Seeing the Past Chapter 1: Seeing the Past Part 1, a harry potter fanfic

Seeing the Past

Summary: Ivy Jones had been helping the Order clean out Grimmauld Place when she came across something that changed her view of the past. A journal (*cough*diary*cough*) of back in 1977-1981. While dealing with a slippery Slytherin, she finds herself compatible with a certain deceased Abigail Potter. When she wants questions answered, she turns to the person who truly never got over the death. Ivy always got to see the future, but now she'll be taking that dip into the past that Sirius holds truly dear.

Chapter one: Clearing the dust

'It would be curious to discover who it is to whom one writes in a diary. Possibly to some mysterious personification of one's own identity.' -Beatrice Webb

Ivy

"Pssst," A familiar voice hissed from close behind me, making me jump and shocking me from the books I was lazily sorting through, almost making me drop the heavy tome I had been scrutinizing on my bare toe.

Confused I turned away from the dusty bookshelf I had been instructed to inspect and still clutching the green covered hardback, entitled 'Toujours Pur: A History of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black', I spotted Fred and George standing by a nearby open wardrobe. Pretending to be sifting through the clothes and objects stashed in there the twins shot meaningful, raised eyebrow looks in my direction, discreetly jerking their heads to the side as though beckoning me forwards. I frowned in question, knowing I still had a lot of pompous, pure blood literature to sort through before dinner, however at my querying gaze they only redoubled their efforts to get me to come to them and widened their eyes at me purposefully, before going back to scrapping coat hangers along the wardrobe railing and looking innocent. Wondering at all their secrecy and curious as to what they wanted, it was impossible not be when these two were concerned; I glanced at Harry, who was knelt down rummaging through an old trunk next to my bookshelf and had also been summoned by the twins. Harry shrugged and got to his feet, though Fred cleared his throat loudly at the motion and George shook his head, I turned to share a look with a bewildered Harry, okay, I thought, we had to be discreet then. Feigning absentmindedness Harry walked forwards casually, strolling along beside the bookshelf and inspecting the titles as he went, the twins nodded their approval of this and when Harry reached my side, collectively the four of us looked over our shoulders.

At the other side of the guest room, one of the many previously unexplored guest rooms in Grimmauld Place, were the others, Ron, Hermione, Sirius and Mrs Weasley who, like we were supposed to be, were absorbed in the task of cleaning the room out and making it fit for human habitation. Well, some were more absorbed than others, it was apparent that Ron was fast getting irritated, we had been cleaning for hours and had been doing the same practically every day since we arrived here and it was getting tedious now, especially for Ron, who was huffing and puffing and had asked his mother five times already when dinner was going to be. However, none of them seemed to be aware of our little gathering, which was obviously the twins' aim.

"We've got something to show you," Fred whispered slyly as he subtly shifted closer to us along with George, mischievous grins present on the faces of both brothers. Interested and wary both I allowed myself a smile and lent forwards.

"What?" I asked as Harry, who knew the twins' amusing perchance for rule breaking as well as I did, looked over at the two eagerly.

"A new sweet…" George answered with a glint in his eye.

"…a kind of… addition, to the Skiving Snackboxes…" Fred continued with the same glimmer in his own blue gaze.

"…only these are something special and you wouldn't want to use them on yourself." George elaborated, sharing a knowing smirk with his twin as he rummaged through his pockets. "May we present our latest invitation in comedy confectionary, Bang, Bang, Bon Bons?" George whispered as, with a flourish, he produced a bag of sweets.

"What do they do?" Harry asked, just as intrigued as I was by their obvious excitement and knowing this was sure to be worth a laugh.

"Allow us to demonstrate." Fred said with a wink before taking the sugar coated toffees from George and offering them to us, shaking the bag invitingly and sporting a highly raised eyebrow and a smirk. At first I thought he expected us to try one, in which case he was off his rocker because there was no way I was accepting ANYTHING the twins offered me, I wasn't stupid, however when he suddenly exclaimed, "here Ivy; Harry, have a sweet," in a loud and theatrical voice that carried easily across the room to the others, and as soon as Ron's head shot up I knew what they were up to.

"Pretend to take one," George whispered to Harry and I as over his shoulder Ron, who was hungry and miserable and watching the packet of sweets with a frown, started forwards. Suppressing a smirk Harry and I pretended to take a sweet from the bag and eat it, which made not laughing all the more difficult as I felt ridiculous pretending to chew a fictional sweet. Harry and I both knew what the twins were trying to do as soon as Ron headed in our direction, Hermione shooting him a disapproving glare for shirking his responsibilities as he went, however, with nothing more than a shared look between us that asked if we were okay with them picking on our friend, we shrugged and decided we'd allow it. Just this once for curiosity's sake.

"Oi," Ron grunted as he reached the twins, who promptly turned away looking all angelic again as Fred stuffed the sweets inside his robes pocket, none too discreetly. "What about me?"

"What about you?" The twins asked in nonchalant unison with a shrug of their shoulders as I ducked my head to keep from laughing and dropped the History of the House of Black down on the undecided pile, for Sirius to make up his mind about, though I was fairly certain what outcast man would do with it, I was still going to give him the choice.

The book hit the others on the pile with an audible thud and another dust cloud rose up into the air, hanging heavy in the room and causing Harry to sneeze, I smirked at him as I randomly plucked another book from the shelf, the cover of which was so thick with dust that the powder covered my fingertips and felt unpleasant because of that, however, by that point I was immune to dust. Without really paying my attention to it I brought the book closer to me and returned my attention fully to the others.

"Don't I get one?" Ron asked with an indignant pout and frown, clearly not appreciating being left out.

"No." Fred said in a point blank tone of voice, looking thoroughly unmoved by his brother's question.

"But I'm starving, and its ages until dinner." Ron implored, widening his warm blue eyes at his brothers pleadingly.

"So? That's got nothing to do with us…" George said in a tone that mimicked his twins supposed disinterest.

"…And it's not like you need fattening up any more, ickle Ronniekins." Fred added for good measure, pulling the sweet packet out of his pocket to taunt his brother with.

Having enough Ron scowled at the twins and lashed out, snatching the packet of sweets out of Fred's hands easily and completely missing the satisfied grins they wore as they watched him scoff a toffee. Warring emotions conflicted within me then, for a while I felt sorry for my friend, who was being messed with this way, but at the same time I knew he'd forgive us and I was too curious about what the sweets did to pass up this chance. From my side George nudged me, knocking me into Harry and gaining both our attentions before looking at us meaningfully and nodding at Ron, who was chewing away at the sweet with a deep frown of bewilderment in place, I could only assume the Bon Bon didn't taste right.

"Wait for it," the twins chorused excitedly as Ron coughed to clear his throat and raised his hand to rub his neck, his face turning steadily red. He looked confused, completely baffled by what was happening, until his gaze landed on the twins mirrored mischievous expressions and understanding hit our friend like a ton of bricks. It was too late though, and all furious or confused expressions were wiped from his face and replaced by pure, undiluted shock as the first loud bang sounded out in the room.

At first I couldn't locate the sound, I couldn't tell at all where it was coming from, until the second crackle reached my ears and I watched in stunned surprise as Ron jumped up in the air in cannon with the sound and hovered a few feet above the ground for a second, clutching his throat and opening his mouth to reveal the dying embers of what appeared to be fireworks on his tongue. When Ron landed on the ground again, the attention of everyone in the room now upon him, the sweets really began to work, loud, booming bangs echoed repeatedly through the room as Ron jumped and howled and tried to scrape the remainder of the sweet off his tongue but to no avail. The mini fireworks showed no signs of stopping. Laughter erupted from the four of us as Ron hopped around the room to the soundtrack of assorted bangs and crackles, Fred was bent over double with the force of his guffaws while George, still sniggering himself, quickly stepped forwards and scooped the packet of sweets off the floor where Ron had dropped them. Harry and I were in tears and doing our best to smother our laughter as Mrs Weasley hurried forwards with Hermione, demanding Ron tell her what was wrong. I knew it was cruel to laugh, but Ron knew it was all in good fun.

"It's like crackling candy," I observed, wiping my eyes and catching my breath.

"What?" Fred asked in confusion and I realized he wouldn't have a clue what I was talking about, Harry did though and nodded in agreement, though he was still struggling to control his laughter as Ron rocketed off the floor again and Mrs. Weasley pulled his tongue from his mouth to inspect it.

"A kind of Muggle sweet, you pour these crystals onto your tongue and they fizz and pop, or rather, they crackle, since they're called crackling candy." I explained and the twins shared an unimpressed look.

"Bang, Bang, Bon Bons are nothing like that," Fred assured me.

"Your Muggle sweet merely crackles; our food revolution creates thousands of tiny fireworks on your tongue that tickle…" George explained.

"…and send thousands of tiny, little shocks through your body and cause the jerking motion." Fred added with a smirk at his younger brother, who was still jumping, following their gaze I shared a concerned look with Harry.

