Back to the Future

Chapter Twelve

It took Lily, Harry, and Hermione a while to recover. Hermione was the first one to. She grabbed the arm of the other two, and led them out of the room, carefully avoiding careless dancers who weren't being considerate of the people around them. Next she led them to the boys dormitories (seeing as it wouldn't, among other things, be proper to go to the girls' dorm with a guy). At last Harry responded.

"You," he said to Lily, "are insane, not to mention cruel. Mum is dead, and it is sick of you to play on my weaknesses."

Lily sighed. While it was nice to not have to worry about how to tell him, she now had a new problem: proving it to him. There really was no proof. All they had was Lily's word, and the word of Hermione.

"Harry, she is. I promise, and when have I ever lied to you?" Hermione said, putting a comforting arm on Harry's shoulder. Lily suddenly felt the urge to do the same, but held it back. It was not the time. That would have to wait until after he believed her.

"You knew? And you didn't tell me? I consider that lying you know. And you," he said, turning his attention on Lily now, "can't be. Mum had green eyes, not brown. Green. Her last name was Evans, not Jacobs. Now tell me who you work for? Were you sent by the person who put my name in the Goblet?"

"We need to talk to Dumbledore." Lily said to Hermione.

"Like hell we do. I'm telling him you are an imposter, and possibly a Death-Eater."

"But he's still at the ball. He probably won't be back for quite a while." Hermione said, ignoring Harry.

"We'll go to him first thing in the morning. Since there is nothing more I can really do here, I'm going to bed." Lily said, heading towards the door.

"Wait! If you are Lily, and I'm not saying I believe you are, how did you get here? A time turner?"

"No, Harry, not a time turner. You can only go back in time, not forwards, and even then only a few hours. But I would like to know too." Hermione said.

"Well, to tell you the truth, I'm not really sure. I was running from Po- er, James, and I saw a room I hadn't seen before. I hesitated, but James was right behind me, so I went in. There were bright flashing lights, and I end up here. Now then, I'm really tired. Do you mind if we continue this conversation in the morning?"

"Fine." Harry consented reluctantly. "I might as well go back to the ball anyway. Ron is probably wondering where I am."

"And Viktor is also probably wondering where I am." They both left, leaving Lily feeling strangely alone. Now that they were gone, she wanted them there. When she was at last in her own bed in her own dormitory, her last thought was, "At least the worst is over with, and now I have two people who I don't have to lie to." For even with the unfortunate ending to the evening, the Ball had been fun, keeping Lily in an optimistic mood.

&&&

The next morning everyone got up later, because it was Boxing Day. Hermione's hair had gone back to normal, though the remains of the potion made it harder to brush. Not that she cared. In fact, it was only with Lily's insisting that she even tried to continue brushing it after the first few seconds of intense pain.

After breakfast, Harry said to Ron, "Hermione, Lily, and I are going to see Dumbledore." He glanced at Lily, glaring at her coolly.

"Why?" Ron asked, looking a little concerned.

"Since Lily is a new student, we want to ask Professor Dumbledore if he has some sort of outline for the year, so she can catch up."

"Oh, okay." Ron's interest disappeared immediately, and he went back to eating his porridge. Harry ate a few more bites of his toast, set it down, and then said to Hermione and Lily, "Let's go."

"Lying to Ron too then, eh? What a wonderful friend you are." Harry said sarcastically.

"It's not like I enjoy lying to him! Besides, you're one to talk."

"Did you suddenly become Ron or something? Because I could have sworn that this sounded more like Ron and Hermione, not Harry and Hermione." Lily interrupted before the argument could continue. It worked, for now Harry and Hermione walked in silence, though the anger was still there.

Once they were at the gargoyle, Lily stepped forward.

"Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans." She said gloomily. Even though Lily knew she was right and Dumbledore would tell Harry so, she still had butterfly in her stomach.

&&&

"Mr. Potter, Ms. Granger, Ms. Evans, what are you doing here?" Dumbledore asked gently once they had entered his office.

"Harry knows."

Dumbledore looked surprised, but recovered fairly quickly. "And I suppose you also know, Ms. Granger?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Is Lily telling the truth? Is she really my Mum?"

Dumbledore nodded sadly. "I'm aware that this must be hard for you, Harry, to live your life knowing that your parents are dead, and when you have at last accepted the fact, to have them suddenly come back."

"Well, I won't waste any more of your time then, Professor." Harry said, face carefully blank.

When they had left the office, Harry turned and gave Lily an awkward hug, and then gave Hermione a more comfortable one.