.

"I can't help it. I'm a teenage boy," Sirius wink made Remus choke on his scrambled eggs. Blushing the werewolf looked away from those intense, now brown instead of stormy gray, eyes. James looked at his two friends, wondering how oblivious both of them could be. They were brilliant on an academical level but totally lost when it came to reading human body language. Maybe they needed a friendly push to make them realise? Something without a marching band, of course. That had proven ineffective.

For the rest of their Sunday, most of the group did some lounging around. Enjoying maybe one of the last sunny days of the year. Hermione, Lily and Remus were to be found in the library, further researching the potency and usages of the Wolfsbane Potion.

Monday morning came too soon. The Golden Trio and the Marauders plus Lily were on their way to Transfiguration. It was their second lesson with Professor Leighton, who had a totally different approach to teaching his branch of magic than McGonagall had. "Don't linger in the doorway. Take your seats! We don't have all day."

Like with many of their lessons, the group took seats two by two. This time Harry sat alone. That was until Draco joined him at the desk. Both nodded at each other politely before sitting side by side in awkward silence.

"After the revision class of last week with mammal Trans-Species Transformation, we're moving on your revision of Human Transfiguration," Professor Leighton started his lesson. "As you all know, this is a sub-branch of transformation magic in which one transfigured human body parts or an entire human being into another form, allowing the practitioner or the target to take on an entirely different form or make various individual changes to their appearance. Headmistress McGonagall informed me that you practiced the transfiguration of small facial features - like the eyebrows - in sixth year. Today, we'll be reviewing those as well as moving on to some larger features such as the nose and ears. Please practice changing the colour of the eyebrows on the partner next to you."

The three Marauders and Lily were relieved they all chose to be seated next to one-another. That way to could have the control over transfigurating their false features back instead of using Reparifarge to Untransfigurate and faking their return to their 'original' looks.

Hermione and Ron who were seated together looked uncomfortable when turning to face each other. Ever since the disagreement between Ron and Harry took place on the staircase, the relationship between the two lovers was a bit restrained. Like they were dancing around the unspoken issue, trying to stop it from escalating.

Draco and Harry looked just as uncomfortable, though for totally different reasons. Ever since Harry had his makeover, Draco found it even harder to look their Savior into his eyes. Harry had always fascinated him and puberty had really enhanced the dark haired boy's features. The Slytherin had always had moments of weakness where he couldn't help himself but stare at the other boy. Yes, Draco had always admired Harry. Not just because he was easy on the eye but also because of his strong and bewitching nature. Only after the Dark Lord was defeated and the stress of both his own as well as his mother's trails had passed, did the Malfoy heir allow himself to think about what it meant. Draco felt eternally grateful for Harry's testimony for him and his mother. The act spoke of his fair character.

Even so, Draco had never planned to act on hus attraction. Indeed, he was ready to admit it to himself, and maybe his mother in the future, but never try to approach him. However, with Harry's suitors having increased and becoming bolder after his makeover, Draco couldn't help his jealousy. He wanted to be close to the other. And be damned that the papers would write headlines such as "Ex-Death Eater tries to corrupt our Savior". Draco could no longer deny the gravitational pull of the other and he couldn't care less what anyone else had to say. The Slytherin was determined to make Harry warm up to him, maybe even become a friend. Of something more the blond could only dream.

"So, will you keep on staring of shall we start?" Harry brought Draco out of his train of thoughts.

Clearing his throat, Draco answered: "You go first."

Harry smirked and waved his wand, "Now, you're ready to be adopted by Mrs. Weasley."

"You gave me ginger eyebrows," Draco said, clearly not amused. He didn’t even need to look into a mirror. The comment alone was a dead giveaway.

"Even better," Harry was enjoying this. "Not just your eyebrows. Your hair as well." Harry now had a shit-eating grin on his face.

"No you did not," Draco gasped in shock. Not sure because of the other boy's audacity of making him ginger or because Harry seemed to be teasing him. Not in a taunting manner but in a friendly one.

"I don't know if I can handle their passive aggressive form of flirting," Sirius whispered to James.

"Like you're one to talk," James snorted.

"What do you mean?" Sirius gave the confused puppy eyes, even tilting his head slightly to the side.

James shook his head in amused disbelief. It was obvious he would have to play love doctor.

Chapter Text

It was Wednesday night. The sun shined bright. There were a bunch of Gryffindor students in the Quidditch Pit. And it was a mess. Utterly chaotic.

Harry had expected many to show up. After all, when he was 'just' the Chosen One and had organized the tryouts, it was already a rush of Gryffindors who wanted to claim a spot on the team as well as students of other houses who came to watch. Now, it was a stampede. To Harry it seemed like every single Gryffindor was here to either tryout or watch him in action. On top of that, at least half of the students from other houses had come to observe as well. The bleacher of the Pit were filled as if a match was about to take place.

"This is overwhelming," a fifth year who was trying out for Beater laughed nervously.

"This is downright absurd," James rebuked.

"You'd think I got used to it by now," Harry mumbled. 

"Don't fool yourself, mate," Ron joked. "There here to see the famous cup slayer."

"That came out so wrong. I’m sure it sounded better as an inside thought," Harry grinned.

"Yeah, it sounded better before I said it out loud," Ron grinned along. The tension between the two long forgotten, even though in reality the incident itself was only a few days ago.

"Right," Harry braced himself before projecting his voice so he would be heard over all the chitchatting. "Can I have your attention please? We're about to start the tryouts for the Gryffindor Quidditch House Team. For those who are here as spectators and not to join, remove yourselves from the field and take place on the bleachers if you'd like to stay. These are tryouts, not a match, so don't go crazy. For those who wish to join, to start off, please divide yourself in groups. Those who are trying out as Chasers, go stand next to Ginny. Ginny, could you raise your hand? Thanks. Beaters, please move to the middle of the Pit. We'll start the tryouts with you. Those who have come to obtain the position of Keeper, please assemble at the foot of the hoops behind me. And for those interested in being my back up as a Seeker, take place on the bleacher please. You'll be the last up."

"Prongslet is not bad," Sirius said to James before moving to his designated assembling point. "He's firm but not a tyrant like you are."

"I'm not a tyrant," James mumbled pouting while heading to where Ginny stood. He agreed on the first part, though. He was proud on how his son commanded the chaos and got everyone to follow his directions.

"Beaters," Harry called out to the first group to try out. "Please mount your brooms. First, I'd like you to warm up for a bit. Fly some tours around the Pit."

That was an instruction that had never even accord James to ask his new recruits. Why would one tryout for Quidditch if they couldn't fly properly? Turned out Harry's request was a valid one. Almost a third of the group of wanna-be Beaters had difficulty remaining on their brooms when they had to pay attention not to fly into anyone. Clearly, many came just to have an excuse to get close to his son.

"Those who were unstable while flying, thank you for trying out but unfortunately you'll not be making the team. Quidditch can be a brutal sport but we'd like to keep injuries to a minimum. Feel free to practice on your own or after classes with a study group to try again next year," Harry asked the disappointed students to take a seat on the bleachers or to head back to the castle. "Moving on to the next stage, I'll be releasing the Bludgers soon so collect a Beater's bat and prepare yourselves."

"Yes," Sirius said excited. "Balls will go flying."

Remus, who was seated on the stand, could still hear him. It wasn't like his friend had a habit or speaking in a moderate dynamic. The werewolf groaned. Why was he friends with this man again?

After some exercises to determine the Beaters, Harry kept four candidates. One of them being Sirius. "I know Katy and Oliver didn't work with back ups or reserves. But I'd like to start working with always having someone on the bench who can jump in. Whether it's an injury or a detention, it's always possible something stops you from playing and with a back up, we can always substitute."

Harry turned to the group of Chasers now. "I'll be doing the same for the other positions as well. Meaning, I'm looking for five Chasers. Three who will be playing and two who will be on stand-bye. It's possible that I'll rotate the starting players depending on who we're facing. So do keep that in mind." In a similar fashion as with the Beaters, Harry tested the recruits of the other groups as well. He managed to get players for every position and backups as well. James, Ginny and Ron made the team.

"Thank you everyone for coming down to the Pit," Harry was hungry and tired. He wanted this to be over. "I'll be examining all of your schedules and construct a practice schedule. You can expect it by next week. We've all done good work. I think we all deserved a late night snack. Those who are interested, please wait for me in the common room. I'll head down to the kitchens and go and collect some things. Have a great night!"

"It's official," Sirius giggled while poking James in the cheek. "I like mini you better as a captain. He knows love goes through the stomach."

"Did you just admit you got bribed by my son with food?" James played along in fake shock.

"I'm a goner for food and you know it. You had inside information. It’s your own fault you’re not stepping up your game."

Chapter Text

"Hey Draco!" James yelled in the corridor while waving like a mad fool.

The blond turned around, like a deer in headlights, totally perplexed why the transfer Gryffindor would even bother to call him out. The friendlier brother out of the two Pierce siblings jogged to catch up with him. Draco had noticed the other boy trying to engage him in conversations before or after shared classes. A hand full of times, they even turned out to be seated at the same desk hence were paired for practical lessons. The ex-Death Eater didn't know why the other would even try. He's been deliberately trying to keep to himself. Even distancing himself from his former Slytherin friend group. He didn't want his bad reputation to rub off on anyone. And besides, there was only one person's attention he was interested in.

"You're a difficult one to get a hold on," James joked.

"I thought you'd get the hint," Draco replied dryly.

"I'm not that easy to get rid off," James sniggered.

"So I've noticed," Draco remained just as stand-offish. "What can I help you with?"

"I cannot help but notice the awkwardness between the Houses," James started. "I don't know how it was before the War but at ours, there sure was rivalry as well as solidarity. So I've been thinking about a way to improve that," James got a very wide grin, much like the Cheshire Cat. "How about we throw a party?"

"You've come to me to talk about a party?" Draco asked in disbelief. Out of all the things he imagined the other asking, a social gathering had never crossed his mind.

"Yeah," James was clearly not discouraged by the lack of enthusiasm from the Slytherin. "I'm sure my friends and I can get the Gryffindor’s on board. Longbottom has friends at Hufflepuff who are willing to help and the Weasley girl and Lovegood can get Ravenclaw on board. All I'm missing is an inside man for Slytherin."

"And I presume that's where I come on?" Draco stated plainly. "I hate to burst your bubble but I'm not that well liked."

"But you used to be, from what I heard," Draco had to admire the persistence and undying enthusiasm the other boy showed. "Blaise and some descendants of the Sacred Twenty-Eight like Parkinson and Greengrass could get the whole of Slytherin House on board."

"Again, it might have slipped your attention but my family fallen out of grace. We're no longer influential at the Ministry and most of our fortune has gone to help repay for the material damages and by sending donations to St Mungo's. We're at the bottom of the social ladder."

"The way Parkinson and Greengrass look at you, they weren't just in it for the money or the status. Why not use your Slytherin charms to win them over again?" James wiggled his eyebrows. He was planning to get his son and the Malfoy Heir together, plus Sirius and Remus as well, and the party was the first step in his grand master plan. Cost what cost, he’d get Malfoy and the influential Slytherins on board.

"Are you sure you weren't meant to be in Slytherin yourself?" Draco raised one of his brows in mild amusement.

James dramatically fake gasped, "Don't you dare say that again! I have a reputation to uphold."

"You're just as dramatic as your brother," Draco now had a tiny smile on his face.

"I reserve the gestures for special occasions. Keeps the dramatic flair in full effectiveness," James grinned and winked. "Back to the plan, will you try to convince some of the other Slytherins to come to the party?"

"I'll see what I can do, Pierce," Draco answered before heading to his Arithmancy class.

James went back to the common room where he met with Lily, Remus and Sirius. "Draco is in to help gather Slytherins for the party."

"Nice," Sirius clapped exited. "I love parties."

"Don't we know it," Lily rolled her eyes, though the smile on her face was evident. "You take every excuse to organize a gathering. Quidditch match? Party time. Hexing someone? Party time. Getting a howler from your parents? Party time with booze."

"I don't see the problem", Sirius said with the widest grin.

"We'll take care of the food and drinks," Remus said. "The only thing we need to figure out is music to break the awkwardness and, very importantly, a location."

"What do you need a location for?" Harry had come to join them.

"We're planning a party to improve the solidarity between the houses," James announce proudly.

"And a gathering with loud music and booze will improve civil conversation?" Harry was clearly a skeptic.

"Obviously," Sirius grinned. "And don't forget about the dancing."

"Well, if you're looking for a large enough room, why not asked the Room of Requirement what you need?" Harry suggested.

"The Room of what?" Remus asked confused. None of them had ever heard of said room.

"On the seventh floor, there is a magical room that turns into what the asker needs," Harry explained. 

The Marauders and Lily looked at each other. Was this the door they used to travel through time?

James cleared his throat, "That sounds like the perfect room for a party. Thank you for the suggestion."

"How about a Halloween party?" Sirius got into his hyper planning mode. "We could make a costume party out of it. Oh,” he gasped in excitement. “Or what about a masked party? That way one's particularly anonymous and you wouldn't know what house one is from."

"That is actually not a bad idea, Axton," Lily was surprised by the Marauder's idea. She only knew him as a joker and not so much as one to bring something substantial to the table.

"No need to sound amazed. If my ego wasn't the size of Pluto, I would be hurt," Sirius said pouting.

"You are amazing," Remus playfully poked his friend in the side, making the other squeak. "You just manage to keep on surprising us with your brilliant mind."

James, Harry and Lily looked perplexed at the other two. They were so obviously flirting with each other. How could the two in question remain so oblivious to that fact? James shook his head in amusement, they clearly needed his helping hand.

"So all we need to figure out is the music, then," Lily brought them back on topic.

"We could use a cd player," Harry said. "It's a Muggle device so we'll need to create a magicless ring to overrule the spells within Hogwarts that interfere with Muggle technology."

"Harry," Lily said amazed. "That's a brilliant idea. Do you know how to make such a ring? If not, I can help you research how to do it."

"I've done it before at Grimmauld Place but since the spells here are more complex, your help would be appreciated."

"You live at Grimmauld Place?" Sirius paled at the mention of his childhood home.

"Yeah," Harry narrowed his eyes. "What about it?"

"Uhm," Sirius thought of an excuse but drew a blank. Luckily Lily came to the rescue.

"It's in a Muggle district," Lily explained. "In America, No-Majs and Wizards live totally separate. Muggle Borns or even Half Bloods are pretty rare. It's still surprising how interwoven the two worlds are around here."

"I didn't know that," Harry was clearly stunned. The three Marauders sighed in relief that Prongslet's suspicions got resolved again. Thank Merlin for Lily's quick thinking.

"So, back to the party," James was all to eager to change the subject again. "We agree on a masked party on Halloween?" They all nodded in agreements. "Ok, let's inform the others so they can start inviting."

"Since it's obvious you'll be serving alcohol, maybe be should also set an age requirement," Lily proposed.

"We can draw an age line," Harry said. "For sixth years and upwards?"

After they all agreed on the specifics, Hermione, Ron Neville, Ginny, Luna and Draco were informed about the specifics. All helped with the logistics and gathering people to attend. Draco did manage to get Blaise, Parkinson and Greengrass onboard to warm up their fellow Slytherins to the idea. In their own not-so-humble opinion, they did a did a decent job at that.

The evening of the party got around, the Great Hall was filled with whispers of excitement from the students who were planning to attent. The party had gathered so much interest from the student body, it had become impossible to keep the professors and even the Headmistress from finding out. Since they did feel like the idea had lifted some of the gloomy atmosphere, Professor McGonagall had asked the teachers to play dumbfounded and pretend like they didn't know what was about to happen. 

"I'm going to get changed and check the Room if everything is ready," Harry got up and was planning to head out.

"Oh, before you go, I got you something. I'll head up with you so I can give it to you," Lily said and got up as well. Once in the Gryffindor common room, she quickly got up the stairs and got back down with a brown package. "Open it."

Harry was confused by she bothered to get him anything in the first place. Curious, he unwrapped the paper that contained a velvet box. He opened it and saw two diamond studs. 

"Since you got your earlobes pierced, I though of getting you something," Lily smiled. "You know, to complete the new look."

"Thank you. They're beautiful," Harry was still shocked she had gone out of her way to give her something. "You shouldn't have. They must have been expensive."

"Don't worry about it. See it as a small thank you for letting me go all out during our make-over trip without complaining."

"I'll wear them tonight," Harry smiled back.

"I was hoping you would," Lily was excited, it was her first gift to her son and he liked it. "I'll see you later tonight."

Both headed up to their dorms to get changed. Harry pulled out a dark green silk dress shirt, his black dress paints, a black belt with silver details, diamond cufflinks and his new diamond earrings. He got some extra of the magic hair wax to tame his hair and part it to the side so some lose, dark curls fell onto his forehead. After giving himself a once over, deciding he looked decent, Harry took his green velvet mask and left to head to the seventh floor.

James and Sirius arrived almost at the same time, followed by a small army of House Elves carrying finger food and drinks. Harry envisioned the door and moments after it appeared. The House Elves carried in the refreshments, Harry set up the cd player and James and Sirius started preparing the open bar. Their preparations were just finished in time, when the first guests started to arrive. A small group of masked students arrived. After that first group more and more students got into the room. Some Harry recognized even-though they were wearing masks, others looked like complete strangers.

When a blond bloke dressed in a fancy silver silk dress shirt and skintight leather paints, came to stand next to Harry at the bar, the dark haired boy couldn't help but check out the other’s behind. The small waistline and curvy bottom were truly a magnificent sight in those paints. 

"You're staring," the blond stated.

"What?" Harry's head shot up.

"Such eloquent speech," the blond turned towards him. "I said, you were staring. Don't you know that's rude?"

"Let me make it up to you," Harry said, more confident than he normally would be in this situation. It might be the power of the mask he was wearing. "What can I get you to drink?"

Stormy gray eyes met his own green ones. Harry immediately recognized them. The other might have been wearing a black lace mask embellished with rhinestones, but Draco's eyes he'd recognize anywhere.

"A Sparkling Golden Snitch please," Draco answered, he too was feeling more confident because he thought he was unrecognizable.

"Coming right up," Harry smirked and started mixing the other's drink. "Can I just say, you look absolutely spectacular."

The blond blushed behind his mask, "You don't look so bad yourself either."

"That's a great compliment coming from you," Harry laughed.

"Wait? You know who I am?" Draco's eyes turned wide.

"Malfoy, your iconic platinum blond hair is kind of a giveaway," Harry teased, handing the other his drink.

"I really went out of my way to disguise myself," Draco wrinkled his nose before taking a sip of his drink.

"Don't worry," Harry continued to tease the blond, enjoying the way the other responded and blushed. "I won't tell."

"How chivalrous of you," Draco snorted, clearly in good-natured amusement.

"I meant it, though," Harry said while letting his eyes wander over Draco, from top to bottom before looking back into his stormy eyes. "You really do look spectacular. Those paints are truly something else."

"If I wasn’t wearing a mask, I’d never dare to be seen in them. But I've been working out," Draco admitted, the blush seeming like a permanent addition to his face. "Trying to get back in shape for the start of the Quidditch season. I wanted to show off the progress I've been making."

Harry poured himself some Firewhisky. He had to look away from the other or he'd start staring again. Harry cleared his throat, "It's clearly showing. You look fit."

"Thanks," Draco took another sip of his drink. "Not scared to lose to our team, are you, Potter?"

"You wish," Harry snorted before looking Draco straight into his eyes and taking a sip of his own drink without braking eye contact.

"Their passive aggressive flirting is truly the strangest form of foreplay I have ever witnessed," Sirius said to Remus from across the room. "They look ready to pounce one another but no, they're showing constraint. What good will come from that?"

"They should just kiss already," Remus agreed.

"Exactly," Sirius yelled out dramatically. "Now, will you be a darling and get me a stiff drink?"

"Anything you want," Remus answered before heading towards the bar and getting his friend his requested drink.

"I see what you did there," Lily joined by James' side. "You think you're a mastermind but your plan was quite obvious."

James chuckled, "None of them noticed anything so it cannot have been that obvious to start with."

"Just because they're all oblivious doesn't make you sneaky," Lily rolled her eyes but smiled back. 

"Might be but it's working so it must still be brilliant," James winked.

"Now that your plan is working, shall we dance?" Lily asked leaving the poor boy flabbergasted. James was in utter shock, mouth hanging wide open and totally speechless. Lily giggled and grabbed his hand, leading them to the dance-floor. She had to admit it, this party-idea was indeed brilliant. Though she'd never say that out loud. That would only inflate his ego and we wouldn't want that.

Chapter Text

The party was a week ago, but Ron still felt the headache he had the morning after. Was it the alcohol or the fact that today was their first Quidditch match of the season? Who knows.

"You'll do great," Hermione encouraged him. 

"It's been so long since I played," Ron said unsure. "What if I make a fool out of myself?"

"You won't," Hermione assured him. "You defended your position during the tryouts. You proved you have the right to keep on playing for Gryffindor. You'll defend those hoops fearlessly." It was a rare occurrence to hear her speak so passionately about sports. Her support a clear sign how much she loved her boyfriend and wanted to show she believes in him.

Harry too felt the tension but for totally different reasons. The Great Hall buzzed with the electric anticipation of the first Quidditch match of the season. It was an unusually warm October morning, and the enchanted ceiling above flickered with patches of blue sky between wispy clouds. The rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin was always fierce, but this year, with Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy both returning for an unexpected eighth year, the tension was palpable.

Harry sat at the Gryffindor table, absently pushing his scrambled eggs around on his plate. He could feel the eyes of his housemates on him, expecting, as always, the savior of the wizarding world to lead them to victory. He took a deep breath, trying to focus on the task ahead. It was just Quidditch, after all. But he couldn't deny that today felt different. He stole a quick glance at the Slytherin table.

Across the hall, Draco Malfoy exuded a calm confidence that belied the nerves twisting in his stomach. He had reclaimed his spot as Slytherin's Seeker, something he hadn't expected to care about after the war. But here he was, and the familiar thrill of competition coursed through him, reminding him that he still had something to prove. He had always loved playing agains Gryffindor, the teasing with Harry before and during the game was thrilling. Now, that they were becoming more friendly towards each other, he was curious how today's interaction would go.

Their eyes met briefly across the room. Harry's green eyes were steady, but there was a challenge in them that made Draco's heart skip a beat. Draco arched a brow, smirking in response before looking away, pretending to be engrossed in Pansy Parkinson's conversation. But the memory of those green eyes lingered.

Harry cleared his throat as if trying to clear his head as well. "Ready to go to the Pit and get changed?" Harry asked, getting up from the Gryffindor table.

"Now is just a good as time as ever," Ron sighed. James and Sirius who were seated further away saw the two friends getting ready to head out and got up as well. 

"I'm so excited to see him in real action," James admitted with excitement while trailing behind the other two.

"Duh," Sirius joked. "Who wouldn't be happy to play with balls."

"Your humour is becoming worse each passing year," James laughed and gave his friend a playful slap on the shoulder. The two of them continued to joke around, even when he had reached the locker rooms and got changed.

As the all the team members gathered in the locker room, the atmosphere was tense. Ron was fidgeting with his gloves, shooting Harry worried looks.

"Ok, everyone. Gather around," Harry said to gain the teams attention. "Some of you already know how bad I am at these speeches. For those who don't, please lower your expectations. We were chosen for our Quidditch skills, not in the art of Rhetorics. Flint is still Slytherin's captain and we know what he's like. Slytherin will try to play dirty, and we can't let them get under our skin. Stick to our strategy, keep your cool, and we'll be fine. So let's just go out there and play like we've trained for."

"And try not to get a Bludger to the face," Ginny added joking, earning some snorts from the other members.

"He could use a few pointers for his speeches," James frowned, mentally listing all the comments he'd like to discuss with his son.

"Please," Sirius snorted. "You speeches take ages. No one listens to you going on and on for fifteen minutes straight. We all space out or sleep with our eyes open."

"My speeches are great," James defends himself, a little hurt his best friend doesn't appreciate all the effort he pours into writing his motivational speeches. "I often write all night on them."

"Mate," Sirius put his hand on his friend shoulder, "I love you, you're my brother and soulmate, so this is meant in the best way possible, but it's kind of a waste of time. Both for you and the team. You could better be thinking of ways of getting to gather with Evans."

"You really think so?" James asked, Sirius nodded. "Thanks for being honest then. Maybe you’re right. Evens does deserve my undivided attention."

"You're welcome," Sirius gave him an encouraging slap on the back. "And you know how much I love hearing I'm right." He added smirking.

"Axton! Lowen!" Harry yelled from the doorway. "Could you please stop joking around? The match is about to start and the whole team is out on the field except for you two. Get your heads in the game!"

"Aye-aye captain!" Sirius saluted and stormed out on the field, James following right behind him.

Today's might have been Slytherin and Gryffindor going against each other. But, as always, spectators from all houses had come to cheer for either one of the teams. Harry felt the excitement from the crowd. While inside, he couldn't shake some other strange excitement that had been building since that morning. There was something about facing Draco again on the pitch that felt... different. More personal.

On the other side of the field, Flint gave his own pep talk. His tone was sharp, his instructions precise. "We take every opportunity. Gryffindor's going to be overconfident, thinking Harry Bloody Potter can save them like always. Let's show them what Slytherin’s really made of." The Slytherins nodded in agreement, but Draco could sense the unease in their ranks. They hadn't forgotten the war, nor their Seeker's part in it. He needed to catch that snitch first. He really needed this win, not just for the team, but for himself.

As the Slytherin team now too marched out onto the pitch, the crowd erupted in cheers. The stands were a sea of red and gold, green and silver, with banners waving and chants echoing across the field. The sun was bright, the air crisp, and the familiar smell of grass filled Harry's senses as he mounted his Firebolt.

Madam Hooch's whistle blew, and the game began with a burst of energy. The Quaffle was immediately in play, zooming between Chasers as they darted back and forth across the field. The Bludgers were particularly vicious today, flying with a speed and determination that kept the Beaters on their toes.

Harry soared above it all, eyes scanning the field for any sign of the Snitch. He couldn't help but notice Draco's smooth, controlled flight as the Slytherin Seeker mirrored his movements on the opposite side. There was something almost mesmerizing about the way Draco moved, all precision and grace.

Then, a flash of gold caught Harry's eye near the Gryffindor goalposts. The Snitch. He leaned forward, his heart pounding as he accelerated toward it. But Draco was already on the move, streaking across the pitch like a silver arrow.

They were neck and neck, both straining to reach the tiny winged ball first. Harry could hear the wind rushing past his ears, feel the adrenaline pumping through his veins. And then, just as he was about to reach out and grab the Snitch, Draco swerved sharply, cutting him off.

Harry pulled up hard to avoid a collision, his frustration boiling over. "What the hell, Malfoy?" he shouted, though the roar of the crowd swallowed his words.

Draco didn't look back, his focus entirely on the Snitch that had now darted away toward the Slytherin end. But Harry wasn't about to let him get away that easily. He veered back into pursuit, pushing his Firebolt to its limit.

The chase was on, and for a moment, everything else faded away. It was just the two of them, Harry and Draco, locked in a battle of wills. The world below could have disappeared, and neither would have noticed.

Draco glanced sideways at Harry, his eyes narrowing as he realized how close the other boy was. Harry's determination was almost tangible, and Draco couldn't help but feel a flicker of something—admiration, maybe—that quickly morphed into renewed resolve.

But then, the Snitch dipped suddenly, and they both lunged for it, hands outstretched. Time seemed to slow as their fingers brushed, then ones hand closed around the small, fluttering ball. Harry had beaten Draco, again.

There was a moment of stunned silence in the stands as everyone processed what had just happened. Then the crowd erupted into a cacophony of cheers and groans, the scoreboard flashing the result of Gryffindor with 170, and Slytherin with 20.

Harry and Draco hovered in midair, Harry still clutching the Snitch, their breathing heavy. Their eyes met, and for a brief second, neither knew what to say.

"Congratulations, Potter." Draco finally said, his voice tinged with something that wasn’t quite his usual sneer. There was a hint of respect there, buried under the layers of rivalry. "You truly are the better Seeker."

Harry gave a half-smile, still catching his breath. "Thanks. You really gave me a run for my money though."

As they descended together, the Snitch still caught between them, the noise of the crowd washed over them. Gryffindors were patting Harry on the back, congratulating him on a game well-played. On the other side of the field, Flint had an angry scowl on his face. But surprisingly some of the other Slytherin team members gave Draco nods of approval, their earlier doubts about their Seeker momentarily forgotten. Draco had really shown some amazing piece of fly work. Since his dad had bought Draco's way into the team, he always had felt the extra pressure to prove himself. Putting in extra hours of training on his own and pushing himself to the limit. Today, was the first time he felt like his team recognized him for his talents, and not his fathers hard cash. Draco couldn't deny how good that felt. Maybe he shouldn't renounce friendship after all.

Despite the loss, Draco felt pleased and had a small smile on his face. He looked up at the other team and locked eyes with a green pair. Harry had been looking at him. Across the field, there was a quiet understanding between them that neither could quite articulate.

Their moment was brutally interrupted when Sirius yelled: "Hey, you two should kiss!"

Chapter Text

After their Quidditch game, and Sirius' delicate hit to get them to kiss, things turned awkward again between Draco and Harry. During class, they avoided being seated next to each other and when they met in the hallway, they pretended not to notice each other.

But everything changed with Slytherin's next Quidditch match. They faced Ravenclaw and the snakes were playing really well. Their Chasers had managed to score 70 points already while Ravenclaw failed to get even one Quaffle past the other team's Keeper. So when Draco had spotted something golden and went in pursuit, of course he was immediately targeted by the Beaters and Bludgers were send his way. At the exact moment when Draco had caught the snitch, he got hit by a Bludger. The Slytherin Seeker had been knocked of his broom and fell almost 50 meters down. Harry had looked at the ordeal in horror and had quickly cast a spell so Draco wouldn't hit the ground at full impact speed.