"Does it hurt?" he asked, undoubtedly feeling the same way as me, a little like I'd just sold Ron up the river. Though, admittedly, the sale had been rather funny.

"Nah, it's just a little jolt, nothing painful." Fred assured us with an impassive wave of his hand, as though he was surprised we'd even have to ask. "That's our brother over there; we'd never do anything to hurt him…"

"…intentionally…" George added.

"…or without good reason…" Fred continued as though as an afterthought.

"…honestly, what kind of people do you think we are?" George asked as though offended, though that glimmer was back in his eyes and he was smirking.

"How cynical of us, please forgive us," I said as I mockingly rose my hand to my chest and the twins jokingly lowered their head in a regal show of forgiveness, "but can I just ask, how long does it actually go on for?" I asked them, eyeing Ron slightly worriedly, as he was still emitting exploding sounds and jumping up in the air.

"Indefinitely," Fred said easily, returning to flicking through the moth-eaten robes in the wardrobe.

"Indefinitely?" I repeated in disbelief, "What do you mean indefinitely?"

"This is our first test; we don't know how long the effects will last for, a few hours at most." George said with a shrug and looking at their unanimous indifference I didn't know whether to laugh or smack them both round the head, they'd just said their brother could be left like this indefinitely.

"So Ron could be stuck like that?" Harry asked, by the sound of his voice and the crease in his brow that was contradicted only by the slight smirk on his lips, clearly thinking the same as me.

"For a few hours at most." George repeated that crucial bit of information.

"Maybe," Fred added and then I really did laugh, shaking my head at the ridiculousness of this I shifted my fingers against the dusty volume I still held. "Anyway, that's not important…" Fred said, regaining his animation and coming to stand right before Harry and I.

"…we were thinking of testing it next on your dear friend, Draco Malfoy." George suggested and looking away from their expectant and excited expressions I scowled down at the book in my hands, suddenly and not so inexplicably, very, very annoyed.

"Brilliant," Harry said with enthusiasm that was stronger than it usually would have been, which irked me all the more, as I didn't need him to do that for me, I could deal with this on my own.

"Go for it," I agreed, though my tone was noticeably hard and irate as I fixed all my attention on the book in my hands, unwilling to look up at them as I ran my thumb along the side of the book and realized the cover was a stunning scarlet colour, a surprising choice in a Slytherin house.

"Really?" Fred asked sounding actually quite surprised, "we thought you might object."

Wondering why Mrs Black had a red bound book in her house, something that would surely have been unthinkable for someone so devout to her own school house, I decided that it didn't matter and adopted an air of visibly strained nonchalance as I looked back up at the others agitatedly. "Why would I object?" I asked and the twins shared a look.

"Well," George said, "you and the little ferret were kind of close at the end of the year, we thought you might mind if we, you know, fed him something that would start a fireworks display inside his mouth for an unspecified length of time."

"You can do what you want," I assured them in a tight, clipped voice, "I don't care."

"What's up with her?" Fred asked Harry who I knew, just knew was about to tell them what he thought was wrong with me, so I quickly snapped,

"Nothing is up with me! I'm fine, why should I care what you do to Malfoy? The arrogant little prat is hardly my friend is he, no matter what you think, and if I can stand to let you feed those sweets to Ron, who is infinitely more important than Malfoy, I don't see why I should stop you doing it to him."

"What did he do?" George asked Harry and I scowled, hating that they wouldn't just drop this.

"He didn't DO anything!" I exclaimed, and that's the whole bloody point, I added bitterly.

"Malfoy," Harry said, ignoring my protests and all but growling the name as he spoke, "said he'd send her a letter this summer, but he's too much of a stuck up git to pick up a quill." Harry told them, angry and wanting to make Malfoy pay on my behalf. Scowling I pouted, not appreciating being spoken about like I wasn't here.

"Ah," the twins said in unison and I snapped.

"Don't, 'ah'!" I exclaimed, "There's nothing to 'ah' about! I don't care if Malfoy can't be bothered to send me a letter, like I said; he's not my friend, and I don't care what he does." I insisted but by the looks of the brotherly trio's faces I could tell they didn't believe me, which only frustrated me more.

"FRED! GEORGE!" Mrs Weasley suddenly shrilled, shocking the four of us from our conversation and causing all our attentions to snap to her out of respect and, to be quite honest, fear of the motherly woman's anger. Ron was no longer jumping up and down and it appeared that the fireworks had stopped long enough for him to tell Mrs Weasley what had happened. The short, redheaded woman was now standing with her hands on her hips, her face like thunder as she called her mischievous boys to her.

Conforming to the inevitable the twins called, "coming mum," in unison and smirked at Harry and I before heading off towards their mother, however George, who had been standing next to me, lent in close and said, "we'll be sure to give Malfoy a double dose." On the strength of how he was supposed to have wronged me and how Ron's had worn off sooner than they had expected.

As the two of them strode off, proud smirks firmly in place as they approached a stern Mrs Weasley, a concerned looking Hermione and a sniggering Sirius, I was about to tell them not to bother, that I didn't care what happened to him, however, I knew it would do no good and secretly I wanted to see Malfoy's reaction to the Bang, Bang, Bon Bons.

"I can't believe you too did that," Ron said, clearly annoyed as he reached the two of us and came to a stop with his arms folded and an irate expression in place.

"Sorry mate," Harry said, trying and failing not to laugh at the memory of Ron hopping around the room, "we didn't know what they would do."

"Then you ought not to have let him eat it," Hermione chastised, clearly unimpressed by us messing around when we were supposed to be working, "you know what Fred and George are like."

"We know," I agreed, working to get the last edges of irritation out of my voice but struggling more to get it out of me myself, as Malfoy's lack of consideration really had stung. No! The stubborn and proud part of me disagreed firmly, you're just annoyed that he didn't do what he said he would, that's all, you don't care really. And so, convinced to that end but still hurting for reasons I wasn't about to broach, I returned to what I was supposed to be doing.

"Come on Ron," Hermione said, tugging Ron by the arm towards the wardrobe Fred and George had left abandoned, their telling off from Mrs. Weasley drifted across the room to us in usual exclamations and rants, that was almost soothing in its familiarity. "We'd better finish what they were doing."

"Why?" Ron asked, sounding outraged as he looked at her in disbelief, "I'm not doing anything for them, they can sod off!" he insisted, folding his arms across his chest and looking sulky, however, Hermione wasn't having any of that and dragged him forwards, much to Ron's loud complaint. Sharing a playful laugh as we watched an unhappy Ron helping Hermione sort through the wardrobes Harry and I also returned to what we were supposed to be doing.

Sighing and doing my best to forget what Harry had told the twins I looked down at the dusty scarlet book in my hands, forcing myself to think only of it and not spoilt, insensitive Slytherins I lay my palm flat against the cover and rubbed away the dirt that marred the red leather. My efforts revealed yet more of the delicate little books scarlet casing and a golden border that ran around the edge of the cover, a small gold, decorative rectangle on front. Red and gold, I thought perplexedly, Gryffindor colours, I knew that it was possible that I was simply reading too deeply into things, but I couldn't fathom why such a strict and proud pureblood, Slytherin family would purchase any book baring the colours of its rival house, it just didn't seem to fit the Black family style. Or at least, from what I had seen it wasn't their style and in the week I had been here I had sorted through pretty much the entirety of their collection, every other book I had sorted through had been backed in dark, drab colours, nothing as passionate as this scarlet. I didn't know what this book was, it bore no title, or why it was even here, but I was certain that it didn't belong, that it had once been shelved somewhere else, or had another home. Blooming heck, I groaned internally, chastising myself, you're starting to sound like Trelawney now! And that's a depressing line of thought. Adamant that I was nothing like the old fraud I rested the petit book between my arm and my diaphragm and went to unfasten the now grimy copper buckle, which might have once been gold, and held the diary closed. My movements were slow and tentative despite my curiosity, a strange emotion dictating that a handle this with care, that I show respect, though I had no idea why as not even Sirius showed respect for any of the possessions in this house and they were his. However, I felt the need to be gentle with this.

Unlatching the buckle I lightly opened the book, it creaked with age and several years of disuse, but from the many crinkled lines that ran down the spine I could tell this book had once been well read. Holding the book open with my hand I noticed writing, the words 'ABBEY'S JOURNAL' were scrawled across the first page in a small, elegant script that had an element of haste and excitement to it. Intrigued I stared down at the writing, confused. Who was Abbey? Sirius didn't have a sister, only a brother, or at least, if he did have one he had never told any of us about her and he had no reason to lie about such a thing, no one here was judging him. Come to think of it, I KNEW Sirius didn't have a sister; I had seen his family tree on the tapestry in the drawing room and the links for Sirius and his brother Regulus were the only ones coming away from their parents. However, if she wasn't a relative, what was her diary doing here in the first place? The question captured my attention for some reason, it entranced me and I found myself curious to find out what the answer was. Abbey? I repeated the name like a chant, hoping it would trigger a memory and I would recall why the name stood out to me, because it did, I knew an Abbey, I just couldn't remember where from. Knowing there was only one way to find out anything I went to turn the page, anxious to see what was on the other side.

