Disclaimer: As per the usual, I don't own anything that even remotely resembles the world of Harry Potter, That belongs to the author, J K Rowling and her entourage.
A/N: So this is a really long one-shot, but it's dedicated to my all new Beta, the wonderful CHARMEDPOTTER99! So anyways, enjoy & tell me what you think.
Out of time and place.
James Potter sat down with his three best friends who formed the self-named group known far and wide in this historic school as the Marauders. This year, their seventh, would be their last in the school and they wanted to leave on a last hurrah leaving their lasting impression on the ancient school. He was eagerly awaiting the feast to begin so he and Sirius could rush upstairs and trade stories on what they had found in pranking tools.
Sirius had run away from his home last year and after staying with them for a few months had left to find his own place, which he did and he now lives alone. The aged headmaster
Dumbledore stood and raised his hand in a signal for silence, which immediately followed. When the hustle and bustle of the hall had dimmed to almost silent murmurs, he spoke in his wise old voice.
"Now, before we begin our feast tonight I wish to make a few announcements. Firstly, the forbidden forest is just that...Forbidden. Secondly there will be a list posted outside Mr Filch's door about banned products in the school. And now, I have some good news, this year we will be welcoming a new seventh year student, Miss Violet Anthony will be joining the seventh years in Gryffindor house. I hope you will all make her feel at home" He said as a short, purple haired girl walked in through the doors. She didn't make eye contact and simply sat at the end of the table and waited with her hands in front of her and her head bowed, facing downwards.
In a split second, an immense amount of food appeared as it always did in front of the students. Soon everyone tucked into their meals and held several conversations, the most popular subject? The new girl. "Why do you think she's transferring this late in the year" Remus asked as he ate his roast chicken.
"Dunno...Maybe she's a Deatheater's kid that's been sent to spy in the school for You-Know-who" Sirius suggested
"Maybe...But wouldn't she be in Slytherin rather than Gryffindor" James put in chewing his last mouthful quickly. Standing he walked over to the new girl who, when she saw a shadow behind her, tensed and turned to face him. He looked into her eyes, the exact shade of Lilly's he mused, and said "Hi, I'm James Potter the head boy"
"And I'm Lilly Evans head girl, We want you to know that we are here to help...How about I show you to the dorm" Lilly said standing behind the pair.
"Look, I'm not gonna sit here and pretend to be interested with you two alright. I don't need help getting to the dorm, I don't need buddies or Bff's or whatever the hell you are looking for cos honestly" She stood up "I don't play well with others" With that she turned and left the two gawking seventh years.
She sat alone in the common room, as she always did, in the comfy chair by the fire with black leather-bound journal in her hand as she wrote quickly with her quill. Fluffing his hair Sirius Black stood and began to walk over when James grabbed his arm and pulled him back. "Pads...What are you doing"
"I'm gonna get a date with the new girl" He said moving his hair so that it fell into, and he quoted the women of the school on this, Sex hair. Grinning he went and sat down across from the new purple hair girl. She looked up and narrowed her eyes before returning to her book. Growing impatient he reached to close the book when her hand grabbed his hand in a death grip.
"Don't. Touch. My. Book" She hissed and he recoiled his hands slowly as though he was stung. Recovering quickly he put on his best charming smile, the one that had the majority of the girls in the common room to look at him "So, This weekends a Hogmsede week, Why don't I take you for some Butterbeer in the three broomsticks" He said again with his smile fixed in place. He minutely frowned when she regarded him in an indifference sense. Standing she closed her book and held it tight in one hand "No"
That one word floored the entire common room, no-one ever, EVER said no to Sirius Orion Black. She turned and left the common room through the portrait hole and walked down the stairs towards the library to work on her homework.