Harry made his way to the Pit as fast as he could, not even noticing he was being followed by Lily.

"It's not too bad," Draco tried to downplay his injury when the two Gryffindors arrived. The excuse was yet another stark change Harry subconsciously noticed. The Slytherin who used to do anything to gain his fathers attention, would have been rolling around on the floor. Now, he was trying to pretend like nothing happend.

Harry wasn't thinking straight, he could only focus on the strange angle Draco's arm was in. Fortunately, Lily kept her head cool. "That's not nothing, Malfoy. You should really go to the infirmary and get that fixed. Madame Pomfrey can easily fix it but when untreated, those fracture can become more complex to rectify afterwards."

"Right," Draco was now blushing due to the focus being on him. He was becoming more open again towards others but all this sudden attention make him feel self-conscious. The fact that Harry bloody Potter kept staring at him intensely wasn't helping either. "I'll head there right away."

"Harry," Lily pushed the dark haired boy forward. She had secretly sworn to help James in his masterplan. "Why don't you help Malfoy get there safely?"

"Sure," Harry seemed to finally snap out of his paralyzed state. Blushing he took Draco's uninjured arm and guided the Slytherin away from the Quidditch pit.

Once outside of everyones scrutinizing looks, Draco started to protest. "You really don't have to do this, Potter. I know my way around here. I have been attending this school for seven years now." He tried to joke about it but Harry wasn't having it.

"Oh, I've noticed you, alright," Harry mumbled to himself before directing his attention back to Draco. "I'm making sure you don't pass out because of the pain or something. We wouldn't want that, now would we?"

"No indeed," Draco said before trying to tease the other. "Plus, what would the others say if our Saviour abandoned a damsel in distress."

"Don't call me that," Harry said coldly.

Draco was taken back. It had been so long since he heard Harry speak in such a harsh tone. "Sorry, that was a joke in poor taste."

Harry sighed, "It's not your fault. Sorry for snapping at you like that. It's just I'd prefer it if people just let me be and live my life in peace. People are becoming exhausting to deal with. Like they all want a piece of me and try to butter me up in any way possible to obtain it."

"I cannot image what you must be going through," Draco commented quietly. "I didn't know it was that bad."

"At the beginning of the year, I had to mind every letter I got. You'd be surprised how many parents are trying any means necessary to get me to take an interest in their daughters. They'd send me letters with love spells on them or had soaked the pages in some Inamorata Potion. It became so bad my post now gets screened by Auror's before it gets to me."

"Wow," Draco was perplexed. It didn't happen often but this was one of these rare cases where he didn't know what to say.

"Yeah," Harry laughed humourlessly. "Hermione keeps pushing I should go talk to someone to deal with this aggressive form of attention, on top of the already existing trauma I had. At first, I thought it was silly but as the frustration grows, it might not be such a bad idea after all. Ah, look at us! You're the one in pain yet I'm the one complaining."

"I doesn't hurt that badly," Draco tried lightening the mood with a small smile.

"That's a relief," Harry sighed. "Anyway, how are you coping? I cannot have been easy for you. After the trail, the head lines weren't exactly friendly."

"True, but I cannot blame them. It's not like it was undeserved," Draco looked away. It was a sensitive subject to him. One he even avoided when talking to his mother. "We were on the wrong side of the war."

"But you didn't chose to be," Harry stopped abruptly. "Your father had failed Voldemort's assignment. Instead of protecting you, your father was a coward and let Voldemort take out his anger on you. You were fifteen when you got the Mark. I know it's just three years ago so it might not seem that significant but Draco, you were still a child. It was your parents duty to protect you and they failed to do so. It wasn't your fault."

Harry was clearly angry in his place, and while Draco did indeed share Harry's resentment towards his father for not standing up for him, he didn't exclude himself from the blame. True, the Dark Lord had tortured both him and him mother before Draco caved, he was a coward as well. He could have chosen to endure the torture and stick to him morals. But instead he had chosen not to. When the Dark Lord had killed Professor Burbage or his aunt Bellatrix had tortured people in his presence, Draco had chosen to look away. When he was ordered to execute the torture himself, he had tried to get out of it as much as possible, and so did his mother. But Draco had never tried to save the person. He always chose to perserve himself as well as his parents.

"I never helped, though. I was a coward," Draco mumbled and continued their walk.

But Harry stopped him. The Gryffindor had taken his good arm and turned him around so they were facing each other. "You are a surviver," Harry said firmly. "Don't apologize for that."

Harry said it with such force, Draco was unable to say anything. The other boy just had a way to make him speechless. Out of shock he even nodded in agreement.

"Good we cleared that up," Harry grumbled and while still holding the other's arm, he again started heading towards the infirmary.

"Ah," Madame Pomfrey squeaked when she saw them entering. "Quidditch injuries again? I was expecting at least one patient. It's such a brute sport, they should not be playing it at school." She immediately guided Draco to a bed to start treating him while complaining about how irresponsible it was to have such a barbaric activity.

"Madame Pomfrey," Draco called her softly to gain her attention. "Would it be possible to schedule an appointment for the counseling?"

The Healer was clearly caught of guard by the question. She even stopped what she was doing. "Oh, Mr. Malfoy, that's so brave of you. You are the first male student who has found the courage to come and ask for help. Please let me know when you're available. I'll see what I can do to fit you in my schedule. Would you like an appoint as well, Mr. Potter?"

Harry hesitated before agreeing. Hermione would stop bugging him about it and witnessing how relieved she was when someone was seeking her help, convinced him to go along with it. 

"You don't know how reassuring that is," Madame Pomfrey said keenly. "It's not good to have things bottled up. It can only lead to outburst when that last, innocent drop that breaks the camel's back. We've all had to live through so much grief and stress, one should deal with their trauma in a healthy way. You have no idea how many students I've taken care of these past two months, friends how hexed each other because the other said something that hit a nerve. I hope that in time, more will find the strength to seek help."

Harry and Draco awkwardly agreed and tried to make their way out of the infirmary. This conversation was more than they signed up for. Once outside they looked at each other and couldn't help but let out an fiddly laugh. The earlier tension flowing away.

"Thank you for accompanying me to the infirmary, Potter," Draco said earnestly. 

"You're welcome, Malfoy," Harry gave him a half-smile. "And in case you want someone new to talk to, I don't mind having another heart to heart."

"I'll keep that in mind," the other gave a small smile back, before the two went their separate ways to their own common rooms.

Chapter Text

"Moony," Sirius whined. The Black heir was lying on his bed, spread out like a starfish. The poor boy was bored. James and Harry had some bonding time, Lily was at the library doing homework like the goody two-shoes she was and Remus was sitting on his own bed reading a book. When Sirius got no reaction, he lifted his head from the bed to look at the other boy in the room. Remus gave him a playful glance before returning to his book.

The lack of response made Sirius groan and he got up to join his friend on his head. "Don't ignore me, Moony."

"You're not going to die when you have to entertain yourself," Remus looked down to his lap where Sirius had just lead his head.

"Yes, I am," Sirius resulted to pouting and looking up with his famous puppy eyes.

Remus sighed. He knew his friend wouldn't give up. Besides, a bored Sirius was a dangerous one. The other could become quite impulsive which was an menacing situation. Since the last one almost ended in Snape's death, it was a situation he'd rather avoid. So he put down his book and gave in to the whims of the other. "What do you want to do?"

"You want to do something together?" Sirius got up in excitement. He was now eagerly bouncing on the bed.

"Yes," Remus laughed. "Now sit still or you'll give yourself a whiplash."

"We could practice some flying?" the black haired boy proposed.

"Pads," Remus smirked. "The only type of sports I do is resistance training, simply by refusing to do sports in the first place. We could always go to the library and join Lily?"

Sirius made a face like he smelled something disgusting. The other was obviously teasing but he had the reputation of Drama Queen to uphold. "I prefer to be caught dead than being seen anywhere near the library."

"Noted," Remus chuckled. He got the reaction he expected. "We could always sneak out and go to Hogsmeade?"

"Now we're talking! I'll fetch my jacket," Sirius smiled broadly.

Dressed in skintight black jeans, an AC/DC shirt, combat boots and leather jacket, and with his shoulder length black hair, the boy looked like a rock star. Remus could look at the image of the other all day, and still not get tired of seeing the other. He himself had tressed in a regular beige knitted sweater, a worn-out pair of baggy jeans and a red knitted scarf. Looking at the two of them, nobody could guess where they were going or even what season it was. Remus loved that. They were so different and yet they were brilliant friends.

"We don't have James' cloak so we'll have to be extra careful," Sirius said while they walked out of the common room.

"Since when do you care about bein' careful?" Remus asked amused.

"We're going to Hogsmeade. I'd love to see the Weasley shop. Everybody keeps gushing about it. I must see it for myself. It's criminal we're only going to check it out so late in the year already," Sirius was practically skipping in excitement. "Getting caught will only delay the encounter that was clearly meant to be."

"Right," Remus snorted. "You showed great constraints and patience for not running off to their shop at its first mention."

"Exactly," Sirius agreed. "You understand me so well, Moony."

"Moony?" they heard a voice repeat behind them.

The eyes of the two friends widened like deers in headlights. Slowly they turned around to see who overheard them. Remus put his hand in his pocket to have his wand ready in case he needed to Obliviate the person in question.

It was Hermione who was looking at them with narrowed eyes. Her suspicion was clear as day.

"Hey, Hermione," Remus tried to casual route. "How're you doing?"

"Don't change the subject," the girl glared. "I heard you call him Moony, a quite peculiar nickname. So peculiar I know of only one person who went by it."

"It's not that uncommon where we come from," Remus started to denying at the same time Sirius blurted: "It's not what you think."

"The two of you are visually nervous. What are you hiding?"

"Nothing," the two of them gulped at the same time. Obviously not up to nothing. Even in this trying moment, Remus couldn't help but be amused by the simulates between being grilled by Lily or Hermione. The Marauders were masters at trying to get out of punishments. Even Minnie couldn't scare them with her pointing look. Lily, however, never failed to pin them down with the green eyes and make them break a sweat. And at this moment, Hermione got them to react in the exact same way.

"Fine," Sirius was ready to spill the beans. As well as spill some tears. "I cannot keep this up any longer. It's too difficult and exhausting to be unable to talk about it."

Remus looked alarmed at his friend. If Sirius would expose who they really were, he could ruin their entire plan.

"I admit," Sirius started, throwing up his hands in the air. "I love him. I tried to ignore my attraction, not wanting to spoil the special friendship we have." Both Hermione and Remus looked utterly shocked. Neither of them was expecting this. "I call him my Moony. He is my moon and I want to be his stars. I've been trying to be subtle about it, giving him hints to get him to ask me out but to no avail. And now, you so cruelly force my hand to confess." Sirius buried his face in his hands.

To say Hermione was taken back by the theatricality with which Sirius confessed his love, would be an understatement. Awkwardly she tried to apologize, "I'm sorry. Uhm, I misunderstood the situation. Maybe it's best if I leave you alone to talk this over between the two of you." She quickly got out of there.

"I didn't expect that to work," Sirius grinned widely at his friend, who was still utterly speechless, but that commented seemed to slap Remus out of it.

"That was a lie," the werewolf stated blackly. He turned around on his heals and walked away, scolding himself. "Of course he didn't mean that."

"Wait, Moony!" Sirius got after his friend and stopped him from leaving. "Why are you so mad all of a sudden?"

"I'm not mad," Remus said with clenched jaw.

"Yeah, and I'm the next Minister of Magic," Sirius snorted before turning serious. "Please tell me what I said wrong."

Remus sighed, something he had been doing a lot lately. "I don't want to change our friendship."

"It seems something has changed already, so why not get it off your liver."

Again, Remus sighed. "I just wished what you said was real. That's all."

Sirius gasped. "Remus John Lupin! How dare you say 'that's all'?! Does my love mean that little to you?"

"Your love?" Remus repeated.

"Yes, my love." Sirius now had genuine tears in his eyes. "I've loved you for years. I was too afraid to confess, I didn't want to mess up the dynamic in our group or to lose you all together."

Remus stared at Sirius, his heart pounding in his chest. The confession hung between them, raw and unexpected. He had dreamed of this moment, imagined it in a thousand different ways, but never had he thought it would actually happen. And now that it had, he was frozen, unable to speak.

Sirius, seeing the disbelief in Remus's eyes, took a tentative step closer. His usual bravado was gone, replaced by a vulnerability that was almost painful to see. "Moony, I truly meant every word," he said softly. "I’ve been in love with you for so long that I don’t even remember what it feels like not to be. You’re more than just my friend. You’re everything."

Remus felt a lump rise in his throat, his eyes stinging with unshed tears. The walls he had carefully built around his heart over the years were crumbling, leaving him exposed and raw. "Sirius, I—" he began, but his voice cracked, and he had to look away, unable to meet the intensity of Sirius’s gaze.

But Sirius wasn’t having it. He reached out, gently cupping Remus’s chin and turning his face back toward him. "Please, don’t shut me out, Moony. Not now. Not after everything."

Remus let out a shaky breath, finally allowing himself to believe that this was real, that Sirius was serious. "I... I love you too, Pads," he whispered, the words tumbling out before he could second-guess them. "I’ve loved you for so long, but I was always too scared to say anything. I didn’t want to lose you."

Sirius’s face lit up with a smile so bright it could have outshone the moon. Without hesitation, he pulled Remus into a tight embrace, burying his face in the crook of Remus’s neck. "You’ll never lose me, Moony. I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere."

They stood there for a moment, holding each other, the world outside forgotten. Everything that had weighed on them, all the fear and uncertainty, seemed to melt away in the warmth of their embrace.

Finally, Sirius pulled back just enough to look Remus in the eye, his grin now full of mischief. "So, what do you say we make this a proper date and head to Hogsmeade? Maybe pick up some sweets at Honeydukes and some joke stuff at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes to celebrate?"

Remus chuckled, the sound light and free, as if a heavy burden had just been lifted off his shoulders. "That sounds perfect. But we should probably be more careful. We wouldn’t want to run into Hermione again."

Sirius laughed, a deep, joyful sound that echoed through the corridor. "You’re right. That was a close call. But," he added with a smirk, "I’d face a thousand Hermiones if it means I get to be with you."

Remus rolled his eyes, but his smile didn’t fade. "Let’s go, you hopeless romantic."

As they turned to leave, hand in hand, neither noticed the shadowy figure lingering just around the corner, watching them with narrowed eyes. A flash of red hair caught the dim light before the figure slipped silently away into the darkness, leaving only the faintest whisper in its wake.

"Moony and Sirius... How is that possible?"

Chapter Text

"But... that's just not possible."

"I'm telling you, Hermione, that's what I heard." Ginny had gone straight to the other girl. She wasn't going crazy, she knew what she heard.

"I know," Hermione frowned. "I heard Axton call Dale 'Moony' as well. When I confronted them, Axton started to declare his love to Dale, reasoning Moony was his pet name. Now you're telling me you heard it too, plus them mentioning Sirius as well? That cannot be a coincidence. I just cannot grasp the concept. How would this be possible?"

Ginny shrugged, she was just as dumbfounded by the situation as the other girl. "Should we tell Harry?"

"I don't think that's be a good idea," Hermione thought it over. "He's already pretty stressed and only now seeking counseling for his survivors guilt. On top of that, he seems to be addressing whatever it is Harry and Draco have going on that's making him question his sexuality. I don't think he could handle it, whether it turned out to be true or false."

"You're right," Ginny grimaced. "We should investigate it ourselves. Lowen and Rose as well. They transferred together and Axton and Lowen are brothers. They must be into it all together."

"And if we find something, then we can inform Harry," Hermione agreed with the plan.

The portrait to the Gryffindor common room opened and Lily walked in. "I'm so don with that essay for Study of Ancient Runes. Make an analysis between Runes and Hieroglyphs in only 10 inches of parchment? It's downright impossible!" The now black haired girl complained while plumps down into one of the big armchairs next to the fireplace where the two girls were seated. "How did you manage it?" she asked Hermione.

"I done my research but am still working on how to structure my argumentation. I'm not yet satisfied so I haven't started writing yet."

That made Lily raise her brows as it was so unlike the other girl to struggle with her rhetorics. The girl was a genius. "Well, if you need help or someone to double check, you can hit me up."

Hermione smiled tightly at Lily, trying to keep her expression neutral. "Thanks, Rose. I might take you up on that." Her mind was racing, though. She couldn’t help but analyze every word, every gesture. Was this really Lily Evans sitting in front of her? The resemblance was uncanny, but the idea still seemed too far-fetched to fully believe.

Ginny, meanwhile, glanced at Hermione, catching the tension in her friend’s eyes. She quickly took over the conversation, trying to steer it away from dangerous territory. "So, Rose, what are your plans for Sunday? Any exciting Hogsmeade trips?"

Lily—or Rose—shrugged, leaning back in the armchair. "I was thinking about it. Maybe I'll drag Dale along, see if he needs a break from Axton's dramatic declarations of love. Or I might give Lowen a heart attack and ask him to tag along." She chuckled, shaking her head, like she was thinking of a fond memory. "Honestly, sometimes I think those three are closer than brothers."

"Do you and the boys spend a lot of time together? You transferred here together from Ilvermorny." Ginny asked casually, though her heart was pounding in her chest.

Lily gave a nonchalant nod. "I knew them from school. Dale and I were friend already. He's a good friend. A bit quiet, but there's something comforting about him. Like he's seen it all and still manages to keep going, you know?" She paused, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. "But the Pierce brothers were definitely not. Transferring here made us closer though. It'd even say we became friends."

Hermione exchanged a quick glance with Ginny. The pieces were fitting together, but the picture they were forming was almost too wild to comprehend. Still, they needed more information, and subtlety was key.

"Speaking of Axton," Hermione began, carefully choosing her words, "he's quite the character, isn't he? He was going on about some story the other day, about a prank involving enchanted fireworks. Sounded like something out of a Marauders' tale."

Lily’s eyes lit up with amusement. "Oh, that one. Yeah, Axton has a knack for getting into trouble, but he’s got a good heart. Lowen keeps him in check, though." She paused, then added with a grin, "I've heard some legacy stories from the Marauders around here. And yeah, it did sound a bit like something James Potter and Sirius Black might have done back in their day."

Hermione felt a chill run down her spine at Lily’s casual mention of James and Sirius. There was something in the way she said it, a familiarity that seemed too genuine for someone who should only know them as characters from history. But she forced herself to stay calm, nodding along as if this was just any other conversation.

"So, Rose," Ginny said, leaning forward slightly, "have you ever heard of anyone being able to... you know, time travel? Like, not just with a Time-Turner, but something more powerful?"

Lily tilted her head, her expression curious. "Time travel? That’s a bit of a leap, isn’t it? But… I suppose anything’s possible in the Wizarding World. Why do you ask?"

Ginny hesitated, but Hermione jumped in smoothly. "Just a random thought, really. We’ve been reading about all sorts of magical anomalies in Ancient Runes, and it got us thinking. But you’re right, it’s probably just a crazy theory."

Lily gave them a searching look, as if trying to gauge how serious they were. For a moment, Hermione worried they had pushed too far. But then, Lily smiled, though there was a flicker of something in her eyes—was it recognition? Or perhaps just curiosity? "Well, if you two ever stumble upon any time-traveling wizards, let me know. Sounds like an adventure."

Hermione laughed, the sound a bit forced. "Will do."

The conversation drifted to safer topics after that, with Lily venting more about her essay and Hermione offering to read through it for reviewing her structuring. But the whole time, Hermione and Ginny were hyper-aware of the implications of what they’d just discussed. There was no denying it now—something very strange was going on, and they were determined to get to the bottom of it.

Later that evening, after Lily had gone up to the dormitory, Hermione and Ginny sat by the dying fire, the common room empty except for a few stragglers finishing homework.

"What do you think?" Ginny asked in a low voice, her eyes flicking toward the stairs to make sure they were alone.

"I think we’re onto something big," Hermione replied, her voice equally quiet. "There’s too much that lines up. We need to keep digging, but carefully. If they really are who we think they are, then this could change everything."

Ginny nodded, her expression serious. "We’ll keep an eye on them. Maybe we can catch them in a slip-up, something that proves it once and for all."

As they sat there, plotting their next move, they didn’t notice the soft creak of the floorboards above, nor the figure standing just out of sight, listening intently. Lily—or rather, Rose—watched them from the shadows, her heart racing. She had known it was only a matter of time before someone put the pieces together. They had been careful, but not careful enough.

With a deep breath, she turned and slipped back into the dormitory, her mind already racing with what she would say to the others. They needed to be more careful, more vigilant. Because if Hermione and Ginny kept digging, it wouldn’t be long before Harry got involved.

Chapter Text

For lunch, when Houses regularly mixed tables, even more so since James' party, Draco had joined the friend group for the first time. Together with some of his Slytherin friends, Draco was welcomed by the Golden Trio, the Marauders, Lily and some former DA-members. At the beginning, it was a bit awkward but after a handful of silly jokes from Sirius, the tension smoothed out and some light-hearted conversation started.

"I'm going to collect my books for our Arithmancy class," Draco announced getting up. "If you'd please excuse me."

"I still need to fetch something in the dorm as well for," Harry quickly got up as well and left as well. But he didn't head up to Gryffindor Tower. As soon as Draco was out of sight, Harry turned on his heel, heading back towards the infirmary. There was something inside him—something deep and heavy—that needed addressing. He knew he couldn't keep avoiding it. He needed to talk to someone who could help him make sense of it all.

When Harry reached the infirmary, Madame Pomfrey was tidying up the bed where some student must have just been. She looked up as Harry entered, her expression softening when she saw the troubled look on his face.

"Mr. Potter, back so soon?" she asked gently.

Harry hesitated for a moment, but then he steeled himself and nodded. "I... I think I need to talk. About everything."

Madame Pomfrey guided Harry to a quieter part of the infirmary, where a small office served as a private counseling room. The room was warm, filled with soft lighting and comfortable chairs. It was a space meant for healing, both physical and emotional.

"Please, sit down, Harry," she said, using his first name to signal that this was a different kind of conversation. "What's on your mind?"

Harry took a deep breath, his hands gripping the arms of the chair as if grounding himself. "I don't even know where to start. It’s like... everything’s too much, you know? The war, losing people—so many people—and now, helping Andromeda raising Teddy... I feel like I’m constantly failing everyone, even when I’m trying my hardest."

Madame Pomfrey nodded, her eyes full of understanding. "Grief and guilt are powerful emotions, Harry. And you've had more than your fair share of both. But you must remember, you’ve also done so much good. You showed great bravery. And because of that, Teddy is safe. That's all because of you. That’s not failure."

Harry's eyes welled up with tears, but he blinked them away, trying to hold himself together. "But I don’t know if I’m doing it right. I mean, what kind of parent figure can I be to him? I’m barely holding it together myself. How am I supposed to be there for him, to guide him, when I’m still... broken?"

"Being a parent isn't about being perfect," Madame Pomfrey said softly. "It’s about love and doing your best. And Harry, you have a lot of love to give. Teddy is lucky to have you. And you have Andromeda to guide you as well. Tonks turned into a lovely woman, I remember her days at Hogwarts. Do you think Andromeda would leave you on your own while taking care of her grandson?"

Harry looked down, the knots in his chest loosening just a bit. "I just... I don’t want him to feel alone like I did. Now, I'm at Hogwarts and I cannot be there for him. But I don’t know if I’m enough."

"Harry, you're more than enough," she assured him. "You're giving him a life filled with love and care. That’s what matters most. If you want, I could talk to Professor McGonagall and maybe we can arrange that during weekends, or some of them, Andromeda could drop him off and the two of you could spend time together?"

Harry nodded slowly, the words sinking in. "I think I'd like that." It would help feeling less guilty about seeing his godson so little. But there was more he needed to discuss—things he hadn’t even admitted to himself fully yet.

"And... there’s something else," he began, his voice trembling slightly. "I’ve been feeling... confused. About myself, about who I am, and... and about Draco."

Madame Pomfrey’s expression remained calm and non-judgmental. "Confused in what way?"

"About my feelings," Harry admitted, his cheeks flushing slightly. "I’ve always thought I knew who I was, what I wanted. I mean, I have head relationships before. I've gone out with Cho and right before the war I was together with Ginny. The reason we broke up was because I put her in danger. Afterwards, we both had changed so much, it felt wrong to pick up where we felt. We're good friends now... I've only ever thought of dating girls. It's not that I never thought of guys as pretty but lately, things with Draco... they’ve been different. I don’t know if I’m just... confused because of everything that’s happened, or if this is who I am." Harry felt like word vomiting. It's like he helt it all in for so long, botteling it up and letting it marinate inside of him. Now, it was all stumbling out.

"Exploring your feelings and understanding your identity is a journey, Harry," she said gently. "It's not something you need to have figured out right away. What you're feeling is valid, and it's okay to take time to understand it."

"I just... I’ve always seen Draco as my enemy, someone I had to fight against. We've always been provoking each other. Ever since he was forced to take the Mark, he has changed. And even more so after the trail. But that's not the only thing that changed, it’s like... I see him differently as well. And I don’t know what to do with that."

Madame Pomfrey smiled softly. "Feelings can be complicated, especially when they involve someone who has played such a significant role in your life. It’s natural to question those feelings, but it’s also important to allow yourself the space to explore them without judgment."

Harry felt a small weight lift from his shoulders. "I’m scared," he confessed. "Scared of what it means, scared of what others will think, scared of messing everything up."

"Harry, you’ve faced so much already. Up until now, you never had the freedom to explore, never had the opportunity to grasp the impact of puberty. You were shouldering so much and grew up too fast. Now, returning to Hogwarts, grasp this opportunity to get to know yourself within this save environment. Enjoy adolescence. This is just another part of your journey," she said kindly. "You don’t have to have all the answers right now. Just take things one step at a time, and be kind to yourself. No matter what, you deserve to be happy and at peace."

Harry took a deep breath, feeling a little more centered. "Thank you, Madame Pomfrey. I needed to hear that."

"Anytime, Harry," she said warmly. "Remember, you’re not alone in this. There are people who care about you, who want to support you. Don’t be afraid to lean on them."

Harry nodded, feeling a sense of relief. "I’ll try."

"I'll talk to Professor McGonagall to arrange something for Teddy," Madame Pomfrey smiled kindly. "Maybe he can stay the weekend before the Christmas holidays and afterwards you can go back home to celebrate?"

"I'd like that," Harry gave her a small smile back.

"Now, here take some chocolate to give you some extra strength. Do you feel up to heading back to classes? I can also write you a note to have the rest of the day off."

"No, I'd like to return to my regular schedule. I did miss my Herbology class, though."

"A routine is good," Madame Pomfrey nodded agreeing. "Here is a note for the professor explaining why you were absent."

As he left the infirmary, the evening sky beginning to darken outside, Harry knew that he still had a long way to go. But for the first time in a while, he felt like maybe—just maybe—he could find his way through it all.

Chapter Text

The fire in the Gryffindor common room crackled warmly as Harry sat, lost in thought. The last few weeks had been a whirlwind of emotions, and he wasn’t quite sure where to begin processing everything. As he stared into the flames, the sound of the Floo Network activating caught his attention, drawing him out of his reverie. Professor McGonagoll had summoned him to her office. That means Teddy was coming.

With a nervous twist in his stomach, Harry made his way to the Headmistress' office. On his way he bumped into-of course, who else-Draco.

"If you think any harder, you'll pop a vain," Draco joked.

"I'm sorry," Harry apologized for not noticing the other and almost bulldozing him out of his path. "I'm on my way to McGonagall's office. It's today Andromeda is dropping off Teddy."

"Right," Draco straighted his spine. "You told me my aunt would be dropping him off."

"Will you join to say hi?"

"I don't think that's a good idea," Draco frowned. "We've never met. My mother and Andromeda got along quite well but ofter my mother married my dad, he forbid her from seeing her 'bad' sister. Afraid she'd influence her and loosen my mother's ideas on blood pureness. I'm not sure my aunt even wants to see me."

"I'm sure she does," Harry took the others hand in his without even realizing. "Andy sometimes talks about both you and your mother."

Draco looked into those mesmerizing green eyes. How could he say no to those eyes. "Fine, I'll tag along. But if it because nasty, don't say I didn't warn you."

The two of them headed past the stone gargoyle and were greeted by professor McGonagall. "Mr. Malfoy? I didn't know you'd be joining us today. But I'm sure Andy will be delighted by the unexpected family reunion." When they entered the office, the fire place got activated. Seems they arrived just in time.

Andromeda Tonks stepped gracefully out of the emerald flames, a small bundle cradled in her arms. Teddy Lupin, with his hair a vibrant turquoise today, gurgled happily, immediately reaching out towards Harry with chubby hands when he spotted his godfather.

“Harry, dear,” Andromeda greeted him with a warm smile, adjusting Teddy in her arms. “I was delighted when I got Minerva's owl. Teddy’s been asking for you—well, as much as an infant can.”

Harry’s face lit up as he stood to greet them. “Not at all, Andromeda. I’ve missed him,” he said, taking Teddy into his arms and making the baby giggle by gently ruffling his hair. The little boy immediately changed his hair to black and his eyes to green. A habit of his when he got picked up by one of his favourite people.

Harry looked at her curiously. “What is it?” She looked straight past him, right at the person who he had asked to tag along.

“Andromeda,” Draco greeted her politely, a hint of wariness in his tone. “Harry unexpectedly invited me to join.”

