Disclaimer: None of the characters actually belong to me, most of them are J.K. Rowling's creation and the rest of them are Aylala's so I can't really take credit for it. I just wanted to expose this story to a larger public than just the French one.

I hope you have a good time reading this! Please review if you have any comments, it's always nice to know people read your work.

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What could have happened

Chapter 9: Cry in my arms

- "Kingsley, could you close the door? I don't think we're expecting anyone else so we're going to start with the meeting"

Kingsley got up and closed the door, before coming back to take a seat next to Remus, who was staring angrily at Snape.

- "I'll start by telling those of you who don't already know that James Potter has left St Mungo's. Obviously, he and Lily will not be coming back to the Order before all their problems, both concerning their health and their trial are solved"

Remus smiled, remembering the scene. He had been here when the old teacher had denied Lily and James the permission to get back to the Order for now. James had been indignant and had affirmed that he could perfectly be useful, thank you very much, and Lily, Dumbledore, Oceane and himself had been needed to make him understand that this decision was reasonable. Remus actually believed that his friend had stopped arguing more to please his wife than because he really believed it was the right choice.

- "Moving on to the less pleasant news" the professor started "Severus..."

Remus surprised himself by thinking that Snape's presence in itself was less pleasant news.

- "Now" Snape started, with a superior smile that managed to infuriate a few people around the table "I was in contact with the Dark Lord recently. He's extremely angry that he didn't manage to kill the Potter boy on Halloween"

- "Do we even know why he tried to get to him?" Emmeline asked with curiosity.

Remus sat up in his chair. He'd asked himself this question quite a lot of times since the attack. Why would such a powerful and dark wizard try to kill Harry? He was just a little boy, why was he threatened by him?

- "I'm afraid this information has to remain secret for the moment" Dumbledore answered in Snape's stead "I don't know if I will ever be able to give you the answer"

Whispers could be heard in the room. What kind of information deserved such secrecy?

Remus had a memory flash. He remembered Lily's and James' insistence on getting the manor secured at any cost, their express wish against anyone being alone with their son in the same room... He had thought that all those security measures revolving around the boy before the attack were the result of parental anxiety. It wasn't only that. There had to be more. A terrible threat hung over Harry, and they weren't allowed to talk about it. They'd done everything they could to save their son from Voldemort. An insane idea popped into the young man's head. Could it be that little Harry, a boy of just one had a role to play in the war against the Dark Lord?

- "Remus? Is something wrong?" Kingsley asked.

Remus jumped, startled, and turned to the Auror.

- "Sorry?"

- "You blanked out for a while, it seemed like you'd seen a ghost" Kingsley joked, before growing serious again "Is everything okay?"

- "Yeah, I was just thinking" Remus answered quickly, turning back to Snape, who was explaining that Voldemort had decided to stay quiet for a while before striking hard once more.

But he couldn't concentrate on his old enemy's speech. He was becoming crazy. Such a young child could never be a threat to Voldemort! There had to be another more logical explanation for the Dark Lord's interest in Harry.

- "So for now we don't have much to fear. Of course, you can't exclude raids from the Death Eaters, they're usually decided on the spur of the moment. Lucius Malfoy, for example, is particularly fond of these" Snape finished, sitting down.

- "We mustn't let our guard down" Mad-Eye Moody declared, hitting the table with his fist.

Several amused sighs were heard. The Auror didn't miss an occasion of reminding them of his eternal motto "Constant vigilance", which was certainly the phrase that could best sum up the Auror's paranoiac personality.

- "Now to you, Benjy. What news from the Goblins?" Dumbledore asked.

The meeting lasted for two more hours and Remus participated in discussions very distractedly, his mind being elsewhere. When the meeting ended, he remained seated, as everyone filed out of the room. In the end, there was only him, Professor Dumbledore and Snape.

- "Professor?" he asked.

- "Yes, Remus"

- "I'd like to talk to you... in private" he added, seeing the Snape glancing at him curiously.

- "Of course, but before that I'd like to talk to you both" the old teacher said gravely.