James snorted when he watched Sirius rant about the new girl and his refused offer. Then when he and the other marauders sat by the fire he noticed a photo lying, wedged in the side of the cushions where she had sat. Not wanting to let the others see he sat on the chair and slipped it into his pocket. Later, when the others in his dorm slept he pulled it out and saw Violet, but this time with black hair and he green eyes looking less cold and guarded. She sat with another boy, who had his arms wrapped around her shoulders. And from what he could tell they were close, as in dating close. It was a muggle photo since it didn't move turning it over he saw her loopy writing.
Cedric and Me
He chewed his lip and put it into his trunk, not sure why but he felt the need to hang onto it.
Wormtail was acting weird, but not in the bad weird way. He was getting better at school and he was becoming more confident. He could now speak to people without his stuttering and...He smelt better. Not that James went around smelling people but Wormtail had...Odour issues but now he was getting better and people could stand to be around him without gagging quietly. He wouldn't say why but blushed when they asked leading the others to tease him about having a girlfriend.
Like today at breakfast, James had his usual sausage and toast but Peter who usually ate like a horse except since his change, just ate porridge and fruit...FRUIT!
James was happy that his friend had come out of his shell he just wished he knew why.
"So, did you guys hear" Marlene Mckinnon asked as she leaned over the breakfast table.
"Hear what" Sirius asked flashing his smile
"Well, you know the new girl well she has these weird scars all over her body and like well, the Slytherin's saw and they picked fun at her, but she didn't do anything and those three of them are gonna do something to her this morning" She said pointing to Snape, Malfoy and Lestrange as they sauntered out the hall straight after Violet.
"We should help" Remus said as the marauders left the hall with Lilly walking quickly behind them.
The four boys and hidden girl stumbled around the corner to see Snape and Lestrange on the floor holding their chests and Violet walked slowly towards Malfoy who was cowering with his back against the wall.
"If you EVER try that with me again, your nose won't be the only thing I break!" She growled as he cowered in fear of the enraged purple head, when the blonde said nothing she grabbed his robes at the front and slammed him into the wall and growled "Do I make myself clear"
When the Malfoy heir nodded she released him and he cluttered to the floor, groaning, the three slytherins hobbled off leaving the girl alone. Grinning the four Maruaders made themselves known to the girl who glared at them her green eyes cold as frost.
"That was awesome!" Sirius said
"How did you do that?" Remus asked
"Do you wanna get some lunch" James asked
"I thought I made myself clear in the great hall on my first night here" She said coldly "I don't want friends and the sooner you realise that the better it'll be for everybody here okay" She spun on her foot and walked out of the hallway.
Behind her she left five people confused as to her actions.
She was missing again, James noticed. For three months straight she had vanished all day and not returning to well into the night. Instead of reprimanding her, Dumbledore merely looked upon her with an air of mourning as though she had died. He must know something. Hell Dumbledore always knew something. James watched her on the rare days that she ate in the hall before he shifted his focus to his meal, tonight was a full moon and he would need his strength if he was to help his friend. Then, for some reason a snowy white unfamiliar owl swooped down and dropped a package in front of Remus. Thinking it was from Remus's parents James and his two other friends crowded around the teen werewolf as he delicately tore at the paper covering the parcel. A folded piece of yellow parchment lay on top of a tray of clear potions. The vials were see through and the potion was clear twinkling in the candle light of the great hall.
Frowning Remus unfolded the paper and read the few lines, though the others didn't know who had written the note, James passed his hand to where he had stowed the picture of the new girl and her friend. It was the same writing for both.
Moony,
Take this before your 'Furry Problem' begins and it'll help. In the tray is a years worth and below is a recipe for more.
Doe
Remus's eyes widened partially, Someone knew his secret! He would have to leave the wizarding world and his friends and live in exile, Maybe run to France and raise Llamas?
"Moony, calm down. What's the worst that could happen right?" James asked while inside vowing that if the potion hurt his friend in any way then the new girl would find herself with worse things that multicolored hair.
The next morning as the sun broke over the hills of the Scottish countryside, Remus Lupin sat up and smiled, for the first time he was in control! He had managed to over come the beast that had half his life! Laughing loudly he saw his friends look at him as though he had lost it, quickly he explained and they each whooped and laughed along with him. James made a mental note to thank the new girl privately.