Andromeda turned to face Draco, her expression unreadable for a moment before softening. “Draco... it’s a pleasure to finally meet you. Our meeting was long overdue. Too long, I think.”

Draco nodded, unsure of where this conversation might lead. “It has. I wasn’t sure if... well, if you’d ever want to see me again, after everything.”

Andromeda sighed, shaking her head slightly. “Family is complicated, Draco. But you’re still my sister’s son. And I’ve been contemplating on the right time to reconnect... perhaps now is a good time to reach out to Narcissa as well.”

Draco blinked, clearly taken aback by her words. “You want to reconnect with my mother?”

“Yes,” Andromeda said, her voice firm but gentle. “I know we’ve had our differences—significant ones—but I don’t want to lose any more family. Especially now, after everything that’s happened.”

A flicker of hope crossed Draco’s face, and he nodded. “I think she’d like that. It’s been hard for her, everything with the war... she’s not the same person she used to be. I think she’d be happy to hear from you.”

Andromeda smiled faintly, a mix of relief and nostalgia in her expression. “I’ll send her an owl, then. I hope we can find some common ground again.”

Teddy squirmed in Harry’s arms, babbling excitedly, and Andromeda’s attention shifted back to her grandson. “He’s growing so fast,” she said wistfully. “I’m glad he has you, Harry. You’re doing a wonderful job with him.”

Harry blushed slightly, still unsure about his abilities as a godfather, but Andromeda’s words were reassuring. “I’m just doing my best,” he replied, bouncing Teddy gently.

Draco watched the interaction with a thoughtful expression, and after a moment, he spoke up. “Would you mind if I joined you both today? It’s been a while since I’ve spent time with someone so... innocent,” he said, a hint of vulnerability in his voice.

Harry glanced at Andromeda, who nodded approvingly. “Of course, Draco,” Harry said with a small smile. “We’d be happy to have you.”

And so, the three of them spent the day together, enjoying the simple pleasure of watching Teddy explore the world around him with wide, curious eyes. The awkwardness that had once existed between Harry and Draco seemed to fade as they bonded over the little boy, and for a few hours, the weight of their pasts lifted.

Teddy too was having a wonderful time. He quickly liked Draco. They took place below a tree in front of the lake, the little boy had changed his hair to the iconic Malfoy platinum blond but had kept Harry's green eyes.

And as the afternoon sun began to dip towards the horizon, they were joined by Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and the rest of their friends. The group settled on the lawn by the Black Lake, where Sirius and James, still in their disguised forms, regaled them with stories from their school days—though heavily edited to keep their true identities a secret.

Laughter and banter filled the air, and for the first time in a long while, it felt like the war was a distant memory. Harry watched as Draco relaxed around the others, joining in the conversation more freely than he ever had before.

Chapter Text

As the last of the evening sun dipped below the horizon, the castle's walls glowed in the soft light, casting long shadows across the grounds. In the Gryffindor common room, the warmth from the fire seemed to seep into the atmosphere, making it feel like a cozy refuge from the complexities outside.

Hermione and Ginny were tucked away in a quiet corner, their heads bent close together over a pile of old books and parchment. They had been at it for hours, piecing together clues about time traveling in all its forms and the possibility the transfer students weren't who they said they were—but though the pieces were starting to form a recognizable shape.

"I can't believe we're doing this," Ginny muttered, running a hand through her hair in frustration. "I mean, we're basically accusing our own friends of being, well, themselves from the past."

Hermione sighed, her brow furrowed in concentration as she traced a timeline on a piece of parchment. "I know it sounds mad, but think about it. Their mannerisms, the way they know things they shouldn’t, how they tried so hard to get Harry to warm up to them, and the odd moments of familiarity between the four of them... it all adds up. If this theory is true, it explains so much."

Ginny nodded slowly, though her skepticism hadn't entirely faded. "But why? Why would James and Sirius, of all people, time travel to now? What could they possibly need to do here? And how did they manage to travel so many years through time? It's unheard of!"

Hermione paused, biting her lip. "That’s the part I haven’t figured out yet. There must be a reason—something significant they need to accomplish, or perhaps they’re trying to fix everything that went wrong. Maybe they're trying to collect clues on how to defeat Voldemort in their time? That would save many lives, including their own."

"But why wouldn’t they just tell us?" Ginny asked, her frustration evident. "We could help them if they trusted us."

"Maybe they’re worried about changing the timeline," Hermione suggested, tapping her quill against the parchment thoughtfully. "Maybe they're afraid we wouldn't believe them. Or maybe there’s something they don’t want us to know—something about the past we don't know about."

Ginny shivered at the thought. "Whatever it is, we need to be careful. We don’t want to confront them without proof, especially if we’re wrong. Should we tell Harry already?"

"No, let's wait." Hermione shook her head. "We’ll keep digging. There has to be more evidence somewhere, something that will confirm our suspicions."

As they continued to sift through their research, the door to the common room creaked open, and Remus stepped in, his expression tired but determined. He had been avoiding Sirius all afternoon, and it was starting to wear on him. He knew he couldn’t avoid the conversation—perhaps even the confrontation that he had a son with someone else—much longer.

Ginny and Hermione glanced up as Remus entered, sharing a look before quietly returning to their work. They could sense the tension in the air, and it wasn’t their place to interfere—at least not yet.

Remus moved towards the fireplace, where Sirius was sitting alone, staring into the flames with a pensive look on his face. The silence between them was thick, and Remus struggled to find the right words to break it.

“Sirius,” he began hesitantly, taking a seat beside him, his voice low enough so they wouldn't be overheard. “We need to talk.”

Sirius didn’t look at him, his jaw clenched. “What’s there to talk about, Moony? You married my cousin. That’s... just a lot to take in.”

Remus sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I know it’s strange, and I didn’t exactly plan on it happening. Heck, I didn't even know it happened or would happen at all. This whole situation is just so complicated.”

Sirius finally turned to look at him, his eyes conflicted. “I just... it’s hard to picture you with anyone else, let alone someone from my own family. And to think that in the future, I’m... gone. You moving on with someone else... I can’t even wrap my head around that.”

Remus’s expression softened. “It isn't easy for me either, the idea of losing you. Not having you by my side. Please don't be jealous of this Tonk. I'm hollow without you. Instead, take pity on her she only got the remains of what you left behind.”

Sirius swallowed hard, looking away. “I guess I never thought about it like that. It’s just... seeing you here, now, it’s like I'd never lose you. And knowing that you will end up with someone else, it makes me feel like I'll miss out on so much. Like, I cannot give you a kid.”

Remus placed a hand on Sirius’s arm, the gesture hesitant but sincere. “You won't miss out, Padfoot. Remember what we're here for. We'll change the past and keep on living. The two of us together.”

Sirius looked at him, his expression softening. “I’m sorry, Moony. I didn’t mean to make this harder for you. I just... I guess I don’t know how to handle all of this. But you're right. We'll change this. I have to keep believing we can. We will live happily together, bickering from time to time. Lily and James will grow old together and will be there to see Harry grow up before finding love himself.”

Remus smiled faintly. “We’ll figure it out, together.”

Their conversation was interrupted as the portrait hole swung open, and Lily and James walked in, their faces brightening as they spotted their friends.

“There you two are,” Lily said, smiling warmly as she approached. “We’ve been looking for you. Everything alright?”

James took one look at Remus and Sirius, and his grin widened. “Ah, I see you’ve had ‘the talk’.”

Sirius rolled his eyes but couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at his lips. “Yeah, well, it’s still a bit weird, but I think we’ll manage. Besides, as Moony just pointed out for me, we're here to change the past. And in this new future, I'm never letting my Moony go.”

“Good,” James said, clapping a hand on Sirius’s shoulder. “It's a relief to hear you made up. We were talking to Harry to find something to cheer you up. Guess that's no longer necessary..." James teased.

"No," Sirius was bouncing excited, more and more like himself again. "Please tell me." Puppy eyes in full effect.

"Harry has invited us over to spent the Christmas Holidays at his place," James grinned.

"Whohooh," Sirius cheered. "We're all going to the Potter Mansion. I'm so curious how he decorated that place. His taste is totally different from your mothers."

"Yeah, about that," James grew hesitant. "Don't freak out about the place but he takes resident at your old place, at Grimmauld Place."

"What?" Sirius grew somber. "Why would he even consider living there in the first place?"

"I don't know the story behind it," James shrugged. "Are you feeling up to it? If it's too hard on you, we can still decline."

"No, it's ok," Sirius said a bit stronger. "My dearest mother is dead so she cannot hurt me anymore. It's just an old house. Plus, this time, I'll have you guys to chase the demons away."

"We'll always be there for you, Pads," Remus hugged his boyfriend. Remus’s eyes lit up with surprise. “So, Christmas at Grimmauld Place?”

Lily nodded enthusiastically. “Yes! Harry thought it would be a great idea to have everyone together, and we could all use a bit of holiday cheer after everything that’s happened.”

Ginny and Hermione exchanged a glance, their curiosity piqued. This could be the perfect opportunity to observe the time travelers more closely—and maybe, just maybe, get some answers.

Sirius grinned, the tension completely melting away. “Sounds like a plan. We could all use a break. Even if it's at that place.”

James laughed. “Don’t worry, we’ll make it festive. What do you say, Moony?”

Remus smiled, feeling a warmth he hadn’t felt in a long time. “I’m in. I'll take care of the garlands and other ornaments.”

The day after, the Golden Trio, the Marauders and Lily were all on the Hogwarts express back to London. Ready to celebrate at Grimmauld Place 12.

Chapter Text

The crisp winter air bit at their cheeks as they all stepped off the Hogwarts Express onto the bustling platform of King's Cross Station. The echoes of happy reunions filled the station, but their group kept to themselves, wrapped up in their thoughts and the anticipation of the upcoming days. Harry led the way, guiding everyone through the station and towards the familiar sight of Number 12, Grimmauld Place.

As they approached the house, Sirius’s pace slowed, his eyes narrowing at the dark, ominous facade of his childhood home. It looked much the same as he remembered, its looming presence unchanged by time. But this time, the house felt different—less suffocating, less filled with the darkness of his past. The presence of his friends, the very people who had been his family through the most difficult times, made the shadows seem less intimidating. 

James, sensing Sirius’s hesitation, clapped him on the back. “It’s just a house, Padfoot. And now it’s Harry’s home. We’ll make new memories here, good ones.”

Sirius nodded, taking a deep breath. “You’re right. Let’s do this.”

As they stepped inside, the warm glow of candles and the faint scent of evergreen welcomed them. Harry had clearly gone to great lengths to cleaning and dusking, throwing out many of the dark magic objects. And to Sirius' surprise Kreacher had even made the place feel festive. Garlands of holly and ivy adorned the walls, and a large Christmas tree stood proudly in the corner, twinkling with fairy lights and baubles. It was as if the house had been transformed—its former gloom replaced with a warmth that could only come from the love and care of those within it. How Harry had managed to win over the awful House Elf as a Half Blood remained a mystery to Sirius.

Hermione’s sharp eyes were focused on the four transfer students as they entered the house. She noticed the Axton looking around wide-eyed. He seemed to be both amazed and uncomfortable to be in the house. Hermione couldn’t help but think how logical it was, given her suspicion that Axton was a young Sirius Black. The post-Azkaban Sirius she knew had always loathed this place—its dark memories and oppressive atmosphere were something he had never fully escaped. She couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for the boy.

The other three—Lowen, Dale, and Rose—were less reactive, which intrigued Hermione. She had hoped to catch a glimpse of familiarity in their expressions, some small reaction that might confirm her suspicions. But they were either better at hiding their emotions, or perhaps Sirius had never brought them here in the first place. 

As the evening wore on, the group settled into the house. Harry had taken care to assign rooms that would give everyone some space but still keep them close enough to interact. The house was large, after all, and with just a small group staying there, it was important to keep the atmosphere warm and communal.

Dinner that night was a relaxed affair, with everyone gathered around the long table in the dining room. Kreacher had outdone himself, preparing a feast that rivaled even the best Hogwarts meals. Sirius, James, Remus, and Lily—under their disguises—didn't know Kreacher was indeed working at the Hogwarts kitchens, per Harry's command. Sirius who had been nervous the house elf would recognize him, was relieved that wasn't the case. He was able to look at the house from a new perspective. Harry's refurbishing really had made the place feel so much brighter. The Black tapestry however was still in place. Sirius had been too curious to not check. He'd fell a tight feeling in his chest when he saw the death date below Regulus' name. In less than five years, his brother would have died. But Sirius'd change that. 

James' laughter brought Sirius back from the gutter that was called his darkest thoughts. The friends were all talking and laughing—a light, festive atmosphere. Yet, Hermione’s mind was racing. She watched the interactions closely, taking mental notes. Axton was quiet, unlike the dramatic and exuberant character at Hogwarts, but when he did speak, it was with a sharp wit and dark humour that reminded her so much of Sirius. Dale, though the most difficult to read, carried an intensity that reminded her of Remus. Rose and Lowen weren't so difficult to read but since Hermione never know Lily or James, she didn't have any memories to compare them to. What Hermione did notice, is that the two of them were very focused on Harry. Like it was their personal mission to keep him smiling.

As the meal came to an end, Harry stood up, a slight smile on his face. “I’m really glad you’re all here,” he began, his voice carrying a sincerity that made everyone pause. "All of us here together in this place, it reminds me of Christmas holidays during our fifth year. Mr. Weasley had just been attacked but the Order was still intact. All of us were still around to celebrate. It were the only holidays Sirius and I spent together," While the boy in question's eyes went wide, something he hoped to conceal from Hermione's or Ginny's observant eyes, Harry smiled, some sadness in his eyes but at the same time it was obvious he was grateful for the memory. "Afterwards, everything went downhill. I'm glad we're back here, to celebrate and make new memories in this house. I feel like it's just the thing I need to heal."

That last part got Hermione's attention away from observing the four time travellers. "You went to Madame Pomfrey?"

"I did," Harry nodded. "Please don't say 'I told you so', but you were indeed right. I needed someone to talk to to cope with everything that has happened. We've agreed and talking once every two weeks. I've seen her twice now and it really helps. She was also the one who proposed to have Teddy come over from time to time."

"I'm so happy for you," Hermione just smiled. After that, she had momentarily forgotten about the mission, but not for long. She was a nighttime over-thinker.

So that night, as they all retired to their rooms, the house settled into a quiet peace. But for Hermione, sleep didn’t come easily. She lay awake, her mind going over the day’s events, trying to piece together the puzzle of the transfer students. There was something she was missing, something that would make it all click into place. She just had to figure out what it was.

The next morning dawned cold and clear, with a dusting of snow on the ground outside. The house was abuzz with activity as everyone prepared for the arrival of their guests—Draco Malfoy, Narcissa Malfoy, Andromeda Tonks, and little Teddy Lupin were due to join them for Christmas Day in the morning. And afterwards they'd be going to the Burrow to celebrate with the Weasley's. It was a day that promised to be interesting, to say the least.

As the clock struck ten times, the fire place got activated, and the guests arrived. Draco, looking uncomfortable but determined, was the first to step inside, followed closely by his mother. Andromeda arrived last with Teddy in her arms, the little boy’s hair already changing colors every five to ten seconds in excitement.

Narcissa looked around the house, her expression unreadable. She had to gain permission from the Ministry to leave Malfoy Manor and Harry had vouched for her for the permission to be granted. She looked around. For her, Grimmauld Place was a place of family history, one filled with complicated memories. But she held her head high, her demeanor calm and composed. Narcissa was however actively avoiding the glances from the sister. They had exchanged some letters in the last month but it was the first time seeing each other in real life since years. Instead, Narcissa opted to turn her attention to the host. “Thank you for inviting us, Harry,” Narcissa said, her voice smooth but sincere. “It’s good to be with family during the holidays.”

Harry nodded, giving her a small smile though he didn't know what to make of the woman. “We’re glad you could come. Please, make yourselves at home.”

As everyone settled in, the atmosphere was a mix of old tensions and new beginnings. Draco, Ginny and Hermione ended up in a quiet corner, discussing recent events at Hogwarts. Draco was noticeably more subdued than usual, his gaze occasionally flicking towards Harry, keeping track of him as the boy moved through the room, though he said nothing. When he saw Harry and Ginny were seated together, playing with Teddy, the Slytherin felt a pang of jealousy. So naturally he went to join them.

Harry was leaning against the mantel, sipping on his butterbeer, when Ginny sidled up beside him, a mischievous grin already forming on her lips. "You know, Harry, it’s kind of hilarious that you’re stuck hosting this massive family Christmas in this house of all places," she teased, nudging him with her elbow. "Bet you never imagined Grimmauld Place would end up being the Potter holiday destination."

Harry smirked, rolling his eyes. "Trust me, I didn’t. This place was more of a last resort than a choice."

Before Ginny could respond, Draco Malfoy joined in on the conversation, a smirk of his own playing at the corners of his mouth. "It is rather ironic, Potter. A half-blood like you, setting up shop in the old Black family home."

Ginny let out a laugh, crossing her arms as she leaned in closer to Harry. "Oh, he’s right. Now you’re the proud owner of ancient family heirlooms, secret passageways, and—let’s not forget—your very own house-elf. A regular lord of the manor."

"Don't forget the Black fortune on top of the Potter one," Draco snickered. "You might just be the richest wizard of our time."

Harry groaned, running a hand through his hair, feeling the full weight of the teasing. "I’m never going to live this down, am I?"

Draco grinned, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "Not a chance, Potter. Just wait until your first formal dinner party. I'll expect an invitation to critique the table settings."

"Fancy dinner parties?" Ginny chuckled. "We’ll be lucky if Kreacher doesn’t scare the guests away with his mopping."

"Right," Harry said dryly, "because that’s exactly what I need. Malfoy and Ginny teaming up to mock me for my new found ‘lavish’ lifestyle."

Draco raised an eyebrow, exchanging a look with Ginny. "Oh, don’t worry, Potter. We’ll be here to remind you just how far you've come from those humble beginnings. And to make sure you never get too comfortable playing Lord Black."

Ginny grinned, linking her arm through Harry’s. "We’ve got your back, Harry. Promise." Draco mirroring her 

Harry just sighed, unable to stop the smile that tugged at the corner of his mouth. "I’m doomed, aren’t I?"

On the other side of the room the Marauders and Lily, still in their disguises, watched all the interactions carefully. They knew the stakes were high and they had to pay attention not to give themselves away in front of Narcissa and Andromeda. Tough since the two sisters had finally started talking to each other, they were quite preoccupied with catching up with one another than paying attention to anyone else.

As the morning wore on, the house filled with the sounds of conversation and laughter, and even the more reserved members of the group began to relax. The Christmas tree twinkled in the corner, and the fire crackled warmly in the hearth. But as lunch time approached, the tension began to creep back in. Hermione noticed it first—the subtle glances exchanged between the transfer students, the way Axton seemed particularly on edge. Hermione was careful waiting for one of them to slip up. And then it happened.

As the group gathered around the tree to exchange gifts, Axton accidentally knocked over a small box, sending it skittering across the floor. When he bent down to pick it up, his sleeve pulled back, revealing a glimpse of something that made Hermione’s heart skip a beat—a small, familiar tattoo, the very one she had seen on Sirius’s arm in the future.

Her eyes widened as the realization hit her. This was it—the proof she had been searching for. Axton wasn’t just any transfer student; he was Sirius, just as she had suspected. And if he was Sirius, then the others... Her mind racing. This changed everything. They weren’t just dealing with time travelers—they were dealing with the Marauders from the past, trying to alter the future. As the house continued to buzz with the holiday cheer, Hermione’s mind was far from festive.

"It's noon," Harry announced. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Malfoy. We have arranged to meet with the Weasleys at the Burrow to continue the Christmas celebration. Will you be tagging along as well?"

"I did get permission from the Ministry, though I don't know Molly would appreciate me crashing her party—or how you young people say this nowadays."

"Maybe it's best if mother and I return home," Draco suggested. He too was feeling rather uncomfortable thinking about visiting the Weasley home. "Thank you again for the invite. We had a lovely time." Draco suddenly smirked and winked at Harry. "That's how you'll have to talk in the future, Lord Potter-Black."

"I'm sorry," Harry snorted. "I don't speak snobbish."

Narcissa and Draco Flooed back to Malfoy Manor and afterwards, the remaining party left for the Burrow. They were immediately welcomed by the warm atmosphere of the Burrow was a stark contrast to the more solemn ambiance of Grimmauld Place. The Weasley home was filled with the smells of roasting turkey, fresh bread, and cinnamon, while the sound of music and laughter echoed from every room. The moment they stepped through the door, they were greeted by hugs from Molly Weasley and the rest of the family. The joy was infectious, and it wasn’t long before Harry, Ginny, Hermione, and the others found themselves completely at ease.

Teddy, perched on Andromeda’s lap, was entertaining everyone with his ever-changing hair colors, mimicking the shades of each person he was looking at. At one point, his hair was a bright Weasley red, which caused Molly to beam and exclaim how he would’ve fit right into the family. Bill, sitting nearby with his arm around Fleur, chuckled, clearly amused by the toddler’s antics. The cozy living room was packed with family and friends, each chatting animatedly, exchanging gifts, and sharing stories.

Arthur and Lily were engrossed in a deep discussion about Muggle technology, with Arthur hanging on every word, eyes gleaming with curiosity. Meanwhile, Sirius and Remus—disguised as Axton and Dale—found themselves pulled into a game of wizarding chess by Ron and Charlie, who was desperately trying to trick Sirius into making a bad move, while Sirius’s sharp wit and playful competitiveness had the room roaring with laughter.

The Marauders, though cautious about revealing themselves, were clearly enjoying the festive spirit. Even Sirius, who had been wary of returning to such familiar family settings, found himself relaxing and smiling more than he had in years. He and Remus exchanged brief, knowing looks, the kind that acknowledged the preciousness of these moments.

It was nearing the end of the evening, and everyone had gathered around the Christmas tree once more. The fire crackled warmly, casting a soft glow across the room. Molly and Arthur sat side by side, watching their children with pride, while Harry, Ginny, and Teddy were in their own little world, laughing at the baby’s latest hair change.

Suddenly, Fleur stood up, drawing everyone's attention. She looked radiant, her silvery hair catching the firelight as she glanced around the room with a soft smile. Bill squeezed her hand, giving her an encouraging nod.

“We ‘ave an announcement,” Fleur said, her voice filled with excitement, though a touch of nerves. “Bill and I are expecting a bébé.”

There was a moment of stunned silence before the room erupted into cheers and congratulations. Molly gasped, rushing over to embrace her eldest son and daughter-in-law, tears of joy streaming down her face. Arthur beamed with pride, while George and Percy teased Bill about the new addition. Ginny squealed and threw her arms around Fleur, while Teddy, seemingly sensing the excitement, let out a delighted giggle.

Harry, standing beside Ginny and Hermione, couldn’t help but smile warmly at the sight of the Weasley family growing even larger. For the first time in a long while, he felt like everything was falling into place—surrounded by the people he loved, sharing in their joy, and ready to embrace whatever came next.

Chapter Text

"Hermione is on to something," Lily said, joining the three Marauders in the armchairs in front of the fire place in the Gryffindor common room. After two weeks of Christmas holidays, where the time travelers got to obverse and learn more from all the survivors, all of them had taken the Hogwarts Express to return to school.

"What?" James asked, ever so eloquently. Sirius was looking just as lost.

"I had a feeling as well," Remus frowned.

Remus confirming her suspicions made Lily think it over. "Maybe it shouldn't be a bad thing."

"What do you mean?" Sirius raised his brows. "This is a disaster!"

"It doesn't have to be," Lily said slowly, as if the gears in her head were still turning to puzzle the pieces together on how to take advantage of the situation. "We're been trying to gather information for the last four months but we haven't been really successful about it. We cannot seem to make them trust us enough to start talking about the details of the War. Maybe it's time to try something else?"

"And involve Hermione?" James was playing around with the idea.

"It's risky," Remus started. "But it's try we haven't been very fruitful. She was part of the main trio that help defeat He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named... It's such a gamble though." The boy was clearly conflicted.

"We're already playing a dangerous game with the time mending," Lily said. "What is a little more?"

This got Sirius grinning. "Who are you and what have you done to Lily-Flower? We're rubbing off on you, aren't we? Just a few more times bending the rules and you're ready for your Marauders initiation."

"Oh, shut up, you." Lily playfully hit the boy on the chest.

"He's right, though." James snickered along. "Next thing you know you'll accept my advances."

"You heard Harry," Lily looked her future husband in the eyes and commented. "It was all on my terms. So sit back and wait patiently 'till I ask you out."

"Until and not an if?" James grinned. "You give me hope and high expectations, Evans."

"As glad I am to see you finally getting along, we should return to the problem at hand," Remus got them back on topic.

"I can always approach her and ask some questions," Lily proposed. "That way we're absolutely sure how much she knows and we can continue from there."

"Let's do that," Remus agreed.

The next morning, Hermione sat at her usual spot in the library, her brow furrowed as she worked through her Arithmancy calculations. She had been unusually quiet since their return to Hogwarts after the holidays, her mind clearly preoccupied. Her thoughts kept drifting back to the strange behavior of the transfer students, particularly Axton, Lowen, Dale, and Rose. There was something about them—something that didn’t quite fit. And now, after weeks of observations and careful deductions, her suspicions were nearing confirmation.

As Hermione scribbled a few more lines onto her parchment, she didn’t notice Lily Evans approach her until the redhead cleared her throat softly.

“Mind if I sit?” Lily asked, her voice friendly but with a hint of something more serious behind it.

Hermione looked up, a little surprised. It didn't seem this would be homework related. Still, she nodded. “Of course.”

Lily sat down gracefully across from Hermione, her blue eyes sharp and thoughtful. For a moment, neither of them spoke, and Hermione felt the weight of the silence between them. She glanced back at her notes, but Lily’s presence was impossible to ignore.

“Something’s been on your mind, hasn’t it?” Lily said, cutting straight to the point.

Hermione blinked, taken aback. “I… yes, I suppose so. But how did you—”

“I’ve noticed how observant you are,” Lily interrupted gently. “You’ve been watching us—me, Axton, Lowen and Dale—for a while now. And I think you’ve come to a few conclusions, haven’t you?”

Hermione’s heart skipped a beat. Was this it? Had she been too obvious in her suspicions? She felt the urge to deny it, but something about Lily’s demeanor made her pause. The other girl didn’t seem angry or defensive; rather, she seemed… intrigued.

Taking a deep breath, Hermione decided there was no point in lying. “I have my theories,” she admitted cautiously, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studied Lily’s reaction.

Lily leaned back in her chair, a small smile playing on her lips. “I thought so. And I’d like to hear what you think.”

Hermione hesitated. She wasn’t sure if she was walking into a trap, but something about Lily’s calm, open demeanor made her feel like she could take the risk. She glanced around the library, making sure no one was eavesdropping, before speaking in a low voice.

“I think Axton is Sirius Black,” Hermione said slowly. “And if he is, then Lowen must be James Potter. Dale has to be Remus Lupin, and Rose… well, I don’t know for certain, but I suspect you might be Lily.” She paused, watching for any sign of shock or denial on Lily’s face. But the other girl remained composed, her smile widening slightly. Hermione continued, her voice gaining confidence. “You’re not just transfer students from another school. You’re from the past. Somehow, you’ve traveled through time, though I haven't narrowed down the year yet, and you’re here to gather information—perhaps even to change things.”

Lily’s expression didn’t falter. Instead, she leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table and steepling her fingers. “And what makes you think we’re from the past?”

Hermione’s eyes gleamed with the thrill of her own deductions. “There are too many small details that don’t add up. Axton, or Sirius, acts far too much like the Sirius Black Harry has told me about. Dale… well, there’s something about him that screams Remus Lupin. He has many of the same mannerisms as our former professor. I don't know any of the characteristics of Lily or James but I saw the way you all interact with Harry and how you seem overly invested in him—like it’s more personal than it should be for people you’ve just met. Then there’s the fact that you seem to know things about the War that you shouldn't unless you lived through it or studied it obsessively. So it seemed only logical that you would be her.”

She took a breath. “And when Axton’s sleeve slipped during Christmas, I saw the tattoo. Sirius has the same one in the future. It’s identical. Placement and design. That was the final piece of the puzzle.”

Lily remained silent for a moment, her eyes fixed on Hermione, as though weighing her words. Then, finally, she let out a soft laugh. “You’re clever, Hermione. I had a feeling you had figure it out.”

Hermione blinked. “So, I’m right?”

Lily nodded. “Yes. The four of us, we came from the past. From 1977 to fill in that gap. When professor McGonagall told us the sacrifices, the many lives it had taken to defeat Voldemort, we set our goal. We want to gather information about the future, your past, particularly about Voldemort and how he was defeated.”

Hermione’s heart raced as her suspicions were confirmed. “But why? Why are you here?”

Lily’s expression grew more serious. “We got here by accident, actually. James had asked me out again and I walked away mad. So, as the obvious guy who cannot handle the rejection, he followed me. And naturally his two shadows followed. Peter was in detention, so he wasn't there. We got to the seventh floor, where we now know the Room of Requirement is, and a door appeared. Of course, Sirius was curious and without thinking about the dangers of a new, mysterious door went and opened it. We were blinded by light and when Sirius finally managed to slam the door shot, we found ourselves in 1998. Professor McGonagall is looking into it, how it was possible for us to travel so many years and, not unimportantly, how to get us back."

"That was one of my problems to my theory as well," Hermione frowned. "Ginny too had her suspicions but since we couldn't figure that aspect out, she thought we were just being paranoid. A side effect of living through so much anxiety during the war. Never knowing who to trust."

"We made two of you doubt?" Lily laughed nervously. "I guess we weren't as subtle as we thought we were..."

"What made you come clean, now?"

