Disclaimer: All previous disclaimers apply.
A/N: Thanks to all my readers for their patience. My hard drive croaked at the beginning of November and I just got my computer back last Friday. Sunday morning my monitor was DOA. I just got the new one yesterday. Here's hoping nothing else croaks! Thanks once again to Snapegirlkmf for the Boot-Kicking Hex idea! Alethea27
Chapter 12
James and Sirius flooed from Potter Manor to Hogwarts and stepped out of the floo into Albus' office. He was not there. James looked at his watch. "It dinner time so Albus is probably in the Great Hall."
They left the office and went downstairs to the Great Hall. James threw open one of the doors and he and Sirius strutted in and up the center aisle to the head table. "Albus!" Sirius yelled.
The students were startled because James and Sirius were wearing their Auror robes. The fifth, sixth and seventh year students remembered them and the Slytherins took out their wands and laid them on the table beside their plates. Many of them remembered being hexed by Potter and Black despite the head boy at that time, Severus Snape, attempting to stop it.
Pomona who was sitting between Horace and Filius and exclaimed, "Potter and Black again! As much as they're here maybe they should enroll as students again."
"Yes," Filius nodded. "Maybe they could learn what they didn't learn before."
Horace shook his head. "That's doubtful, Filius."
James stood in front of the head table and cast a dirty look at the Slytherin table. "Albus something's happened to the house in Godric's Hollow. Neither Padfoot or I can see it. We think it might have been taken over by Death Eaters."
The voices rose in the Great Hall as the students heard the dreaded words Death Eater. Minerva stood up and leaned over the table. "Will you gentlemen kindly take your discussion somewhere else? You're frightening the students with your talk of Death Eaters."
"I'll bet not the slimy snakes," Sirius said. "They're probably cheering at every mention of Death Eaters."
"James, Sirius, we'll adjourn to my office," Dumbledore said, motioning them to follow him. Merlin knows he didn't want Minerva on him about something else. She was already on him about trying to take Harry away from Lily, but she just didn't or wouldn't understand that Harry was the only one who could defeat Voldemort. She refused to believe that Voldemort wasn't gone for good.
They followed Albus out of the Great Hall through the entrance off the head table. It led to a shortcut to the headmaster's office. They entered the office and James and Sirius plopped down into the squashy armchairs in front of Albus' desk. Albus called his personal elf, Tingly and ordered dinner brought to his office. She returned in a few minutes carrying a large tray loaded with food and drink.
"Now what's this about the house in Godric's Hollow disappearing?" Albus asked
"Padfoot flew over it first and couldn't see it so he came back to Potter Manor and told me so then we both flew over and I couldn't see it either. It's gone."
"That is strange," Albus replied. "I cast strong wards over it to preserve it, but then somebody did change the monument in the square too."
"The one of Prongs, Lily and Harry?" Sirius asked.
"Yes. Now it's just a Muggle war memorial; it doesn't change when a magical person looks at it and I have been unsuccessful in returning it to its former shape."
"It's Death Eaters for sure then," James declared. "They just can't stand the thought that I was instrumental in defeating You-Know-Who so they'd want to destroy anything honoring that night."
"I'm going to contact my friend at the records office and see what I can find out about the house," Albus decided. He knelt down in front of the fireplace, threw some floo powder into the fireplace and called, "Neil Turner, Records Office, Ministry of Magic," and stuck his head into the flames.
James and Sirius could only hear Albus' end of the conversation, but soon they heard him say, "That's very interesting, Neil. Thank you for your help in this matter." Albus stood up again. "Well, according to what Neil was able to find out from the paperwork that's been filed the house is now owned by the Prince family."
"You mean Snivellus' family owns the house?" Sirius asked.
"You know I'll bet that's where Lily and Harry are living," James said suddenly.
"It's a very good possibility," Albus said.
"But why would she want to live in a house where she was killed?" Sirius asked.
"Because she probably figures that would be the last place Death Eaters would think to look for Harry."
"We'll go over and take a closer look at things tomorrow," Albus promised.
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Severus was kneeling in front of the fireplace with Harry standing by his side and Lily standing behind him listening to Remus talk about the visit James and Sirius had paid him.