"Ivy?" a voice asked, shocking me from my thoughts and startling me so that, for the second time today, I almost dropped a book on my foot. I slammed the red leather book shut quickly, feeling almost guilty for being caught with it, though I had no idea why, and I looked up to spot Hermione looking over at me from where she sat on the floor, sorting through the clothes in one of the wardrobes draws. "Mrs Weasley said dinner would be half an hour, we need to get finished." She prompted lightly and still feeling like a little girl caught with her hand in the biscuit tin I nodded.

"Okay, Hermione," I told her, shaking myself out of this weird state and telling myself I was being ridiculous, "sorry." I apologized and my friend smiled at me before going back to her work, I was about to do the same when I looked back down at the diary in my hands and opened my mouth to ask her what she thought about it, a red and gold covered journal stashed in a Slytherin house made up predominantly of males. It didn't really make any sense. However, I had no sooner made to voice my question than I shut my mouth again, a startling and most firm reluctance to relinquish the diary overcoming me and the oddest feeling that I should keep this to myself for now causing me to hold my tongue. I'd tell the others about this later, I decided, once I'd had a chance to decide if it all meant anything.

So, making sure that no one was looking, I slyly slipped the little book inside my robes pocket and went back to work. Half an hour later the eight of us, each short of breath and patience and covered from head to toe in dust, trudged down to the kitchen for a well-earned dinner of cottage pie and a pudding of apple crumble. Considerably happier with food in our bellies it wasn't long before we were ready for bed, and me and the other under eighteens headed off sleepily upstairs. I had been at Grimmauld Place a week now and every day had followed a similar pattern, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. Love my massive, insane family though I did, and while it had been fun spending these past six weeks in their madness, I had missed my friends and the Wizarding World greatly. My parents were Muggles and I was the only one of their children to be born with magic, however, the eldest of the four kids I had never been exactly normal. Ever since I was young my parents had suspected there was something a bit different about me, so much so that when Professor McGonagall turned up on my doorstep and proclaimed me a witch they weren't in the least bit surprised, I suppose having a daughter who had visions of the future would do that to you. But that said, as a Seer and a witch I was still the most normal out of my whole family, bless them. Anyway, I had missed my friends and my new life and as soon as I had heard about Harry's run in with the Ministry and his upcoming hearing I knew it was time I paid my friends a visit.

"Night boys," I said hugging both Harry and Ron in turn as we reached the landing where mine and Hermione's room was, "try and get some sleep, you know what tomorrow is." I told them though there was very little conviction in my voice and I wore a knowing smile, they'd talk and do bloke things for half the night, I knew that.

"Night Ivy," the both said to me as the hugged me and went on to do the same to Hermione, who made a point of telling Harry not to worry about the hearing tomorrow and that everything would be fine, though she was obviously twice as worried as the already anxious black haired boy.

Leaving the boys to go to bed Hermione and I walked into the room we were using during our stay, the dark, shadowy furniture and colours familiar and unthreatening by this point, discussing what might happen at Harry's hearing and how much more of the house there actually was to clean we changed and got ready for bed, taking turns to yawn into the palms of our hands. Settling down under the faded green bed sheets I pulled the diary into my lap, my unusual urge to read it and see what it said coming back to me full force. Hermione didn't question the book I held, I was as likely as she was to be found in my bed late at night struggling to read by the low light, though while Hermione favoured complex and difficult educational books, I was more than a little fond of a good novel, which surprised the boys to no end, as apparently I didn't strike them as the reading type. So as Hermione bid me goodnight and pried open the pages of her new extremely tough looking textbook I unbuckled Abbey's diary filled with conflicting senses of trepidation and eagerness, as another thought struck me. Was it wrong to read someone else's diary? I didn't know her and she didn't know me, but did that really make it okay? I hesitated, propriety warring with my curiosity and curiosity won out, what can I say, I'm nosy. Opening the book I flicked past the scrawled message of ownership and stopped at the second page, which had another hastily scribbled not transcribed there.

Written in colour changing ink, which shifted from red to green on the page, was the following: 'James Potter, Riley Potter and the Marauder boys, if you so much as dare and get around the charms of this journal,' charms? I wondered, fairly sure there had been no charms on the book to prevent me from reading it and wondering if they had worn off over time. However, captivated I read on, 'take so much as one peek in this journal I will personally make sure you can never read anything in your life again, by ripping your eyes out'.

I sniggered to myself at that, what clearly was a very firm threat amusing me as I felt myself sympathize with this girl, yeah, I thought as I looked down at the page, I was going to like her. As I took the thin parchment between my thumb and forefinger one thing caught in my mind as I went to turn the page. James and Riley Potter? As in Harry's dad and uncle? However, I didn't ponder this any further, eager to find out more I turned the page and smoothed it out so that I could read it easily, a small smile in place I shifted so that I was comfortable and focused my attention on the first entry.

07/05/77

Dear Journal,

See! Hah! I told you I would start writing another journal for the 7th year. And by the end of this year, you will be on the shelf in my room with the other journals like you. Heh ..., so let's run you down to speed on how things are going on from the previous journal.

James got majorly rejected by Lily last year, which resulted in him asking me for help on how to get a girl again, I find it bloody hilarious. But I have my own problem when that happened ... I think I'm starting to fancy Sirius. Do you know how much this sucks? This sucks DRAGON DUNG. Ugh. Why does it stick a knife through my very life? Because he is my twin brother's BEST, BEST, BEST MATE! That's what! Oh yeah, and last year too, Prongs (James), Padfoot (Sirius), Moony (Remus), Wormtail (Peter), and I have gone and turned into Animaguses! Yes you heard right and now because I shared this secret with you, I will hide you to the deepest part in my trunk to avoid you being exposed to any girl in this dorm. Moving on from that, also last year, me and Baby Black, Sirius's younger brother, Regulus, are on a weird friendship status. Grrr, he is SO confusing! He saw me today too! We stared each other down for five minutes in the hallway where I was sitting, until Bellatrix came out of nowhere and pulled him away just as he was about to say something. Did I ever mention how I hate her? Big haired ugly dog, ain't she?

And then ... well that was when the year ended last year... During the summer ... James, Riley, and I went with our Aunt Lynx to attend a funeral. Whose funeral? Oh, my grandparents who took more care of us than my parents EVER. They died thanks to the crazed man named Voldemort. ... I can never get my grandparents back, ever. And that's not all, now James and I have to live with our actual parents! They want to try and be a real family but what's good of being a real family if they don't allow us to be ourselves? James is reprimanded by them, as well as I am, about always getting in trouble that they are trying to clean up our acts. Me? They are trying to turn me into an ACTUAL girl!

I, Abbey Lynx Potter, refuse to be called Abigail by everyone and like my status as a Tomboy, thank you very much for asking.

So that's how things stand now, the next full moon will be in a week. I hope I can continue on without problem.

Sincerely yours,

Abbey Potter

P.S. Riley, James, and the rest of the Marauders are starting to get suspicious about my death disease that is coursing through my body ... what should I do?

Chapter two: Moving on

Ivy

The midmorning sunlight warmed my face as it streamed through the compartment window, and left me feeling content and comfortable, glancing out at the passing countryside I knew that we were still a good distance from Hogwarts but I felt a rush of excitement in spite of that, I couldn't wait to get back. Smiling to myself I shifted where I sat, with my bent legs up on the seat and my back pressed against the compartment wall, and read the last line of the diary entry I was reading, Abbey's red leather journal propped up against my legs.

It was a week since I had first discovered the diary in the spare room at Grimmauld Place and I had learnt a lot about the owner in that time. Abigail 'Abbey' Lynx Potter was Harry's aunt, the twin sister of James and younger sister of Riley, like the other boys she was a Marauder, the only girl in their group in fact, and a self-proclaimed Tom-Boy, much to her parent's distress. Brought up by her beloved grandparents along with James and Riley Abbey had been devastated when Voldemort murdered them, and to further deepen the wound left by such a loss she and her brothers had been forced to return to live with their parents. Harold and Celes Potter were both prominent figures in the Ministry and had never had the time for raising their children, which was why they had handed that job over to the grandparents. I was sure that the Potters loved their children, surely every parent did, however, they didn't understand them, which was why Riley, James and Abbey moving back in caused so many issues and arguments between parents and children. Belonging to such a large and openly loving family I couldn't even begin to understand how Abbey must have felt, I know she had James and Riley and her friends but to lose the only role models she had ever had in such a tragic way, and to have never really come first in her parents affections, must have been hard.