"Well, as I said, we are gathering information to know how Voldemort was defeated in our time. We’re hoping to prevent the tragedies that unfolded. But so far… we haven’t been able to get the full picture.” She hesitated, then added, “That’s where you come in.”

“Me?” Hermione was stunned. “What do you mean?”

“We’ve been trying to learn more about the events of the War from Harry and the others, their role in it, but they haven’t opened up as much as we’d hoped. So far, we've only learned that Voldemort used Horcruxes to be able to be bold enough to waltz around everywhere without a second thought anyone could defeat him,” Lily explained. “But you were there. You know the details—the Horcruxes, the battles, everything. We think you could help us figure out what really happened and how we might replicate it in our own time.”

Hermione stared at her, processing the enormity of what Lily was asking. “You… you want me to help you change the past? That's dangerous magic. So many things could go wrong.”

Chapter Text

Harry trudged into Potions, already dreading the double lesson. Professor Slughorn had paired them up to brew Veritaserum, a potion known for its complexity and delicate brewing process. To Harry's dismay—and secret thrill—he was paired with Draco Malfoy. He'd look like a complete fool but his partner would be handsome to look at.

As he approached their workstation, Draco was already there, sleeves rolled up, a faint smirk on his lips. "You're late, Potter," Draco drawled, not looking up from the ingredients he was meticulously chopping.

Harry felt his stomach do a flip. "Yeah, well... you seem to have everything under control."

Draco glanced at him, amusement flickering in his grey eyes. "Someone has to. Honestly, Potter, I’m surprised you haven’t blown up half the castle by now, considering your history with Potions."

Harry bristled, but there was something different in Draco’s tone today. The teasing didn’t feel cruel, just... playful. "I’m not that bad," he muttered, sliding into his seat beside Draco. "Besides, blowing up stuff is more Seamus' area of expertise."

"Right. That time you melted your cauldron in second year? Absolutely flawless work."

Harry flushed. "That was years ago."

Draco chuckled, a sound that was low and surprisingly warm. He flicked a lock of pale hair out of his face and set to work, the movements of his hands precise, graceful. Harry watched him, captivated by the ease with which Draco handled the ingredients. Everything about him seemed controlled, confident, and—if Harry was being honest—kind of mesmerizing.

"You keep staring at me like that, Potter, and I’ll start charging you," Draco teased lightly, his voice breaking through Harry’s thoughts.

Harry jerked, realizing with horror that he had, in fact, been staring. "I wasn’t staring!"

"Of course not," Draco said smoothly, his smirk deepening. "You were merely observing my impeccable technique."

Harry could feel the heat rising in his cheeks. Why did Malfoy have to be so... distracting? He forced himself to focus on the instructions, but it was hard when Draco was right there, close enough that Harry could catch the faint scent of something clean and sharp—peppermint, maybe? And every time Draco spoke, his voice was just low enough to make Harry’s stomach twist in unfamiliar ways.

Meanwhile, across the room, Hermione and Ron were watching with keen interest. Hermione nudged Ron. "Do you see that?" she whispered.

Ron looked over at Harry and Draco, who were leaning close, the banter between them unmistakable. "Blimey," he muttered. "They’re actually... flirting."

"Oh, Ron. They've been flirting for years. It’s adorable they're becoming less snarky while doing so," Hermione whispered back, her eyes gleaming. "I never thought I’d say that about Draco Malfoy, but look at Harry’s face."

At the next table, James and Sirius exchanged a glance. James grinned. "Looks like Prongslet is back at it."

Sirius smirked. "Oh, this is going to be fun to watch."

Back at their table, Draco handed Harry a stirring rod. Their fingers brushed, and Harry swore he saw something spark in Draco’s eyes. "Careful, Potter," Draco murmured, his voice low enough that it sent shivers down Harry’s spine. "This is delicate work. Try not to muck it up."

Harry cleared his throat, struggling to regain his composure. "I know how to stir, Malfoy."

"Do you?" Draco’s smirk was infuriating, but there was a glint in his eyes that made Harry’s heart race. "You’re blushing, Potter."

"I’m not!"

"Yes, you are."

Harry glared at him, but it only made Draco laugh softly. He seemed to be enjoying this far too much. "Focus on the potion," Harry muttered, trying to ignore the way his face was burning.

"Whatever you say, Potter."

The rest of the class passed in a blur of light teasing and stolen glances. By the time they finished their potion—a perfect, clear Veritaserum, thanks to Draco’s skill—Harry was half-dizzy with the strange, fluttery feeling in his chest.

As the bell rang, signaling the end of class, Harry hastily gathered his things, eager to get out before Draco could tease him any further. They had become friends of some sorts over the last few months but ever since the Christmas party, Draco's had become more straightforward in his teasing. And it was doing all sorts of things with Harry's heart. As he turned to leave, Draco stepped in front of him, blocking his path.

"Leaving so soon?" Draco asked, his voice light but his eyes serious.

"Why? Got something else to mock me about?" Harry shot back, though his voice wavered slightly.

Draco tilted his head, his gaze sharp. "You really don’t get it, do you?"

"Get what?" Harry’s heart was pounding now, and he wasn’t sure if it was from anger or something else entirely.

Draco stepped closer, so close that Harry could feel the warmth radiating from him. "You. Me. This... thing between us."

Harry blinked, momentarily stunned. "What thing? And don't be so loud! What if someone hears you and gets the wrong idea?"

Draco smirked, but there was something softer in his eyes. "You really are hopeless, Potter. I think everybody has known for years and we're the last to find out."

Before Harry could respond, Draco closed the distance between them, his lips brushing against Harry’s in a swift, stolen kiss. It was brief, but electric—enough to make Harry’s breath catch and his head spin.

Draco pulled back, his expression unreadable. "There," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "Now do you get it?"

Harry stood frozen for a moment, heart racing, mind reeling. He opened his mouth to say something—anything—but the words seemed to stick in his throat.

Draco chuckled softly, his eyes lingering on Harry’s flushed face. "You’re adorable when you’re flustered."

"I—I’m not—" Harry spluttered, his face turning an even deeper shade of red.

"Sure you’re not," Draco said, stepping back with a satisfied smirk. "See you around, Potter."

And with that, Draco turned and strode out of the classroom, leaving Harry standing there, heart pounding, lips tingling, and thoroughly confused about what had just happened.

From across the room, Hermione, Ron, and the others exchanged knowing looks, their earlier suspicions confirmed.

Chapter Text

The Great Hall buzzed with the usual chatter of Hogwarts students at breakfast. Plates clinked, and the soft rustle of the Daily Prophet filled the air, but amid the usual morning chaos, Lily had her sights set on one particular corner of the room.

At the Gryffindor table, the three Marauders and Harry sat together. James was busy stuffing toast into his mouth, oblivious to the sly glances being cast his way. Sirius was joking around as usual, his loud laughter drawing a few glances from the nearby Ravenclaws. 

Lily took a deep breath. This was it. She wasn’t going to wait any longer. Draco’s boldness with Harry had inspired her. If he could take charge, so could she. After all, she was still Lily Evans, time traveler or not. "Here goes nothing," she muttered to herself as she strode confidently towards the Gryffindor table, her heart pounding.

As she reached them, James looked up, a smile already forming. He always looked at her with that infuriatingly charming grin. But this time, there was something different in his eyes—an unfamiliar softness that tugged at her heartstrings.

"James—" she started, then quickly corrected herself, "I mean, Pierce."

James raised an eyebrow. "What’s up, Rose?"

Taking a deep breath, Lily squared her shoulders, her voice strong despite the butterflies in her stomach. "How about we go to Hogsmeade together this weekend?"

The entire Gryffindor table went silent. James blinked in surprise, clearly not expecting the directness. Sirius dropped his toast in exaggerated shock, quickly recovering with a wolfish grin as he let out a piercing wolf-whistle that echoed throughout the hall.

"Well, it’s about time!" Sirius barked, nudging Remus, who gave a knowing smirk.

"Seems she’s finally seen the light," Remus chimed in, his voice calm but teasing, eyes sparkling with amusement.

James, still wide-eyed, finally regained his composure, a slow grin spreading across his face. "I, uh... I think I’d like that very much. Wait, you mean like a real and proper date? An official one, right?"

"Of course," Lily rolled her eyes.

The Hall seemed to explode in hushed whispers and excited giggles as Lily felt her cheeks flush. She gave James another quick nod and a playful smirk before turning on her heel, heading back to her seat next to Hermione and Ginny. But her heart was racing.

That weekend, the streets of Hogsmeade were lined with snow, and Lily, dressed warmly in her Rose disguise, walked arm in arm with James. The air was crisp, and despite their mission and the disguises they still wore, the day felt lighter somehow. This wasn’t just any day in Hogsmeade—it was their first "official" date, even if no one else knew who they truly were.

As they strolled past Honeydukes and the Three Broomsticks, their conversation turned deeper, more introspective.

"You know," Lily began, "I’ve been thinking about how different things are now. You’ve really grown up, James."

James, still disguised, glanced at her curiously. "What do you mean?"

"You’re not the same boy who used to hex Severus every chance you got," she said with a small, sad smile. "I mean, I hated it when you two fought. I always thought it was cruel, even though..." She hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "Sometimes, he did deserve it."

James sighed, his expression darkening slightly. "Yeah... I regret it, you know? Not all of it, but some of it. Snape—Severus—wasn’t innocent, but I didn’t have to be such a git about it." He glanced away, snow crunching underfoot as they walked. "I just wish I hadn’t spent so much time picking on him."

Lily looked at him with soft eyes. "You’ve changed, James. For the better."

James smiled at her, his hazel eyes filled with warmth. "It’s hard not to change when you’ve got so much at stake. We’ve got a son to think about now, don’t we? I know he's in our future but Harry’s just amazing, Lily. I can’t believe how well he turned out, despite everything he’s been through."

Lily’s heart swelled with pride. "He really is. Brave, kind, just... everything I ever wanted him to be." She paused for a moment before adding, "I just hope we can change the past. He deserves to grow up surrounded by love."

James agreed, the seriousness of their mission returning to the forefront of their thoughts. "We need to figure out how to defeat Voldemort. Have you and Hermione made any progress?"

Lily nodded, her mind racing through the possibilities. "She gave me a list of the Horcruxes, and for as far as she knows where they can be found and how to destroy them. The ones she knows the location off, we're checking through records if they could have been at a different location at our time. And those she don't know where they were hidden, we're trying to locate. But it's slow and time consuming work to check."

James gave a determined nod, his hand tightening around hers. "We’ll do it, Lily. We’ll put the pieces together. I just need to trust that we’re not making things worse by being here."

Lily squeezed his hand in return. "We’ll figure it out, James. Together. And when McGonagall knows how to send us back, we'll change it all."

They reached the Three Broomsticks, deciding to take a break and warm up with butterbeer. As they settled into a corner booth, the air between them felt more natural, like everything had clicked into place.

"You know," James said after a moment, grinning at her, "I always knew you’d be the one to ask me out first."

Lily rolled her eyes, laughing. "Oh, shut up, Potter."

"Hey, it’s Pierce," he corrected with a cheeky wink, making her laugh harder.

Chapter Text

The Gryffindor common room was quieter than usual, with the fire crackling in the hearth casting a warm glow across the familiar surroundings. The Marauders made their way sneakily to the seventh floor where they had arranged to meet with Hermione. Entering the room, James, Lily, and Remus sat at one of the long tables, their expressions attentive yet brimming with anticipation. Hermione, standing in front of them, had set up a makeshift "classroom" complete with diagrams, books, and notes scrawled in her precise handwriting.

"Right," Hermione began, adjusting the stack of parchment in front of her and tapping it against the table with the precision of a professor. "This is going to be a crash course in Horcrux hunting—what they are, how we found them, and how we destroyed them. You’ll need to pay close attention because we’re working with limited time."

Sirius lounged in one of the armchairs nearby, arms crossed, a smirk playing at his lips. “Teacher Hermione, huh? Does that mean we get detention if we don’t listen?”

“Only you would think that,” Hermione retorted with a roll of her eyes, but she couldn't entirely suppress a smile. “But yes, if you keep interrupting, I will give you detention. I'm still a prefect after all.”

Sirius winked at her, and James gave him a playful nudge, already sensing the mischievousness bubbling beneath his friend’s surface.

Hermione cleared her throat, pulling the group’s attention back to the matter at hand. “So, to start, Horcruxes are objects that contain pieces of a Dark wizard’s soul. In Voldemort’s case, he split his soul into seven pieces.” She picked up her wand and flicked it toward the blackboard she had conjured, causing seven neat circles to appear. “Each piece was hidden in a different object, all of them significant in some way to Voldemort.”

Remus leaned in, brow furrowed in thought. “Seven?” he asked. “That’s incredibly unstable.”

“Exactly,” Hermione nodded. “Each time a piece of your soul is ripped away, you lose part of your humanity. That’s what made Voldemort so twisted, so inhuman. Even more so than he already was, if I go on what Harry told me about seeing in Dumbledore's memories of the young Tom.”

“And these pieces—Horcruxes—are what you hunted down during the war? The key's to Voldemorts defeat?” Lily asked, her green eyes focused intently on Hermione.

“Yes. Harry, Ron, and I tracked som of them down, destroyed them, and ultimately helped Harry defeat Voldemort once and for all. One was found and destroyed by Dumbledore himself, so that one will be the most tricky one. And one other had already been destroyed by Harry in our second year, tough we didn't know what it was or what it meant yet.”

Sirius raised a hand dramatically, as if he were a student in class. “And how exactly did you figure out where each Horcrux was? I mean, it’s not like Voldemort left a map saying, ‘Here lies my soul, please destroy me.’”

Hermione sighed, half-amused, half-annoyed. “No, he didn’t leave a map. But Dumbledore had clues, and we pieced together a lot of the information as we went along. Some of it was pure deduction. And, since Harry was a Horcrux Voldemort had made by accident, the two of them shared a mental link. When one was emotional, they other quick sometimes look into the others mind. We got clues from that as well."

James and Lily stared at her, shocked.

“Harry was a Horcrux?” James’s voice was barely a whisper.

Hermione nodded gravely. “Yes. Voldemort accidentally turned Harry into one when he tried to kill him as a baby. That’s why Harry could speak Parseltongue and why he had that connection with Voldemort. In the end, Harry had to sacrifice himself, but he survived because of the protection his mother—” she glanced meaningfully at Lily, “—left on him.”

Lily’s hand flew to her mouth, and she looked down, her eyes filling with emotion. James was silent, the weight of what Hermione had said sinking in.

"I'll start at the beginning," Hermione said. Sirius raised his arm again but James pulled it back down again, not in the mood for jokes, nodding to Hermione she could continue. "The first Horcrux that got destroyed was Tom Riddle’s diary.”

“Riddle?” James’s brow furrowed. “Who's that? I've never heard of a wizariding family by that name.”

"Tom Marvolo Riddle, mingle the letters together and place them in a new order. You get the anagram 'I am Lord Voldemort'. It was his original name," Hermione explained. "And you're correct. It's indeed not a wizarding name."

"Don't tell me he's Muggle born?" Remus asked in shock.

"No," Hermione shook her head. "He's a Half-Blood. That's why, when the prophecy of his downfall was made and it applied to both a Pure Blood and a Half-Blood, he chose Harry as his equal and not Neville."

"That's messed up," Sirius said. "And I'm from the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, so that's saying something about the level of messed-up-ness."

Hermione cleared her throat, "Can I continue? His mother was from one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight. She was a Gaunt who fell in love with a muggle Tom Riddle senior. Dumbledore speculated that Merope fell in love with Riddle but her love wasn't returned. So she used her magic to make him fall in love with her and fell pregnant. After a while she must have stopped bewitching him, thinking he had fallen in love with her. But that wasn't the case, Riddle returned to his home and Merope who was disowned at that moment, died in childbirth so Tom Marvolo Riddle grew up in an orphanage."

"I'd almost start to feel pity for the guy," James said. "If he didn't kill so many and enjoyed torturing, I think I just might."

"To return to the Horcrux at hand, it was Voldemort's diary during his time at Hogwarts. As the Heir of Slytherin, he was able to open the Chamber of Secrets. When he opened it, Moaning Myrtle died. Hagrid got blamed but since Dumbledore kept his eye on Voldemort, he didn't dare open the chamber again. Instead, he turned the diary into a Horcrux and gave it to Lucius Malfoy for safekeeping. When the Minister was increasing their raids for Dark Objects, Lucius wanted to get rid of it and give it to Ginny. The diary took possession of her and made her open the Chamber of Secrets again. It was Harry's first encounter with a Horcrux, though we didn’t know it at the time. Harry destroyed it with a basilisk fang.”

“Why a basilisk fang?” Remus asked, his curiosity piqued.

“Because Horcruxes can only be destroyed by extremely powerful magical objects—basilisk venom being one of the most effective. It has to be something that can destroy the object beyond magical repair. The fang completely obliterated the diary.”

Sirius, once again, raised his hand, clearly enjoying his role as the “annoying student.” “Question. So, let’s say you just… threw the diary in a fire. That wouldn’t work?”

“No, Sirius,” Hermione said with a tight smile. “Throwing a Horcrux in a fire wouldn’t work. It’s magically protected, and only something as destructive as basilisk venom. If you were to use Fiendfyre, that could do the job. Next question?”

Sirius grinned, but stayed quiet this time, letting Hermione continue.

"The second Horcrux that got destroyed, was the Gaunt's family ring. Dumbledore went to fetch it on his own and was also alone when he destroyed. I don't have much intel on that one. It could be Harry knows more, Dumbledore did confide in him a lot in our sixth year. But I cannot say for sure."

"Could you confirm with Harry?" Lily asked.

"He doesn't like talking about it but I'll try," Hermione reassured her. "On to number three. That was a locket. It belonged to Salazar Slytherin, after which it got passed down as another of the Gaunt's heirlooms. That was hidden in a cave where Voldemort used to torment children when he was younger.”

Lily’s eyes widened. “He hid it in a place from his past?”

“Yes,” Hermione nodded, looking at her with a knowing glance. “We found out that Voldemort hid each Horcrux in places or objects that had some significant meaning to him. The locket, for instance, was in a cave protected by dark magic. I wasn't present, Harry and Dumbledore went together to retrieve it. Harry doesn't like talking about it but apparently the cave was protected by blood spells and Inferi."

"McGonagall told us that's were Reg died," Sirius said sombre.

"Indeed," Hermione confirmed. "He had found out Voldemort's secret way before anyone else did. He had planned to retrieve the Horcruxes and replace them with replica's to by time for the person of the prophecy. Since Harry isn't born yet and Regulus is still alive in your time, the Horcruxes must still be in the cave. Ron had destroyed it with the use of the Sword of Gryffindor."

James grinned, clearly excited by this part. “Our sword? Gryffindor’s sword?”

Hermione smiled, nodding. “Yes, the sword had absorbed basilisk venom from when Harry killed the basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets, so it was powerful enough to destroy the Horcrux.”

"Would it also have worked without absorbing the venom?" Remus asked.

"Dumbledore thought it would but it's just a theory." Hermione pressed on. “The third was Hufflepuff’s cup, hidden in the Lestrange vault at Gringotts. We had to break into the bank, which was… as difficult as it sounds.”

Lily looked incredulous. “You broke into Gringotts?”

Sirius, of course, raised his hand again. “And you didn’t think to invite me along on these adventures? Sounds like the Marauders could’ve helped.”

James and Remus both chuckled, while Hermione sighed again. “If you were there, Sirius, it would have been chaos. Trust me.”

“I’m hurt, truly.”

“Let her finish, Padfoot,” Remus said, though he was clearly enjoying this too.

“It was already chaos—the plan didn't work as it was supposed to—and barely made it out alive,” Hermione admitted with a wry smile. “After that, we destroyed the cup with a fresh basilisk fang as well.”

“The next was Ravenclaw’s diadem,” she continued, ignoring Sirius. “We found it in the Room of Requirement at Hogwarts. The room turned into a giant maze of hidden objects, and we barely escaped when the place caught fire.”

“Fiendfyre, wasn’t it?” Remus asked, recalling the story. “Someone accidentally conjured it.”

“Yes,” Hermione said. “But fiendfyre is one of the few things that can destroy a Horcrux. So, while it was terrifying, it did help us.”

She took a deep breath. “The last two Horcruxes were the most personal to Harry. One was Nagini, Voldemort’s snake.”

“A snake? Of course,” Lily muttered. “Voldemort and his love of snakes…”

“And the final Horcrux,” Hermione paused, looking around the group, “was… Harry himself.”

Remus, ever the calm voice in the room, spoke up. “So… Harry allowed himself to die?”

“Yes,” Hermione whispered. “But he came back. Again, I don't know how. He doesn't like talking about it. But once all the Horcruxes were destroyed, Voldemort was vulnerable. Harry was able to defeat him. Voldemort had so little of him left, a simple disarming spell was enough. Once his wand was out his hand, his magical core imploded and he died.”

Sirius, uncharacteristically silent now, let out a long breath. “Well… that’s one hell of a story.”

Hermione smiled softly, folding her hands. “And now, you'll have to do it all over again… in your time.

“Except for Harry, luckily." James, still shaken, looked at her with determination in his eyes. "We’ll help with the research to confirm their locations in 1977 and find them, Hermione. We’ll find every single one, and we'll change the course of action so that he dies the first time around and doesn't have his Horcruxes to return."

"You'll have to be careful when making changed to history," Hermione reminded them yet again. It had become like their mantra. But with the four time travelers on board, Hermione knew they had a real chance to succeed. They would have the the advantage this time's knowledge. The risks of playing with time were definitely worth saving so many.

Chapter Text

Draco Malfoy sat at the edge of the Slytherin table in the Great Hall, poking at his breakfast with uncharacteristic disinterest. His usually sharp, haughty features were now clouded with something unfamiliar—uncertainty. He hadn’t made eye contact with Harry Potter since… well, since that moment in the dungeons after potions class two weeks ago.

He knew his reputation—Slytherin’s cool, calculating prince who never faltered. And yet here he was, avoiding the Gryffindor like a nervous schoolboy. This was not part of the plan. But did he ever have a solid plan to begin with when it concerned Harry bloody Potter? He had always been chaotic and out of character when it concerned the other. Always trying to impress the dark haired boy but not knowing how to manage since The Boy Who Lived was so different from the type of people Draco was used to. The thought and the embarrassment of it sent a flush to his cheeks, which did not go unnoticed by his tablemates.

Blaise Zabini, seated across from him, raised a sleek eyebrow. “Draco, darling, are you blushing?”

“Draco Malfoy? Blushing?” Pansy Parkinson snickered from beside him. “Now, this I’ve got to see.”

“I’m not blushing,” Draco snapped, his tone sharper than intended, but that only seemed to amuse his friends more.

“Oh, you definitely are. A nice pale pink, you are.” Blaise leaned back in his seat, a smirk tugging at his lips. “And I’m guessing it has something to do with a certain Gryffindor you happened to kiss recently?”

Pansy gasped dramatically, clapping her hands together. “Oh, Merlin! You kissed him? You actually kissed Potter? Draco, I’m so proud.” Her voice was mocking, but her eyes gleamed with mischievous delight.

“Can you both keep your voices down?” Draco hissed, glancing around the hall nervously, as if Harry might magically appear out of thin air. "I was surprised it didn't go around like wild fire since there were others around. So don't mess up my like by shouting it through the Hall."

“Oh, come off it,” Blaise said, waving a hand lazily. “It’s not like it’s a secret at this point. The entire castle is buzzing about how you finally stopped dancing around each other and just did something about it.”

Pansy’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “And not just anything. A kiss, Draco. I never thought you had it in you.”

“I don’t see why it’s such a big deal,” Draco muttered, stabbing a piece of toast with unnecessary aggression.

“A big deal?” Blaise’s smirk widened. “You, Draco Malfoy, who’s been tormenting Potter for years, decided to pull him into his arms—”

“It wasn’t like that,” Draco interrupted, glowering at Blaise.

“Fine, cupped his face,” Blaise corrected with a theatrical roll of his eyes, “and snog him like your life depended on it. That’s not a big deal?”

“I didn’t—snog him. It was a peck on the lips.” Draco sputtered, cheeks flaming now. “And it was just… just a moment of weakness.”

Pansy laughed, leaning in closer to Draco, resting her chin on her hand. “A moment of weakness, huh? Well, I didn’t think I’d ever see the day when you lost control around Potter. But what I can’t figure out is why you’re avoiding him like the plague now.”

Draco’s face fell at the accusation, and he pushed his plate away, no longer interested in pretending to eat. “I’m not avoiding him,” he muttered under his breath, knowing full well that it was a lie.

“Really?” Blaise asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Because from where I’m sitting, you’ve done nothing but steer clear of him. I’ve seen you actually change direction in the corridors when he’s walking toward you. You’re practically fleeing every time he’s near.”

“He hasn’t been in the library to join Granger for two weeks,” Pansy added, her lips curling into a smirk. “And we all know how much Potter frequents the library now.”

Draco clenched his jaw, feeling cornered. They were right, of course. He had been avoiding Harry. Ever since the kiss, he’d been so caught off guard by his own boldness that he didn’t know how to face the Gryffindor again. It had been one of those rare moments when Draco had let his guard down, acting on impulse, and now he had no idea what to do with the aftermath. “What was I supposed to do?” Draco said defensively, his voice low. “Walk up to him and act like nothing happened?”

Blaise shrugged, feigning nonchalance. “You could always go the opposite route and kiss him again.”

Draco shot him a withering look. “Not helpful, Zabini.”

"Very helpful, you mean." Blaise smirked.

Pansy cackled, clearly enjoying the entire situation. “Oh, come on, Draco. You’re usually so composed. How is Potter of all people making you fall to pieces like this?”

Draco glared at her. “I’m not falling to pieces.”

"Your hair is out of place," Blaise pointed out bluntly.

"No, it isn't." Draco was blushing again. He of course knew his hair looked impeccable but couldn't help but touch the hair in the back of his neck. Checking if the hair was still in place.

Blaise and Pansy exchanged a look, both raising an eyebrow simultaneously. “You so are,” they said in unison, which only irritated Draco further.

“Look,” Pansy said, her tone softening slightly. “You kissed him. That’s… monumental, honestly. But now you need to decide what you want from it.”

Chapter Text

Hogwarts felt like it was holding its breath. The tension between Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter had become something of a spectacle. It was almost comical, and yet, for the two boys involved, it felt like an increasingly unbearable weight neither of them knew how to handle—and a source of growing frustration for their friends and other spectators alike. Bets had been placed and everyone grew curious for the outcome.

Days had passed since Draco had designated to do something about the situation. But both Harry and Draco were masterful in one thing: avoidance. Every time Harry or Draco caught sight of each other, they would lock eyes for a fleeting moment—just long enough for everyone around them to notice—but then one of them would avert their gaze, mumble something incoherent, and quickly walk away. It was painfully obvious to everyone around them that they were avoiding the inevitable conversation. What was less clear was why.

The entire school was buzzing with rumors, but no one was more exasperated by the situation than their friends.

In the Slytherin common room, Draco had been sulking for days, stuck in his own thoughts, replaying the kiss over and over. Blaise and Pansy had long grown tired of his moping.

"You know," Blaise said casually, lounging in one of the armchairs by the fire, "I’ve never seen you this bothered over something before. It’s almost... cute."

Draco shot him a withering look from his place by the window, where he’d been pretending to read. "I’m not ‘bothered.’ Or cute. I’m just... thinking."

“Uh-huh,” Blaise said, exchanging a knowing look with Pansy, who was sprawled out on the couch, filing her nails.

Pansy rolled her eyes dramatically. “Thinking? Right. Because thinking is what’s making you avoid Harry Potter like the plague.”

“I’m not avoiding him,” Draco retorted, though the pink creeping up his neck betrayed him.

"We've been over this," Blaise sighed. "If we must repeat this conversation, can we at least do it over dinner?"

“I swear, if they don’t just talk to each other soon, I’m going to lose it,” Pansy huffed dramatically, glaring at Draco's back as they made their way up the stairs.

"Aren't you already losing it?" Blaise teased his fellow Slytherin. “I just can’t believe this is still happening,” Blaise muttered, shaking his head. “It’s been a week. How hard can it be to just talk?”

Pansy rolled her eyes. “This is Draco we’re talking about. He’s a master at being dramatic. And apparently, Potter’s no better.”

Draco had clearly heard them. They weren't exactly being quiet with their whisper. He had opened his mouth to protest their accusations but stopped. He liked Harry, far more than he was willing to admit. The thought of facing him now—after that impulsive kiss—sent his mind reeling. What if Harry didn’t feel the same? What if he regretted it?

Pansy sighed, seeing the hesitation on Draco’s face. "If you keep overthinking this, you’re going to miss your chance."

Draco didn’t respond, staring at the fire instead, lost in his thoughts.

Meanwhile, in the Gryffindor common room, a similar conversation was taking place.

Harry was sitting on the couch, staring out the window at the grounds. His mind was a mess of thoughts about Draco, the kiss, and the awkward dance they’d been doing ever since.

"You know, mate, you could just talk to him," Ron said, plopping down beside him with a sigh. "You’ve been moping for days, and it’s getting old."

"I’m not moping," Harry muttered, but he wasn’t convincing anyone, least of all himself.

Hermione, who had been sitting nearby with a book in her lap, closed it gently and gave Harry a pointed look. "You’re definitely moping, Harry. We’ve all noticed. And it’s pretty clear that Draco is too."

Harry flushed, looking anywhere but at Hermione. “I don’t know what to say to him.”

“You don’t have to know what to say,” Lily replied softly. “Just talk to him. He kissed you. You kissed him back. That’s a start.”