"Calix heard voices and alerted me and when I went outside to check I saw them flying away on their brooms."
"They probably flooed straight from Potter Manor to Hogwarts to alert Dumbledore," Lily said.
"I'm assuming so and I'm assuming they'll be back."
"Undoubtedly," Severus said. "Just as I'm sure Dumbledore contacted one of his many cronies in the Ministry to find out who owns the house now."
"I'll find out tomorrow. I bet you a Galleon that Potter thinks Harry and I are living there," Lily said as Severus bade Remus goodbye and got up from the fireplace. "But it is so typical of Potter to think I'd want to live in a house where I was murdered."
"That's a sucker's bet," Severus grinned.
"Alice told me Neville has wanted Harry to stay overnight. I was thinking he could do it next Saturday night and then come home on Sunday morning."
"Is Dudley coming over again?"
"Probably not until after Christmas which reminds me; when I last talked to Tuney, she wanted us to come over for Christmas Eve dinner. I said I'd check and get back to her."
"I don't know how Harry will react around them," Severus said. "And I'd hate to see his Christmas spoiled by a setback."
Lily sighed. "I was thinking that too. Maybe, it would be better to wait until Harry's older and better able to understand why it happened."
"I think so. Maybe you can write, Tuney and tell her that we've already made plans to go to my parents on Christmas Eve."
"I'll do that," Lily replied with a smile. "What about Harry staying over at Neville's for a night?"
"It's okay with me if it's okay with you. Frank and Alice are both Aurors and I'm sure Mrs. Longbottom's mansion has wards comparable to this one so he should be perfectly safe there."
"It's fine with me."
The next morning Severus took Harry to daycare and then went to work while Lily flooed to Hogwarts. She couldn't wait to hear what the latest gossip was and she wasn't disappointed as Minerva, Filius, Pomona, and Horace all filled her in on Potter's and Black's visit to Dumbledore last night.
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Remus was sitting at his desk in the central office completing the paperwork on a case he and Alice had just closed. A shadow fell over his desk blocking the light so he had to stop writing. He put down his quill with a sigh.
"Hey, Moony," James said cheerfully. Sirius of course was right behind him.
"Good morning, James, Sirius. What can I do for you?" Remus said resignedly as if he didn't already know.
"You still talk to Lily, right?"
"Yes, but I'm not going to tell you where she's living because I don't know and even if I did know I wouldn't tell you so don't even bother asking," Remus replied picking up his quill again.
"That's not the Marauder way, Moony," Sirius complained. "We stick together and help each other out."
"In case it's escaped your notice, Sirius we're no longer fifteen or at Hogwarts," Remus retorted.
"If you two gentlemen aren't too busy," Kingsley Shacklebolt announced suddenly appearing at Remus' desk. "We still have many unsolved cases." He pointed at a desk that was covered with scrolls. "Pick one and get to work on it."
James scowled at Kingsley when his back was turned. "Come on, Padfoot we'd better look like we're working or we'll have Mad-Eye and Scrimgeour on our arses next."
"Bet it's all boring stuff like checking out some drunken witch's claim she saw some Death Eater in full regalia going through her dustbin," Sirius grumbled.
Remus smiled in relief as the two of them walked away. He hoped they'd stay away, but he couldn't be that lucky!
He wasn't back at his home more than five minutes when he heard three cracks and looked out the front window to see James, Sirius, and Dumbledore outside the wards. He watched as Dumbledore raised his wand and apparently attempted several spells to try and breach the wards, but Severus' grandfather had made them impenetrable. Remus grinned as he watched as Dumbledore became more and more frustrated. "I guess Dumbledore doesn't want to admit that your master is stronger and more powerful than he is," Remus remarked to Calix standing beside him.
"Master Tiberius is smarter too," Calix replied.
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Lily apparated outside the gates of Hogwarts. As usual Hagrid was waiting to let her inside. He opened the gate. "Mornin', Lily."
"Good morning, Hagrid. How are you today?"
"Doin' fine. 'Ow's little Harry doin'?"
"He's doing fine too."