In truth, I had never really given much thought to Abbey Potter before now, I knew she was Harry's aunt and I knew that, like her brothers, she had died, however I knew nothing more. Not having grown up in a magical home I wasn't familiar with the story of the original Potters beyond what people told me, and no one seemed to want to talk about Abbey. This was odd, as the Potters were usually any wizard's favorite topic of conversation. But no, try as I might I couldn't get any information out of anyone, though, that was probably because I skated around outright asking the two people who might actually be able to help me, Harry and Sirius. Harry because I was sure he knew everything and I didn't really want to upset him, Sirius, well, because then I would have to admit that I was snooping through his things and I felt sure that Abbey would be a delicate topic for him, given how he had the diary in the first place. As you might expect being in the Marauders, Sirius was Abbey's friend and from what I had read so far it was a fairly argumentative and unusual friendship that seemed to come to a head when Abbey realized she had feelings for Sirius, so I was reluctant to bring her up. The one time I did mention her in passing Sirius seemed to shut down almost, his dark eyes went distant and he didn't say anything for a while, and when he did come out of this state he only muttered some vague comment about her being his friend and having to go before striding from the room. So as you might guess, it didn't exactly instill me with confidence.

I'd tell Harry about the diary soon, I thought as I turned the page in time with the swaying of the train on the tracks, but not yet, he had too much to be dealing with right now. Thankfully the Wizengamot had seen sense and pardoned Harry for using magic around a Muggle (who already knew he was a wizard for goodness sake!) in order to save both their lives, but honestly, what kind of world would be live in if they had done anything else? However, despite this relief my reluctantly famous friend still had a lot to be dealing with, not only was the Daily Prophet bashing him in practically every issue in some form or another, I had subscribed to the Prophet in order to help keep in touch with the Wizarding World and had followed this disgusting slandering all summer, but now the students were starting to stare and whisper in a way that was almost as bad as during our first year. Harry and I knew exactly why this was, after the horrific events of last year which had led to the death of Cedric Diggory and in which Voldemort had returned, Harry and Dumbledore had been painted as a pair attention seeking lunatics. The Ministry, or rather Fudge, ignorantly refused to believe that Voldemort was back, no matter what Harry or Dumbledore said, and had used the Prophet to turn pretty much the entire Wizarding World against them both. Looking up from the diary I let my gaze land on Harry, sitting next to me, his shoulders rocking along with the train. Harry looked deep in thought as he stared down at the floor of the compartment, his thoughts undoubtedly troubling him given the deep frown in his brow.

Not about to leave him like that I poked his side with his shoe, Harry jumped in shock and quickly turned to look at me, grinning mischievously I waggled my fingers in acknowledgement of the deed and Harry smiled at me, though there was a sad edge to it. Mirroring his melancholy smile I reached out to rub his shoulder, "Hey," I said coaxingly, "it'll be fine." I told him and Harry nodded, making a visible effort to seem brighter though I knew it still bothered him.

"Of course it will," a light, airy voice said from behind the lowered pages of the Quibbler magazine, turning I looked at our unusual compartment buddy, Luna Lovegood, affectionately dubbed Loony Lovegood by the bullies of the school. The fourth year Ravenclaw didn't look up but I could see her face plainly, I looked hard but I couldn't see any sarcasm either in her tone or her expression, she genuinely meant the words.

Luna didn't glance up after she spoke, in fact, if I hadn't been sure that it had been her voice I had heard then I wouldn't have known who had spoken, she didn't react at all, and just continued to read her magazine, though the Quibbler wasn't one I was familiar with it looked as eccentric as the girl perusing it. Luna Lovegood had long, straight, white blond hair that fell easily to her waist, wide innocent blue eyes that gave the impression of contestant surprise and interest, she also had her wand tucked away behind her left ear the way some artists put pencils or paintbrushes, and had a string of butterbeer corks around her neck. I didn't know quite what to make of her, she was weird, there was no doubt about that, odd in a way that often made people feel uncomfortable, however, there was something distinctly likable about Luna's frank, openly bizarre nature, and you had to admire a girl who cared so little about what people thought of her. In addition to Luna, Harry and I were sharing a compartment with Ginny and Neville, who were making comfortable chatter from beside Luna on the opposite seat. Hermione and Ron, however, were absent from our group due to the fact that they had both been made Prefects this year.

Now, I had never expected or stood a chance at becoming a prefect, being best friends with Hermione it was a fact I had accepted long ago, and it didn't bother me. However, Harry was clearly stunned and more than a little bothered by Dumbledore's decision on the appointment of the male prefect, though he hid it fairly well I knew him too well not to notice the look of disappointment on his face when Ron found out he was a prefect.

"Guess what I got for my birthday?" Neville asked, looking over at Harry and I as he asked his question.

"Another Rememberall?" Harry asked with a smile that Neville and I shared with him as we all thought about the tiny glowing ball Neville's grandmother had sent him in our first year to remind him when he had forgotten something. If I remembered rightly Malfoy had pinched it from him and thrown it half way across the grounds, resulting in Harry speeding after it and proving himself worthy of joining the house Quidditch team. Yeah, I thought contemptibly, that was Malfoy.

"No," Neville said, "I could do with one, though, I lost the old one ages ago…"

"Oh, Neville," I laughed fondly and my friend shrugged his shoulders and blushed at me, he was still smiling though.

"No, look at this," Neville said, digging with his Trevor free hand through his school bag, Neville pulled out what appeared to be a small grey cactus, though of course it wouldn't be anything so simple. Staring at it in apprehension, though I didn't know what made me wary of this plant as Herbology wasn't my forte; I noticed that it was covered in large, pulsing boils.

"What is it?" I asked and sticking out his chest proudly, Neville answered.

"Mimbulus minbletonia," he told us and I shared a look with Harry as we both stared at the strange plant that seemed to almost be breathing where it sat in its pot, "it's really, really, rare," Neville continued, with a massive smile in place, "I don't know if there's one in the greenhouse at Hogwarts, even. I can't wait to show it to Professor Sprout. My Great Uncle Algie got it for me in Assyria. I'm going to see if I can breed from it."

"Does it – er – do anything?" Harry asked, staring bewilderedly at the little plant.

"Loads of stuff!" Neville said excitedly and suddenly I felt myself go ridged in my seat, my eyes flew wide and a gasp escaped my parted lips as another worldly breeze drifted across the front of my mind, wiping away the scene before me and plunging me into darkness. Suspended in blackness stretching out in every direction I was numb and completely oblivious to what was going on back in the compartment, until my Inner Eye blew open and my vision burst forth. Everything happened so quickly, my vision was nothing but a flash; I caught a glimpse of Neville's grey plant as it exploded, foul, dark green liquid shooting from its boils and hitting everything. The people in my vision all screamed and that was it, I was pulled from the future and dumped back in the present with a shock. Blinking to clear my head of the after effects of my vision I heard Neville say,

"It's got an amazing self defence mechanism. Here, hold Trevor for me…" and with that Neville handed a squirming Trevor over to Harry as he rummaged through his bag and withdrew a quill, while Luna looked over the top of her upside down magazine curiously.

"Neville, no!" I cried, realizing what he was doing but it was too late, Neville was already sticking the plant with the end of his quill, knowing what was to come I could only react to protect myself. Ducking my head against my knees I used my body to shield the diary and covered myself as best as I could, shrieks echoed all around me and I let out a yelp when thick, foul smelling gunge collided with my left side, drenching my arm, my leg, my waist and the top of my head. Above me, Athena and Hedwig screeched in their cages and flapped about, as they too received a face full of gunk.

Slowly I pulled my head up, sending stinking gunge cascading down my back and into my top; I cringed and grit my teeth against another scream. My fellow compartment sharers were in no better a state than I, Ginny, who like me had had the time to duck, only looked as though she hand on a slimy hat atop her red locks, Luna too had largely escaped the blast, hiding behind her magazine, just her clothes had received a splattering. Harry and Neville however, weren't so lucky. Harry, who had been busy trying to keep Trevor from escaping, had been able to do nothing to protect himself and was covered from head to toe in the smelly liquid, and looking none too pleased about it. Neville, who had been holding the plant anyway and had it held right in front of his face, was perhaps the worst out of all of us. Every inch of Neville's skin was now a sloppy green color and droplets of gunge were dripping from his nose. I started to laugh, the complete absurdity of the situation tickling me, however, when I looked up I caught sight of a pair of figures standing on the other side of the compartment door, staring through the glass, and my laughter died in my throat.

Malfoy, I thought feeling anger rush through me, boiling my blood and twisting my features into a scowl as I looked across at his mocking blue gaze as he smirked down on the lot of us, his eyes flicking to me with taunting purpose. I didn't meet his gaze though, I turned my attention away from him and Parkinson, who was cackling by his side, and looked at the others, all of who had spotted Malfoy by that point and I watched Harry as he glared at Malfoy, daring him to say anything. Surprisingly, he didn't, he didn't stay either, doubtlessly hording this instance away for future reference Malfoy pulled Parkinson away from the compartment door and took off, with me looking through him the entire time. I caught sight of his expression as he left though, like me he was scowling but I didn't think about that, I just shook my left hand, which was covered in slime, drew my wand and muttered, "Scourgify," in an irritated voice, siphoning all the green stuff off of me before turning my wand on the compartment, the others followed my lead and cleaned everything up.