“Exactly,” James chimed in. “The hard part’s already over. Just... you know, don’t avoid him. You two are making this way more complicated than it needs to be.”

Harry groaned, running a hand through his hair. "But he's been avoiding me. What if he regrets it?"

"I swear, Sirius as a godfather made him dramatic and oblivious," Lily whispered so only James could hear her. She only got an eye roll in response.

Hermione sighed. "Harry, he kissed you. If he regrets it, why has he been staring at you every time you walk into a room?"

“He has?” Harry asked, blinking in surprise.

Ron laughed, shaking his head. “How can you be this dense? Yes, he has. Everyone’s noticed it. The whole school is practically waiting for one of you to grow a spine and actually do something. Mate, you were great at fighting Dark Lords. But when it comes to feelings? Completely useless.”

Harry bit his lip, glancing down at his hands. “I don’t know. It just feels... different.”

“Of course it does,” Hermione said gently. “But that’s not a bad thing.”

Ron leaned back, looking at Harry with a mix of exasperation and amusement. “Look, mate, the longer you wait, the more awkward this is going to get. Just talk to him. Before someone loses their mind.”

They had made their way down to the Great Hall for dinner and when they entered, Draco stole a glance at Harry from across the Hall, only to quickly look away when he realized Blaise and Pansy were watching him with barely concealed amusement.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Draco snapped, glaring at them.

“We’re not looking at you like anything,” Blaise replied, raising an eyebrow. “We’re just wondering when you’re actually going to stop brooding and, oh, I don’t know, do something about Potter?”

Draco scowled, his pale cheeks faintly pink. “I’ve been… busy.”

“Busy doing what?” Pansy asked, feigning innocence. “Staring longingly at him from across the room?”

“I don’t stare at him,” Draco grumbled, but the blush on his face gave him away.

“Really?” Blaise asked, casting a glance over Draco’s shoulder. “Because he’s looking this way right now.”

Draco stiffened, his eyes darting toward the Gryffindor table. Sure enough, Harry was glancing in his direction—before immediately looking away when their eyes met. Draco quickly turned back to his plate, cursing inwardly.

“See?” Blaise drawled. “This is exactly what we’re talking about. Both of you keep almost doing something, and then you just chicken out.”

“I’m not a coward,” Draco said through gritted teeth.

“No, you’re just acting like one,” Pansy teased, her voice lilting with amusement. “Come on, Draco. You kissed him. He obviously didn’t hate it. What are you so afraid of?”

Draco frowned, but he didn’t answer. He knew Pansy was right—Harry hadn’t pulled away from the kiss. If anything, the moment had felt charged with something more than just surprise. But now that the dust had settled, Draco was at a loss for how to handle it. How to handle himself.

Across the hall, Hermione was having a similar conversation with Harry, though with slightly more tact.

“You’re being ridiculous, you know,” she said quietly, nudging him with her elbow. “Just go talk to him.”

Harry’s face reddened as he glanced over at Draco again, before quickly looking back at his plate. “It’s not that simple.”

“Of course it is,” Hermione said firmly. “You kissed. You clearly like him. Just talk to him.”

Harry groaned, burying his face in his hands. “What if he doesn’t want to talk? What if it was just a one-time thing?”

“Oh, come off it, mate,” Ron said, rolling his eyes. “Malfoy’s been staring at you like a lovesick puppy for years. Trust me, he’s just as miserable as you are.”

Harry lifted his head, his brow furrowed in confusion. “He has?”

Ron exchanged a look with Hermione, his exasperation growing. “Honestly, how can you be this clueless? And that's saying a lot coming from me 'cause it took me ages to figure out Hermione liked me. But by the time you fin out, you're going to be a fossil.”

Hermione sighed. “You’re both driving us insane, you know that, right? Just do something before we all lose our minds.”

For the next few days, Draco and Harry continued their dance—stealing glances, hesitating, then backing down. Every time one of them seemed ready to approach the other, something would stop them, and they’d retreat back into their safe corners.

By Thursday, it had reached a boiling point. The entire school seemed to be watching them now, waiting for some kind of resolution. Even the professors seemed to have placed their bets on the outcome of the strange tension between the two boys. And their friends? They were so done.

By Friday afternoon, Pansy and Hermione had had enough. After an exasperated look shared between the two of them at lunch, they decided it was time to take action.

“I’m sick of this,” Pansy declared, slamming her fork down. “They’re acting like children.”

Hermione nodded in agreement. “I was thinking the same thing.”

Without another word, the two girls stood up, leaving their tables. Draco, who had been sitting with Blaise and Theo, looked up just as Pansy grabbed him by the arm and yanked him to his feet.

“Hey! What are you—”

“Enough is enough, Draco. You’re talking to Potter now.”

Across the Great Hall, Hermione was doing the same, dragging a very startled Harry to his feet. “You too, Harry. Let’s go.”

Before either boy could protest, they were shoved toward the entrance, their friends practically corralling them together.

“What the—Pansy, let go!” Draco protested, but Pansy was relentless.

“Nope. We’re not dealing with this anymore.”

Harry, similarly, was stumbling as Hermione marched him toward Draco, Ron, the Marauders and Lily following close behind with amusement. Ron grinned, “Come on, mate. Time to face the music.”

When Draco and Harry were finally face-to-face near the doors of the Great Hall, both looking utterly bewildered, their friends stepped back, watching with crossed arms and expectant expressions. Just out of ear sight to give them some privacy but night out of eye sight so they could escape.

Draco swallowed nervously, glancing at Harry before quickly looking away. Harry, too, looked like he might bolt.

But this time, there was nowhere to run.

“You’re not leaving until you talk,” Pansy said, her tone firm, raising her voice so the two foolish boys would hear her.

“Agreed,” Hermione added.

Draco shifted awkwardly, his heart pounding in his chest. Harry stood a few feet away, rubbing the back of his neck, looking equally uncomfortable.

“Well?” Ron said, folding his arms. “Go on, then.”

The silence stretched between them, thick with tension, until finally, Harry cleared his throat, taking a hesitant step forward.

“Draco,” he started, his voice quiet but steady, “we need to talk.”

Draco took a breath, nodding slightly. “Yeah... we do.”

Their friends watched with bated breath as the two boys stood there, the distance between them finally beginning to close. Sensing the small victory, they all grinned triumphantly.

“Finally,” Blaise muttered under his breath.

As Draco and Harry walked off together, the tension still thick but at least they weren't running away from each other, Sirius let out a dramatic sigh of relief. “About time,” he said, shaking his head. “I thought we’d be stuck watching them avoid each other forever.”

"Like you're one to talk," James snorted, earning him a playful smack on the head from Lily.

"Behave," Lily rolled her eyes. Then she smiled softly, watching the two boys disappear around the corner. “Let’s just hope they actually talk this time.”

Pansy smirked, crossing her arms as she leaned back against the wall. “Oh, I think they’ll do a lot more than talk.”

Blaise grinned. “One can hope.”

As the awkwardness finally began to thaw, the Great Hall buzzed with quiet murmurs about the inevitable showdown—or resolution—that was bound to happen next. All were eager to know if they made the right bet.

Chapter Text

The moon hung high over Hogwarts, casting a silver glow on the castle as Harry, under his fathers Cloak, made his way through the darkened corridors, a basket of food and a bottle of Elf-made wine tucked under his arm. His heart was racing, and his palms felt clammy. This wasn’t just any evening—it was his first date with Draco. Draco Malfoy.

It had been a whirlwind of confusion, awkward glances, and stolen moments since that fateful kiss, but tonight, finally, they had agreed to just be. No more running, no more backing down. It was a late-night picnic in the Astronomy Tower—away from prying eyes and curious whispers.

When Harry reached the spiral staircase leading up to the tower and took of the Cloak, he felt a flicker of nerves. This was new territory for him. He had no idea how the evening would go or what they would even talk about, but the thought of spending quiet time with Draco, alone under the stars, was enough to keep his feet moving.

At the top of the stairs, Draco was already there, leaning against the stone railing of the tower, bathed in moonlight. His pale blond hair glimmered in the soft light, and he seemed lost in thought, his gaze fixed on the horizon. When Draco turned and saw Harry, a small, almost shy smile spread across his face.

“You’re late, Potter,” Draco teased, though there was no bite in his words. Just warmth.

“Got held up by the house-elves,” Harry replied with a grin, holding up the basket. “But I come bearing gifts.”

Draco raised an eyebrow. “Elf-made wine? How very posh of you.”

Harry chuckled, walking over to Draco. “Thought it might help calm the nerves.”

Draco smirked, his grey eyes softening as they met Harry’s. “I don’t know what you mean. I’m perfectly calm.”

“Well, I'm not,” Harry muttered, feeling the familiar rush of butterflies in his stomach as Draco’s teasing smile lingered. He set the basket down on the soft blanket Draco had already spread out across the tower floor and began to unpack the food—a selection of cheeses, fresh bread, some pastries, and the wine. The house-elves had really outdone themselves.

Draco joined him, settling onto the blanket and watching as Harry uncorked the bottle, the sound of the pop echoing in the quiet night. The air was crisp, but not cold, and the stars above seemed brighter than usual. The whole scene felt almost surreal—romantic in a way Harry hadn’t expected.

As they poured the wine and started picking at the food, the silence stretched between them, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. It was the kind of silence that felt... right. Natural. Every now and then, their eyes would meet, and Harry would feel that flutter in his chest, the same one he’d felt when Draco had first kissed him.

“Do you ever think about how ridiculous this is?” Draco asked suddenly, breaking the quiet. He leaned back on his elbows, gazing up at the stars. “You and me. Sitting here, hiding away to avoid peeing and judging glances, having a picnic. After everything.”

Harry laughed softly, taking a sip of his wine. “Yeah. It’s pretty mad, isn’t it?”

Draco’s lips quirked into a small smile, though there was something contemplative in his expression. “I used to hate you, you know. Well, hate might be too strong; I don't think I ever hated you truly. But I definitely disliked you. You were everything I wasn’t. Brave, adored, annoyingly noble. And you turned me down whenI tried to be your fried.”

“Admit it, you were a bit of an arrogant snob. Would you have befriended yourself?" Harry teased earning a snort from the other. "But I could say the same about you,” Harry admitted, leaning back as well, their shoulders almost brushing. “You were always so... confident. Like nothing could touch you.”

“Ah, well,” Draco mused, “I was good at pretending." Swirling his wine in the glass, before a small smile lighted his face. "And I can be quite snobbish if I want to be.”

They sat in silence for a moment, the quiet of the night wrapping around them. Harry thought back to all the years of rivalry, the biting words, the constant tension. It seemed so distant now, like a different lifetime.

“Do you regret it?” Harry asked quietly, not entirely sure why he was asking but needing to hear Draco’s answer. “Kissing me?”

Draco turned to him, and for a moment, Harry held his breath. But then Draco smiled, soft and genuine. “No,” he said simply. “I don’t regret it. Do you?”

Harry shook his head, feeling the warmth spread through him. “No. I just wish I’d stopped avoiding you sooner. And I'm sure the whole school wishes that as well.”

“It's none of their business." Draco chuckled, a low sound that sent a shiver down Harry’s spine. "Well, at least we’ve finally sorted ourselves out.”

Harry felt his face heat up, and he took a quick sip of his wine to cover it. They were still in that delicate space between something new and something more, and though the awkwardness still lingered, the weight of all the unspoken words was beginning to lift.

As the night went on, they talked about everything and nothing—about Hogwarts, about their friends, even about the war, though that topic was quickly brushed aside. There was too much history there, too much weight. Tonight wasn’t about that.

At some point, Draco scooted closer, so their legs were touching, and Harry’s heart skipped a beat. They weren’t looking at each other, but the proximity was enough to send a rush of warmth through him.

“Look at the stars,” Draco said softly, pointing upward. “It’s like they’re brighter tonight.”

Harry glanced up, then back at Draco, unable to stop the smile tugging at his lips. “Maybe it’s just the company.”

As they lay side by side under the vast expanse of the starry sky, Harry couldn't help but glance over at Draco. There was something so serene about this moment, the way Draco's features softened in the dim moonlight, his usual sharpness dulled by the calm night. The thought of all the times they had clashed seemed absurd now, distant memories overshadowed by the warmth they shared tonight.

Draco's eyes were still fixed on the stars, a contented silence settling between them. It was rare to see him so relaxed, so at ease, and Harry found himself wanting to keep this side of Draco for as long as possible.

"Hey," Harry said quietly, breaking the gentle quiet.

Draco turned his head, raising a brow. "Hmm?"

"You're mother followed through with the Black tradition," Harry said, a playful smile tugging at his lips. "So... you were named after a star."

"Don't remind me," Draco rolled his eyes in good humor. Then he smirked, the memory clearly bringing back some of that old arrogance. "Of course. Draco, the constellation. My mother always said I was destined for greatness."

It was Harry's turn to roll his eyes, but there was fondness in it now. "Show me, then. Show me your star."

Draco shifted, sitting up slightly as he scanned the sky. His fingers gently brushed Harry's arm as he pointed upward, guiding Harry's gaze to the constellation etched across the heavens.

"There," Draco said, his voice low and soft. "See that curve of stars? That's the tail of the dragon. And that bright one, right at the heart—that's Eltanin, the Gamma Draconis. My star."

Harry stared up at the constellation, the dragon shape becoming clearer as Draco traced it with his hand. The stars twinkled brilliantly, and Harry felt a strange sense of connection—like this moment was more than just a quiet night together. It was an understanding of who Draco was, the pride and the legacy he carried.

"It's beautiful," Harry said, his voice almost a whisper. He turned his head toward Draco, their eyes meeting again.

Draco's smirk softened into something more genuine. "I suppose it is."

They sat in silence for a few moments longer, their gazes drifting between the stars and each other, the night wrapping them in its quiet embrace.

"Well, Potter," Draco finally murmured, his tone lighter again. "Now you can say you've spent the night with a star."

Harry chuckled, shaking his head. "I think I already have."

Draco’s smirk widened, but there was a softness in his eyes that made Harry’s chest tighten. Underneath the sarcasm and the wit, there was something real between them, something that went far deeper than the past they had shared. Draco’s breath caught, and for a moment, Harry wondered if he’d gone too far, if he’d been too forward. But then Draco turned to him, his grey eyes shimmering in the starlight, and the teasing smile that played on his lips melted into something more sincere.

“Always the Gryffindor, aren’t you?” Draco murmured, his voice low, almost fond.

Harry felt his pulse quicken as Draco leaned in, just a fraction, their faces inches apart. He could feel Draco’s breath on his skin, warm and inviting, and everything around them seemed to fade away. The world was just them, sitting under the stars, sharing a moment that felt fragile but perfect.

And then, slowly, almost hesitantly, Draco closed the distance between them. His lips brushed against Harry’s, soft and tentative, and Harry’s heart leapt in his chest. It wasn’t like the first kiss—impulsive and charged. This one was slower, more deliberate. It was filled with the promise of something real.

Harry kissed him back, his hand gently finding its way to the back of Draco’s neck, pulling him closer. The kiss deepened, and for a moment, all the tension, all the uncertainty, melted away. It was just them, under the vast night sky, lost in each other.

When they finally pulled apart, both breathing a little heavier, Draco smirked, his face still inches from Harry’s. “Not bad, Potter.”

Harry grinned, feeling a mix of exhilaration and disbelief. “Not bad yourself.”

Draco settled back down beside him, his shoulder brushing Harry’s, and they lapsed into a comfortable silence, watching the stars twinkle overhead. It wasn’t perfect, and there were still things left unsaid, but for tonight, it was enough.

For the first time in a long time, Harry felt at complete peace.

Chapter Text

The morning sun streamed into the Great Hall, casting a warm glow over the long tables. Harry sat at the Gryffindor table, trying to stifle a yawn as he lazily pushed scrambled eggs around his plate. His head was heavy, sleep-deprived after staying up the entire night with Draco in the Astronomy Tower. Across the hall, at the Slytherin table, Draco mirrored his exhaustion, his face barely hiding how tired he was. They exchanged a quick glance, both smiling tiredly, as their respective friends surrounded them, bursting with curiosity.

"Oi, mate!" Ron whispered excitedly, leaning over the table toward Harry. "You look like you’ve barely slept. Come on, spill! How was the date?"

"Yeah," added Hermione, though her tone was more restrained. She had a knowing look in her eyes, as if she already guessed how the night had gone. "We want details."

"And no skipping. We want all the juicy details," Sirius wiggled his eyebrows. Earning him a playful nudge on the shoulder by Remus.

Harry chuckled, rubbing his eyes. "It was… nice. Really nice, actually. We talked a lot."

"You talked," Sirius said dumbfounded. "All night?"

"Yeah," Harry blushed. "Just talking. No funny business."

"Just talking, huh?" Ron grinned, nudging Harry with his elbow. "Sure, mate. Just talking all night up in the Astronomy Tower with Malfoy."

"It was just talking!" Harry said, shooting both Ron and Sirius a playful glare. “Okay, there was some wine. And maybe a kiss, but we mostly just… talked. About a lot of things.”

"And they kissed," Sirius exclaimed dramatically. "Did you hear that, my love?"

"Yes, I did," Remus smiled at his boyfriend.

Lily beamed. "I'm glad it went well. You both look like you had a good time, even if you’re half asleep now."

"I told you my master plan would work," James teased Lily.

"That party was ages ago." Lily rolled her eyes, though she was clearly amused. "Don't take the credit. Hermione and Pansy gave them the final push they needed."

Over at the Slytherin table, Blaise and Pansy were equally relentless with their teasing.

"Merlin, Draco, you look like you’ve been dragged through a hedge backward," Blaise said with a smirk, casually biting into a piece of toast. "That’s what you get for staying out all night with Potter."

Pansy grinned wickedly. "I’m surprised you’re still sitting with us and not swooning over him across the hall. Don’t think we haven’t noticed the stolen glances.”

Draco rolled his eyes, but his lips twitched into a small smile. "We had a good time, alright? You lot don’t need to make a spectacle out of it."

Pansy leaned in, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, we don’t need to make a spectacle, do we? Draco Malfoy going on a date with Harry Potter doesn’t count as one?"

"Shut up, Pansy," Draco muttered, though there was no real bite to his words.

The conversations at both tables continued, filled with teasing, excitement, and the inevitable questions, but it was clear that both Harry and Draco were trying to shake off their sleepiness. Their friends, however, couldn’t be more thrilled that the night had gone so well.

After breakfast, Hermione found the Marauders and Lily near the entrance to the Great Hall. James was laughing about something Sirius had said, Remus had his usual calm demeanor, and Lily was reading a scrap of parchment, looking deep in thought.

"Hey, Hermione," Lily greeted with a smile when she noticed her approach. "You look like you’ve been thinking hard. Everything alright?"

Hermione sighed, a mix of frustration and determination in her expression. "We’ve hit a bit of a dead end with the Horcrux research. Everything the Hogwarts Library has to offer, we’ve already gone through. There’s nothing else here that can help us track them down."

"That’s not good," Remus said, his brow furrowing. "We were hoping to find more clues. We need to be as prepared as possible for when we return to our time. The quicker we handle it, the less likely we'll influence the future in You Know Who's advantage."

"Yeah," Hermione agreed. "We’ve made some progress with the information you all gathered, but it’s slow. Too slow. We can’t just sit around and wait any longer. If we’re serious about stopping Voldemort in your timeline, we need to start looking outside Hogwarts."

"She’s right," James said, frowning. "If we don’t speed things up, we don't know how much time Minnie can still give us."

Sirius stretched, looking around the group. "So, what do we do? Go off on a wild goose chase across the country? I love a good adventure as much as the next Marauder, but we need a plan."

Hermione gave a determined nod. "Exactly. We need to prepare to leave Hogwarts. There are places we can visit—Gringotts, old Death Eater hideouts, even some of the spots Harry, Ron, and I went to during the War. But to do any of that, we need permission to leave the school grounds."

Lily pursed her lips thoughtfully. "That means talking to McGonagall. She said she'd like to help us in any way. She'll agree and maybe even accompany us."

"I’ll speak to her first," Sirius smirked. "She likes me best."

"How about I approach her," Lily proposed, turning to face Hermione. "You’ve done so much already, let us help carry more of the burden. We too want this plan has to move forward."

"I’ll come with you," Remus said quietly. "McGonagall will want to know that we’re serious about this."

"And I think she’ll listen more if she hears it from all of us," James added. "We haven't told her you know about our identity yet. I believe she'll appreciate it if we inform her of the full situation at hand."

With a nod of agreement, the group headed toward McGonagall’s office, their footsteps echoing down the corridor. The mood had shifted from light-hearted banter at breakfast to the heavy weight of the task ahead. The time travellers had had their fun getting to know Harry and encouraging him in his love life. So much fun, they had gotten carried away from their task at hand.

When they reached the stone gargoyle guarding the entrance to McGonagall’s office, Lily took a deep breath before speaking the password. The stone gargoyle leapt aside, revealing the spiral staircase. They ascended, their collective resolve stronger than ever. As they approached the door, Lily glanced back at the group. "Ready?"

"Ready as we’ll ever be," Sirius muttered, though his usual playful smirk was absent. This time, they were walking into something much bigger than pranks or schoolyard rivalries.

Hermione knocked on the door. Moments later, Professor McGonagall’s stern voice called them in.

"Miss Granger, Mr. Devaughn, Mr. Pierce, Mr. Pierce, Miss Rose…" McGonagall glanced around the group as they entered. Her sharp eyes caught the tension in their faces, and she raised an eyebrow. "What brings you all here together?"

Hermione stepped forward, her voice clear and confident. "Professor, I know who they really are."

If McGonagall was alarmed by the situation, she didn't let it show. Instead, she was letting her glance move over the faces of the four time travellers. "I see."

"She's quite a bright witch," James chuckled.

"And she's been helping us, doing research on where the Horcruxes might have been located during our time." Lily explained the situation briefly. "Thanks to Hermione's help, we’ve made progress with our research, but we’ve hit a wall. There’s nothing more in the library that can help us. We’re ready to take the next step, but we need to leave Hogwarts to do it."

McGonagall’s expression tightened. "You’re asking for permission to leave the school?"

"Yes," Hermione said firmly. "I think it'd be helpful if we could access archives. We need to know when someone moved, or when someone died and who got the inheritance, among other things. There are so many variables that we need to take into account before they're able to go back to their time and hunt the Horcruxes themselves. But to collect new input, we need your support."

There was a long pause as McGonagall studied them, her gaze lingering on each face. Finally, she sighed and leaned back in her chair.

"I had hoped it wouldn’t come to this so soon," she admitted. "But I trust your judgment, Miss Granger. I trust all of you." She gave each of them a measured look. "Very well. I will grant you permission to leave Hogwarts on this mission. But be careful. The outside world is dangerous, and the stakes are high."

"Thank you, Professor," Remus said quietly.

McGonagall nodded, her expression serious. "Would you like me to come along with you? I'd have to make arrangements so someone else can take over my responsibilities during my absence."

"Maybe it's better if you stayed," Lily said. "It'd bring attention if you were to leave."

"Agreed," James said. "I know you mentioned how you didn't like professor Dumbledore training Harry to be the Saviour to carry the burden. But there are five of us. And besides, in our time, we cannot trust anyone extra with this information so we'll have to do it ourselves anyway."

"Like this is a trial run," Remus added.

"I don't like this one bit," McGonagall pinched her lips.

"But professor—," Sirius started to protest but got quickly silenced by the hard glare McGonagall gave him.

"I get the reasoning, Mr. Black," she clarified. "But that doesn't mean I have to like it." She sighed before walking around her desk and taking out two mirrors. James and Sirius immediately recognized them. "During the war, they got broken but I had them repaired. I was planning to return them to Harry for his birthday but I guess you can borrow them in the meantime. Please take one of these and if you need help, don't hesitate to reach out. I'll carry it with me at all times."

"People might think you're becoming vain," Sirius teased lightly while taking the mirror from her. "Walking around with a hand mirror all the time."

"It's a sacrifice I must make." And Sirius could have sworn McGonagall had the beginning of a smile on her face when she said it.

Chapter Text

The narrow street leading to the Ministry of Magic’s visitor entrance was eerily quiet in the early hours of the morning. Hermione, James, Lily, Remus, and Sirius walked with purpose, their hoods pulled low to avoid attention. The weight of the task ahead settled on their shoulders like a heavy cloak, though none of them spoke of it. The cool wind of dawn blew across their robes and their breath formed small clouds in the cool, crisp air as they approached the red telephone box that served as the Ministry's hidden entrance.

James pulled the Invisibility Cloak out from under his robes, shaking it open with a flourish. "This is going to be our best friend today," he said, a grin breaking through the tension.

Sirius gasped, "I thought I was your best friend!"

Remus chuckled, "Focus, my star."

Lily shook her head fondly, the blossoming love life of the two warmed her, before turning to James with an eyebrow raised. "One cloak for all of us? I know it's spacious, but there's no way it'll fit the five of us."

"That’s why I've asked Harry to borrow his. We’ll be splitting up," Hermione replied, pulling out a map of the Ministry she’d carefully studied the night before. "We’ll need to gather information from different departments. We can’t risk all of us moving around together. It would draw too much attention."

"Right," Lily agreed, her eyes scanning the map. "So, what’s the plan?"

"James, Sirius, and I will head to the Department of Mysteries first. That’s where the trickiest and most guarded information will be. We need to be careful," Hermione said. "Lily, you and Remus should head to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. They have old case files and information on magical properties. They might have records on some of the places where Voldemort or his followers hid Horcruxes."

Lily nodded. "Makes sense. We’ll dig through everything we can find on properties that passed through Death Eater hands."

Sirius grinned, his usual excitement for mischief bubbling just below the surface. "And the rest of us are going to sneak into the Department of Mysteries under the cloak. Now that sounds like fun."

“This is it,” Hermione said softly, glancing around. “Everyone ready?”

Sirius grinned, though the gleam in his eyes was more determined than mischievous today. "Always ready for a bit of law-breaking, Granger."

James shot him a look but smiled nonetheless. “Let’s not get carried away, Pads. We’re here for answers, not Azkaban.”

Lily stepped forward and opened the door to the telephone box, motioning for them to squeeze in. “Come on, all of you. Let’s get inside before someone notices five people hanging around a Muggle phone booth.”

It was a tight fit, but somehow, they all managed to cram inside. James went for the receiver, lifting it to his ear and pausing. “What’s the code again, Hermione?”

Hermione rolled her eyes, though her tone was patient. “62442. Spells ‘magic.’”

James dialed the number, and with a mechanical click, the voice of the Ministry's welcome service echoed through the box.

“Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business.”

James cleared his throat, feigning an official tone. “Dale Devaughn, here for business with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.”

He looked at Lily, who smiled briefly before stepping forward. “Rose Pierce, same business.”

Sirius couldn’t resist a smirk as he stepped forward. “Samuel Pierce, also here for business. Very serious business.”

Remus sighed but followed suit. “Remus Devaughn, accompanying them.”

Hermione, last to speak, gave the receiver a firm look as if she could will it to behave. “Hermione Granger, here to assist.”

There was a pause, and then, with a jolt, the telephone box began to sink into the ground. The walls of the box vibrated as they descended deeper into the earth, their surroundings gradually giving way to the atrium of the Ministry of Magic below.

As the box opened and they stepped into the atrium, the familiar grandeur of the Ministry hit them. The polished floors gleamed under the enchanted ceiling, which reflected a magical sky. The fountain at the center was still, though its statues of witches, wizards, and magical creatures loomed ominously over the space.

“Feels strange to be back here,” Hermione murmured. The Ministry held memories of fear and chaos from the final battle during the war.

James leaned in, his voice low. “Let’s just hope we leave without incident this time.”

Sirius, however, seemed entirely unfazed. He was scanning the room with his usual nonchalance, though Hermione knew better than to assume he wasn’t on high alert. “Ah, the Ministry. A lovely place to wreak a little havoc, if you ask me.”

“We’re not here for havoc,” Remus reminded him quietly. “We have to be careful. The Ministry is full of eyes and ears.”

Hermione nodded, her mind already racing through the plan. “Remember, the Department of Mysteries and the Department of Magical Law Enforcement are our main targets. We’re splitting up, and we’ll meet back here in an hour. James, Sirius, and I will handle the Department of Mysteries. Lily, Remus—you’re going to look through the archives in Magical Law Enforcement. There might be more clues on Voldemort’s movements.”

Lily exchanged a glance with Remus and nodded. “Got it.”

James reached into his robe and pulled out the Invisibility Cloak. The silvery fabric shimmered in the Ministry’s soft light. “Hermione and Sirius, under the cloak with me. We’ll slip into the Department of Mysteries without being seen.”

Sirius grabbed one end of the cloak, winking at Hermione. “I love this thing. You could get into so much trouble with it.”

Hermione shot him a look. “Focus, Sirius.”

James draped the cloak over himself, Hermione, and Sirius, effectively hiding them from view. "Let’s move. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover."

With the three of them concealed, the group entered the Ministry, navigating their way through the bustling atrium. Lily and Remus hung back, before disappearing below the second cloak and keeping to the edges of the crowd as they made their way toward their assigned department. The tension in the air was palpable; they all knew how high the stakes were. Any misstep could not only derail their mission but also expose them before they were ready to act.

As they entered the lift, Hermione, James, and Sirius moved silently under the cloak, avoiding any contact with the few Ministry employees who shared the space. The lift creaked as it descended deeper into the Ministry, stopping at the Department of Mysteries.

When the doors opened, Hermione whispered, "We’ll need to be extra cautious. The Unspeakables are highly trained, and there are wards and security spells everywhere."

"Great," Sirius muttered. "Sounds like a challenge."

James smirked, nudging Sirius. "Just keep quiet, yeah?"

"I'll do my best," Sirius gave him his biggest smile.