He got his chance to do so after fourth period, he had gone to the common room to grab his broom to practice since he had a free lesson after lunch when he looked around and there she sat in the same chair with the same leather-bound book in her lap.
Walking over to her he practiced what he said so that he would sound cool and suave when she looked up and raised an eyebrow. "Iwao" He said before clearing his throat and trying again "I know it was you who sent the potion thing to Remus"
"And if I did" She asked closing her book looking for once less than the cold and distant ice queen persona that she had portrayed to the outside world. she looked a little afraid and almost hopeful and happy that James was talking to her.
"I wanted to thank you" He said when Lilly Evans walked in he smiled at her and she scoffed before walking to her room presumably to sleep.
"You like her huh" A voice asked and he whipped around to meet the girl he had spoken to before Lilly had invaded his mind.
"I...I really do" He admitted softly
"Then show her" Violet said and James looked affronted, did he not show enough that he liked her. The valentine's day singing parade he had set-up in fourth year, the leprechaun's following her, the.. "Not in the way you're thinking, you keep that up she'll only ever look at you like you are a prat. Show her you can be mature and then get to know her and then maybe you got a shot" She said before she too left the common room. Once again she had left James confused.
"I wonder where she goes" Sirius wondered aloud one morning at breakfast as they watched the new girl slip out of the breakfast hall. "I've been wondering that too, that's why I brought this" James said pulling out the good old invisibility cloak. They two left after James gave a 'good morning' to Lilly Evans before they each slipped under the cloak and followed the girl to the boundary of the forbidden forest. And when she slipped past the boundary into the densely packed trees, they followed quietly. They followed her to a clearing where she sighed before movement in the undergrowth behind both her and the four boys made them snap to attention.
"Why are you here little one" A centaur asked
"Trust me when I say, It's not out of choice" She replied walking to the centaur unafraid of the bow hanging by the horseman's side.
"The stars speak of you often"
"Do they? and what do the stars speak of"
"That you are out-of-place" He said "But that you hold the key"
"Maybe I do" She said before walking back to the clearing
"It is a burden that you should not have to carry" The centaur said sadly looking at her with the same expression that Dumbledore looked at her during the meals she attended.
"It's what I do" She said simply
"But you are a mere child"
"That's what I keep saying" She said sadly before she turned on the spot and vanished into thin air.
The centaur stared at the spot where she had once stood before departing deeper into the woods, his hooves fading away.
The boys ran together until they were out of the forest and stood in a circle panting heavily with the cloak now discarded on the floor.
"What the hell was that all about" Sirius asked taking deep breaths as he spoke
"No clue, But whatever it is, We need to find out what" James replied wiping his brow with his sleeve.
They didn't have a chance to speak with Violet due to the masses of homework that was currently being assigned to the seventh years in the build up to the last tests that they would ever take in the school, they'd attended since they were 11. On another note, James had talked with Lilly and found that he had much more in common then either of them had thought. At first James was attracted to her fiery red hair and green eyes that pierced into people when she leveled her eyes to them. But as he talked more and more with her he began to become attracted to her spirit and her attitude and her ability to give second chances as he well-remembered from the library a few short weeks before they had begun to speak.
A few weeks earlier...
James walked into the library with his potions book under his arm looking for a spot to sit to do his work. Most of the tables were take up by the lower years and they whispered in their rowdy ways and limited the space that he could actually complete his work.
His eyes drifted across the room until they landed on a table inhabited by another Seventh year, Lilly Evans.
Making up his mind he walked over to her and cleared his throat, and when she looked up and scowled he raised his hands in surrender "I come here to study not bother or irritate" He said pointing to his book. She narrowed her eyes before saying in a tight voice "Fine, But one word Potter and I'll hex you into next week" She warned.