"We'll never hear that last of this," Harry said agitatedly as he scoured the sludge off of Trevor, "I hate Malfoy!"

"You and me both," I growled, adjusting myself on the bench and pressing my back right up against the compartment wall as I, rather roughly, snatched up the diary in my lap and flicked through the pages back to where I was, but I'd be damned if I let him get to me, I thought as I immersed myself in someone's problems.

09/12/77

Dear Journal,

Hey again, journal! Guess what! I saw little Tonks! Sirius showed me a picture! Well you know … how both he and I have kind of been on the down side since his insensitivity to girls? But ever since James paired us up during Qudditch practice, it's kind of going better. I mean … well, we're talking more, which is much more than the previous months due to my brooding over my grandparent's death, then over our fight, and my panicking about my little … problem and then his stubbornness and insensitivity and lack of knowledge on how to act around me. Anyway, I had been talking with Sirius today … let me give you a very accurate insight on what had happened (after all, though I aspire to be an Auror and part of Order of the Phoenix which by the way, I found out by listening in on Minnie, I am an author in making and I have brilliant memory, how do you think I pass my tests and what not? Duh).

It was around the afternoon, just after an early morning Qudditch Practice that the team decided for a good rest. James had gone off with Remus and Peter, dishing out on helping me and Sirius put away the equipment. Marlene and Griffin asked us if we needed help but I politely declined and Sirius already shrugged them off so those two went off for lunch. Alex and C.J. were already off, most likely debating over teams … AGAIN.

I managed to put away the box of the Qudditch Balls when I heard Sirius clear his through behind me. I glanced over my shoulder as I closed up the cabinet and turned to face the taller boy. He was lean and had dark, slight curled bangs that were swept to the side from blocking his blue-silver eyes. He was now dressed in the casual uniform, except without the large over coat and the grey vest. He looked shyly down at me.

"Hi."

He hesitated with his next line. "So … about the whole fight we had last year…." I suddenly knew where we were going with this. But I didn't stop him … Trixie Shays and Nora Yates, some close friends of the Marauders, had given me the advice of having to sit down and talk about our problem. So I'll sit here as bravely as I can. Or rather stand in my case, but you get the point. "Um … look, I'm sorry that I got mad just because you were taking her side instead of mine …."

Just previously, last year, he and I had gotten into a fight when he was dumping his girlfriend and I was mad over it because the girl was nice and sweet and he broke her heart without even emotion. It pissed me off and I took her side that time in the common room, the night before we left home and the whole thing was just hectic, Remus and my brother James took several tries to break up the fight and it took till their eighth try.

I looked down before walking around him to sit on the bench behind him. "I guess I have to apologize too." I felt like I truly had to. I mean eventually I would have to, right? I need to apologize to my best friend for the cause even if I yelled at him for what I deemed the right thing. "I'm … sorry that I yelled at you because I chose the girl's side instead of your own." I looked to the side, lifting my hand to push my raven locks behind my ear.

"Well … I just always did things like that … I thought you wouldn't mind at first." Sirius murmured, turning to look at me while looking to the side as well.

I snorted. "Yeah well maybe you thinking like that isn't working so well."

Silence loomed over before he broke it with a sigh.

"I should've known better and thought how you would've felt. I mean … I know you're a girl too, since a long time ago, but for me to do something like that in front of you, not even think about the girl's feelings … I should've asked you on how to break it to her gentler than saying 'It's over, later.' That must've been very insensitive." Sirius sighed, looking over at me as I did.

"It did … but then again, I should've not have yelled at you like I did. Maybe some side reprimanding but not like that scene of yelling at you while we walked through the portrait hole and then into the common room where everyone was." I told him while looking him in eye. He fidgeted uncomfortably; I smiled when I suddenly caught drift of what was going on. "Prongs or Moony? Which one tried to help you out on coming up to me?"

Sirius flinched before blushing and crossing his arms while looking to the side and muttering just a single word. "Both."

I smiled before laughing.

"Wow … so inexperienced in talking to a girl sincerely. But you are an expert in picking up girls aren't you?"

Sirius smiled uncertainly back. "Well the girls I pick up aren't my best friend or my best friend's sister."

I laughed merrily. "So you just decided to pop up the 'talk' now?"

The boy shrugged, finally comfortable around me. "Yeah … I started thinking about it the second time we got paired up in Qudditch for practice. I asked Prongs, Moony, and Wormtail, but of course, Wormtail wasn't any help so yeah …. And I really missed my best friend again, who else am I going to go to complain about Moony being mean and not letting me copy homework, or Wormtail being ditzy, or James being mean about homework too." Sirius whined the last part in which it made me laugh.

"Oh wow, you git." I smiled at the boy who grinned back.

"Oh yeah! Andromeda wanted me to show you Tonks. Tonks' is getting bigger everyday, she sent me a picture to show you guys, well, a week ago, but I show it to you now." Sirius dug into his pocket while sitting next to me and pulled out the picture to show it to me. I looked at it eagerly and there was little Tonks, her hair was hot pink and short while her eyes were brown. She was smiling at the camera while wearing a swirling pink dress.

"She's beautiful!"

Sirius nodded. "Andy says she looks like me sometimes, but I don't think so … Tonks is really a great kid." I smiled and handed him back the picture and smiled as he smiled back.

Friends again.

So yeah that was today in a nutshell. It was strange today though … usually I sometimes get glimpse of Regulus and today I didn't. I usually see Baby Black everyday but not talk to him but today is different, well for the past few days. … Gah! What am I saying? I shouldn't care about him! Sure he's Sirius's brother but I don't give a damn! That boy is so frustrating that I just got used to him being everywhere I go, right?

Grrr! Why must my life be so frustrating and torn?

Sincerely,

Abbey Potter

Chapter three: Lessons

03/09/78

Dear Journal,

Merlin does that stupid Slytherin 6th year make me SO mad! Ugh! Regulus Black is always SO confusing despite the fact that we are somewhat friends! I mean, me and Sirius are friends and so you would probably expect me to have a grand friendship with his younger brother but damn is Baby Black so much like a puzzle!

I could literally rip my hair our today! Look and read what happened!

I sat in the library, hurrying to get in some final studying before the end of the year exams. James had long since vacated the chair next to me to go search for a book or most likely to get fresh air. Sirius was out, being forced into studying in the Common Room by a berating Trixie Shays and a laughing Nora. Remus was out due to full moon, and Peter was with Sirius as always. So I sat alone, reading about Goblin Wars, which I had difficulty with, believe me.

So I DIDN'T expect a black haired boy with silver-blue eyes, slightly shorter than me by centimetres, wearing Slytherin colour robes to sit next to me with his usual indifferent demeanour as he set down some of his books. I DIDN'T expect him to get comfortable, and I certainly DID NOT expect him to kindly wave to me with a simple "Hi!"

I stared at him as if he had another head.

"What are you doing here?"

"Sitting here."

"Why?"

"So that I can study."

"But why here?"

"Because, I like sitting next to you."

I raised an eyebrow at the twerp before narrowing my eyes on him.

"Are you playing a trick, Regulus Black?"

"No, I literally came to study … and bug you mostly."

My eye twitched. … To bug me huh?

"Can't you bug some other person?" I asked, rather mad. He grinned, at which I gaped for he had never shown emotion around me, as far as I know, and shook his head.

"Nope, I look around and the only one I saw was you. Besides … you're funner than any other mate I have." Regulus shrugged, his grin disappearing. I watched him before a moment, with wide eyes. He called me a mate. Well not directly but yes a mate! I felt a small smile sprang to my lips before I tucked it away and looked back at my work.

"What are you studying about?" I asked casually, looking through my notes again.

"Ancient Runes. I don't really like that class because of the teacher but it's a pretty cool subject despite that I don't know it that well." The boy sighed before looking over at me. "And you?"

"History of Magic. Hate that lesson with all my might." I muttered. I wish I was studying something like he had, I LOVED ancient rune class but no, I had to study something else. Then I thought of helping out, in which I decided to. "Need any help?"

Regulus stared at me before nodding. "Please. I do not understand some of these."

I scooted my chair closer to him and began instructing him on the runes, saying things like 'It means Spell-Bind Magic' or 'Now that stands for Merlin's Army' or things like that. I found myself having fun and he looked like he was too. I even got him to actually smile, which made me crack a wide smile. And then by the end of it, he smiled again.

"Thank you, Potter."

I nodded, "What are friends for?"

And he shocked me with the next sentence.

"Friends? We're not friends. Acquaintances, sure but not friends." He gave an uncharacteristic smirk, slinging his backpack over his shoulder. I stared at him incredulously. Regulus walked away as I fumed.

That bloody git from hell.

Seriously? Like I helped him out on that subject today and he doesn't call me friend! Ugh! That little son of a-

Grrrrr!