They slipped out of the lift, careful not to brush against anyone as they made their way through the labyrinth of corridors. The Department of Mysteries was just as eerie and confusing as Harry had once described it—endless doors, each leading to rooms filled with unknown magic.

Hermione led the way, whispering, "We need access to the Hall of Prophecies. Through there, we can enter the room that holds the records of ancient magic. If there’s any place that holds information on Horcruxes, it’ll be here."

After a few tense minutes of sneaking through the department, they found the entrance to the Hall of Prophecies. Hermione reached into her bag and pulled out a small, enchanted lockpick.

"Learned this from Fred and George," she whispered with a small grin. James and Sirius watched as Hermione carefully picked the lock. A faint click signaled success, and the heavy door swung open. They slipped inside, still cloaked, and were immediately surrounded by towering shelves, each filled with glowing orbs. "We’re not here for the prophecies," Hermione reminded them.

“Alright, where to?” Sirius whispered, his voice barely audible under the cloak.

"The records room should be further ahead." They crept along the corridor, careful to avoid detection. Occasionally, the sound of footsteps echoed through the hall, but they managed to duck out of sight each time, the cloak concealing them perfectly.

They moved carefully through the hall until they found a smaller, unmarked door at the back. Hermione picked this lock as well, and they stepped inside what appeared to be an ancient records room. The shelves were lined with dusty books, scrolls, and documents detailing all manner of magical artifacts and historical events.

"Start searching," Hermione whispered, pulling the cloak back just enough for them to move freely inside the room. "We’re looking for anything about the artifacts before they became Horcruxes, dark magic, or places tied to Voldemort."

James and Sirius immediately began rifling through shelves, while Hermione carefully examined an ancient ledger. Time seemed to stretch endlessly as they scoured the archives. The atmosphere was thick with tension, each of them acutely aware that they were not supposed to be here.

After what felt like hours, Sirius let out a soft whistle. "Found something," he let out a triumphant whisper, holding up an old, tattered parchment. "It’s a record of magical objects flagged as cursed. Some of these match the descriptions Harry gave you—Horcruxes hidden in enchanted places."

Hermione hurried over to inspect the parchment. Her eyes widened as she read. "This is exactly what we need. It mentions an old family heirloom—a locket tied to the Gaunt family. That must be Slytherin’s locket."

James nodded, his brow furrowed in concentration. "And the other places listed here… these could be leads. We need to take this."

Hermione carefully copied the information down, ensuring they didn’t leave a trace of their intrusion. "Alright, we’ve got what we need. Let’s get out of here."

They slipped back under the cloak and quietly made their way out of the Department of Mysteries, avoiding the few wandering Unspeakables as they went.

Meanwhile, in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Lily and Remus sifted through old case files and property records. Lily was laser-focused, her hands moving deftly through piles of parchment.

"Anything useful?" Remus asked quietly, scanning his own stack of documents.

"Not yet," Lily murmured, biting her lip. "But I have a feeling we’re close. The Lestrange's... the have so many properties. Some of them, Death Eaters used. There must be something here."

Remus was about to respond when he spotted an old file marked "Riddle House." His heart quickened. "Lily, look at this."

Lily peered over his shoulder. "Riddle House… that’s the Muggle name Hermione mentioned, isn’t it?"

"Yes," Remus said, flipping through the file. "There’s a record of the house close to the one of the Gaunt's. It states that the Muggles who died there, were all killed using the killing curse. This could be one of the places where he hid a Horcrux. The one Dumbledore retrieved on his own."

Lily nodded, her mind already racing ahead. "We need to cross-reference this with Hermione’s research. But this could very well be it. The place Harry didn't know about."

Just as they finished copying down the necessary information, they heard footsteps approaching. Quickly, Lily stuffed the documents back into place, and the two of them hurried out of the office before they could be discovered.

By the time both groups reunited in the Ministry’s atrium, they had what they needed. With a quick glance at each other, they slipped back into the telephone box and ascended to the surface.

As the bright light of day hit them once more, Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. “We’ve got what we came for.”

Lily smiled, though her eyes were still filled with worry. “Now we just have to figure out how to get back to 1977.”

James grinned, clapping her on the back. "Piece of cake, right?"

"Sure," Sirius said, grin wide. "Just your average, everyday life-or-death mission."

Chapter Text

Professor McGonagall’s office was quieter than usual. The stone walls seemed to absorb the heavy atmosphere, and the flickering light of the fireplace cast shadows over the group. Hermione sat with James, Sirius, Lily, and Remus, all of them leaning forward in their chairs, their faces tense with anticipation. They had done the research, gathered the clues, and now they were about to take the final step: returning to 1977.

McGonagall stood behind her desk, her sharp eyes softening as they moved over the group. She had known this moment was coming, but that didn’t make it any easier. "So," she said, her voice steady but carrying the weight of their mission, "you’re all certain about this? Returning to 1977… hunting Horcruxes… changing the future... it’s incredibly dangerous."

James nodded, his jaw tight with resolve. "We’re ready, Professor. We’ve got the information we need. Voldemort won’t see us coming."

"You’ve done all you can to prepare. And I trust you’ll succeed," McGonagall replied, glancing at Hermione, who shifted nervously in her seat. "Did you say your goodbyes?"

Hermione bit her lip. She had known all along that this moment would come—the moment she had to send James, Lily, Sirius, and Remus back to their time. It felt strange to think of Hogwarts without them now, and stranger still to imagine the enormity of what they would face.

"We've said goodbye to Harry," Lily exchanged a glance with James. "Even though I know I'll see him, it was hard."

James took her hand in his. "He turned out to be a wonderful young man. He deserves the best of childhoods." Turned to McGonagall, his expression resolute. "We're prepared to do anything to give him that. We’ll track down the Horcruxes, one by one. And we’ll destroy them. This time, we know what we’re up against."

Sirius stretched in his chair, his usual bravado tempered with seriousness. "Not that we won’t miss you, Granger, or Weasely for that matter, but we’ll meet again. I'm sure you and Harry will become friends in the new future as well."

McGonagall turned her gaze to the fireplace, where a faint green glow flickered—Floo powder, already prepared for their departure. Her expression hardened with a mixture of determination and concern. "I’ve discussed the matter with Professor Dumbledore's portrait. We’ve worked out the time-travel spells necessary to send you back to the precise moment you left in 1977. You’ll appear in his office."

James cracked a grin. "No pressure, then."

McGonagall couldn’t help but smile slightly at his confidence. "The moment you step through that fireplace, the timeline will realign. Everything you do will impact the future. So be careful."

"Careful?" Sirius gave a low laugh. "That’s not really in our style."

Remus elbowed him gently. "We’ll make it our style."

McGonagall moved toward the fireplace, lifting a small vial of shimmering silver liquid—Time-Turner essence, mixed with a powerful charm to ensure they landed safely in their own time. "Once you’ve returned to 1977," she said, her voice quieter now, "you must immediately brief Dumbledore and myself on the Horcruxes. We’ll help where we can."

Lily stood, her face calm but her eyes bright with determination. "We understand, Professor. We’ll do what we have to."

The others followed her lead, standing in front of the fireplace as McGonagall prepared the Floo powder. For a moment, there was silence—only the crackle of the fire and the distant sounds of Hogwarts filling the air. It was surreal, knowing they were about to step back into a time that no longer belonged to them, and yet was their past.

Hermione stepped forward, her hand outstretched toward Lily. "I wish you didn’t have to go through this," she said softly. "But I know you’ll succeed."

Lily squeezed Hermione’s hand, her expression softening. "Thank you, Hermione. For everything."

Sirius clapped Hermione on the shoulder. "Don’t get too soppy now, Granger. We’ll be fine. You’ll see us again in 15 years or so."

"Take care of Harry," James added, his voice low but filled with meaning. "He’ll need you, no matter what happens."

Hermione nodded, swallowing back the lump in her throat. "I will."

With that, McGonagall stepped forward, her wand raised as she muttered the incantation that would activate the Time-Turner charm. The silver liquid swirled in the vial, shimmering as it took effect. The green flames in the fireplace roared to life, casting an emerald glow over the room.

"Step in, one at a time," McGonagall instructed. "The charm will take you back to the precise moment you left."

James was the first to step forward. He turned to the group, flashing his usual confident grin. "See you all on the other side." And with that, he stepped into the flames and disappeared.

Sirius followed, his expression unusually serious as he gave Hermione and McGonagall a nod. "We’ll finish what we started." In an instant, he too was gone.

Remus was next. He hesitated for a brief moment, then gave Hermione a small smile. "Keep an eye on Teddy as well. And keep him safe." He stepped into the flames and vanished.

Lily was the last to go. She turned to Hermione, her green eyes bright with determination. "Thank you," she whispered. "For everything you’ve done for us." Then, with a deep breath, she stepped into the flames, disappearing into the past.

The room fell silent. The fire crackled softly, the emerald glow fading as the charm completed its work. Hermione stood still for a moment, staring at the empty fireplace. It felt strange, watching them leave, knowing they would face the most dangerous challenge of their lives without her.

McGonagall’s voice broke the silence. "They’ll succeed," she said softly. "I know they will."

Hermione nodded, though the weight of the situation pressed down on her. "I know."

McGonagall gave her a brief, reassuring look. "Come, Miss Granger. Let’s prepare for what comes next."

James, Sirius, Lily, and Remus stumbled out of the fireplace and into the familiar surroundings of Dumbledore’s office. The room was unchanged, its walls lined with bookshelves and enchanted trinkets. The old headmaster sat behind his desk, his piercing blue eyes twinkling with the same knowing look they had always carried.

Professor McGonagall—now younger, sharper—stood by his side, her gaze narrowing as she took in the group. "You’ve returned," she said, her voice both stern and relieved. "Good."

Dumbledore leaned forward slightly, his fingers steepled. "And I trust you’ve brought answers?"

Lily stepped forward, her voice calm but filled with urgency. "We have, Professor. We know a way to stop this war before it escalates. How much do you know about Horcruxes are?"

As they began to outline their plan, the weight of the future hung heavy in the air. The four young Marauders had returned to their time with knowledge of the darkest secrets of Voldemort’s soul. And now, they would set out to destroy him—one Horcrux at a time.

Chapter Text

Sirius had barely stepped into the abandoned classroom before he heard the voice.

“Where the hell have you been, Sirius?”

So that was who send him the anonymous note... How had he not recognised his own brothers handwriting?

The anger in Regulus’s voice was sharp and immediate, catching him off guard. Sirius turned to face his younger brother, who stood in the shadows, his arms crossed tightly over his chest, his face flushed with fury.

"Reg," Sirius started, holding up his hands in a placating gesture. "I can explain."

"Explain?" Regulus’s voice rose, echoing through the empty room. His grey eyes, usually so calm and calculating, were blazing with anger. "You’ve been gone for six months, Sirius. Months. And in that time—" His voice cracked. "They forced me to take the Dark Mark."

The words hit Sirius like a punch to the gut. He froze, his mind racing. Sirius knew exactly what his younger brother was talking about. No. Not Regulus. His throat tightened, a wave of guilt crashing over him. He had been so focused on their mission in the future, on fighting Voldemort and the Horcruxes, that he hadn’t checked in on the current present. Sirius had vowed to change the future so his little brother wouldn't die, though he hadn't released Regulus' suffering had already begon.

"They did what?" Sirius growled, his eyes widening. He closed the gap between them, his heart pounding. "Reg, I—"

"I wrote to you!" Regulus shouted, taking a step toward his brother, his fists clenched at his sides. His face was red, his voice raw with emotion. "I begged you to help me. I pleaded with you. And you ignored me! I had no choice. You left me to deal with them alone."

Sirius’s heart sank. He remembered the long nights spent laughing with the Golden Trio of the future, scouring old documents and piecing together the Horcrux locations with Hermione and his fellow Marauders, completely unaware of what was happening in his own time. He hadn’t been there for Regulus, hadn’t been there when his brother was being dragged deeper into the darkness.

"Reg, listen to me," Sirius began, trying to keep his voice steady. "It’s not what you think. I didn’t ignore you. I wasn’t even—"

"You weren’t what, Sirius?" Regulus spat. "You weren’t here? You were never here!"

Sirius swallowed hard, his frustration bubbling beneath the surface. He wanted to lash out, to argue, but that wouldn’t help. Regulus had every right to be angry.

“I wasn’t here because I’ve been—” he hesitated, raking his hand through his hair, “I’ve been time traveling. We—Lily, James, Remus, and I—were sent to the future. To Harry’s time. You don't know him yet, but he's James' and Lily's future kid. In his time, he stopped You-Know-Who. Now, fueled with the information of the future, we’re trying to stop The Dark Lord by destroying Horcruxes before he becomes too powerful. You know about Horcruxes? Do you remember what dear mother said about those?”

Regulus’s eyes narrowed, his skepticism clear. “Time travel? You expect me to believe that? Is that really the best thing you can come up with? You're losing your feathers, brother dearest.”

"I know it sounds mad, but it’s the truth," Sirius insisted, his voice urgent now. "We’ve been tracking down You-Know-Who’s Horcruxes—pieces of his soul that he’s hidden away to make himself immortal. We’re trying to destroy them before he can rise to full power. That’s why I wasn’t here."

Regulus stared at him, disbelief etched on his face. "You expect me to believe that you’ve been playing time traveler while I’ve been stuck in hell, being forced into the Dark Lord’s service?"

"Yes," Sirius said firmly, meeting his brother’s gaze. "That’s exactly what I’m telling you."

Regulus shook his head, stepping back. "This is insane. You’re lying to cover up the fact that you left me. You always leave."

Sirius’s frustration snapped. "Fine. You don’t believe me? Come with us. We’re going after one of the Horcruxes tonight—the diadem of Ravenclaw. It’s hidden at Hogwarts, and we’re going to destroy it."

Regulus blinked, momentarily thrown off by the sudden challenge. "What?"

"Come with us," Sirius repeated, his voice hard. "You’ll see for yourself. Then you can call me a liar all you want."

Regulus hesitated, his mind clearly racing, but his anger hadn’t faded. "You’re serious about this?"

Sirius nodded. "I'm always serious."

Regulus snorted, "That joke became old after the first time you said it."

"It will never turn old," Sirius gave his younger brother a small smile. "I do mean it.  We’re going after it tonight."

The room was thick with tension as Regulus looked at his brother, searching for any sign of deception. After a long pause, he finally gave a curt nod.

"Fine. I’ll come."

The journey through the secret passages of Hogwarts was silent. Regulus stayed close to Sirius, his face set in a frown of determination, but his eyes darted around warily. They made their way through the halls under James’s Invisibility Cloak, with Lily leading them to the Room of Requirement where the diadem had been hidden.

"Why is Evans here instead of Pettigrew?" Regulus asked his brother, ever since their return the dynamics between the four Marauders and Lily Evans had shifted.

"After tonight, after you saw the evidence with your own two eyes and you believe me, I'll explain it all," Sirius swore.

As they reached the Room of Requirement, the door appeared before them, and Sirius gave Regulus a meaningful look. "Watch," he said quietly. They entered the vast, cluttered room, filled with discarded objects, lost items, and long-forgotten relics.

"This room could use some cleaning," Remus mumbled.

"If mother saw this, she'd go insane," Regulus agreed.

"She's already nuts," Sirius chuckled humorlessly. "But it sure would set her off into another cursing match."

Both Black brothers shivered. The memory of the Cruciatus curse was forever edged into their minds.

Remus took the older Black brother in his arms and gave him a perk on the lips. "She cannot hurt you anymore."

Regulus stared at the two of them. He had noticed his brother being extra flirty and touchy with his Marauder friend. After seeing the two of them longing for each other and finally realizing that themselves, Reg was glad that his brother found happiness. He wished to find his own soulmate as well.

James was observing the Slytherin boy. He was always a bit wary of the young Black sibling. The two of them looked so much alike, yet were so different in character. But both were brave and strong in their own way. The fact that they survived Walburga Black and still turned out with such moral values was evidence of it. James felt warm inside that Regulus accepted Sirius' and Remus' relationship. James knew Pads would have let it get to him if his brother had disapproved. In that moment, James vowed he would get more involved in the other Black's life as well. His parents would welcome the younger boy with open arms. They had always wondered how to approach the other Black sibling. Now that Reg would be staying with Sirius over summer, James knew his parents would pamper the youngest as well.

"You're not going to let me search on my own, are you?" Lily put her hands on her hips and raised one eyebrow. She looked like a furious woman. Though the gleam in her eyes betrayed her playful demeanor.

The group split up. The Black brothers paired together, Sirius not wanting to leave his brothers side. Remus and Lily went a different route and James went off on his own. After what felt like hours, the other heard Sirius yell, "Look!" Sirius pointed to a small platform near the far end of the room where the diadem of Ravenclaw rested.

Regulus’s eyes widened as he saw it. "That’s…?"

"That must be the Horcrux Hermione mentioned," Sirius whispered, her voice tense. "A piece of Voldemort’s soul."

"Hermione?" Regulus asked confused. 

"I'll bring you up to speed after tonight," Sirius assured the other while approaching the diadem.

Sirius turned to Regulus, "How's your Fiendfyre, little brother? You able to control it?"

"Mother made us practice until we fainted," Reg frowned. "Of course I'm able to control it. I'm a Black."

"Then, will you do the honors?" Sirius smiled. "I'm here in case things go south."

"It won't," Regulus assured his older brother, straitening his spine.

Regulus hesitated before raising his wand. His eyes flicked from the diadem to Sirius, as if searching for confirmation that this was real. Sirius nodded, and after a deep breath, Regulus and casting the spell. Fire sizzled as it touched the surface, and an eerie scream echoed through the room. The diadem cracked and shattered, the dark magic within it dissipating into the air.

"That's it?" Regulus stumbled back, his face pale with shock. "That was… a part of him?"

Sirius nodded grimly. "Yeah. One down, several more to go."

"You did well, Regulus," James said. The younger Black turned around, he hadn't noticed the others joining them.

For a moment, Regulus was silent, still processing what had just happened. Then, slowly, he turned to Sirius, his voice quiet but filled with disbelief. "You’re telling the truth."

"I am," Sirius replied softly. "And I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you needed me. But I’m here now."

Regulus looked down at his arm, where the Dark Mark was burned into his skin, even though he had tried to scrape it off with a knife, and his expression hardened with guilt and regret. "I didn’t want this, Sirius. I didn’t want any of this."

"I know," Sirius said, stepping closer to his brother. "And you don’t have to stay there. You don’t have to go back to them."

Regulus looked up at him, his voice small. "But where would I go? If I defy them, if I leave…"

"You’ll stay with me," Sirius said firmly. "I have an apartment. You’ll come with me during the summer. You don’t have to go back to Grimmauld Place. Not ever again."

Regulus blinked, his eyes widening in surprise. "You’d do that? For me?"

Sirius smiled, a sad but determined smile. "Of course. You’re my brother, Reg. I’m not leaving you behind again."

There was a long pause as Regulus took in Sirius’s words. Finally, he gave a small, hesitant nod. "Okay."

"Oh, thank Merlin," James sigh-laughed in relief. "Ever since Sirius moved in, my mother has been looking for the perfect excuse to informally adopt you. Now, she doesn't need to resolve to kidnapping."

Lily gave her silly boyfriend a playful slap on the head. "Nice timing, they were totally not having a moment."

Sirius laughed, a bit on the nervous side. He had feared Reg would refuse his offer. "Mrs. Potter is amazing, Reg. You'll like her." Sirius clapped his brother on the shoulder, a wave of relief washing over him. "We’ll get through this, Reg. Together."

As they left the Room of Requirement, the shattered remains of the diadem still smoldering behind them, Sirius couldn’t help but feel a weight lifting off his shoulders. He had made mistakes—plenty of them—but he wasn’t going to lose Regulus. Not again.

And for the first time in a long while, Regulus felt hope stirring inside him. He wasn’t alone anymore.

Chapter Text

Sirius had been pacing the Gryffindor common room for nearly an hour, his restless energy filling the space as Regulus sat on one of the couches, quietly watching him. They had spent the better part of the last few days bringing Regulus up to speed on everything—the time travel, the Horcruxes, the impending war with the Dark Lord—and although Regulus was adjusting, the atmosphere between the brothers was still tense. There was so much unsaid, so much buried under years of separation and misunderstanding.

"Are you even listening, Reg?" Sirius finally asked, stopping mid-step to glare at his younger brother.

Regulus leaned back, folding his arms. "I’m listening. You’ve been saying the same thing over and over."

Sirius scoffed. "Because it’s important. If we’re going to pull this off, you need to be fully aware of how dangerous it is."

"I get it," Regulus said quietly. His voice was calm but resolute. "I know what I signed up for. I’m not the same kid who followed Mother and Father’s every command. Besides, it appears my future self was the first one to discover the Dark Lord's secret so please do give me some credit concerning the topic."

Sirius’s expression softened slightly, but before he could respond, the portrait hole opened and James, Remus, Lily, and Marlene McKinnon entered, followed by Peter, who hung back slightly, as though unsure of his place. The Marauders hadn’t had a real conversation with Peter since Sirius, James, and Remus had returned from the future, and the tension had only grown thicker between them. Sirius especially hadn’t hidden his distrust.

James took one look at Sirius’s stormy expression and sighed, already knowing where this was going. "Are we really going to go through this again?" he asked, rubbing the back of his neck. "We need to talk about Peter."

Sirius’s eyes darkened immediately. "I don’t need to talk about anything with him."

Peter flinched at the sharp tone but didn’t say anything, keeping his gaze fixed on the floor. The poor boy had no idea what he did wrong to earn his friends wrath and since anyone refused to say what he had done, he tried to keep a distance between himself and Padfoot.

Lily frowned, glancing between Sirius and Peter before speaking up. "Sirius, you can’t keep ignoring this. We know what happens in the future, but Peter hasn’t done anything yet."

"Yet being the key word," Sirius snapped, crossing his arms. "Just because he hasn’t betrayed us now doesn’t mean he won’t. I’m not going to pretend like I trust him."

Remus shifted uncomfortably beside Peter, his voice soft but steady. "We have to at least give him a chance, Sirius. If we treat him like a traitor now, we might be the ones pushing him toward Voldemort."

"You think I care about giving him a chance?" Sirius shot back. "He sold us out in the future. He was the reason James and Lily died. Harry—"

"Harry forgave him," James interrupted, his voice low but firm. "And you know Harry wouldn’t have done that lightly. Look, Pads, I get it. You don’t trust him. But this Peter—" he gestured to the awkward figure standing at the back of the group, "—is still our friend. He hasn’t made that choice yet. We have to believe he can choose differently."

Sirius’s jaw clenched, his eyes never leaving Peter. "I don’t care. I’m not letting him anywhere near this mission."

Regulus, who had been silent up until this point, finally spoke. "He’s your friend. But you’re also fighting a war, and you can’t afford to be sentimental about this."

Sirius looked at his brother, surprised. "You’re agreeing with me?"

"I’m saying be careful. We all know what he’s capable of. But it doesn’t hurt to keep an eye on him rather than completely isolating him," Regulus said calmly, his grey eyes assessing Peter in the same cold, calculating way he had used to navigate the Dark Lord’s inner circle.

"That's very Gryffindor of you," James chuckled.

"Well the Sorting Hat did consider placing me here," Regulus admitted while blushing.

"It what?" Sirius gasped. "You never told me?!"

"After observing how mother and father treated you, I asked the hat to reconsider so it did."

"You persuaded the Sorting Hat?" James laughed. "That is definitely the most Slytherin thing ever."

Lily sighed, rubbing her temple. "Returning to the Peter problem. This isn’t going to be solved right now, but we do need to sort it out. Plus, we need every bit of help we can get. We're stronger together."

Sirius let out a frustrated breath but didn’t argue further. The light mood was gone again, the room fell into an awkward silence, the air thick with unresolved tension. Finally, James clapped his hands, attempting to change the subject.

"Alright, Reg, we need to talk about your plan for the diary and the cup. You mentioned you’d contacted Narcissa?"

Regulus nodded, grateful for the shift. "Yes. I reached out to her yesterday. Narcissa’s always been more focused on the survival of the family than on the Dark Lord’s grand schemes. She believes in the pureblood ideals, but she doesn’t agree with the Dark Lord’s methods. I told her that if she wants to protect her future son as well as save her two sisters, she's best to help us."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "And she agreed? Just like that?"

"Not exactly," Regulus admitted. "But she’s always been practical. She knows the war won’t end well for any of us if the Dark Lord wins. I also played on her concerns about Lucius—he’s been too involved, and she’s worried it’ll cost him his life."

"So they’re willing to turn against him?" Remus asked.

Regulus gave a small nod. "Lucius is more ambitious than Narcissa, but he’s not a fanatic. They’re both afraid of what the Dark Lord will do when he’s truly in power. They’ve agreed to act as double agents. I gave her your instructions to find the diary and cup."

"That’s a huge risk," Sirius said, his voice lined with skepticism. "How do we know they won’t turn us in?"

Regulus met his brother’s gaze steadily. "Because they want to survive. And if they don’t help us, I’ll personally make sure they don’t."

James looked impressed. "Blimey, Reg. You’ve got a Slytherin's cunning after all."

"It’s the only way we’ll win," Regulus said simply.

Later that day, as plans were being finalized, Lily found herself walking down the familiar corridor toward the Potions classroom. Her heart was heavy with memories and unresolved emotions, but she knew this conversation needed to happen.

She found Severus sitting at his usual desk, hunched over a stack of parchment, his quill scratching against the paper. When he noticed her approach, his dark eyes flickered with surprise and something else—something softer, almost hesitant.

"Lily," he greeted, his voice guarded.

"Sev," she said, her voice gentler than it had been in years. She sat down across from him, placing her hands on the desk. "We need to talk."

Severus’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn’t interrupt. He seemed to be waiting, cautious.

"I’m not here to argue with you," she continued. "I’m here because… I don’t want things to stay the way they’ve been between us. We were friends once. Best friends. And I know you chose a path I can’t follow, but I also know you’re not beyond redemption."

Severus’s expression flickered with something like pain, but he quickly masked it. "And what, exactly, do you want from me, Lily?"

Lily sighed, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "I want you to help us. Help stop Voldemort. I know you decided to take his Mark. I know you don’t agree with everything he does, even if you think he’s the answer to some of your problems. But Sev, it’s not too late to change sides. To do the right thing."

For a moment, Severus remained silent, his eyes searching hers, conflicted. He finally spoke, his voice low and hoarse. "Do you really think I can just walk away from him?"

"You can," Lily said softly but firmly. "And I’ll help you. But you have to decide for yourself if you’re willing to."

Severus’s gaze lingered on her for a long moment, the weight of the years between them pressing down on both of them. "I’ll… think about it."

Chapter Text

The tension between Lily and Severus hung in the air like a storm waiting to break. After their initial conversation, Severus had withdrawn, leaving Lily unsure whether he would truly join their cause. It was the middle of the night, and she was pacing the Gryffindor common room, unable to sleep. The fire crackled softly, casting flickering shadows on the walls.

Just as she was about to give up hope, a soft knock on the portrait hole startled her. She opened it to see Severus standing there, his face unreadable in the dim light. His black robes swished silently as he approached, stopping a few feet away. His gaze locked onto hers, filled with something deep and conflicted. Lily was hopeful, inviting him in to talk.

"I’ve made my decision," Severus said, his voice low but clear.

Lily took a breath, steadying herself. "And?"

Severus hesitated for only a moment before he continued. "I’ll do it. I’ll act as a double agent. But you need to understand something, Lily—I’m not doing this out of loyalty to Dumbledore, or even to your cause. I’m doing this for you and because I believe the Dark Lord is going too far, and if he isn’t stopped… everything we care about will be destroyed."

Lily’s heart lifted slightly, though she could hear the underlying reluctance in his voice. "That’s enough, Sev. The reasons don’t matter as much as the fact that you’re willing to help."

He looked away, his jaw tight. "But this isn’t without risk. If the Dark Lord ever suspects me, it’ll be the end for me..."

"I know," Lily said softly, taking a step closer. "But you’re not alone in this. We’ll protect you as much as we can."

Severus met her gaze again, and for a moment, there was a flicker of the boy she had once known, the one who had been her best friend. But it quickly faded, replaced by the hardened man he had become.

"Fine," he muttered. "I’ll start feeding information to you. But this is war, Lily. Don’t expect me to play nice with your friends."

Lily nodded, knowing full well that the road ahead would not be easy. But it was a start—a crack in the wall Severus had built around himself.

Meanwhile, in the Marauders' dormitory, James, Remus, and Sirius sat together on the edge of one of the beds, the weight of an uncomfortable conversation looming over them. Peter sat across from them, wringing his hands nervously. His eyes darted between his friends, waiting for the inevitable judgment.

Sirius was the first to speak, and his voice was gruff, tinged with frustration. "Look, Wormtail, let’s get one thing straight. I still don’t trust you. Not after what happens in the future."

Peter flinched but didn’t argue. He had known this conversation was coming, and he had braced himself for Sirius’s anger.

"But," Sirius continued, grudgingly, "James and Remus seem to think we should give you a chance. That we can’t hold something against you that you haven’t actually done yet." His tone made it clear how much he disliked the idea.

James leaned forward, his expression softer. "Pete, we’re not blaming you for something you haven’t done. It’s just… knowing what could happen, we’re a bit wary. We don’t want to lose you, but you’ve got to understand how hard this is for us."

Peter swallowed hard, guilt and shame swirling in his chest. "I understand," he whispered, his voice cracking. "And I—I’m so sorry. I can’t even imagine… knowing that I—that I could do something so horrible… It makes me sick."