"Wish I could see 'im. I 'aven't seen the little feller since his first birthday."
"I know, Hagrid, but I promise I'll bring Harry to see you as soon as the weather gets better."
"I'm lookin' forward to it," Hagrid replied with a big smile.
Lily made her way up to the castle and went inside. She walked through the Entrance Hall and walked down to the Charms corridor and into the classroom where she would be assisting Professor Flitwick. As she was writing that day's lesson on the black board; she heard footsteps coming down the hall and recognized them as belonging to Potter.
James, dressed in his Auror robes, came into the classroom. "Good morning, Lils."
Lily ignored his greeting and continued writing on the black board. "What do you want, Potter?"
"I want to talk about Harry," James replied. He wandered around the classroom. "There are a lot of good memories in this room. Remember when we used to sit in the back during our last year and snog when Flitwick wasn't looking? Old Snivellus would turn Slytherin green with envy when he saw us!"
"I thought you wanted to talk about Harry not Sev," Lily snapped.
"I'm inviting you and Harry over to Potter Manor for Christmas."
"I've already made other plans. Besides in case you hadn't noticed Harry doesn't like you and he's afraid of you."
"That's Snivellus' doing!" James growled. "He's told Harry a bunch of filthy lies about me!"
"In case you've forgotten Harry's only two and Sev's never said anything bad about you anyway!' Lily yelled. "In fact, Potter quite the opposite. Last Christmas he bought two ornaments for Harry to hang on their tree – a doe to represent me and a broom to represent you."
"It doesn't change the fact that a Death Eater is being allowed to raise my son and you're helping him!"
"I've had enough of this! Lily snapped. She pulled out her wand and said, "Caliga Calcitro Percutio!"
"What did you do?" James demanded looking at himself and around him.
Lily smirked at him. He'd find out very soon.
Suddenly there was a loud popping sound behind James and a size-13 Muggle army boot appeared and began kicking him hard in his bum. "Ouch! Ouch!" James yelled bunching up his robes in the back to protect his bum and running around the room trying to escape it, but the boot was relentless. He streaked out the door almost knocking over Filius. He ran down the hall with the boot still following him and administering hard kicks to his backside.
Filius peered around the doorframe watching James interestedly. "I thought I'd seen just about every hex in existence since I've been teaching at Hogwarts, but that's a new one."
"Sev invented it, but I do know the counter-hex," Lily said.
"It looks like he's headed up to Albus' office," Filius said. "He probably thinks he can reverse it."
"Good luck with that!" Lily snorted. "From what Sev said; it keeps coming back even when it looks as if you've gotten rid of it."
"How long does it last?"
"Twenty-four hours …I think," Lily replied with a grin.
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James walked into Auror headquarters rubbing his bum and wincing. Sirius was seated at his desk with rolls of parchment covering it. "I told you," he complained. "Nothing exciting at all in these! I don't know why they're even wasting our time with this dragon dung when there's still so many Death Eaters running around loose."
"I know!" James said picking up one of the rolls and scanning it quickly. "Look at this one. Some wizard claiming he saw Death Eaters gathering in the middle of Hampstead Heath."
"Yeah," Sirius muttered. "And that was after he drank several bottles of Ogden's Best Fire Whiskey."
Suddenly there was a loud pop behind James and the army boot reappeared and began kicking his bum viciously. "I thought Albus said he got rid of the thing!" James yelled as he took off.
"What the hell?" Sirius said standing up.
All of the Aurors started laughing and pointing as James ran around the room trying to evade the kicking boot.
"Nice little friend you've got there, Potter!" Ned Crockford yelled chuckling. His partner Frank Longbottom just shook his head. "Potter's always got to be the center of attention no matter what."
"Shut it, Crapford!" Sirius growled. "You too Longbum!"
"Somebody do something!" James yelled as he backed up against the wall, his hands placed protectively in front of his crotch.
Sirius pulled out his wand and aimed it at the boot and yelled, "Stupefy!" The boot wavered momentarily then went right back to threatening James.
"That didn't work – try something else, Padfoot!"
"What, Prongs?" Sirius said.
Alice looked on from her desk next to Remus' desk and commented, "There's never a dull moment here with those two."