Sincerely your annoyed one,

Abbey Potter

Ivy

It must be a Slytherin thing, I thought with a scoff as I turned the page of the diary idly with my hand, Hermione, sitting to my right, looked up from her note making to stare at me questioningly, I mouthed that it didn't matter and she nodded and returned to her work. Well, I thought, looking over at the piece of parchment Hermione was using to recall everything she knew about defensive magic, it was work, but it wasn't class work. Looking up from the world of decades ago, which captivated me about a thousand times more than this lesson, I glanced up at the front of the classroom, where, looking sickeningly chipper and vibrant in her bright pink robes, stood Professor Umbridge, our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, looking down on all of us. Feeling more than just a stab of contempt for the vile, toad faced woman I didn't look away when she noticed my gaze and met it with a faux politely inquisitive stare.

"Something the matter, Miss Jones?" she asked me in her sickly sweet voice and suppressing a frown I shook my head and returned my gaze to the desk I shared with Hermione as the click, click, click of Umbridge's heels hitting the flagstones sounded out and she took a turn about the room.

In front of me was an open copy of 'Defence Against the Dark Arts, A Return to Basics', a quill, and a blank sheet of parchment, I had the diary open in my lap and had been discreetly reading from it for the majority of the lesson. Umbridge, the Ministry's operative in Hogwarts, had been 'teaching' (a term I'm using very loosely) this class since the start of term, we were about a month into the school year now and I felt like I hadn't learnt a single thing. I hadn't cast one spell, done one bit of practical magic, and all we did every lesson was read for the afore mentioned patronizing defence book, which all of us had read so many times now we could quote it at least as well as Hermione could. It was ridiculous, this lesson was a complete and utter joke now, Harry had proved that the very first day when he had challenged Umbridge on her Ministry approved beliefs about what happened last year and the reason we weren't allowed to cast spells during this lesson, and it had earned him more than a few detentions with the evil crone. No one did anything in this lesson, there was no point, Hermione tried to learn things but she was about the only one who did, the rest of the class had long since given up. On the next desk over from ours Harry and Ron where having a subtle game of hangman, with a magical quill that made the letters and drawings move, and a victim that looked suspiciously like Umbridge. Behind me Seamus and Dean were having a hushed discussion of who was going to win the Qudditch league this year, the Tutshill Tornados or Puddlemere United, and on our other side Lavender and Pavarti were doodling on scraps of parchment. No one ever did any work, it simply wasn't possible, Umbridge wouldn't let us pass beyond the basics and we were sure to fail our OWLS if we carried on like this.

Bloody Umbridge, I though with a scowl as I tucked a stand of hair behind my ears and rested my chin on my fist so that I could read, she was making life at the school mightily uncomfortable and frustrating and she had only been here a month. However, I was sick of all that, sick of trying to stand up to her, sick of getting nowhere petitioning for her to actually teach us something, and so I chose instead to figuratively stick the finger up at her lesson and do whatever I wanted. I could always go to the library with Hermione again and try and learn something, though honestly, I didn't know why we bothered, we'd never learn enough that way, it still wasn't practical spelling we were doing. Hermione's time was short anyway, she was always busy with prefect duties or one of her other completely solid subjects, and never really had the time to study with me. That had been the case last night, we'd gone to the library together to see if we could find a book more instructive than Umbridge's one but pretty much as soon as we got there she had received a letter from McGonagall about showing one of the new students somewhere and had had to go. Not about to let this be a wasted journey I had picked a seat and pulled out some Charms homework, mercifully, Charms was a class I was actually good at. The library had gotten pretty busy then, an entire class coming in search of material for one of Snape's essays, by the sounds of their frightened talking, and I was just considering going back up to the common room when I had heard a the chair beside me scrapping along the floor, and had sensed a presence by my side.

I looked up instinctively, as you do, and froze when I saw who was standing there. Draco Malfoy, taller than he had been last year, having grown a good deal over the summer and now significantly taller than I (a fact I didn't appreciate), his white blond hair neatly combed as always, while his silvery blue gaze, which usually looked right through me or mocked me silently, was soft and casual as he plonked himself into the seat beside me.

"Jones," he said in greeting as he pulled out his books and parchment.

"What, you're talking to me now?" I asked snappily, a knee jerk reaction that caused Malfoy to turn and look at me, a bored expression in place; however, I didn't care if he thought I was being ridiculous, I was annoyed.

"Apparently," he said, his tone disinterested and his gaze sarcastic as he withdrew a quill and pot of ink from his bag.

I wasn't impressed, "Yeah, well, apparently doesn't cut it, Malfoy," I said, furious, this boy who I had thought I could be friends with at the start of first year, only to be proved horribly wrong when he found out what my parents were, who had ignored me except to exchange insults for almost four years up until the Yule Ball, where we had called a kind of truce to get back at our good for nothing dates, only for that too to prove nothing more than a fantasy when he ignored me for the rest of that year. And here he was, just sitting here like it didn't matter. Maybe I was overreacting a little, but Merlin help me, I wasn't about to be used.

"Move," I said, pushing on his arm and causing him to look up again, appalled that I was shoving him and his blue eyes wide with shock and annoyance, "get up, shift! I was sitting here first, wasn't there anywhere else for you to sit?" I asked, ticked off with him and insistent that he move.

"No," Draco said through gritted teeth as he shook off my grip, "everywhere else is full, unless you expect me to go and sit by a group of first year Hufflepuffs." He said with a scoff and I scowled.

"Thank God I wasn't your first choice, heaven forbid!" I snapped in a bitingly sarcastic tone, pressing my hand against my chest mockingly and scowling at him. "I'm not sitting next to you, just move, for crying out loud there's got to be a space somewhere else." I said, half desperate now as I looked around the library franticly, searching for a spare seat.

"Didn't we have this conversation on the train first year?" Draco asked in a dry and irritated voice; as he threw open his transfiguration book. "There is nowhere else."

Not about to admit defeat I continued to look but he was right, there wasn't any space anywhere else, not anywhere that His Royal Highness would sit anyway, so I was stuck with him, and with half a page of homework still to do. "Fine," I barked, turning back to face my homework which in the wake of my anger at Draco I couldn't even begin to focus on, seething at his audacity, that this guy had the nerve to act offended when I wanted him to move when he hadn't said two words to me since last Christmas. I hated his close proximity, the way I could sense each of his movements as he sifted about next to me and how the tiny, inch of space between our arms somehow felt more intimate than if we had been touching. He distracted me, put me on my guard and very firmly on edge, and that irritated me.

Knowing I wasn't going to get any work done I had reached out and pulled Abbey's diary towards me, seeking to calm myself down, however, no sooner had I opened the leather bound book than I felt Draco turn towards me and ask, "What's that?" in that depreciating voice of his that made you certain he was looking down on you. Suppressing a growl of annoyance, as I was eager to hear Abbey's account of the latest full moon she shared with the other Marauders, I didn't turn to look at Malfoy as I replied.

"A book," I said through gritted teeth and Draco snorted in response.

"Well clearly," he said in that dry tone of his, "but what book is it?"

"You know," I said, tapping the quill I still held on the table repeatedly, "asking me as many questions as you can in five minutes doesn't make up for ignoring me for five years."

"Tell me, Jones," Draco said in a tired, irritable voice, "are you this hostile with everyone, or is it just me?"

Turning to face him I kept my expression hard as I met his harsh gaze, "Tell ME, Malfoy, are you this ignorant with everyone, or do I get special treatment?" I asked with a sarcastic smile that had him narrowing his gaze at me.

"I'm not going to leave," Malfoy told me firmly as he pulled his books closer to him and pretended to work, I knew that he wasn't, I knew it was all for effect, "if that's what you're trying to get me to do." I wasn't, not really, this was just the normal pattern conversation with Malfoy took on the rare occasions he lent down to my level and graced me with his presence, but still I said, "Then I'll just have to try harder." In an irritated mumble.

So I had to say, I agreed with Abbey, she had every right to be annoyed. Bloody men! I thought pursing my lips in frustration, no, it's not even men in general, I've never had this kind of problem with Harry or Ron, it's just Malfoy I can't figure out. You think you've got them sussed, that you know where you stand with them, that they're your enemy and that they never so much as look at you, but then, for no obvious or apparent reason they shift the cards. Suddenly, it's okay for them to talk to you after months of obliviousness and failing to send letters after they said they would, suddenly they're sitting next to you, exchanging banter like they do it every day of the week and having the sheer nerve to look at you like your being pathetic when you make a big deal out of it! Honestly, I don't know how Abbey did it, between Sirius and Regulus it's a wonder the girl didn't have major whiplash, I know I do from trying to figure out what Draco's going to do next. Bloody ferrety git, I thought angrily as I scowled at my desk and pressed my knuckles against my cheek while I loudly flicked through the pages of Abbey's diary, one of these days I –

"Miss Jones," Umbridge's fake and airy voice suddenly chastised from an alarmingly close distance, shocking me from my internal rant and causing me to jump. Wide eyed I turned to see the pink toad standing right next to me, looking down at the diary on my lap disapprovingly. "Would you mind explaining to the class why you aren't doing your work?"