"Fair enough" He said before he sat down and opening his potions text-book he began to copy down the correct text. When Lilly left to grab another book he glanced over at her work on transfiguration and noticed a small but vital mistake in her theory
When she sat back down he looked away without her noticing his gaze he deliberated telling her the mistake when she said in a low voice "That's wrong, It's not moonstone it's gem stones" Pointing to a passage in his essay. Looking at the text-book he found her to be right and he quickly corrected it "Thanks" He said before he made up his own mind "You've got the wrong wand movement"
"What" She said genuinely startled that the words 'Thanks' and not another crappy chat up line came from James mouth.
"In the second part of your theory you said it's a twirling motion, It's more of a swish" He said demonstrating with his own wand. She looked at him weirdly before smiling and saying thanks after that they seemed to meet up in the library most days to complete their homework.
Eventually, she started up a conversation with him and while a part of him ached to ask her out he cast his mind to Violet's advice. So, he talked to her like he would a friend and soon the pair grew close and when James asked her to the next Hogsmede visit she agreed.
That day he almost skipped to dinner but when his friends asked him what was the matter he shook his head. He would not ruin his chance with Lilly now when it was closer in his grasp.
Present day: Saturday, Hogsmede visit
James walked towards the village engaged in a conversation with Lilly over the Quidditch league. For a girl who enjoyed books she sure as heck knew a lot about Quidditch. "Oh please, With the way they played last season The holy head harpies have zero chance to get into the league" She said
"Well if Lilly has said then I suppose it must be so" He said smiling when she nodded her head.
"So, we could get drinks first then look around" She suggested and when he nodded she dragged him off towards the pub and James found he didn't mind it one little bit.
As they sat down Lilly looked at him strangely "What?" He asked
"If someone told me that I would be in Hogsmede with James Potter a year ago I would have laughed"
"And now?" He asked hoping that he didn't sound too desperate
"You've changed, you matured...I like you more this way" She said almost whispering the last part.
"Well it's been a long time coming" He said before raising his glass in a toast "To growing up" He said and she clinked her Butterbeer bottle with his smiling along with him.
He saw as he talked and laughed with Lilly the new girl walk in and order a bottle of Butterbeer before walking to a table alone. "I think that's a shame" Lilly said also looking at the new girl
"I know, I feel bad for her. It can't be easy, going to a new school with people who you don't know" James said
"Maybe we should invite her to have a drink with us" Lilly said chewing her lip as she gazed a little sadly at the girl in the corner of the room.
Outside the window screams began to sound but unlike carefree laugh filled screams these sounded full of fear. "What's happening" Lilly asked
"I don't know" James said as he saw Violet tense up in the corner as she gulped another part of her drink.
Then the door to the three broomsticks blew open and two men in cloaks and masks walked in "Everybody to the side of the room, Now!" He growled firing a green spell at the roof to emphasize his point. As everyone ran to do as he said another figure with his hood pulled up to hide his face.
When the new figure had fully stepped into the room it took off his hood revealing a half snake half man face. Voldemort. His red eyes glinted in the lamp light as James observed the man who held the country in crippling fear. He looked across the room and saw his three friends in the corner near him but when he scanned the room for the familiar purple head he found no-one like that and it was only when Lilly gasped near him that he turned and found that Violet had not moved from her seat casually sipping her Butterbeer.
"We said move girl" The Deatheater who had barked the first order said.
"I thought that was more of a suggestion than an order" She said before she finished her bottle and began to roll it on the table on its bottom.
When the Deatheater said nothing and moved forwards to move her she brought the bottle smashing into his temple and the man fell to the floor unconscious. The second Deatheater looked at his fallen comrade before he clumsily took out his wand by which time Violet had stunned him sending him to the floor as well.
"You should invest in better henchmen" She said standing to face the dark lord.
"They do not matter to me girl" The dark lord said smirking at the person in front of him
"Hobbies" She said suddenly confusing everyone in the room
"What" Voldemort said
"Hobbies, Everyone's got one. You kill thousands of people and I hunt and destroy.." Here her voice became a series of hisses and rasps that made no sense to the people who listened but to Voldemort it must have made sense as his red eyes widened in surprise and...fear?