Remus sighed and crossed his arms. He looked at Dumbledore politely.

- "I know perfectly well that you don't really like each other"

Snape and Remus both cleared their throats to prove his point.

- "But I would very much appreciate it if you could forget about your animosity now. You are adults and on the same side. Leave your childhood quarrels aside" the teacher continued.

Remus stared at him. It wasn't only a childhood quarrel that differentiated them, it was much more. A deep and reciprocate hate was anchored in them.

- "Remus, correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think James knows that Severus is with us now"

- "Indeed professor. Since he's still quite weak and loaded with troubles, I didn't think it was useful to share that information with him yet"

- "He will have to be told eventually, and I'm counting on you to..." the old wizard looked for the right words "restrain his feelings"

Remus suppressed a smile.

- "You were always, and by far, the most mature of the four of you, and I count on you once more to make him understand that Severus is no longer your enemy and had my entire trust" Dumbledore continued.

Remus didn't comment, but couldn't help but think that to convince James of anything, he would have to be convinced of it himself.

- "This also applies to you Severus" Dumbledore said seriously.

Snape nodded.

- "If I'm not needed anymore, I'll take my leave, professor" he simply said, getting up.

- "It's fine Severus, you can go"

Remus stared at the person he would now have to see as an ally and started contemplating his hands with attention. He only lifted his head when he heard the door close. He met Dumbledore's grave gaze, gave him a weak smile and started talking.

- "Professor, I'd like to know if Harry has a role to play in the war against Voldemort"

He had asked the question in one breath and didn't take his eyes off Dumbledore, who raised his eyes towards the ceiling and closed them for a moment.

- "I'm sorry, Remus, but I can't tell you this"

- "I'm guessing it's a yes, then"

- "The decision to disclose this information isn't entirely mine, and I can't tell you anything tonight"

- "And if I asked James and Lily?"

- "Even they don't have all the information to answer your question"

Remus sighed.

- "I understand a lot of things. It explains the attack and all the security around Harry before that"

The professor remained silent.

- "I wouldn't want to sound arrogant, sir" Remus said as he was getting up "But if Harry has such a big role to play, wouldn't it be normal for his parents to know all they need to know to be able to protect him the best they can?"

The young man stared at the teacher, who didn't look crossed in the least. On the contrary, he was smiling.

- "I think you're right. With all that's happened I forgot the most important thing: Harry has parents who love him and are ready to do anything to protect him. Now if you'll excuse me, it's getting late and I'm going to go home"

And without another word, Dumbledore got up and crossed the room. He opened the door and held it so that Remus would be able to go out. Without waiting any longer, the young man apparated away in the night.

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James couldn't sleep. He'd sat up in his bed with a few pillows. He cast a quick glance at Lily's alarm clock: it was about 6 in the morning. He felt tired but couldn't sleep, he'd had a very bad night. He stared at Lily for a while. At least she was sleeping, but her dream didn't look like a good one. Her face was strained and she looked worried. He didn't like to see her like that but he couldn't bring himself to waking her up. She tended to forget that she had been weakened by the attack, and that her life had become a marathon for the last month. With the trial coming up, James doubted they would find any good rest, so he decided to let her have this one.

He tenderly watched his wife, and his thoughts turned to what had happened the previous night. For the first time in over a month, he'd seen Harry. Lily had finally obtained all the documents she needed for an hour long visit. She'd taken him by side-along apparition to the Weasley house and he remembered the apprehension he'd felt in that moment, there, as he saw the house.

What if Harry didn't recognize him? What if his little boy didn't want to see him? He himself was dying to hold him in his arms.

Lily was much more reassured than him, but at least as excited. She'd knocked on the door, and a very nice plump red-headed woman had welcomed them while apologizing for her husband's absence. But James couldn't care less all he wanted was to see Harry. A little boy (as red-headed as his mother) had accompanied Lily to the first floor, where their son was, while Molly was serving tea. A few seconds later, he heard screams and laughter and his heart started to panic. He'd stared at the staircase until his sight blurred when he finally saw them coming down the stairs. It was the most beautiful things he'd seen in a while. Harry was firmly hugging his mother who was caressing his hair tenderly, a huge smile plastered on her face. He'd grown, it was unmistakable. With a very gentle move, Lily forced the little boy to turn around, and James knew instantly he'd never forget that cry.

