Nothing Stays the Same: A Year of Change

By jezebel

Disclaimer: I don't own a thing that belongs to the HP world

Reviews: Always welcome

Pairings:  H/G, R/Her, L/J and probably a few others. I need suggestions on who Draco can end up with.

A/N:  I thought I'd try something new. I was reading fanfic when the idea came to me for the first chapter. I don't know where this fic is heading, I'm blind to that, but I know that I'll be incorporating a lot of my favorite ideas into one, jumbo story. So if you're prepared to take this wacky journey with me, we'll see just how far I can go with no directions.

And now, read if you dare.

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Chapter One: Return to the Living

It's dark and cramped. A musty smell fills the little air available. My body is cramped and aches from not being in use for who knows how long. My head is swarming with thoughts and I can't make out a specific one.

After a few minutes my head clears a bit and I come to the conclusion that I have to get out of where ever I am. I raise my arms and they hit something solid that feels like a fabric covering and it makes a noise that tells me I've hit something wooden. I know now that I am encased in some form of casket. The why hasn't quite hit me yet. I use my fingers and find the seams. My luck is good and I pull out the staples that hold the fabric on. I finally feel the wood so I pound and punch what I can.

After what seems like an eternity, I break through. Instantly I'm covered with dirt. Then I realize; I've been buried. I mentally prepare myself for what I'm about to do. A few seconds later, I hold my breath and start to dig. I'm running out of air quick. My foot gets stuck on the wood of the coffin and I lose precious moments of air. After tugging hard, I start my venture upward. My instinct takes over as I start to feel light headed and struggle to form a coherent thought.

Finally my hand breaks through the surface. I pull myself up and light assaults my sensitive eyes. I gasp for air and struggle to breath, for it seems a foreign act to me, why is beyond me. The streetlamp's light is bright and I close my eyes. The air is fresh and helps to clear my head. I open my eyes slowly and my eyes adjust to the unwelcome light. At first my vision is a little blurry, then it becomes clear. I'm in a cemetery and its night.

 I look down at my clothes. I'm wearing a tasteful, plain black dress. I remember it; I wore it to many funerals during His reign of terror. It used to be clean and pressed; now it is covered in dirt and ripped in a few places. I notice that I seem to have lost one of my shoes. It must have come off when my foot got stuck.

I take a moment to calm down. I try to remember why I'd be here. The last thing I remember is holding on to Harry and then a bright flash of green light. Oh, God, Harry, my sweet, little boy. Damn you Voldemort!

With a sense of dread I turn around as I realize what must have happened. He killed us; I was dead. How am I not? I close my eyes, and then open them to see the worst sight imaginable: two gravestones, lying close to each other. I peer at the one closest to me. The dirt before it is everywhere as I have escaped my coffin. Etched in a flowing script the words: 

Lillian Virginia (Petals) Potter Beloved wife, mother, and friend May you rest in peace for all eternity May 4, 1966 to October 31, 1989

I gasp as I read the words. I may have come to the conclusion I was dead, but it's still a shock to see your gravestone before you. I look over to the one next to it and a few tears run down my dirt-covered face as I read the inscription:

James Wesley (Prongs) Potter

Beloved husband, father, prankster, and friend

May your marauder spirit rest in peace

September 8, 1966 to October 31, 1989

Oh James, I never thought it would really happen to us. I look for the marker that would announce my baby boy's resting place, but find none. Hope enfolds me as I realize he must be alive somewhere, living with Padfoot and causing trouble. They wouldn't separate a family in death, would they?

 I'm pulled from my discovery when my husband's grave starts to sink in. My eyes widen as a hand breaks through the surface, followed by a dirty arm, and then the other finds its way to the surface. After taking a moment I rush to help and soon my husband is lying before me. His eyes automatically shut as the light fills his senses. I pull him close and whisper words of comfort as his body readjusts to being alive. Slowly one eye opens, then the other, till I'm looking into two familiar, bright blue orbs. We stare into each other's eyes for a beat, and then he gasps.

"Lily, is it really you?" he seems so amazed that it breaks my heart. I smile and nod, as I am too choked up to say anything. Tears of joy are now flowing freely. He doesn't hesitate and pulls me close. It seems like we stay in that position for eternity, until he reluctantly pulls away. He gives me the once over, and then nods his approval.

            "Just needs to get a look at you. But why are you so dirty?" I just look at him in the eye sadly, and then his eyes cloud over. "You had to climb out, like me, didn't you?"

"Yes." My voice is raspy and hoarse, as I haven't used it in what seems to be a while. I clear my throat. "Yes, honey, I had to climb out too."

He seems angry, then sad. Finally he settles on confused. "Why were we-" He peers over my shoulder and stares at the gravestones that I had discovered before. He stays silent, and then lets out a deep breath. "We were dead, weren't we." It's more of a statement then a question. I nod and he looks down. "And Harry? Even if he did come back to life, he wouldn't have the strength to or know how to escape." He lowers to his face and I watch a tear fall to the dirt-covered ground. I hook my finger under his chin so he looks at me.

            "Honey, I won't lie to you, I don't know what happened to Harry, but I don't see any indication that he… he, that he was with us." I can't bring myself to even say that my little angel is dead.

