The night of October 31st 1980 Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was filled with chatter and excitement for the upcoming ball that was to be thrown, students were just settling in to being back in school, and chatting about the upcoming Qudditch match.
7th year Marissa Marie Potter sat at the Gryffindor table her long, wavy, brown hair sung in a loose ponytail, swaying side to side as she chatted happily with her girlfriends. It was her last year at Hogwarts, and she aimed to make the best of it and leave a mark like her older brother James Potter recently did before he and his friends graduated 2 years prior.
Thinking of her 4 favorite boys and sister-in-law made Marissa smile. She had just come back from a weekend spent with them, top secret of course. She spent most of the time hogging her nephew Harry and chatting with Lily in the kitchen, while James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter hung around chatting animatedly about the upcoming Quidditch match Cannons vs. Falcons.
"Who are you going to ask to the dance Marissa?" Amanda kept asking, her red hair bushy as ever.
"I think I might just go solo, I mean Charley Weasley asked me, but I find it odd going with a 2nd year who has had a crush on me."
The 4 girls broke down into giggles.
"Tristan I hear is interested in asking you." Lizzy said laughing still.
Marissa just rolled her eyes, thinking of how her friends never would let up. "Come on let's hurry and finish, and maybe we will still have time to sneak down to Hogsemead for a late night snack!" she muttered, standing up to leave.
"Miss Potter Professor Dumbledore would like to speak to you immediately." Professor McGonagall interrupted, placing a hand on Marissa's shoulder.
Marissa turned frowning, "What's wrong Professor, am I in trouble?"
"No sweetie, hurry along." McGonagall said, her grave face making Marissa's heart jump.
Marissa worried the whole way up, wondering why McGonagall wouldn't look at her, and wondering what could have possibly happened that she was getting blamed for.
"Miss Potter." Professor Dumbledore said, his voice grave, and his eyes holding clear sadness and concern.
"Headmaster…" Marissa answered, her heart continuing to beat faster, not quite sure what was going on, "What's going on?"
"Please take a seat Miss Potter-"
"Professor please!" Marissa said, her voice wavering slightly, "Is it James and Lily, or Sirius, or Remus, heck even if it's Peter, but what is it?"
"There has been an attack."
Marissa collapsed into the chair, "Oh Merlin no, please don't tell me its James and Lily."
"I am sorry my dear, Voldemort has attacked Godric Hollow."
Her lungs were filling with air, but it didn't feel like there was enough, her ears were pounding, and her chest was wavering heavily. "Are they all right?" she asked, her voice breaking.
McGonagall took her hand and squeezed it.
Dumbledore took a deep breath, clearly upset himself, "James and Lily did not make it-"
A sob erupted from Marissa's chest.
"It seems little Harry however has survived, he only has a lightning bolt scar on his forehead, besides that he appears to be unharmed." Dumbledore explained, his voice growing stronger as he continued, "The prophecy we feared has come to play now, Voldemort has been brought down for the time being."
Marissa couldn't breath, her thoughts swirling, how Lily and James could die and yet Harry survived, how she could mourn the lose of her dear brother and sister in law and yet be thrilled Harry was unharmed.
"Peter!"
"What Miss Potter?" McGonagall asked, "Peter had been killed my dear."
"He bloody well deserves it he ratted on them!"
Dumbledore stood, striding towards her at a fast pace, "What do you mean Miss Potter?"
"Peter was their secret keeper sir! He betrayed them, that stupid bugger!" Marissa shrieked, jumping up as a vase blew up.
"Miss Potter control yourself!" Dumbledore ordered, "Sirius was not the secret keeper?"
"Of course not, everybody was expecting him, they chose Peter thinking nobody would guess him." Marissa explained, "Where is Harry, I need to see him."
"Dumbledore stood, he is being brought here as we speak, right now we need to contact the ministry and let them know to not look for Sirius, we were all under the impression it was he who told."
Marissa shook her head, clear dread filled her as the rooms occupants went off contacting different ministry officials.
"James, Lily." Marissa whispered her heart breaking at the thought of never seeing the two again.
James was her older brother by 2 years, they were inseparable from birth, they practiced Quidditch, pulled pranks, had the same friends. It was hard enough when James and everyone graduated 2 years prior, however Marissa had managed, and getting special permission from McGonagall she was able to visit them every weekend. James had even let Marissa move in 2 years ago when they went into hiding at Godric Hollow. He was the one who always watched out for her, and could always put a smile on her face no matter what. The thought of him not being there made her heart ache painfully.
And Lily, dear sweet Lily, she was the best sister-in-law Marissa could have every asked for. She was always there to talk to and help Marissa with any problems she had, and help her with her homework assignments when she had questions. She was the sister Marissa had always wanted and had never gotten. She took care of the two when their parents had died.
Marissa felt so alone, so heartbroken, and so resentful. She had just been there the night before, been standing in that same doorway, wishing them all goodnights and see you soons.
