A Future Visitor

"Dumbledore asked for you. He's at his office." A third year student approached Lily.

"That's odd. I haven't done anything wrong." Lily worried slightly.

"Maybe it's just to talk about Head issues, you know." Alice, her best friend, suggested. Lily Evans had been appointed Head Girl, a very responsible position for seventh year students.

"I'm done with my dinner anyway; I'll meet you back in the common room."

"Alright, Lils."

"Where she'd go?"

She couldn't help with smile a bit when she heard Potter ask Alice. James Potter was a popular boy who repeatedly asked her out, hexed her dates, and showered her with compliments. At the end of their sixth year, Lily had had enough and lashed out on him and reprimanded him to decrease his foolish ways with his friends, if he was ever to stand a chance with her.

She walked through several corridors until she reached his office. What she saw left her speechless. She saw Professor Dumbledore, the Headmaster, standing near a woman with shoulder length dark red hair and piercing green eyes. Her full and curvy figure was appealing, as was her face. She was smiling at Lily – why was that?

"Good evening, Miss Evans. Thank you for arriving on short notice, and I apologize if you had missed your supper. I will summon one of the elves to bring you a hot meal after we finish here."

"Thank you, professor, but I've finished my supper. May I ask why I'm here? Who is she?"

"That is exactly what I wish to discover. Clearly, you two look very much alike. Would you mind?" Dumbledore handed the woman a vial to drink.

"Veritaserum?" She asked, her oddly familiar voice sent chills down Lily's back. He nodded and gazed at her as she drunk it.

"What is your full name and age?", Dumbledore inquired.

"Lily Potter and I'm twenty years old."

'Potter?! That's not possible!, Lily thought panicky to herself.

She looked down at the woman's hands and spotted a diamond ring. Her eyes widened back at her. She wondered if this is someone else under Polyjuice potion. She scoffed; that option was clearly not possible. Her mind was in total shambles.

"What is your profession? Why are you here?"

"I'm a member of an organization named the 'Order of the Phoenix' and its purpose is to stop Voldemort. Until a few minutes ago, I was in the middle of a massive search for some of his followers, until a spell accidently may have sent me back to the past."

"Someone has decided to join. Please, enter." Dumbledore exclaimed with a playful glint in his eyes.

James came in, frantic and yet embarrassed. "Sorry, professor, I was looking for Lily to ask if I could borrow her notes."

Lily snorted – she didn't believe that for a second – he wanted to know why Dumbledore wanted to see her. Older Lily looked at James and back at Lily with curiosity. She chuckled as she saw James fixing his dark hair to appear more presentable to her younger version.

"Lily, are you married?" Dumbledore resumed asked her questions.

"You're the spitting image of her. What's going on here?", James asked Lily. Lily was too stunned to answer.

"Yes, I'm married to James Potter."

His head turned quickly to the woman's direction.

"What did you say?" James asked, utterly dumbfounded. A huge wolfish grin spread on his handsome tan face. His hazel eyes twinkled with glee behind his round glasses. Older Lily relished on his reaction.

"It's not possible! We're only friends!" Lily shrieked.

Older Lily looked at her younger self and ensured "I know you're stunned about the part I mentioned him, but he does manage to deflate his head. He's not so bad once you really get to know him."

This didn't really comfort the younger woman.

"Deflate my head? It's not that big!" James defended himself. The two redheads shared a knowing look.

"Could this be true, professor? Is she indeed from the future?" James changed the subject.

Dumbledore enjoyed listening to the ongoing conversation, but he needed more validation.

"We shall see. Ask her something that only you would know", he urged young Lily. She regained her composure and approached the woman sitting on the chair.

"How did you get the scar on your shoulder?", Lily asked her older self.

Older Lily let out a sigh and replied "I rode my bicycle after school, and fell off of it. I was obviously alone because Petunia didn't want anything to do with me, after we learned that I was a witch. The cut was deep and required stitches, hence the scar."

Dumbledore and James looked at Lily, searching for confirmation.

"It's true. Petunia doesn't speak to me anymore." Lily sniffed.

"It's her bloody loss." James muttered angrily. He heard stories about Lily's sister, and immediately disliked her. Younger Lily smiled weakly at him.

"Lily, are you alright?" Dumbledore asked her.

Younger Lily knew he wasn't asking her; older Lily fell back into her chair and breathed deeply.

"Can I get a glass of water? Unfortunately, early stages are a nightmare." The woman removed her cloak, revealing a white buttoned up shirt and black pants. Lily thought she was fuller in her mid section, but didn't pay too much attention to that.

James quickly fetched her glass with cold water, and as their fingers slightly touched, she said to him "Don't sorry, I'd come round eventually."

He took this time to gaze deep into her eyes; he detected humor in her eyes. She smirked at him.

"That's excellent to know. Now I'm sure that my plan is working." James whispered to her before they shared a smile. She took the glass from her and drank the water.

"'Early stages'? Are you with child, Mrs. Potter?"

Dumbledore's question staggered younger Lily. First she finds out that she marries James, and now she will have his children? This was too much for her.

Older Lily placed the glass on Dumbledore's desk and answered "Yes, I am. This is my last week serving as an Auror on the field for obvious reasons. James and I couldn't be happier."

Younger Lily was lost for words, as opposed to James who looked lovingly at both red-haired women. He was ecstatic to know that the girl he loved would become his wife and mother of his children.

The seventeen year old Lily breathed deeply and said "I need some fresh air."

She ran out of the office.

James immediately understood how she felt, this was a lot for her to take in. Clearly he felt differently; he wouldn't object the possibility of having her in his life. She was just getting to know him. He excused himself and went looking for her. With a special map he created with his friends, he found her sitting on the staircase which leads to the Great Hall. Her head was between her knees, her dark red hair flowing down her back.

"Hey."

She raised her head to find him looking worriedly at her.

"Hi. I guess I panicked. I needed a few minutes alone." Lily said quietly.

"I understand. I'm not going to pretend that I'm not thrilled about this, but I think you should get to know me better. You'll see that I'm not an arse as you think I am."

They chuckled. "I don't think you're an arse. For what is worth, you're less conceited than before." Lily admitted.

"Good to know. Lily, we might not even end up together so our futures might change." James shrugged, his happiness dampened.

Then she said something that surprised them both.

"Come to think of it, it might not be so bad if it goes that way." Lily felt her cheeks grow hotter by the minute. Oh Merlin, he is less arrogant and more considerate. She liked this version of him and found him quite handsome, but she wasn't ready to admit to him just yet.

James' eyebrows rose up in shock. Did she really say that? Was he dreaming?

This is one of the few times she left him speechless. She got up from the stair and faced James.

"Thank you for looking after me." She added genuinely.

"Always." James replied in his low voice.

She kissed him softly on the cheek and went to look for Alice. James placed his hand on the cheek she kissed and grinned – this is the start of something beautiful.