Remus, who had been watching Peter carefully, finally spoke, his tone more measured than Sirius’s but no less serious. "We don’t want you to feel isolated, Peter. But we also need to be careful. If you’re truly on our side, then you’ll understand why we’re cautious. This is bigger than just our friendship now."

Peter nodded quickly, tears welling in his eyes. "I do understand. I swear, I’ll do anything—anything—to prove to you that I’m not like that. I’ll help with the Horcruxes, I’ll fight by your side. Whatever you need."

Sirius crossed his arms, still skeptical. "You’re saying that now, but how do we know you won’t change your mind when things get tough?"

"I won’t," Peter said, his voice trembling with emotion. "I swear, Sirius. I won’t betray you. Not again. I’ll do everything in my power to help stop You-Know-Who."

James exchanged a glance with Remus, and then looked at Sirius. "We’ve got to give him the benefit of the doubt, Pads. He’s still our friend, and we need every bit of help we can get."

Sirius grunted, clearly still unhappy but resigned. "Fine. But if you so much as breathe wrong, Wormtail, I’ll hex you into next week."

Peter gave a weak, watery smile. "I wouldn’t expect anything less."

The tension in the room didn’t fully dissolve, but it eased slightly. They were still a fractured group, but there was hope that, at least for now, they could hold together.

Later that afternoon, Regulus entered the Gryffindor common room with purpose in his step, his usual calm demeanor replaced by something more urgent. Sirius, James, Remus, and Peter were all sitting around the fire when he arrived.

"I’ve got news," Regulus said without preamble. "Narcissa has managed to get both the diary and the cup."

Sirius shot up from his seat. "Are you serious?"

"I thought you were serious," Regulus rolled his eyes.

"Hehe," Sirius chuckled. "That joke truly never gets old. But really, she has it already?"

"Yes, I'm dead serious," Regulus replied, his voice steady. "She’s been working quietly for the last few days, and she finally got hold of both Horcruxes. Lucius is playing along, though he’s more cautious than she is."

James looked stunned. "How in Merlin’s name did she manage that?"

"Lucius had access to the diary through his connections with the Dark Lord, and the cup—" Regulus paused. "Narcissa pulled some strings with the Lestranges. It wasn’t easy, but she made it happen. Bella is really trusting of her."

"Brilliant," Remus said, leaning forward. "So, what’s next?"

Regulus crossed his arms, his sharp grey eyes meeting Sirius’s. "She’s agreed to meet me in Hogsmeade. But she won’t hand over the Horcruxes until she’s sure it’s safe. She’s risking a lot by going against the Dark Lord."

Sirius’s face softened slightly. Despite their differences, his affection for his cousin was clear. "She’s doing the right thing."

"She is," Regulus agreed. "But we need to tread carefully. If anyone finds out what she’s doing, she’ll be killed. She’s agreed to meet tomorrow at dusk, near the Shrieking Shack. We’ll get the diary and the cup then."

James nodded, his expression serious. "We’ll need to be discreet. No one can know about this meeting."

"She will only meet with either me or Sirius," Reg said. 

"I’ll handle it," Sirius said, determination in his voice. Then he turned to Regulus. "And when this is all over…"

Regulus raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Sirius’s expression softened further, something almost vulnerable in his eyes. "You’re staying with me. At my apartment. I’m not letting you go back to that house. Not after all of this."

For a moment, Regulus looked taken aback. He hadn’t expected Sirius to make such an offer, but there was a flicker of something close to relief in his expression. "You’re serious?"

"I'm always serious," Sirius said, echoing his brother’s earlier words. "I’m not losing you again, Reg."

Regulus hesitated, his guard momentarily lowered. "Alright. I’ll hold you to that."

Sirius gave a small, rare smile. "Good, 'cause I plan on buying more ice cream than I can consume alone."

Chapter Text

The late afternoon sky was overcast as Sirius made his way toward the Shrieking Shack. The wind tugged at his long hair, bringing with it the scent of impending rain. He pulled his cloak tighter around his shoulders, trying to steady his thoughts. Today, he would meet Narcissa—a cousin he had hardly spoken to since he’d been sorted into Gryffindor. It was strange, Sirius thought, how time and circumstance could bring together those who had long since drifted apart.

As the dilapidated silhouette of the Shrieking Shack loomed closer, he spotted a figure standing at the edge of the clearing. Narcissa’s posture was rigid, her platinum blonde hair pulled back severely, her expression unreadable as she gazed out over the landscape. Even from a distance, she exuded the cold elegance of a Black—though Sirius could see the tension in the way her arms were folded tightly against her body.

He approached cautiously, unsure how to begin. The last time they had been in the same room, she had barely acknowledged his existence. But things were different now. The stakes were higher.

"Narcissa," Sirius greeted, stopping a few feet away. He offered a small, tentative smile.

She turned toward him, her expression cool but not entirely hostile. Her eyes, grey like his, flickered with something that could have been unease, though it was well-masked. “Sirius,” she acknowledged, her voice low and controlled. “You came alone?”

Sirius nodded. "Just like you asked."

There was an awkward pause as they both stood there, uncertain how to proceed. For years, they had been strangers, separated by more than just House affiliations. Now, they were here to exchange objects that would change the course of the war. Sirius couldn’t help but feel the weight of how surreal it all was.

"I’ve got them," Narcissa finally said, reaching into her bag. She pulled out two small items—one, a weathered leather diary, and the other, a gleaming golden cup adorned with the symbol of Hufflepuff. She held them out, her hands steady, though her voice was quieter now. "The Dark Lord entrusted these to our family. Lucius agreed, but Bella doesn't know I took it from her."

Sirius took them from her carefully, his heart pounding at the thought of the dark magic these objects contained. "I didn’t think you’d actually go through with it," he admitted, tucking the Horcruxes into the pouch he had brought.

"Neither did I," Narcissa replied, folding her arms again and looking away, her jaw tight. "But Regulus convinced me. He… He’s always been different from the rest of us. Quiet, but not blind. He sees what this war is doing."

Sirius softened at the mention of his brother. "Reg’s a good kid. Better than I was at his age, I think."

Narcissa hesitated, her icy demeanor faltering just a little. "I worry about him," she admitted reluctantly. "About what he’s gotten himself into. The Dark Mark…"

Sirius nodded, understanding the unspoken fear in her voice. "I know. I’m worried too. Our parents forced him to take the Mark... But I promise you, Cissy, I’ll take care of him. I won’t let him go down the path the rest of our family did."

At the sound of her childhood nickname, Narcissa’s face flickered with something close to nostalgia. Her gaze softened, though only for a moment. "He’s lucky to have you looking out for him," she said quietly. "Even if we’ve all made choices that divided us, family is still family."

Sirius smiled grimly. "It’s taken me a while to realize that. But yes, I won’t let him get hurt. He can stay with me—he won’t have to go back to Grimmauld Place. I don’t want him there any more than you do. He agreed to move in with me."

A faint smile tugged at Narcissa’s lips, but it didn’t reach her eyes. "That place… it’s no home anymore. Not for him. Not for any of us, really. I'm glad to hear he has somewhere else to go to."

They stood in silence for a few moments, the only sound the rustling of leaves in the wind. The tension between them was still there, but the wall wasn’t as high as it had been. Sirius shifted awkwardly, trying to find the right words. Talking with Narcissa had never been easy, not since he had been disowned by their family.

"So, how’s Bellatrix?" Sirius asked, though he wasn’t sure he really wanted the answer.

Narcissa’s expression darkened at the mention of her older sister. "She’s… different. Since she married Rodolphus, she’s become more reckless. More unhinged and more... cruel."

"She always was a bit off," Sirius remarked, trying to inject some levity, though the concern in Narcissa’s voice made it difficult.

"She’s worse now," Narcissa continued, ignoring his attempt at humor. "The things she talks about, the way she looks at people—it frightens me, Sirius. I don’t know how much longer I can control her."

Sirius’s eyes widened. He had always known Bellatrix was dangerous, but to hear it from Narcissa, who had always been so poised and composed, made it even more real. "Do you think she’d… turn on you? If she found out about this?"

Narcissa hesitated, her face pale. "I don’t know. I hope not. But Bella… Bella’s not the sister I grew up with anymore. She’s obsessed with power, with proving herself to the Dark Lord. I don’t think she cares about family the way we used to."

The sadness in Narcissa’s voice caught Sirius off guard. He had never imagined her to be someone who feared much of anything. But now, it was clear that Bellatrix scared her in ways she couldn’t admit to anyone else.

"I’m sorry to hear that," Sirius said, more sincerely than he had intended. "I wish things were different."

She glanced at him, surprised by his tone. "So do I."

There was another pause before Sirius, in a rare moment of vulnerability, decided to broach a topic that had been on his mind for years. "What about Andromeda?" he asked carefully. "Do you ever… do you ever talk to her anymore?"

Narcissa’s face tightened, and she looked away, her voice dropping to a whisper. "No. I haven’t spoken to her since she married that Muggle-born."

Sirius studied her for a moment, seeing the conflict in her expression. "Do you miss her?"

Narcissa’s shoulders tensed, and she took a deep breath before answering. "I do," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I didn’t think I would, but… I miss her every day. I miss the way things were when we were younger. Before all of this. Before the war and the Dark Lord and all these choices we made that we can’t take back."

Sirius felt a pang of guilt. He had left Andromeda behind too, focusing on his own rebellion against their family. He hadn’t thought much about how Narcissa had been affected by the loss of their sister. "You could still talk to her, you know. Andy’s not like the rest of us—she’d forgive you in a heartbeat."

Narcissa shook her head, her face a mask of uncertainty. "I don’t know if I can. I don’t know if she’d even want to see me after everything."

"Trust me, she would," Sirius insisted. "We don't see each other too often but I can tell she misses you too. She even told me once that she wished she could talk to you again. That it was the hardest part about leaving the family."

Narcissa’s eyes flickered with something close to hope, but it was quickly overshadowed by doubt. "I’ll think about it," she murmured, almost as if she didn’t want to say it out loud. "But I’m not making any promises."

Sirius nodded, knowing that was the best he could ask for right now. "That’s all I wanted to hear. Just… think about it."

The conversation fell into an awkward lull, both of them unsure how to move forward. It was strange, Sirius thought, to be standing here with Narcissa, sharing worries about Bellatrix and Regulus, talking about Andromeda like they were normal cousins, not people on opposite sides of a war.

Finally, Narcissa cleared her throat and shifted uncomfortably. "We should go. It’s getting late, and I don’t want anyone seeing us together."

"Right," Sirius agreed, adjusting his cloak. "Be careful, Cissy. And thank you—for trusting me with this."

She nodded, her expression softening slightly. "Take care of yourself, Sirius. And… take care of Regulus."

"I will," he promised.

They stood there for a moment longer before Narcissa turned and walked away, her figure quickly disappearing into the misty gloom of the evening. Sirius watched her go, feeling a strange mixture of relief and sadness. In another life, maybe they could have been closer. Maybe things wouldn’t have turned out like this.

But this was the life they had, and for now, they had a common goal—defeating Voldemort, protecting Regulus, and maybe, just maybe, mending the fractures that had broken their family apart.

Chapter Text

The wind howled as they descended the Hogwarts steps, their breath rising in white clouds in the crisp, cold air. Sirius was in the lead, his long coat billowing behind him like a cape, while James and Lily followed closely. Remus, bringing up the rear, looked far more nervous than he usually did.

“So, where exactly are we headed, Prongs?” Sirius asked, turning to James with an exaggerated flourish. "Somewhere spooky? Full of danger and dark magic, I hope?"

James grinned, adjusting his glasses. “First to Hogsmeade, so we're able to Apparate. Then to Little Hangleton. Some tiny, sleepy village in Yorkshire. Totally harmless… apart from the whole 'home of You-Know-Who’s ancestors' thing.”

“Oh, brilliant,” Sirius drawled. “A family reunion. Do we get tea and biscuits or just soul-sucking curses?”

Lily, who had been quietly focusing on their path ahead, gave Sirius a playful shove. “We’re not there for tea. Focus, Black.”

Sirius clutched his chest dramatically. “Lily Evans Potter, you wound me! But fine, no tea.” He turned to James with mock concern. “But you’ll keep me company, won’t you, mate? We can swap stories about our rich family legacies.”

“Er, yeah, sure," James said, fighting a smile. "Though I might need to brush up on how many skeletons I’ve got in my closet. Doesn’t quite compare to yours.”

Remus chuckled from behind. “Well, at least you lot keep it entertaining. If we’re going into a place with a cursed Horcrux, we might as well go in laughing.”

“Right you are, Moony.” Sirius clapped Remus on the back. “If we don’t make it out, at least we’ll have fun before we’re cursed to eternal doom.”

"Don't joke about that!" Lily interjected with mock severity, though a smile tugged at her lips. "We’re going there to retrieve one of the darkest objects in existence. Let’s not get distracted by your usual nonsense."

Sirius sighed, raising his hands in mock surrender. “Yes, ma’am. No nonsense. All business.” He straightened his posture, pretending to march militarily behind her.

The group Apparated to a desolate spot outside the village of Little Hangleton. They arrived in a gust of wind, the landscape barren and foreboding. In the distance, the Riddle House loomed on a hill, dark and derelict, ivy curling over its walls like skeletal fingers.

“Well,” said James, squinting at the building, “that’s... cheery.”

“Cheery?” Remus snorted. “Looks like something straight out of a ghost story.”

Sirius nodded approvingly. “Now this is what I signed up for. Abandoned mansion on a creepy hill? You know, all we’re missing is a haunted piano and a portraits who follow you around the room.”

“Don’t tempt fate,” Lily muttered, casting a nervous glance up at the imposing manor. “Let’s just get inside, find this ring, and get out before anything—”

“—tragic happens?” Sirius finished for her. “Where’s your sense of adventure, Evans?”

Lily rolled her eyes but didn’t respond. The group began their ascent toward the house, boots crunching on the overgrown path. The closer they got, the more derelict the Riddle House appeared. The roof sagged ominously, several windows were boarded up, and the once-grand fence was choked with weeds.

“Well,” said Remus, his voice tight, “I suppose we should start looking inside. Any guesses where this thing is hidden?”

James glanced at Lily, then at the house. “According to what we got to know, You-Know-Who was ashamed of his father being a Muggle. I don't believe it'll be in the Riddle House. But before heading to the Gaunt shack, I think it’d be worth checking the place out—just in case.”

Lily nodded in agreement. “Right. I’ll go first.”

James stepped forward, but before he could object, Sirius cut in, putting an arm around his shoulder. “Ladies first, Prongs. Let her lead, or she’ll hex us both.”

Lily smirked but said nothing as they crossed the threshold into the Riddle House. Inside, the air was thick with dust, and the silence was heavy. The remains of shattered furniture littered the floor, and a broken chandelier lay in the center of the grand hall. Every footstep echoed ominously.

Sirius let out a low whistle. “Home sweet home, eh? Lovely decor.”

James gave a low laugh. “It does have a certain ‘abandoned manor chic,’ don’t you think?”

Lily, unimpressed, pressed on. “Focus. We’re not here to appreciate the architecture.”

They spent the next hour combing through the decaying rooms, searching for any clues about the Horcrux or signs of recent activity. But as the hours passed, it became increasingly clear that there was nothing here.

“Brilliant,” Sirius grumbled as they regrouped near the entrance. “An hour in this place and all I’ve got to show for it is a lung full of dust.”

“We’re not finished yet,” Lily said determinedly. “There’s still the Gaunt shack.”

They left the Riddle House and made their way through the woods. After what felt like an eternity of tripping over roots and pushing through dense undergrowth, they finally reached it: the Gaunt shack.

“Charming,” James muttered. “Who lived here, exactly? A troll?”

“Close,” Sirius quipped. “The Gaunts weren’t exactly known for their hospitality.”

The shack itself was even worse than the Riddle House. It looked as though it had been abandoned for decades, the roof sagging and the windows obscured by years of grime. The walls were covered in moss, and nettles grew so thick around the structure that it seemed the forest was trying to reclaim it.

“Well,” said Remus, eyeing the shack warily, “this looks promising.”

James shot him a grin. “You say that like it’s a good thing.”

With a deep breath, they ventured inside. The air was damp, and the floor creaked dangerously beneath their feet. Every step felt like it might be their last as the shack groaned in protest under their weight.

“I don’t think this place has seen a cleaning spell in over a century,” Sirius muttered.

They fanned out, searching every inch of the shack. Lily was the first to spot it: a painting above the fireplace, unlike anything else in the room. The man in the portrait was oddly still, his gaze fixed on something unseen.

“That’s it,” Lily whispered. “The ring’s inside that painting.”

James stepped forward, peering at the painting closely. “You’re sure?”

“Positive,” Lily replied. “Look at the ring on his finger. That’s it.”

Sirius frowned. “Well, that’s… new. You’re telling me we’ve got to pull a Horcrux out of a painting? That’s got to be a first.”

Lily took a cautious step closer, examining the portrait. “It’s protected, of course. This isn’t going to be easy. It's actually quite brilliant, if you think about it. If the circumstances were different, I'd take my time to observe and study the charms behind it.”

“You’ve got this, Evans,” Sirius said, though his voice held a rare note of seriousness. “Just don’t let him pull you in.”

With her wand raised, Lily began casting counter-curses, her brow furrowed in concentration. The others stood back, watching tensely. After several minutes of trying, she reached out cautiously, her gloved hand hovering over the portrait.

The instant Lily’s fingers brushed the painting, the man’s hand shot out with lightning speed, gripping her wrist like a vice. His fingers felt cold and unnatural, an icy burn searing through her skin.

“Immobulus!” she cried, her voice high with panic, but nothing happened. The spell fizzled out in the air, useless. The man in the painting began to move, his wicked grin widening as his arm started pulling her into the canvas, the force dragging her forward with terrifying strength.

“Lily!” James shouted, rushing forward, but an invisible barrier crackled to life around the painting, throwing him backward across the room with a loud thud.

“Help!” Lily gasped, her body half suspended, her feet barely touching the ground as the man continued to drag her toward the portrait. The hand on her wrist burned more fiercely, and she could feel her strength fading.

Sirius snapped into action, sending a barrage of spells at the arm, but none of them even dented the barrier. “Bloody hell, nothing’s working!”

Remus, his face pale, knelt beside James, helping him up. “We need to think—there’s got to be a countercurse or something!”

James, wincing from the impact, scrambled to his feet, his eyes wide with fear. “Lily! Hold on!”

Her breaths were coming in ragged gasps, her face flushed with exertion as she fought against the force pulling her deeper into the painting. Her arm was now halfway through the canvas, and the man’s cold laughter echoed throughout the shack, cruel and mocking.

“I don’t have time!” Lily shouted, her voice strained. Her free hand struggled to pull her wand up, shaking from the pain shooting through her arm. The man’s grip tightened, and she could feel the life being drained from her.

“Lumos Maxima!” James bellowed, sending a blinding light toward the painting. For a split second, the man faltered, his grip loosening just enough for Lily to yank her wrist free.

But it wasn’t over. The barrier around the painting pulsed angrily, and the entire portrait began to warp and shift, growing darker and more menacing. Black tendrils of magic shot out, wrapping around Lily’s ankles, trying to pull her back in.

“I’ve got you!” Sirius lunged forward, grabbing her shoulders, but the tendrils latched onto him too, dragging them both closer to the cursed canvas.

“Not like this!” Sirius gritted his teeth, holding onto Lily with all his strength as the dark magic tugged harder.

“Confringo!” James roared, his wand sparking with raw energy. The explosion of the spell hit the barrier again, cracking it this time. The dark tendrils faltered, their grip loosening just enough for Sirius to pull Lily back and stumble away from the portrait.

But even as they retreated, the room seemed to pulse with malevolent energy. The portrait crackled, the figure inside twisting in fury as the barrier began to repair itself.

“There’s no way we can destroy it!” Remus shouted over the noise. “We need to take the ring and go now!”

Lily, gasping for breath, looked down at her hand. In the chaos, she had managed to snatch the ring from the figure’s hand. Its heavy gold gleamed ominously in the dim light, the black stone glinting with a sinister energy.

“We’ve got it,” she panted, cradling her wrist, which was raw and bruised from the man’s iron grip. “Let’s go, before this thing pulls us all in.”

Sirius, his face pale but determined, stood protectively in front of her as they backed out of the shack. "Right. Next time, I’m definitely picking the vacation spot."

James, catching his breath, gave a shaky laugh. “No more cursed mansions, mate.”

Sirius grinned, though his eyes were still wide with adrenaline. “I make no promises.”

The shack groaned ominously behind them as they hurried away, the portrait's sinister laughter echoing in their ears, the ring burning cold in Lily's palm.

Chapter Text

The drizzling rain fell softly over Hogsmeade, coating the cobblestone streets into a slippery, muddy business. It was one of those whimsical April afternoons where everything felt lighter, brighter, and the worries of the world seemed far away — at least for a little while. James and Lily were strolling hand-in-hand through the village, while Sirius and Remus walked not far behind.

“So,” James began, squeezing Lily’s hand and grinning mischievously, “what do you think? A butterbeer to warm up or a visit to Zonko’s for some prank supplies?”

Lily arched an eyebrow at him, lips twitching into a smile. “Let me guess, you’re planning to stock up on dungbombs to stink out the Slytherins?”

“Dungbombs? Lily, please. I’m an innovator,” James replied, puffing out his chest in mock pride. “I was thinking of something more sophisticated. Maybe—”

“Stink pellets?” she teased, giving him a playful shove.

James laughed, pulling her closer. “Alright, alright. Butterbeer it is. But don’t think I’ve given up on the prank ideas.”

Behind them, Sirius was nudging Remus with a smug grin. “Look at Prongs, all domesticated. It’s almost cute, really.”

Remus raised an eyebrow, trying to hide his smile. “You’re one to talk. You’re the one who insisted on this double date.”

“Double date?!” Sirius scoffed, though the smirk on his face gave him away. “Please, Moony, this is a tactical operation to observe how long it takes before Prongs embarrasses himself.”

Remus chuckled, shoving his hands into his coat pockets to keep warm. “Uh-huh. And the fact that you insisted on us walking together has nothing to do with it, right?”

Sirius’s grin widened, and he wrapped an arm around Remus’s shoulders, tugging him closer. “Maybe I just wanted some quality time with my favorite werewolf.”

Remus flushed, though he tried to hide it by ducking his head. “You’re ridiculous, Padfoot.”

“Ridiculously charming, you mean,” Sirius quipped, his grey eyes sparkling with amusement.

“Isn’t that what you tell yourself every morning?” Remus deadpanned, though he couldn’t stop the smile from tugging at his lips.

James, hearing the banter behind him, turned around and waggled his eyebrows at them. “Oi, Padfoot! Keep it PG, yeah? Not all of us are used to such public displays of affection.”

Lily snorted. “This from the boy who practically lives to show off every time I hold his hand?”

James placed a hand over his heart dramatically. “Me? Show off? Never.”

“Prongs, you literally tried to levitate the both of you last time you kissed her in public,” Remus pointed out, barely suppressing a grin.

Sirius laughed. “Yeah, we all remember how that ended—with Lily cursing you and you landing in the fountain!”

James huffed, though he couldn’t hide his grin. “It was a valiant attempt at romance, thank you very much.”

“You were soaked to the bone for the rest of the day,” Lily added, her eyes gleaming with fondness. “And you had the nerve to blame me for it.”

“Well, love,” James said, stopping to pull her closer, “you are distracting. Can’t help it if my magic goes a bit haywire around you.”

“Smooth,” Lily replied, though she was clearly charmed, her cheeks flushed pink. She rolled her eyes at his antics but gave him a quick peck on the cheek. “But I’m still not forgiving you for the levitation stunt.”

As they neared the Three Broomsticks, the warm glow of the pub inviting them in from the wet cold, Sirius suddenly darted forward, dragging Remus with him. “Alright, slowpokes, first one to the door gets their drinks paid for!”

Remus stumbled as Sirius yanked him ahead, laughing despite himself. “That’s cheating!”

“Not cheating,” Sirius shot back over his shoulder, “just winning.”

James, not one to back down from a challenge, immediately bolted after them, still holding Lily’s hand. “Oi! No fair!”

Lily, caught between laughing and stumbling as James practically dragged her along, let out a mock shriek. “James, you maniac!”

The four of them burst into the Three Broomsticks in a flurry of laughter, and tangled limbs. Madame Rosmerta glanced up from behind the bar, eyebrow raised at their chaotic entrance but clearly amused.

“Afternoon, Madame Rosmerta!” Sirius announced, sweeping a hand through his wet hair as he sauntered up to the bar. “I’ll take two butterbeers, please. The winners' drinks, obviously.”

Remus snorted, standing beside him. “I seem to recall being dragged to the finish line. If anything, I’m the real winner here.”

“You’re always the winner, Moony,” Sirius said with a wink, which earned him a soft punch in the arm from Remus.

James, shaking rain drops out of his hair like he was the dog of the group, scoffed. “Please, we all know who the real winners are—Lily and me, for tolerating you two.”

Lily laughed, shaking her head as she sat down at one of the booths. “Tolerating is definitely the word for it.”

Sirius grinned as he handed out the butterbeers, sliding into the booth beside Remus. “So, Lily, now that you’re fully committed to our little group of weirdos, any plans to join us in some light mischief?”

Lily took her butterbeer with a smile, raising it to her lips. “Mischief? Oh, I think I’ll leave that to you and James.”

“I thought you liked mischief,” James chimed in, sitting beside her. “You did marry me, after all.”

Lily glanced at him with a playful glint in her eyes. “I married you in spite of the mischief, Potter. And besides, in this timeline, I haven't married you yet.”

Sirius groaned dramatically. “Ugh, you two are going to be unbearable, aren’t you? All this domestic bliss. It’s sickening.”

“Please,” Remus said, giving Sirius a sidelong glance. “You love it.”

Sirius smirked, raising his glass. “Maybe I do.”

“To mischief, mayhem, and the occasional bit of domestic bliss!” James declared, lifting his butterbeer in a mock toast.

Chapter Text

As the group gathered in the dim, secluded area of the Hogwarts grounds near the Forbidden Forest, the air crackled with a mix of anticipation and unease. Sirius, James, Lily, and Remus were there, waiting for Regulus to summon Kreacher, the house-elf who had already experienced the horrors of Voldemort’s cave once before. They needed him to go back — and this time, they had a plan.

Regulus looked hesitant as he fiddled with his wand. He still felt uneasy about sending Kreacher back to that terrible place, but there was no other way. He summoned the elf under his breath, and with a soft pop, Kreacher appeared in front of them, looking as ragged and miserable as always.

“Kreacher,” Regulus began, his voice gentle yet firm, “we need your help again. You must take us to the cave.”

Kreacher’s eyes widened, his large bat-like ears trembling. “The cave… Kreacher… Kreacher remembers the cave,” he croaked, his voice filled with fear. “Master Regulus, please... Kreacher doesn’t want to go back.”

Regulus knelt down to Kreacher’s level, his expression softening. “I know, Kreacher. But we’re going to destroy what the Dark Lord left there. You helped once before, and now we need you to help us finish it.”

Sirius, standing nearby, crossed his arms and let out a dramatic sigh. “No need to worry about Kreacher, Reg. I promised we'd return him to you. If anything comes at us, I’ll let James here handle it,” he said, nudging James playfully. “He’s excellent at looking heroic while I do all the actual work.”

James grinned. “Oh, right. I’m the one with the really good hair, after all.”

Lily rolled her eyes but smiled. “This is serious, you two,” she said, trying not to laugh.

“Exactly!” Sirius retorted, winking at her. “I’m Sirius.”

Remus groaned, rubbing his temples. “I swear, we’re all going to die in this cave, and the last thing I’ll hear will be another one of Sirius’ puns.”

After a few moments of light-hearted banter, they all turned back to Kreacher, who was shaking but had resigned himself to his duty. “Very well,” Kreacher whispered. “Kreacher will take Master Regulus’ friends to the cave.”

The group gathered their things and followed Kreacher’s instructions. The journey was quick, yet silent, each of them mentally preparing for what was to come.

When they reached the entrance to the cave, Lily and Remus exchanged a look, deciding to stay behind as lookouts.

“Good luck,” Lily whispered as Sirius, James, and Kreacher disappeared into the cavern.

The inside of the cave was just as Kreacher had described. Cold, dark, and eerie, with the large black lake dominating the middle of the space. Sirius and James kept close to Kreacher as they approached the edge of the water.

“Where’s the boat?” James asked.

Kreacher stepped forward and pulled on an invisible rope. With a low creak, a small, weathered boat emerged from the depths of the lake, its surface shimmering in the dim light. Sirius raised an eyebrow.

“Not exactly the cruise ship I was hoping for,” he quipped, hopping into the boat. James climbed in next to him, and Kreacher, though trembling, squeezed in between them.

The boat moved of its own accord, drifting slowly across the lake. The water was unnaturally still, but they all knew what lay beneath the surface—Inferi, the dead, waiting for a moment to strike.

“James, if we get dragged under, just know that I’ve always loved you the most,” Sirius said, grinning despite the tension in his voice.

“Mate,” James said, feigning hurt, “I knew it. Remus and I always had a bet.”

Kreacher said nothing, his eyes glued to the water, his memories of being left behind in the cave haunting him. They reached the island at the center, where the basin full of potion waited for them, glowing faintly in the darkness.

Sirius stepped out first, and then helped Kreacher and James onto the rocky surface. The basin stood in front of them, and Sirius gave it a dark look. “Well, here’s where the fun begins.”

Kreacher wrung his hands, his voice quivering as he recalled his last time here. “The Dark Lord… he made Kreacher drink the potion. Kreacher drank, and Kreacher saw terrible things… so much pain… Kreacher drank until he couldn’t no more, but the Dark Lord made Kreacher continue.”