"You lie" He hissed sounding almost snake like.
"I'm afraid not" She said looking at him uncaring as though she didn't stand before the man who killed for fun
"You are the witch out-of-place" He said understanding colouring his tones.
"That's what they call me, though I prefer Violet" She said shrugging
"You will not succeed" He snarled drawing his wand. She smiled. James widened his eyes, who smiles when they are about to die?
"Trust me when I say, that spell ain't gonna work" She said pulling a dagger from under her jacket. Without saying anything she ran towards him dagger held high in her hand.
Voldemort shot of the killing curse and James felt the blood drain from his face as Lilly choked back a sob and buried her face away.
But instead of hitting her the sickly green curse was absorbed in the dagger and she smiled once more saying "I told you so" Before plunging it deep into Voldemort's chest.
She turned when he fell to the floor. She smiled when she caught James's eye looking younger than she had done before. He returned the smile before he screamed "VIOLET"
She turned to late and Voldemort plunged the knife into her own chest before he fell to the floor reducing to a pile of ash as the curse of the dagger worked its way through his body.
James ran forwards as she fell to the floor, he slid to his knees and placed his hand over the wound and found Lilly by his side as well. "It..Won't..Work" She gasped out
"Why" Lilly said hysterically taking off her cardigan to cover the wound
"Cursed...Blade" She said before her breathing evened out "Dad...Mum" She whispered as she breathed a soft last breath and her green eyes lost the twinkle and went dim.
James looked shell-shocked at the girl on the floor whose blood was on his hands, then her body glowed brightly before fading away into the air.
Voldemort had fallen that day, but all James could think of was her eyes that looked so very familiar.
James sat in the common room with a large leather bound book in his lap, sat on the very seat that she had once sat upon. The book that lay in his lap was the very same that she had snapped shut in Sirius's face when he had asked her out. Why did he have this? Dumbledore and the other heads had emptied out her space in the dorm and when he had passed James on the stairs he had given him the book saying nothing but letting his eyes twinkle despite the grave situation.
Because there was no body, there was a simple plaque put in place stating what had happened on that day with her initials carved into the solid gold piece square in the centre of Hogsmede.
James traced the embossed edges of the book with his finger lightly as he grew more and more curious as to what the book held and why she had defended it from being opened by anyone but her.
Finally, the urge to open it grew too much and he did. The paper was soft and very unlike the scratchy parchment they had to use in the school. The writing was the same loopy text that was on the photo. Sighing he lowered his head and with the soft glow from the fire in the grate warming him and casting small shadows across the page he began to read.
This is the beginning of the end. That much we know, there's no hope, no future. In the year of 2012, we lost the war against Voldemort.
James stopped and stared at the fire. They lost? There was no more hope for them so they resorted to sending someone back, and why her?
With the prophecy becoming more and more unachievable all seemed lost, until a new one was recited. Paraphrasing, it spoke of a witch who has faced off against Voldemort four times, one who could end it in another time.
That witch was me.
James took a shuddering breath as he finished the first entry, that was what it had become? He almost shut the book if not for the burning questions in his head.
I'm here, back in 1977. It's wierd seeing all these people knowing what is going to happen if I fail. Neville's Parent, Frank and Alice look miles apart form their tortured selves. And my own parents look nothing like the photos.
My dad is so much more than the messy hair and glasses and my mum is so much more beautiful than the people say. I know that I can't go near them, too much could be changed. But what if I did, what if I told them the truth? Then again, I never really wanted to know what the walls of St mungo's looked like.
He smiled, whoever her parents were they must be proud. Briefly he wondered why he had received the book and not them. He flicked through the pages, each one filled with the past, and a few with intricate diagrams of spell work. But something was pulling him, telling him to go to the back. He flicked through the paper, stopping at the last entry she had written, he started to read again.