I looked around then, at all the others students that had been killing time until this waste of space lesson had finished and we could get to doing something worthwhile, and I voiced the first thought that came into my head, "What work?" I asked her with a shrug of my shoulders.

"The work I set for you at the start of the lesson," Umbridge explained, as though talking to a small child, which, needless to say, got my back well and truly up. If I wasn't going to say what I was really thinking before, I certainly was now.

"Because, like everyone else in this room, I finished that within the first ten minutes and because it was so simple that my ten year old sister would have had no more trouble with it than I did." I told her and watched as her beady eyes narrowed ever so slightly, "that," I said, pointing in barely restrained disgust to the patronizing, pictorial, disaster of a book, that lay open on my desk, "is not what a fifth year student defines as work."

That, of course, was positively restrained compared to what I could have said, however, it was still too much for Umbridge as while the class sat in an unsurprised silence, someone fruitlessly stood up to Umbridge practically every lesson, her podgy cheeks turned pink with indignation and we waited for the inevitable.

"Detention, Miss Jones," Umbridge said in her sticky sweet voice as she turned her back on me and strode to the front of the class, "my office, tomorrow night. I will not have students talking back to me in this class! Least of all those who have no right to." She added, sending a telling look at me while the meaning of her words sunk in.

Hang on, I thought, my mouth falling open in shock, was that a shot at my blood status? Did my teacher actually just say I was of inferior birth to her? Fury building up rapidly inside of me I opened my mouth to respond, to let her know that I wouldn't take that, however, Hermione kicked me under the table and shook her head at me, telling me not to risk it. As I looked at her I knew she'd gotten the implied comment too, I could tell from the deep from in her brow, but Hermione was right, there was nothing I could do or say back to Umbridge that wouldn't make things worse or put me in the wrong. Harry and Ron, sitting on the next table over, looked livid at Umbridge's words, Harry had his hands fisted on the desk and was glaring at Umbridge lividly, however, I caught Ron's insulted eye and he nudged Harry and I shook my head no at them both. She wasn't worth it. Feeling the injustice of this keenly I turned my head so I was looking at the front, where Umbridge was observing us all with a revoltingly smug expression in place, and knew that something had to be done.

Chapter four: Said and unspoken

Ivy

Making my way steadily down the Grand Staircase, my school bag bumping against my hip as I went, I took the bobby pin out of my mouth and stuck the last strand of my mid-length mahogany hair back into its pony tail. The Entrance Hall below me was empty, no students were milling about and not a single voice could be heard drifting down the corridors, which was unusual for someone who was used to seeing the place bustling, but not unexpected. Everyone was still in their lessons, there was a good ten minutes before lunch and so there was no one about, including my friends. Ron and Harry were currently up in one of the towers studying Divination, a subject I had dropped last year because I couldn't really take Trelawney's continued claims that I was dense and sightless when I was ten times the Seer she was. Hermione, meanwhile, was in Arithmancy, while I had spent the lesson before lunch in the common room on my todd, trying to make the most of my free period. It was too quiet though, too stifling in its emptiness and I couldn't stand the deserted quiet of the common room any longer, I had abandoned my homework early, grabbed my things for my next lesson, Care of Magical Creatures, and escaped early to lunch.

My hair now completely Care of Magical Creatures proof, as Merlin only knew what we might be doing, I jumped the last step onto the flagstone floor of the Entrance Hall and made my way towards the Great Hall, were, hopefully there would be someone to talk to. Reflexively I looked over at the wall beside the Great Hall, where hung the pathetic bit of parchment that declared Umbridge as Hogwarts' High Inquisitor, which basically meant that she had a ridiculous amount of power for no real reason, and felt my lips curl a little in disgust. To say that Umbridge, the Muggle-phobic, half-breed hating, stuck up pink lady wasn't my favourite person would be a massive understatement, I was fast developing a hatred for her that was usually reserved for people like her beloved Fudge or people who got off on kicking puppies, and it had nothing to do with her perchance for giving my friends and I detentions. Though that didn't help her case, I thought, balling my left hand into a fist against the red leather diary I held, the words, 'I MUST NOT TELL LIES' faintly etched into my skin, barely visible, but that didn't matter at all, her cruelty still stood. No, I hated Delores Umbridge for her ignorance, for the way she blindly followed the Ministry and spread their lies, for how she claimed Harry was making up the horrors he endured last year and for how she was happy to see an entire generation of under qualified wizards be produced just so Fudge remained in power. We were two months into the school year and already I could tell that everything was going to change, that she would ruin this place for us.

I wasn't going to get stressed out about Umbridge now though; instead I pushed the incompetent teacher out of my mind and walked through the open doors of the Great Hall. The four house tables were pretty much empty, with the soul exception of a few study period students like me, who had come down early. I looked over at the Gryffindor table, looking to see who was already there, but something, or rather someone; sitting over at the Slytherin side caught my attention. Draco Malfoy was sitting virtually alone at his table, writing something on a sheet of parchment and looking thoroughly bored. Feeling mischievous all of a sudden, my heart catching in my chest at the thought of a potential disagreement with him, I grinned slyly, I'd remade that. Remembering something I started off towards him, swinging my bag around onto my front and routing through my books and parchment for one book in particular.

Blond head bowed over a piece of parchment, a letter by the looks of it, Draco let his quill drift idly over the page as he wrote, his expression slack with disinterest. Pulling out the book I needed and gripping it in my free hand I continued to grin as I reached him.

"Hey," I said, dropping myself down into the seat beside Draco and causing him to look up in surprise, a hostile expression on his face, as though prepared to bite someone's head off, until he realised it was me and his expression cooled. "You left this in potions this morning," I told him, handing him his textbook, which he took from me looking only mildly stunned, "you're lucky, the boys wanted to doodle it and if they had Snape would have had your guts for garters, so, be thankful I stopped them."

"That's unusual, Jones, I would have thought you'd have loved the chance to get me into trouble." Malfoy said in a frigid tone that ticked me off, as he was still being funny with me, however, that annoyance was only superficial right then, in some strange way I enjoyed our banter.

"Probably, but I'm full of surprises like that," I said casually as I lent backwards where I sat, with my legs on the opposite side of the bench to his, and rested my back against the table, "and a simple thank you would do." I added meaningfully, however, looking across his shoulder at me Draco only raised his pale eyebrows doubtfully and pierced me with his unimpressed blue gaze. No gratitude then, I thought, unsurprised as I arched a single eyebrow right back at him. Draco looked away quickly, glaring down at the desk as the corner of his lips twitched. Gotcha, I thought with a victorious smile.

In recent weeks, for some strange unknown reason which neither of us could fathom, Draco and I had almost been getting along. I know! Shocking isn't it? But it's true, I'd say we'd come to a kind of truce but that really wasn't the case, we still argued and thought nothing about laying into each other with our usual insults, however, for whatever reason, we could stand to be around one and other, occasionally, with no one around and just so long as we weren't actually nice to each other. It was strange, given how used we were to just ignoring each other, but at some point in the past month we passed out of that familiar disdain and started noticing each other as real people, though of course, I could only speak for myself but it seemed that was what he was doing too. It was an awkward kind of friendship, he never listened to a word I said and I seemed to always be mad at him, but somehow we carried on being drawn together.

"You know, it isn't one of your better ideas to come and sit here," Malfoy said, setting down his quill and eyeing me reprovingly, "you can't imagine anyone will allow you to."

"Oh, I'm terrified," I drawled sarcastically though his words irritated me more than I could say, I hated it when people treat me like I was beneath them, "what, are all the dozens of scary Slytherins going to forcibly remove me from their table?" I asked, gesturing around me to the pretty much deserted room, the only students sitting here other than Draco and I were a group of surly looking third years who were shooting us disgusted looks, but seriously, what were they going to do? "I promise I won't damage your reputation, oh mighty pureblood, I just came to return your book and ask you something."

Beside me Draco's pale eyebrows were knitted together and he had an irate look in his eyes, telling me he didn't appreciate my tone, "and bother me?"

"And bother you," I agreed, flashing him a cheeky smile that he didn't return. Annoyed I turned my head to face the smooth stone wall in front of me and cursed his hostility.

"What do you want then?" Malfoy asked me, his voice that of someone long suffering and that only served to wind me up all the more, lips pressing into a thin line I ignored his question.

"Jones?" he asked sharply when I didn't respond, and I saw him turn to face me out of the corner of my eye, "oh for goodness sake," he exclaimed in disbelief, "have you fallen out with me again?"

Exasperated I turned to look at him, stared him right in the eyes and said, in a clear, clipped voice, "yes," and as Malfoy rolled his eyes I felt myself scowl, "you keep being an arse." I told him in a no nonsense tone and watched his expression tightened as he glared at me.

"How dare you-!" Malfoy started to exclaim, aghast by the insult.

"Easily," I snapped, cutting across him with animation, "because you are!"

"Honestly," he growled in aggravation, "you have more mood swings that a Bogart."