"Marissa!" a voice yelled before 4 arms were wrapped tightly around herself.
Marissa knew who the two were instantly, the strong gruff arms of Remus Lupin and Sirius Black. And she fell into them, her sobs overtaking her body, and the feel of their own sobs racking their own.
Remus gripped her face tightly, "I am so happy you are okay Marissa, we thought-" he couldn't finish before lowering his head as more tears and sobs came though.
Sirius pulled them both in tightly, trying to fight his own sobs to get out the rest of the words, "We were scared you were there as well."
"We couldn't bear loosing you as well." Remus said.
Dumbledore and McGonagall had left the room, giving them the space they needed, bowing their heads in sympathy and to their own hurt of the death of the Potters.
"How could Peter do that?" Marissa asked, her voice cracking, "I trusted him, we trusted him!"
Sirius' eyes took in a dark look, "I chased him all the way down to the streets, he blew it up somehow, trying to frame me I suppose, they tried to ship me off to Azkaban, but Dumbledore sent somebody to fetch me, and then brought me here."
"I can't believe this is real." Remus muttered.
Marissa nodded, fresh tears blurring her vision. Her eyes took in the distressed vision of both Remus and Sirius, and she pushed back the horrible ache in her heart for her lost love ones. If there was one thing she learned over the years from Lily it was how to take care of things, and she was no longer here to do that, so Marissa knew she had to do something. Grabbing hold of both their hands she brought their tear stained eyes up to meet her own. Taking a deep breath she started, "We are going to get through this difficult time-"
Sirius opened his mouth to speak but closed it quickly.
"James and Lily will never forgive us for giving up on life, for just running away from it all. Sirius you have your Auror job that you need to continue with, Remus you have a great job working in the book store right now, we will move on. We will never forget them, but their legacy must live on. We have to keep going. Don't you see this fight is not over, times will be good for a while, but this war hasn't even begun yet. We have to be ready."
Remus and Sirius nodded, rising to their full heights, and whipping their tears.
"Well said Miss Potter." Dumbledore said quietly, causing the three to jump. "You are quite correct."
Marissa nodded, her head still in a haze.
"Harry has just arrived, Madame Promfley is taking a look at him and then he shall be returned to his new home."
"Which is?" Marissa jumped in.
"Petunia Dursley."
"WHAT!" Marissa shrieked, making the two men next to her jump.
Dumbledore peered closely at her, "You are still in school Miss Potter-"
"Bloody hell Dumbledore have you finally lost it?"
Remus, Sirius, McGonagall, along with a few ministry officials stared at her in shock.
"Petunia Dursley is the most barbaric, magic hater in the universe, and you expect to send my nephew to her because I am in school?" Marissa yelled.
Dumbledore stroked his beard thoughtfully, "Do you have another solution dear, because until you have left the school, I am sorry but caring for Harry is going to be impossible."
"I am his legal guardian now that they have -" Marissa tried to continue but her voice broke, "I get Harry end of discussion."
"Miss Potter, you are in this school, we can not allow you to be living here with a child."
"However you will send him to people who hate him?" Marissa snapped back, shaking off Remus and Sirius' arms on her shoulders.
"Marissa dear-"
"No," she growled, pacing back in forth.
"Let us just take some time to discuss this." McGonagall tried to reason.
"No," Marissa said, her eyes finding Dumbledore's, "I officially withdrawal myself from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
A snap sounded in the air with a light red spark as everyone became still and quiet.
"Marissa you cannot do that!" Remus had shouted at the same time as many other voices of authority threw in similar comments.
"I am afraid that has already been done." Dumbledore said quietly, his eyes sparkling oddly.
Marissa nodded.
"James would want you to continue with your education!" Remus interrupted.
"Well he is not here!" Marissa said, "He will never be here again, and it's about time for everybody to realize that, my nephew is going home with me, and that is the end!" "Where will you be taking him?" McGonagall asked.
"To the house James and Lily first bought before having to go into hiding, I have money in the bank to last me a life time, and when Harry gets older I will get a job." Marissa explained, standing tall and becoming confident.
She had no other choice, and it appeared the others in the room knew that. She was of age and she was his guardian, she didn't want to be stuck in this boring old school anyways, she was smarted then half of them here, and could graduate now if she truly wanted. Lily would never forgive her if Harry was sent away to her sisters' Merlin knows what Harry would turn out like living there.
"Marissa please-" Sirius begged.
"No, this is my decision."
Dumbledore looked oddly please when Marissa looked over at him, almost as though happy about the new occurrence that had just happened, as though he knew it were coming.
McGonagall looked torn between pleasure and disappointment as her best students proclamation.
Remus and Sirius seemed to still be out of it, and Marissa knew she had a lot of work ahead of her, she had to be the one to put this family back together and she sure as Merlin was going to succeed.