"James must have pissed off Lily because that one of Severus' hexes he invented," Remus answered with a chuckle.
Mad-Eye Moody and his partner Orion Black sat watching from their desks. "Interesting hex," Orion remarked.
"Maybe we ought to find out who cast it on Potter," Moody suggested. "Might be useful in slowing down fleeing Death Eaters." He heaved himself to his feet and stumped over to where the boot had James cornered. Moody waved his wand and said, "Decresco." The boot shrank and with another wave of his wand he said, "Evanesco," and it vanished. "You ought to be more careful about who you anger, Potter," he advised. "That was a relatively harmless hex. The next one may not be. Constant vigilance, Potter!"
"What does he mean harmless?" James muttered limping back to his desk. His bum felt as if it were one massive bruise! He took off his outer robe, bunched it up and placed it on his chair before gingerly lowering himself down onto it.
Page ~*~*~*~*~* Break
Lily giggled as she told Severus what she'd done to Potter that morning. "You should have been there, Sev. He took off as if a hound of hell were after him!"
"I would too if a size-13 army boot were chasing me and trying to kick me in the arse!" Severus laughed.
"I don't think he'll be bothering us anytime too soon knowing he'll get 'the boot' literally if he does."
"The best thing about it is that it keeps coming back even when you think you've gotten rid of it and it lasts for 24 hours."
"Well, he and Sirius ought to be having a grand old time at Potter Manor tonight," Lily said. "By the way, Sev, I told Hagrid I'd bring Harry for a visit when the weather got better.
Severus frowned. "Well, personally I really like Hagrid. He helped me out more than once when the Marauders had me cornered."
"But," Lily prompted then said, "We can ask him not to mention Harry's visit to anyone. We can say it because of danger from the Death Eaters who are still running loose. He's really looking forward to Harry's visit and I hate to disappoint him."
"It's just that he's got a loose tongue and I'm afraid he'll forget and mention Harry's upcoming visit to Dumbledore, but I guess we have a while yet to think of a way around that tendency."
"Maybe we could bring Harry to visit him some morning without letting him know in advance. You Know, surprise him," she suggested.
"That might work," Severus agreed.
Saturday morning Lily helped Harry pack for his overnight stay with Neville. "Now remember Remus will pick you up at Neville's tomorrow morning and you're going to spend the day at his home and he'll bring you home before dinner."
"I remembers, Mummy," Harry said.
Lily helped him on with his rucksack. She had spelled Extension and Featherlight charms on it so it easily held his pajamas, a change of clothing, his toothbrush, comb, his bear and Greyboy, but was not too heavy. "I think we're ready."
"Kay."
Lily took him downstairs where Frank, Alice, and Neville were waiting with Severus. Harry ran over to Severus who bent and gave him a hug. "Bye, little guy. Have a great time."
"Kay, Da," Harry replied.
Frank picked up Harry and Alice picked up Neville. Severus and Lily waved as they stepped into the floo and disappeared.
After lunch Severus suggested they go to Diagon Alley to finish their Christmas shopping.
"I thought you hated shopping, Sev," Lily teased him.
"Well, I realized last year how much I missed shopping with you. I remembered when we used to go to Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley and I had to face the fact that I was never going to be able to do it again and how I wished I had a second chance," Severus confessed, flushing a bit as he spoke.
"That so sweet, Sev," Lily said squeezing his hand. "I've just got to talk to Tita for a minute and then we can go." She was back in a few minutes and Severus helped her into her coat and Lily pulled a cashmere tam over her head and ears, wrapped a matching cashmere scarf around her neck and pulled on her gloves.
Severus wore a knee-length black wool coat, his Slytherin scarf, and black gloves. They flooed to the Leaky Cauldron and waved at Tom as they went outside to the courtyard. Severus tapped the proper bricks with his wand and the entrance to Diagon Alley opened. They went through and headed to Gringotts first so Severus could get some money out of his vault. Lily waited while Severus and Zort went down to his vault. Lily had asked Zort to get some money out of her vault. When Severus returned he was carrying two moleskin bags filled with Galleons, Sickles and Knuts. They both exchanged some of it for Muggle money as Lily still needed to buy Petunia, Vernon, and Dudley Christmas gifts. Severus shrank his bag and placed it in a pocket inside his coat and Lily shrank the other and put it in her purse.