- "DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!"

The boy started to fidget, to clap his hands and kick with his feet, and would not stop until his mother had put him in his father's lap. James finally hugged his son and kissed him with all the love he had. He played with his hair, smelled his scent for the first time in a month. He was here, nothing else mattered anymore. This month of anguish, frustration and suffering disappeared all in a sudden. He couldn't even think about it anymore. When he finally lifted his head, he got a glimpse of Molly and Lily tearing up. He must have been a sight himself, going all mushy and snugly with his son, but that was the least of his worries. Lily had come next to them, while Molly, who was not supposed to leave the room, retreated in the corner. They stayed here for a long time, savoring this small moment with all the family together. Then Lily had taken Padfoot out of her bag and had given it to Harry, who laughed with joy upon seeing it. James could get tired of hearing his son's laugh and seeing Lily's lit up face. The two beings he loved most in the world.

A small red-head boy appeared in the room, a stuffed dragon in one hand, a hippogryf in the other. Harry took care of the introduction.

- "Ron friend!" he'd said to his parents, and James had marveled at the progress his son had made.

Ron was seated on a baby chair not far away, while Harry remained comfortably on his father's knees. They had started a memorable stuffed toys war, in which James had actively participated. Brandishing the hippogryf against Ron's dragon and the faithful Padfoot, he'd fought for a long time with great cries before surrendering to the combined forces of the kids. Molly and Lily were having fun seeing them play like this, when Lily suddenly realized the allotted hour was long gone. Molly had reassured her with a wink and told them it wasn't a problem. She even invited them to stay for the whole afternoon.

Both parents had been able to take care of their baby, they had played, they had laughed. James had fed him, while Lily had bathed him and tucked him to bed. These small and very simple gestures that were so important to them and they had been deprived of for too long had given them an immense joy.

The separation was difficult. Once Harry had been asleep, Lily had come out of the room with tears in her eyes. She'd burst into tears on the way home and had cried herself to sleep. James wasn't feeling that well either, but he had tried his best to console her. She'd finally fallen asleep without eating anything, leaving James feeling powerless against his and his wife's sadness. It had prevented him from sleeping.

Lily started fidgeting in her sleep and woke up. She turned to him and looked at him. He was surprised by the paleness and tiredness of her face.

- "Hi there" she whispered.

- "Good morning honey. Are you okay? You don't look so good" James worried, while caressing her forehead.

- "I don't feel that well" she admitted in a tiny voice.

James looked at her sadly.

- "It's no surprise, you're stressed right now, you didn't eat anything and you cried almost all night" he whispered before kissing her.

- "You must be right"

- "Are you hungry?"

She shook her head.

- "Then go back to sleep my love. It's still early and you need to rest"

- "Did you get any sleep?"

- "Oh I slept just fine" he lied.

She watched him, skeptical and put one of her slender fingers under her husband's eyes.

- "You have bags under those…" she simply remarked.

- "Fine. Maybe I didn't sleep that well but that's not the question. You're the one looking quite scary right now"

Lily smiled feebly, James really did look worried.

- "It'll be fine, don't worry" she answered, snuggling against him.

James put his fingers in his wife's hair and played with it for a while. He then realized she had fallen asleep and she looked calmer. He sighed and held her against him, promising himself to love her for the rest of his life, because that was the only thing that he was able to do at the moment.

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It was broad daylight when Mad-Eye Moody arrived at the Ministry. He got into the elevator and mechanically pushed the button. He waited for the machine to stop and left it to enter the second level. He quickly walked towards the Aurors Headquarters. He got into his office and settled at his desk. A pile of parchment was lying there and he sighed. All this administrative paperwork bored him to the highest level and he would have gladly put everything in the fire. Sadly, the last time he had done as he wished, he had had to work for two more weeks than usual to finish and the reports he'd burnt. Damn paperwork, what interested him was the action. If he's wanted to spend his life scribbling down, he'd have become a writer or a transcript for the Wizenmagot.