James suddenly brightens as he searches for our son's gravesite. After seeing none, he turns to me and grins. "Guess we'll have to debrainwash him, after all, he's been with Padfoot for, who knows how long." I give a weak chuckle. Nothing stops a marauder's sense of humor. I pull myself up to a standing position and James follows. At first I'm a little wobbly, but James steadies me and I him. We hold each other for balance and discover our legs aren't used to holding our weight. After taking a few cautious steps, we are able to walk slowly. We use each other for support and wordlessly walk to the gates of the cemetery.

Once there, we rest on the iron fence and take a breather. Just that small trek, as we were fairly close to the exit, has taken a lot out of me. I guess after being dead for, I don't know how long, I don't have as much endurance as I used to. It will take time, but I'm hopeful that soon you'd never know that I was a walking corpse. I hear my name and look to James. Apparently he's been calling my name for a while now. I grin sheepishly.

"Sorry, lost in thought. What is it honey?"

"Don't worry about it. I just wanted to know what you think we should do next."

I think for a moment. We should probably go to Dumbledore. He'd know what to do. On the other hand, I have no idea where we are. I turn around and look at the sign for the cemetery. With the light of the street lamp I can make out: Godric Hollow Memorial Cemetery. Well, now I know where we are, but I really want to see the guys. James is probably missing them more. Sirius, Remus, and what ever happened to Peter. He must have been the spy. I'd always had a feeling about him. But that would mean he was working for Voldemort. Just when you think you know somebody. James is staring at me intently and I realize he's still waiting for an answer.

"Oh, I was just going over our options. I think we should tell Dumbledore, but I'd rather like to see the guys, and I want to get in touch with Bella." He gives me a smile that makes my just recently, beating heart melt.

"I was hoping you'd say that. So where do you think they are?"

"I'm betting they're at Moony's. You guys were always over there as he's the only one that can cook. If anything, he can floo Padfoot over." It makes sense to me and James seems to agree.

"So, should we apperate?"

"We don't have our wands."

"Oh. Well how do we get there?" I grin at his impatience. He would always stay the same no matter what.

"Well, we're at Godric's Hollow-"

"How do you know that?"

I roll my eyes and point to the sign. He blushes a bit and nods for me to continue.

"As I was saying, we can go the house and floo from there, that is if Padfoot hasn't decided to raise Harry there. He always did like the house." James gives me his approval, so I grab his hand and we start to walk in the familiar direction of our home. I lead James a bit as he doesn't have his glasses.

We were a block away when dread fills my entire body. My fears are confirmed as I get my first glimpse of my old residence. I stop suddenly. James gives me a look, wondering why we had stopped, but as soon as he saw what I had, and he too gives a shocked gasp. Even he, who can't see, can make out the details, that where there used to be our quaint, two-story, dream home, is now a pile of ruins.

 Ashes cover the ground and the grass is overgrown. Weeds dominate the yard. What is left of our home is an almost collapsed staircase and the skeletons of the living room, kitchen and a few rooms upstairs. It's a nightmare. My eyes survey the wreckage and I know James is doing the same. I locate where I remembered the fireplace to be and luck is on our side as it was still standing. I pull James towards it. My feet crunch as I step on junk and charred remains of our belongings.

We're almost to the fireplace when a piece of the second story starts to fall. James pushes me out of the way just in time. My heart breaks as I realize that it was part of the nursery. A stuffed phoenix surprisingly remains in tact and had fallen with the chunk of floor, or ceiling depending on how you look at it. I bend down and pick it up.

 Memories fill my head as I remember receiving the toy from Dumbledore as a gift for Harry. My little boy loved this toy and was attached to it from the day he was born.  Her name was C.C. Harry had named her always shouting out "see, see!" when he was visited by Fawkes. The name had stuck.

I hug the toy to my chest, and then walk over to James, where he was standing by the fireplace. We look in the usual space and found the floo powder in part of a broken jar on the ground. I bend down to pick it up and a newspaper flies with the wind and lands on my feet. I pick it up and James took the floo powder. He remains silent, but gestures me to go first. I take a handful of the powder and throw it in the fireplace. I look at the newspaper in my hand and notice the date before I shout out my destination, "Moony Mansion."

 It's today's paper, July 30, 2003. Tomorrow is my Harry's birthday, he'll be 15. I realize this before I'm swept up in a swirl of green flames and magically taken to my destination.

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A/N: Congrats! You've survived the first chapter.  I plan to do Harry's birthday next. The beginning is already written and will be posted ASAP!  I hope you liked my ideas. Here's a taste of what I plan to do in the future. Obviously Harry's birthday, what happens to Lily and James when they reach Moony Mansion, sudden feelings develop between friends…and enemies, the return to Hogwarts, the new DADA teacher, a godmother is revealed, the obvious fight against good ole Moldy-shorts, and is Draco a good wizard…or a bad wizard? (He's not a wizard at all) Sorry, had to do it! Anywho, Return next time for the next deadly chapter of NSTS: AYOC. That's long isn't it? Oh, and I wasn't really sure about the dates or anything, so I guessed and estimated, and it's my story so deal with it! (I've got issues!) And if you have any corrections, tell me in your reviews and I'll try to fix them ASAP or I won't make the same mistake twice.

Toodles