They took a Black Cab into London to a store that sold all manner of pots, pans, and other baking supplies. Knowing how much Petunia loved to cook, Lily decided to buy her a set of pots and pans. It contained 27 different ones that were used by Master Chefs. She also bought her an additional set of holiday cake pans that could be used to bake cakes for different holidays. For Vernon she bought a large hamper containing fine wines, meats, cheeses, and biscuits and for Dudley she found a fire engine he could ride that had a siren, flashing lights, extension ladders and a firefighter's hat. She arranged with the store to have the presents delivered to Little Whinging.
"Tuney will love this," Severus said with a smirk. He wondered if Lily realized it would be a very noisy toy.
"Maybe it will encourage Dudley to be more active since you have to pedal it to make the sirens go and the lights flash," Lily remarked.
Severus also bought his dad a hamper containing an assortment of meats, cheeses, biscuits and fine coffees. He bought his mum a leather bound journal to write her potion notes in. It featured magical page replacement and a built-in security spell so only the owner could access the information inside it. He had her initials E.P.S. put on the cover in silver. He had bought his grandfather who collected books, a 12th century scroll of a treatise on feverfew written by Dante Alighieri who not only was a famous poet and writer, but an apothecary as well. For his grandmother who loved to paint, he bought her a set of oil paints imported from Italy and also some canvasses. He'd bought Lily a ruby and diamond necklace set consisting of hoop earring and a pendant. He'd also bought her a wand polishing kit.
Lily had bought Severus a set of crystal, silver, and gold stirrers imported from the continent, from a potion shop recommended by Horace. She also got him a set of fine coffees since she'd noticed that he drank as much coffee as he did tea.
They stayed in Diagon Alley until it got dark and the windows in the store were colorfully lit by fairy lights. "Remember when were on holidays and we'd always stay here until it got dark and the fairy lights came on?" Lily asked.
"Yes and our parents would give us hell for worrying them when we finally came home."
They stopped at the leaky Cauldron for some of Tom's famous hot cinnamon apple cider and sat at a table towards the back. Severus cast the Muffliato spell around them.
"I wish we could go back to those times, Sev," Lily confessed.
"Why?" Severus asked. "I mean other than your mum and dad still being alive."
"Because I would never marry Potter or even go on one date with him!"
"But if you hadn't married him; we wouldn't have Harry now," Severus pointed out.
"That's true," Lily admitted. "But I know, even though you never said anything, that I must have hurt you terribly when I started dating Potter. I betrayed my best friend by going out and hanging around the same people who bullied and tormented him for 7 years. My brain must have taken a leave of absence especially when I can see so clearly now that Potter never changed and never even intended to change."
Severus shrugged. "I guess there's no accounting for the power of teenage hormones."
Lily cleared her throat. "How do you feel about me now, Sev?"
"I consider you and always have considered you to be my very best friend."
"Is there any possibility we could be more than just best friends?" Lily asked hesitantly.
Severus smiled widely and took hold of her hand. "I think there's a definite possibility, Lily." He leaned across the table and kissed her.
Tom who was wiping glasses behind the bar smiled as he saw them. It was about time they'd gotten together. He'd never liked Potter or that sidekick of his, Sirius Black. Bullies, braggarts and troublemakers they were. He couldn't believe that a sweet girl like Lily Evans had gone ahead and married that lout, but she appeared to be making the right choice this time and wasn't that what second chances are for?
Lily broke off the kiss feeling a bit shy. "Why don't we go home? I asked Tita if she would make us a romantic dinner and I'm sure she probably has it done by now."
"I think that's an excellent idea, Miss Evans," Severus replied smiling. He helped Lily out of her seat and they walked to the floo. They waved at Tom and called to him to have a good evening.
He nodded and waved back. "And you two have a good time this evening too."
"We plan to," Lily replied as she and Severus disappeared into the green flames.
A/N: Caliga Calcitro Percutio - boot kick hard.