He sighed and pushed away the pile, thinking he'd take care of it later. Professor Dumbledore had asked him to put the "Longbottom" inquiry on top of his priority list, and it was giving him some hard times. Something didn't fit, there was a detail missing. A tiny little detail that would allow him to close this case. How could the death eaters know about the place the Longbottoms were hiding in? As Aurors, they had a right to protection of certain private information. Any people who would know their home and its address were listed in the archives of the Ministry, and very few people had access to it. He had had a lot of trouble acquiring it himself before studying it very carefully. Apart from family members, parents, brothers, sisters, uncles and aunts, very few people knew where they lived. Professor Dumbledore, the Potters, Aurors they worked with... all were beyond suspicion. He sighed. He had been in a dead end for a few days, something Moody Mad-Eye really couldn't stand.

- "Mister Mad-Eye?" a voice exclaimed in the corridor.

Moody sighed. He really hated it when the newbies disturbed him. There was nothing worse than future Aurors who really wanted to learn.

- "What?" he growled, getting up.

He found himself looking at Thomas King, a brand new Aurors. He wasn't bad but quite too passive for his taste.

- "Mister Shacklebolt is asking for you in the interrogation room" he said, trying not to look too intimidated.

Moody raised his eyebrows. It wasn't in Kingsley's habit to ask for help during interrogation.

- "I'll go" he grumbled, locking his office as a precaution.

He heard King's footsteps as he was leaving quickly. The newbies generally didn't stay long in his presence.

With a swift pace, he went into the place the interrogations were usually held. Through the glass, he could see Kingsley, but he was hiding the suspect. He knocked twice and waited for someone to open the door.

- "Mad-Eye! Here you are!" Kingsley said upon seeing him "Come on in. This is Sydney Warusfel, whom we just arrested while he was torturing an old woman just because she was Muggle-born"

Said Warusfel was trembling violently, frightened of the two mighty Aurors in front of him. Moody took Kingsley to the side, after casting a disgusted glance to the trembling young man.

- "Death Eater?" he asked lowly.

- "No doubt, he has the mark, but it must be recent" Kingsley answered on the same tone.

- "Snake Face is getting desperate if he is reduced to enroll all the feeble guys out there. Look at him! He's practically wetting himself. I suppose you had no trouble having him confess"

- "Exactly. And he also said something that could really interest you"

They both went back towards the young man, who was getting paler by the minute.

- "Come on, Warusfel! Tell my colleague what you just told me!"

- "A... about the old lady?" he stuttered.

- "No you moron. What you told me after that, about the person who was giving you instructions"

Warusfel startled and, without taking his eyes off Kingsley, said

- "I never was allowed to see the Dark Lord because I'm new. A man came to give me instructions. He wouldn't tell me his name, I had to call him sir. He was very young. I followed his instructions for a while, and one day, another man came with him and called him Crouch"

- "WHAT?" Moody exclaimed.

- "Exactly why I thought it'd be interesting to you" Kingsley added.

- "Crouch? Are you sure?"

- "Yes... yes, absolutely"

- "Merlin!" Moody exclaimed, running out of the room.

He ran across the floors of the Ministry until he reached the archives. He gave quite a fright to the young with who worked there.

- "I need a list of all the people that came to consult the archives for the last three months and the files they looked at" he yelled.

- "But sir, I can't"

- "I'm Alastor Moody, Auror, and I order you to give me what I asked!" he growled.

The frightened witch gave the Auror a long parchment.

- "If you want to keep it, you'll need to duplicate it..." the young woman said tentatively.

But Moody wasn't listening. He was browsing through the endless list for a proof.

- "THERE!" he yelled, startling the young witch once more.

On the 28th of October, at 16.32 precisely, Bartemius Crouch Jr had asked for the Longbottoms' confidentiality files.