Jaw dropping open I let out an offended noise and hit him, none too gently, on the arm with Abbey's diary, Draco owed in pain and scowled at me as he rubbed his arm. "And you're about a cheerful as a bloody Dementor. I think you must enjoy bringing everyone down."

"And I think you must enjoy hitting me!" Malfoy grumbled, looking at me purposefully as though to chastise me as he continued to rub his arm, this time it was my turn to roll my eyes at him. Girl, I thought, shaking my head at him. "Come on, Jones; just tell me what you wanted to ask." He beseeched, and stumped I could only look at him for a moment.

"I can't remember now," I admitted somewhat sheepishly and Draco looked over at me in disbelief, giving me a look that clearly said he thought I was mad as I frowned in concentration and tried to recall what I had wanted to ask him, however, I couldn't, I didn't even have a vague notion of this supposedly vital question. Watching my frustrated bewilderment Draco shook his head in disbelief, I could see him trying to suppress a smirk, but he couldn't and in the end he had to laugh at me, tickled by the ridiculousness of this I laughed with him, though I really wanted to be mad that he was sniggering at me. I couldn't help it.

"Oh well," I said with a shrug and a smirk while Draco continued to laugh, "it can't have been that important."

"Well, leave then." A livid voice barked from behind me, edged with apparent distaste and a clear threat. Draco and I froze, our laughter caught in our throats and I watched as the shutters went down on his expression, his hard front coming into place once more as he turned his glacial gaze upwards. Resting with my elbow on the edge of the table and with my back pressed against the wood I turned, making sure my expression was measured and sharp as I look up at the livid face of Pansy Parkinson.

"You haven't got any right to sit here, Mudblood," the pug nosed bitch snapped and I felt myself stiffen with fury at her biting insult, "stop tainting my seat and run along back to where you belong."

"Surely," I said, adopting the calmly inquisitive demeanour I knew from past experience really pissed Parkinson off, I looked up at her fixedly, "there's a politer way for you to ask that."

"Get up!" Parkinson exclaimed, stamping her foot in the beginnings of a tantrum and sending her short black hair falling into her mascara clad eyes, "get away from my boyfriend and go back to your filthy friends!" beside me I felt Draco recoil at her words and saw his expression flicker to repulsion out the corner of my eye, however, seeing red I leapt to my feet.

"Say that again?" I challenged, standing right in front of the self-righteous cow, who met my livid gaze like for like, she put her hand on her hips and stuck out her chin and chest in show.

"Jones," Draco said in warning, however neither one of us paid any attention to him, he might have been attempting to stop our fight but I didn't know for sure, I was too furious at Parkinson's words.

"I said, get away from my boyfriend," she repeated hatefully, a malicious smile curling her pathetically pouty lips and getting painfully close to my face.

Suppressing my rage I pressed the diary closely against my chest, letting the leather-bound side dig into me so I didn't turn around and slug the cow, I really didn't fancy any more detentions with Umbridge, not over something as vile as Parkinson. "No," I said furiously, "the other bit."

Understanding dawned on Parkinson's face as she realised what had set me off and she laughed, "that's what you're bothered about?" she asked in taunting disbelief as she looked at me like I was mental, however, she'd spotted the raw nerve and Parkinson wasn't one to pass up such an easy target, "that I said you had filthy, pitiful, crazy friends, like Potter, Weasel and Mudblood?" she asked, getting right in my face as she continued to insult my friends.

I snapped then, not about to let her talk like that about the people I cared about I drew my wand before I could even think to stop myself, all Parkinson's bravery, all her bravado, vanished the second I had my wand aimed at her chest. Going from cocky to petrified in 0.6 seconds Parkinson glanced down at my wand wide eyed before she looked over my shoulder and whimpered, "Draco! Stop her, Draco, don't let her hurt me!" like the stuck up little coward she was.

"What's the matter, Parkinson?" I asked, making a point of poking her with my wand and feeling immensely satisfied when she let out a frightened squeal, my morals went out of the window where Parkinson was concerned, she was the only person I could stand to see hurt and not concede to be the bigger person. "You afraid of what the lowly Mudblood will do to you?"

"Draco!" Parkinson cried again, at her shriek I noticed that the hall was starting to fill up now and that all the early students were watching our fight with interest.

"Enough!" Draco groaned in a voice that sounded like he had a headache, furious at the address, which clearly was meant for the both of us, not just Parkinson, I looked down and spotted him still sitting at the table, looking vastly annoyed and massaging his temples. "For Slytherin's sake I've had enough!"

Seeing no reason to fight to stay, not when Malfoy was so agitated and now Parkinson had stuck her ugly nose in, I scowled at the pug faced witch and withdrew my wand in a quick, meaningful motion. Whatever, if he was going to be like that why did I even try? "You know what? So have I." I told them both, snatching up my bag from where I'd left it by the bench I glared at Parkinson, who was still a threat, now that I'd released her more so than ever, as the bitch didn't fight fair, while I threw it over my shoulder and clutched the diary to my chest. "It's not even worth it." I said, casting a look down at Draco, who pulled his face away from his hands at my words and looked up at me in tired surprise.

With that parting comment I walked, *cough* *shamefaced cough* stormed away, passed the scatterings of jeering Slytherin's who were filing into their table and keeping my head held high in angry pride all the time. Sod him, if he couldn't even stand up for me to Pansy Parkinson, who he couldn't stomach, then I ought to have just let the boys deface his book. Why did I even bother to try and be decent with him? Fuming I reached the end of the Slytherin table and turned to storm across the hall, however, as I did I caught sight of Parkinson and Malfoy, halfway down the Slytherin table. Parkinson, revelling in what for her was a great victory, waggled her fingers at me and pulled a spiteful grin as she rested her hand possessively on Draco's shoulder, meanwhile he only looked at me, an unreadable expression on his pale, pointed face that I didn't even try to decipher. Git, I thought venomously as I strode away, making my way across to the Gryffindor table and throwing myself down on the bench none too gracefully, the table was still largely empty as I slammed my bag and the diary against the ancient wood and Dean, sitting across from me, was the only person in my year sat down.

"Never mind them, Ivy," he said kindly and sympathetically as he looked up from his Quidditch magazine. Nodding in appreciation but still blindingly furious for reasons I was no longer sure of, I quickly sought solace in Abbey's life.

06/15/78

Dear Journal,

The year has gone by, hasn't it? 7th year. Wow … it's been so long. And now it's the end of my education. Riley is still in Romania with his new wife Violet. James and Lily have been dating. Remus got the best scores than anyone in the school put together. Wormtail, he barely survived. Sirius, well proud and such a better man that I've ever seen him. Trixie is off to find a job as Auror while dragging Nora to Medical jobs. Jerry and Lauren, the cute couple are just taking it steady. Me? Well, I was thinking of publishing my journals, I'm planning to store my other journals in James and Lily's new house. I placed a spell, but about now, I don't care if James reads my journals. But somehow, I have a feeling he's going to give them to Sirius. I smile to think how long these years took but suddenly, I wish I was a younger kid again.

Well, as you also know, journal, me and Regulus have gotten close over the past two years. Bellatrix left last year which is a THANK YOU MERLIN but yet, he's quiet. I love it when Regulus smiles. It just makes me happy compared to his usual neutral faces.

Strangely, for the past year, I've juggled around time with just my twin James, the other Marauders, Lily, her friends, and Regulus. Though, James has mostly been with Lily or all of us or just us Marauders, so I hung mostly around Sirius, Remus, and sometimes Peter. Though, they all try to spend as much as they can around me, after all, they found out about my leukaemia and my rushed time.

James, undoubting, has been the one to try and hog up most of my time by dragging me around with him and Lily or himself and others and made sure that someone watched over me during the Qudditch game as a guard when I was doing my seeking skills.

Anyway, after James, oh Merlin's boxers. Sirius was tailing me, well he did that anyway whenever James dragged me about, but he tailed me, and when he wasn't, I was accompanied by Regulus.

So technically to say, I will miss all this time I had with everyone, my friends and my hearts. Oh yeah … did I tell you that me and Sirius are … um … are on a complex relationship? In a way …. I admitted my fancy towards him in which he didn't deny and said he did as well and yet we don't know how to proceed. We say we're just friends but are we really just that?

Aunt Lynx asked me if I wanted to live with her since the year ended and Lorcan will be gone and she'll be lonely since she always pictured Uncle Phoenix with her at that time, but he died, as you know. Side note for you Journal who is much thicker than the others and might last longer than the other journals cause I keep adding magical papers, Aunt Lynx and Uncle Phoenix are part of the Black family, they are aunt and uncle of Sirius too but I'm still not related to him. Phoenix Black's name was burnt off the family tapestry at the Black family house. Their son Lorcan is under Dumbledore's care so I know he's not gone till he actually gets old.

Anyway, but James said that since mom and dad are dead, and Aunt Lynx can't go with them, asked if we wanted to move in with them.

I declined, and said, I'll live with Aunt Lynx so there I am, living with Aunt Lynx. I really hope my life goes on well after this.

Sincerely yours,

Abbey Potter