The Mistake
By JalendaviLady
Timeline: Beginning a few days before Halloween 1981.
Summary: One single mistake can change history forever. The change does not have to be for the worse, however...
Characters: Severus Snape, Lily Potter, James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Albus Dumbledore, and assorted others
Pairings: James/Lily (story is not pairing-focused)
Warning: Deathly Hallows spoilers, including things that will be revealed in the Part 2 movie.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Chapter 4: October 31, 1981 - Noon
The castle clock had just finished tolling noon, October 31, 1981.
Sirius was sitting in Dumbledore's office, trying for the hundredth time to explain that a child's one-year-old Halloween was no time for his mother to be absent, when Madame Pomfrey charged into the room.
"Albus, you're needed in the Hospital Wing immediately. Something's wrong."
The headmaster stood immediately and charged towards the door in Madame Pomfrey's wake.
Sirius stood to follow, but Dumbledore turned around for three steps, pointed, and ordered, "Stay!"
He sat back down.
He's not supposed to know I'm an animagus, Sirius thought, trying to console himself against the thought that he'd just been ordered around like a 'bad dog'.
He'd mellowed since his student years, honestly. Especially after that one bad day he had accidentally pranked Mad Eye Moody... successfully pranked Mad Eye Moody. And it really would have been better for me if I had failed completely.
Anyway, one way or another he would convince Albus that the Potter family needed to be together tonight.
He'd just have to wait and restate his case. Again.
Less than thirty minutes later, Dumbledore charged back in. "You switched with Peter?" he demanded.
"Yes. We thought..."
Dumbledore cut off the explanation. "Go back there and get everyone else out. Tell James to bring anything he can't stand abandoning for good."
Wormtail sold out? He didn't have to ask the question - the answer was apparent enough in Dumbledore's own question and his intense reaction.
Sirius didn't even ask how he knew.
He just ran for the fireplace and the temporary Floo connection back to Godric's Hollow.
Sirius wasn't even out of the fireplace when he started yelling. "Get out! Get out!"
Remus was shocked. Wasn't Sirius the Secret Keeper? This building ought to be among the safest places in England right now.
Harry squirmed on his lap, beginning to complain at the noise.
James was on his feet in an instant, a horrible look on his face. "Peter...?" he asked.
Sirius nodded. "We switched," he explained sadly to Remus. "Albus says to take everything you can't bear losing, Prongs."
James nodded. A moment later, Remus found himself being hauled to his feet, Harry still in his arms. "Moony, get Harry out. Padfoot and I will clear out the house."
Remus knew better than to argue with the pair. They worked well in tandem on projects like this, and both had always been better at Transfiguration than he - and it was going to take transfiguring to get all the Potters' essential belongings out of the house quickly.
"Already gone." He went through the Floo, Harry squalling because he had no idea what was happening to him.
He came out in Albus' office. The headmaster was the only one there.
"James and Sirius are clearing the house," Remus gasped out. "James told me to get Harry out. Where's Lily?"
"Hospital Wing." Albus led him out.
When they got to the Hospital Wing, Albus stopped in the outer room. Remus knew about the inner because that's where he usually ended up as a werewolf with a werewolf's medical complications. "You know the rumor we have a spy in Voldemort's followers?"
Remus nodded.
"It was true until two nights ago. Lily's been trying - successfully, I might add - to wake him up."
"He's why the Potters are being moved."
Albus nodded. "He overheard something on his way out after possibly having his cover destroyed - at least heavily suspected. He won't be going back. He was cruciated for so long he lost count of the curses, and followed that with a ride on the Knight Bus from London to Hogsmeade with no wand."
Remus cringed. He'd had to take care of Sirius after his misadventure with uncountered Cruciatus Curses, and that had only been three. Most wizards only actually lost count at five, and with a spy's likely trained resistance...
"Exactly. He's not going to feel like talking for a while unless he has to, so don't press."
Harry was still in Remus' arms, looking all around him with wide eyes.
Albus managed a slight twinkle in his eyes despite the circumstances as he leaned toward the child. "Welcome to Hogwarts, Harry James Potter."
Remus had to swallow back a lump in his throat.
This was Harry's first moment outside of Godric's Hollow in his life. His first experience of Hogwarts, too.
It belonged to his parents, not Remus, no matter how old their friendships.
The castle bell tolled once.
It was thirty minutes after noon, October 31, 1981.