I've done it, they're all gone. Riddles Horcruxes are gone. It seems Dumbledore was right, he didn't make the snake until after third year but with all the others gone, it means that he's mortal. I have the dagger the Goblins gave me before I left. I can't fail, not again.
James stopped reading again looking up and seeing that he was alone, he turned the other page and steadfastly read her words.
They say, sometimes, that if you write your story down then it's supposed to help you. Soothes you I think is what they say. I guess it's worth a shot.
I was born, Violet Jaime Potter. My parents were James and Lilly Potter.
James choked back a sob at this, she was his. He then remembered her last words as she looked at him and Lilly, "Dad…Mum"
On Halloween night, when I was one, they were murdered by Thomas Marvolo Riddle AkA Lord Voldemort. I don't remember much from that night, only screams. My dad fought him off, he was brave like that. Or so they told me. But being here in the past, I can see it too.
He's not stupidly brave, but bravely loyal. To those he loves he would die for, for his enemies he would gladly watch burn. I know he's not perfect, I mean I only have to look at the snape incident, but I don't want him to be perfect. I want him to be alive, to hold me if I have a bad dream, to cheer me on when I win a quidditch match...God I'd even want him to terrify my boyfriends.
James swallowed hard and smiled, he could and would do all those things. She had done it, his little girl had done it.
I first went to hogwarts when I was eleven and I knew nothing of magic. My aunt wasn't too forthcoming with details, but it was breathtaking. I finally belonged somewhere, I have friends here.
This is us in our first year
Below was a picure taken of three people, a younger violet, a bushy haired girl and a stocky red head. He traced Violets smile and noticed it was exactly like Lilly's, but the hair and the nose, they were all Potter.
Looking back we were so innocent, I was happy then. Truly, happy. I want that world to be the one I go back to, a world when the worst thing to happen was a double potions lesson. When death was a mere memory than a close friend, I know that I won't be the one to see it. But I have to believe that whatever happens, it's better. It just has to be.
James took a breath and slowly closed the book, he turned it over in his hands before he looked at the fireplace. Smiling he tossed the leather bound book into its crackling flames. He didn't need to know any more.
"James" A soft voice said and he turned and saw Lilly wiping her eyes with her sleeve, her eyes red and puffy.
"Hey Lilly" He said softly standing to his feet and walking towards her "How are you"
"It's just…I can't believe what happened" She whispered as a small tear slipped out of her green eyes. He gently wiped it away with the pad of his thumb "I know, I know" He said as he gently pulled her into a warm hug "But it'll get better" He said
"How do you know" She whispered into his chest which was soon becoming damp
James smiled softly as he stared at the pages in the fire, its pages slowly curling and blackening "It just has to."
James looked down at his little girl cradled in his arms. He looked at her closed eyes, hiding her baby blue ones that were starting to tinge with the Green he knew so well. He ran his fingers through the soft black hair, she squirmed and he feared she would wake. But she merely shifted and gripped his index finger harder.
He smiled, feeling his eyes water. This was his child, his baby girl. He could hear his wife in the next room, bustling around as she readied a bottle for her should she need it.
A soft wind blew through his own black hair, he looked up and checked the windows and the doors. All of which were shut tightly, minus the front room door which was only open a small crack; not enough to let in any air, and certainly not enough to make his hair move that much.
He looked back towards the fireplace and saw the Violet he knew standing casually against the frame. He blinked and she smirked at him before looking down at the baby curled inwards at his chest.
"How…" He began before she shook her head and motioned to her throat, he nodded. She couldn't speak.
He watched as another figure began to fade in, it slowly began to grow as more features began to appear. Soon a boy of seventeen appeared next to her; she looked up and took his hand in her own. She looked back at James and smiled lopsidedly, her eyes fixed on the baby in his arms, before the pair began to dim away until they were gone.
"Hey James what's wrong" Lilly asked him as she gently took their daughter from his arms and into hers.
"Noting…Nothing at all"