Sirius nodded. “Looks like it.” He glanced at Kreacher. “But not you this time. Regulus would never forgive me if something happened to his precious elf.”

Kreacher’s lip trembled as he looked at Sirius with a mixture of gratitude and fear.

James gave Sirius a meaningful look. “We’ll do it together. We’ll take turns.”

Without waiting for a reply, James conjured a cup and dipped it into the potion. The liquid glowed a sickly green as he held it up to Sirius, who sighed dramatically. “Cheers,” he muttered before drinking.

The moment the potion touched his lips, Sirius recoiled, his face contorting in pain. “Ugh, tastes like Snape’s shampoo,” he groaned, clutching his stomach.

James winced as he drank the next cup, his breath coming out in short gasps. “Blimey… it’s worse than Hagrid’s rock cakes…”

Cup after cup, they drank, each gulp worse than the last. Sirius’ usually playful demeanor began to crack as he saw horrible visions — the Potters and Reg, dead, because of him. He fought against the urge to cry out, his hand shaking as he handed the cup back to James.

“I can’t… do this… anymore…” Sirius gasped, his eyes wild, the pain overwhelming him.

James grabbed the cup and took the last sip. He, too, was shaking, but he stayed resolute, focusing on what they needed to do. Finally, the basin was empty.

Kreacher, tears streaming down his face, quickly switched the locket with the decoy Regulus had given him. He glanced nervously at Sirius and James, who were both barely holding on.

Suddenly, Sirius lurched towards the lake, desperate for water. “I need water, I need—” he panted, crawling towards the edge.

“No!” Kreacher shrieked, grabbing Sirius by the arm. “Master mustn’t drink! The Inferi—”

But it was too late. The moment Sirius’ hand touched the lake, cold, slimy hands shot out from the water, grabbing at him with terrifying force. James reacted instantly, firing a spell at the creatures. “Lumos Maxima!” A brilliant light burst from his wand, and the Inferi recoiled.

“Sirius, get up!” James yelled, pulling Sirius away from the water’s edge. They scrambled back towards the boat, Kreacher clinging tightly to James’ leg in sheer terror.

As the boat moved back across the lake, Sirius finally started to regain his senses, his breathing ragged. “I… I think I’m done with cave adventures for a while,” he muttered weakly.

James chuckled, though the laughter was hollow. “Don’t worry, mate. Next time, we’ll make Peter do it.”

When they finally reached the cave’s entrance, Lily and Remus were there, looking anxious. Sirius stumbled out of the boat, still shaken, but alive. Kreacher, however, was the first one out, his eyes wide with concern.

“Is Master Sirius alright? Kreacher didn’t want Master to suffer…”

"I'm fine," Sirius said dismissively. "Just take us back to Hogwarts, where we left Regie."

Regulus, who had been waiting for them to reappear, immediately knelt by Kreacher. “You did well, Kreacher. You saved him. You’re the bravest house-elf I know.”

Kreacher sniffled, his ears drooping. “Kreacher… is glad Master Sirius is safe.”

Sirius, despite his exhaustion, smiled weakly at his brother. “I owe you one for getting us out of there alive, Kreach.”

Chapter Text

The room was dimly lit, filled with an air of anticipation, dread, and a hint of desperation. Scattered on the wooden table in front of James, Sirius, Remus, Lily, and Peter were four objects that should never have existed. Four pieces of Voldemort’s fragmented soul — the diary, the cup, the ring, and the locket.

“We’ve got to destroy them,” James said, his voice low but determined. “Best to have it over with.”

Lily nodded, pacing slightly, her hand running nervously through her hair. “Regulus'd already destroyed the diadem with Fiendfyre,” she said. “Sirius, could you do it this time?”

"Of course, my lady," Sirius bowed dramatically before taking out his wand and casting the spell. Tom Riddle's old diary caught flame, and was returned to little more than a pile of blackened ash. However, the other three artifacts remained untouched by the fire. Now frowning, "It doesn’t seem like that’ll work..." Sirius leaned back in his chair, staring intently at the cursed objects. “Let’s face it, the Fiendfyre isn't strong enough to destroy the protective curses on these three. We need something stronger."

Remus, as always, was the voice of calm amidst the tension. “There has to be another way. Something that can destroy Horcruxes without... well, burning the whole place down.”

“We could always try chucking them off a cliff?” James suggested with a smirk. “See if Voldemort’s soul likes a long drop.”

Sirius grinned. “Or I could take them on a broom ride, drop them from fifty feet up. Make it a real show.”

Lily rolled her eyes. “Very helpful, you two. I’m sure a bit of gravity will do wonders against a Horcrux.”

But despite the light-hearted teasing, they all knew this was serious — more serious than anything they had faced so far. They had destroyed the diary, but the cup, the ring, and the locket stubbornly resisted their attempts to break the dark magic surrounding them. Even magic as potent as Fiendfyre had only worked once, and they weren’t keen on trying it again.

After a long pause, Peter spoke up, his voice hesitant. “What about the Sword of Gryffindor? You said your son used it to destroy a Horcrux before, didn’t it?”

The others turned to look at him, and for a moment, the tension in the room softened. Peter often seemed nervous, unsure of himself, but his suggestion hit a note of truth.

James nodded slowly. “Yeah, when Ron used it on the locket. But in his time, the sword’s imbued with basilisk venom — it’s one of the few things that can destroy these things.”

“In theory, the sword itself should be strong enough as well. But where is it?” Lily asked. “We’ve been trying to summon it, but it’s not like it just drops out of the ceiling whenever you say ‘please.’”

Sirius scratched his chin, his eyes gleaming with a mischievous idea. “Maybe we’re not being brave enough. You know, Gryffindor’s sword and all that. What if we… I don’t know… try some brave stuff and see if it shows up?”

James grinned. “Like what? Jump off the Astronomy Tower and see if it catches us?”

“Or duel a dragon,” Sirius added with mock enthusiasm.

Lily groaned. “You two need to stop encouraging each other. How have you even survived for so long?"

"Peter and I try to divert them from their more insane plans," Remus chucked. "The have little self preservation."

"So I've come to realise. You're the true brain behind their pranks," Lily noted. "You had me fooled as the good one."

"If you cannot stop them, you gotta join them," Remus smiled. "Now, let's return to the plan. We need to actually think this through.”

But Sirius and James, now in full brainstorming mode, were clearly not done.

“What if we copy Harry and break into Gringotts?” James suggested, only half-joking. “That’s got to count for something.”

Sirius leaned forward, his eyes gleaming. “Or sneak into the Forbidden Forest, bare-handed, and try to wrestle an Acromantula.”

Remus, trying to stifle a laugh, shook his head. “You do realize the sword shows up when someone performs an act of true bravery, not sheer stupidity, right?”

Peter, who had been mostly quiet up until this point, cleared his throat. “Maybe… maybe we’re not the ones meant to summon it.”

There was a pause. The group turned to him, Sirius raising an eyebrow.

“What are you saying, Wormtail?” James asked, his tone more curious than skeptical.

Peter looked at his feet, then back up at the group. His voice wavered slightly but held a new sense of determination. “I’m saying… if none of us can summon the sword by doing the usual Gryffindor acts of bravery… maybe it’s because we haven’t considered all of us.”

Lily tilted her head, a frown creasing her brow. “Peter, what do you mean?”

Peter swallowed hard. “I mean... I want to help. I want to do something that matters. If it takes going down into the Chamber of Secrets to find another basilisk… or whatever it takes… I’ll do it. I know I haven’t always been the bravest, but I’ll go down there myself if it means destroying these things. I’ll face whatever’s down there.”

The room went silent. For a long, tense moment, no one spoke. The idea of Peter willingly putting himself in danger seemed almost unthinkable to them. Peter had always been the least confident, the most afraid. But here he was, standing up, offering to go to a place filled with dangers beyond imagination.

Sirius opened his mouth, likely to say something teasing, but then froze. His eyes widened.

The Sword of Gryffindor had appeared.

It shimmered in mid-air, glowing with an ethereal light, before dropping gently onto the table with a soft clink. Everyone stared at it in stunned silence.

James was the first to break the quiet. “Bloody hell.”

Lily’s eyes were wide as she looked at Peter, then back at the sword. “Peter… you…”

“You did it,” Remus said, his voice soft with awe. “You summoned the sword.”

Peter blinked, his face filled with surprise and disbelief. “I… I did?”

Sirius was silent for a moment, before muttering in shock. “But you didn't even do anything... Just the fact that you were willing to sacrifice yourself for us, did it?" Pulling himself together when Sirius saw Peter shoulders slumber, Sirius' usual bravado replaced by something deeper. He stepped forward and clapped Peter on the shoulder. "You’re braver than you give yourself credit for, Wormtail.”

Peter smiled weakly, glad for his friend's praise and still processing what had just happened.

“Well,” James said, his voice still slightly shaky with shock, “we’ve got the sword. Now, let’s finish this.”

One by one, they lined up the remaining Horcruxes. Sirius lifted the sword, and with one swift motion, brought it down on the cup. The metal shrieked as it was sliced in two, dark magic spilling out in an acrid puff of smoke.

Next was the ring. James stepped forward and placed it carefully on the table. Sirius raised the sword again, his jaw set. The sword’s blade gleamed as it cut cleanly through the ring, the dark enchantment breaking with a sharp crack, as if the very air around them shuddered.

Finally, the locket. This one felt heavier, more sinister. Lily placed it down, her hand trembling slightly. Sirius hesitated for a fraction of a second, then swung the sword with all his strength. The locket shattered, releasing a scream that echoed throughout the room, the last vestiges of Voldemort’s soul vanishing into the air.

For a moment, no one moved. It was done. The Horcruxes were destroyed.

Sirius turned to Peter, his expression unreadable. “You know,” he said slowly, “I think it’s about time I forgave you. Completely.” He paused, his voice softening. “You’re not the same Peter you were back then. You’ve proved yourself.”

Peter’s eyes welled with tears, but he blinked them away quickly. “Thank you,” he whispered.

As the group took a collective breath, Remus spoke up. “Voldemort will know, won’t he? He’ll feel it. His soul… what’s left of it… it’s connected to these.”

James nodded. “Yeah. And there’s only one piece left.”

Lily’s voice was quiet but firm. “Nagini.”

The room grew tense again, the weight of the situation settling over them. They knew Voldemort wouldn’t wait for them to come to him. Now that his Horcruxes were gone, he’d be scared — and fear made Voldemort dangerous. He would strike, and soon. Like he did in the future when Harry, Ron and Hermione destroyed the majority of his soul.

“He’ll attack,” Sirius said, his voice grim. “He’ll make his move before we get to the snake.”

James met his eyes. “Then we’ll be ready. We need to inform Dumbledore and McGonagall.”

Chapter Text

The Forbidden Forest was silent, the kind of silence that felt unnatural. Even the trees seemed to hold their breath, as though they knew something terrible was about to unfold. At the forest’s edge, Dumbledore stood tall, a quiet authority about him. Beside him, a small but determined group had gathered—the Order of the Phoenix, the Marauders, Lily, and a few seventh-year students who had insisted on fighting. Even some from Slytherin.

McGonagall, standing just a few paces behind, looked deeply uneasy. She glared at Dumbledore, her lips thin with disapproval. "Albus," she said sharply, "are you sure it's wise to allow students to fight? These are children."

Dumbledore turned to her, his blue eyes weary but resolute. "They are no longer children, Minerva. Not tonight."

McGonagall clenched her jaw but said nothing more, her eyes scanning the group. There were mostly Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs, a few Ravenclaws, and—in Sirius' opion, shockingly—some Slytherins.

Sirius glanced over, his eyebrows raised in disbelief. “Slytherins? Here to fight against the Dark Lord?” he muttered under his breath to James. “Never thought I’d see the day.”

James grinned, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Yeah, well, this war’s full of surprises. Keep your eyes open, mate.”

Among the Slytherins was Regulus, standing a bit behind the older group, his wand clenched tightly in his hand. He’d sneaked his way here, determined to prove himself, though still just a fifth-year. Sirius caught sight of him and frowned. “What the hell is Reg doing here?” he hissed.

Before anyone could respond, the air in the forest shifted. A cold, malevolent energy swept through the trees, and then, with a loud crack, Voldemort appeared in the clearing, followed by dozens of Death Eaters, their faces hidden behind masks. Bellatrix Lestrange stood beside him, her eyes wild with anticipation. Others like the Lastrange brothers, Evan Rosier and Lucius Malfoy were also recognizable since they didn't wear a mask.

“The time has come!” Voldemort’s voice was high, cold, and filled with venom. “I offer you one last chance. Join me, or fall before me.”

Dumbledore stepped forward, his presence commanding. “You will find no allies here, Tom.”

With a flick of his wand, the first volley of spells was cast. Green and red jets of light shot across the clearing as the battle began in earnest. The clash of magic filled the air, the once-still forest now a storm of flashing light and powerful curses.

Sirius and James darted into the fray, their wands moving like extensions of their arms. Sirius ducked under a Cruciatus Curse just in time, sending a hex back at his opponent, knocking them off their feet. “Too slow!” he shouted, his voice barely audible over the chaos.

Lily was beside Remus, defending a group of students who had been overwhelmed by Death Eaters. She blasted one masked figure with a well-aimed Stunner, then blocked a curse aimed at Remus with a swift Protego. “Stay focused, Remus!”

“I’m trying!” Remus shot back, dodging a curse and retaliating with a stunning spell of his own.

On the other side of the clearing, Regulus found himself face to face with Bellatrix Lestrange. Her maniacal grin spread wide as she raised her wand. “Regulus, darling. You little traitor. I always knew you’d end up a disappointment, just like your filthy brother.”

Regulus swallowed hard but stood his ground, his wand shaking slightly. “I’m nothing like you, Bellatrix.”

“Oh, that much is clear. You could never be me,” she purred, taking a step closer. “Weak. Foolish. A stain on the Black family. Mother and Father are surely to be disappointed, knowing how disgracefully both their sons turned out.”

Regulus flinched at her words but refused to lower his wand. “I’m fighting for what’s right, not for some twisted fantasy of blood purity.”

With a cackle, Bellatrix sent a powerful curse his way. Regulus blocked it but staggered under the force, barely able to keep his balance. Before Bellatrix could strike again, a voice cut through the air.

“You leave him alone!”

Sirius came charging through the trees, his wand blazing with fury. He hurled a curse at Bellatrix, knocking her back a few steps. “You’ll have to go through me first, Bella.”

“Gladly,” she sneered, her wand whipping through the air, sending a stream of deadly curses his way. Sirius dodged and parried, but Bellatrix was relentless, driving him back with every strike.

Just as Bellatrix was about to disarm Sirius, a third figure entered the fray. Andromeda, her face a mask of determination, stepped between her sister and cousin, her wand held high. “Enough, Bellatrix.”

Bellatrix blinked in surprise, then snarled. “Andromeda? What are you even doing here, you coward?!"

"I called for her," Narcissa said, stepping from behind her sister.

"Cissy? Traitor! How dare you—”

But before she could finish, Andromeda disarmed her with a single, sharp flick of her wand. Bellatrix’s wand flew out of her hand, and she stumbled back, her eyes wide with shock. Andromeda pointed her wand at her sister, her voice steady. “You need help, Bella. More than anyone can give you here.”

With a swift, graceful movement, Andromeda and Narcissa bound Bellatrix in conjured ropes, and then with a flick of her wand, a cage formed around the crazed woman. “St Mungo’s will be seeing you soon.”

Sirius let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. “Thanks, Andy,” he said, his voice hoarse. "Narcissa."

Andromeda nodded curtly. “You take care of Regulus. We’ve got this.”

Meanwhile, across the battlefield, James and Peter had cornered Nagini, Voldemort’s massive serpent. She hissed, her fangs bared, coiling in defense. “You ready for this, Peter?” James asked, barely dodging a strike from her.

“Not really, no!” Peter yelped, scrambling back as Nagini lunged at him. James dove in front, casting a quick defensive spell, buying Peter a few precious moments.

“You’re going to have to be the one to do it, Wormtail,” James said, breathing hard. “I’ll distract her. Just be ready.”

Peter nodded, swallowing his fear as James took a step forward, waving his wand and taunting the snake, drawing her attention. With a roar of effort, Peter rushed forward, his small blade glinting in the moonlight. He plunged the blade into Nagini’s neck, severing her head in one swift, desperate motion.

The snake fell with a sickening thud, and for a brief moment, everything seemed to pause. The last Horcrux was gone.

From across the clearing, Voldemort let out an inhuman shriek. His connection to the remaining fragments of his soul had been severed. He turned, his eyes blazing with fury and fear, knowing his immortality was crumbling.

The Dark Lord launched himself into a renewed assault, his curses more deadly and ferocious than ever. The ground shook with the power of his magic, and even Dumbledore seemed to falter under the onslaught. But the old wizard stood firm, his wand a blur of motion as he parried Voldemort’s attacks, his voice calm but powerful.

"Your reign of terror ends tonight, Tom," Dumbledore declared, his wand striking out. With a well-aimed Disarming Charm, Voldemort’s wand was sent flying from his hand. The Dark Lord froze, his eyes wide in disbelief.

Without his wand, Voldemort’s grip on his fractured soul began to slip. His power faltered, his once mighty presence diminishing. His body shuddered violently as the last remnants of his humanity fell away, and with a final, terrible scream, Voldemort imploded, his soul too fragmented to exist without its Horcruxes.

Silence fell over the battlefield as the smoke cleared. The Death Eaters who remained were either bound or had fled, leaving behind the broken remnants of their once-feared leader. The war, it seemed, was finally over.

James, Peter, and the others gathered around, their breaths ragged, their faces pale but triumphant.

“It’s done,” Sirius whispered, looking at the spot where Voldemort had stood. He turned to Regulus, pulling him into a tight hug. “You did good, little brother. I'm proud of you. Though next time, please listen to my requests.”

Regulus smiled faintly, too exhausted to speak. Not even the strength left to point of the hypocrisy of the last part of the statement.

Peter, still holding the bloody blade that had killed Nagini, looked up at the group, his expression a mixture of shock and pride. “We… we really did it.”

James clapped him on the back. “Yeah, Wormtail. We did.”

Chapter Text

The aftermath of the battle in the Forbidden Forest left a strange quiet over the Wizarding World. As the dust settled, the gravity of their victory against Voldemort and his forces began to sink in, but it was not without its cost.

The funerals came first. Fabian and Gideon Prewett had fought valiantly, but their lives were claimed by Death Eaters before the battle had even reached its end. Their service to the Order was honored with full recognition from the Ministry, but to those who knew them, their absence felt like a gaping hole.

Mary Weasley, cousin of Arthur Weasly, was one of those fallen in line of duty during the Death Eaters hunting.  Caradoc Dearborn, who had disappeared months before the final battle, was confirmed dead, his body discovered in the aftermath. Benjy Fenwick, a man who had been blown apart, was laid to rest, though only pieces of him could be found. Nora Bones, a fighter until the end, had died protecting her younger brother, Edgar. Marlene McKinnon, one of the fiercest in the Order, was mourned by those closest to her, her death a sharp reminder of the war’s brutality.

The Ministry of Magic was not spared from its own cleansing. Once Voldemort had fallen, it was quickly discovered that several high-ranking officials had been working as moles, funneling information to the Death Eaters. Those involved were hunted down and prosecuted, though the hunt for all traitors proved difficult. Some had vanished, but the Aurors left standing were relentless in their pursuit.

Cleared of corruption, the remaining Aurors banded together, forming special task forces to hunt down the Death Eaters still at large. Rodolphus Lestrange, Antonin Dolohov, and Augustus Rookwood were the most notorious of those who fled. The Ministry, though battered, had regained some semblance of order. Led by new, trusted leadership, they were determined to root out every last remnant of Voldemort’s regime.

The Daily Prophet exploded with headlines detailing the trials of the more infamous families. Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Malfoy, along with Severus Snape, were brought before the Wizengamot. The evidence against them was overwhelming—rumors of their Death Eater ties, their wealth used to fuel Voldemort’s rise, and their influence on corrupt Ministry officials. But, in the end, they were all cleared of charges.

The truth of their double roles was revealed during the trial—Narcissa and Severus had secretly been passing information to the Order, though always discreetly enough to protect their own lives. Lucius had done the same, though less out of conviction and more out of the need to preserve his family’s status in a crumbling world. Their freedom was met with mixed reactions in the wizarding community, but it was clear: the Malfoys would not serve time for their crimes, though they would be forever marked by their involvement in the war.

To everyone's surprise, Walburga Black was also brought before the Wizengamot. not because of her ties to known Death Eater. No, due to Sirius filing a case against her for using one of the Unforgivable Curses to punish her own children. The Daily Prophet followed said case with particular interest since the Black family usually bought their way out of scandals, resulting in not one ever reaching the surface for them to report on. In the end, she was found guilty and sentenced to life in Azkaban. Sirius was pleased. Regulus on the other hand had mixed, he was both relieved as left feeling guilty for going against his mother. Surprisingly, Orion Black didn't disown them but tried to reconnect with his sons. Sirius blatantly refused to even acknowledge the man's attempts, Regulus was more forgiven.

Amid the tension of rebuilding the world, life moved forward.

James, Sirius, Remus, Lily, and Peter found themselves gathered in a small countryside church for Alice and Frank Longbottom’s wedding. The ceremony was intimate and full of hope, a much-needed reprieve from the chaos that had dominated their lives. Alice looked radiant as she walked down the aisle, Frank’s eyes never leaving hers. As they exchanged vows, the war seemed like a distant nightmare, and for a moment, there was only joy and love.

After the ceremony, the group gathered around a small table, champagne glasses in hand. Lily leaned into James, smiling softly. "You know," she said casually, "we should start planning ours."

James nearly dropped his glass, his eyes wide with surprise. "Ours? What—"

Sirius snickered, elbowing him in the ribs. "Looks like Evans is one step ahead of you, Prongs."

Lily rolled her eyes affectionately. "Honestly, James. I’ve been waiting for you to pop the question for months now. But, no rush." Her smile turned mischievous. "I know you and Sirius are probably cooking up something ridiculously over-the-top."

James’s face flushed red as he stammered, "Well, I mean, yeah, sort of, but…"

Remus chuckled, shaking his head. "You’d better hurry up, mate. Sounds like she’s getting impatient."

The conversation turned light, full of teasing and laughter, but the undercurrent of love and friendship was unmistakable. The war had changed them, but it hadn’t broken them.

Sirius and Remus had moved into a small flat in London, sharing space with Regulus, who was living with them until he finished his final year at Hogwarts. Sirius had grown more protective of his younger brother after everything, and Regulus—still quiet and brooding—was grateful, though he’d never admit it aloud.

Peter, meanwhile, had started dating a Muggle girl names Sara. His friends were constantly teasing him about it, but Peter seemed smitten, and for the first time in a long time, truly happy.

James and Sirius had both begun their Auror training, diving headfirst into the demanding world of magical law enforcement. The scars of the war hadn’t left them, but it fueled their desire to ensure no dark wizard could ever rise to power again.

Remus, after much deliberation, had been asked to become the next Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts. He was reluctant at first, doubting whether the school would accept a werewolf as part of the staff. But Dumbledore’s unwavering support—and the thought of making a difference—had convinced him to take the position.

Lily had begun her training with Fleamont Potter, James’s father, to continue the Potters family’s work in potions. She found herself captivated by the art of potion-making, her natural talent making her a star pupil under Fleamont’s guidance.

Peter, on the other hand, had discovered a passion for magical painting. He’d secured an apprenticeship and was quickly gaining a reputation for his detailed and enchanting work.

Each of them was moving forward, finding their place in the world beyond the war. But there was one thing they all looked forward to: the arrival of Harry Potter.

In quieter moments, they often talked about the future, the children they’d raise, and the world they’d build for them. James would joke about how Harry would be the best Quidditch player Hogwarts had ever seen, and Sirius would laugh, already claiming the role of "the fun uncle."

And though there were still shadows—still Death Eaters to hunt, still wounds to heal—the hope for the future was stronger than it had ever been. The Marauders, Lily, and their friends had survived the war, and now, they were ready to live.

Chapter Text

The hustle and bustle of King's Cross Station enveloped them as the four Marauders, Lily, and an eleven-year-old Harry made their way towards Platform 9¾. The station was packed with Muggles rushing about, unaware of the magical world hidden just beyond the barrier between Platforms 9 and 10. Harry clutched his trolley tightly, his green eyes wide with both excitement and nerves. His owl, Hedwig, ruffled her feathers in her cage, while his trunk rattled slightly as it rolled over the uneven floor.

“Are you nervous, Harry?” Lily asked softly, noticing her son’s silence. Her red hair gleamed in the sunlight that streamed through the high windows of the station.

“A bit,” Harry admitted, adjusting his glasses. “What if I’m not sorted into Gryffindor?”

“Not sorted into Gryffindor?” James exclaimed dramatically, coming up behind him. “Blimey, Harry! You’re my son, and your mum’s a Gryffindor too! You’ll be fine!”

Sirius, walking next to James, smirked and added, “And if you’re not, well, I’m sure we can make some adjustments.” He winked at Harry, who rolled his eyes, clearly already accustomed to his uncle’s playful jabs.

As they neared the magical barrier, Harry’s apprehension seemed to grow. “What if I don’t make any friends?”

“You’ll make loads,” Peter chimed in from behind, a kind smile on his face. “Besides, you’ve got your dad’s charm and your mum’s brains. You’ll do just fine.”

Sirius couldn’t resist. “Not to mention, you’ve got me for an uncle.” He ruffled Harry’s already messy hair. “So, technically, you’re set for life.”

“Thanks,” Harry mumbled, his cheeks flushing pink.

James nudged Sirius and grinned. “Remember the stories we used to tell him when he was a baby? The time he tried to ride your motorbike around the garden—”

“Dad, uncle Sirius, please,” Harry groaned, his embarrassment deepening as they entered the platform. Hogwarts students and their families filled the space, bustling about in every direction, loading trunks and cages onto the scarlet steam engine.

Sirius chuckled, unfazed by Harry’s plea for mercy. “Or that time, on his first broom—which, obviously, I got him since I'm the best godfather ever—and flew right into the cat. Or when he tried to say ‘Quidditch’ and it came out as ‘Squidditch.’ You were, what, three at the time? Funniest thing ever.”

“Uncle Sirius…” Harry muttered, his ears now burning red.

“Or when he charmed all the mirrors in the house to show him wearing James’ glasses,” Remus chimed in, a rare mischievous twinkle in his eyes as he strolled up. “That was quite clever for a four-year-old.”

Harry was ready to disappear into the nearest wall. “I thought we were here to take me to school, not embarrass me in front of everyone.”

Remus, looking composed as ever, smiled warmly. “Well, don’t worry, Harry. You can pay us all back once term starts. I’ll be keeping an eye on you, after all.” He grinned. “You wouldn’t want to embarrass your professor now, would you?”

Harry groaned again. “Great, just what I need—my uncle as a teacher. Everybody is going to make fun of me.”

“Cheer up, mate,” Sirius laughed, clapping Harry on the back. “It could be worse. I could’ve been your teacher. You’d never get anything done with me around.”

“Oh, Merlin,” James added, “that would’ve been a disaster. Hogwarts wouldn’t survive the term.”

Lily smiled fondly as she watched the three men tease Harry. She stood slightly back with Peter, her arm linked through his. “You know, Peter, it feels like just yesterday we were sending James and Sirius off to their first year of Auror training,” she said quietly, her voice tinged with nostalgia.

Peter nodded, his smile soft and wistful. “They haven’t changed much, have they? Still a pair of overgrown children.”

Lily laughed, her eyes sparkling. “And now they’ve got our Harry to torment.”

As they continued toward the train, Lily’s eyes caught sight of a small redheaded boy struggling to push his trolley. Behind him, a plump woman was fussing over the boy’s older brothers, who were clearly already seasoned Hogwarts students.

“James,” Lily said, nudging her husband gently. “Look.”

James glanced over and smiled. “Weasley family, right?”

“Looks like Ron,” Lily murmured. “I remember Molly saying he was starting this year.”

Just a few feet away, a bushy-haired girl was talking animatedly to her parents, explaining something about magical creatures while adjusting her robes. Next to her, accompanied by Narcissa en Regulus, was a pale, blond boy with a distinct air of superiority.

Lily’s gaze lingered on the trio. “I have a feeling Harry’s going to have an interesting year,” she said, her voice carrying a touch of foresight.

James followed her gaze and grinned. “I wouldn’t be surprised. Looks like they might be his kind of crowd.”

As the train’s whistle blew, signaling it was time to board, the moment suddenly felt all too real. Harry hugged his parents tightly, the weight of the day finally settling on him. “I’ll write as soon as I can,” he promised.

“You’d better,” James said, his voice a little hoarse. “I expect detailed reports on Quidditch tryouts.”

“And any pranks you pull,” Sirius added with a grin. “I expect some quality mischief, you know. Marauder blood runs in your veins, after all.”

“Don’t listen to him,” Remus said dryly. “Just… pass your classes.”

Lily hugged Harry tight, her hand gently brushing his unruly hair. “We’re so proud of you,” she whispered. “Have fun, make friends, and don’t worry about a thing. You’ll be brilliant.”

Peter gave Harry a quick, friendly squeeze on the shoulder. “Good luck, Harry. You’ll do great.”

Harry, his nerves bubbling once more, nodded and climbed aboard the train. He found a compartment and waved through the window as the train began to pull away from the station.

As they watched the Hogwarts Express disappear into the distance, James sighed, his arm wrapping around Lily. “He’s really gone now, huh? I cannot believe he grew up so fast.”

Lily nodded, her eyes misty. “He’s going to be fine. This is the start of his adventure.”

And as the train sped toward Hogwarts, carrying Harry toward his future, all was well.