NEWSFLASH READ THIS READ THIS PLEASE READ THIS!
This chapter...welll...ends in a huge huge HUGE (at least I hope it's huge) cliffhanger. AHHHH I FEEL SO EVIL! Anyways, I'm already starting to work on the next chapter and I PROMISE PROMISE PROMISE to get it up in a few days, so there won't be as much wait. Because I know I hate cliffhangers, you hate cliffhangers, Johnny Depp hates cliffhangers, so...ya!
Also, I'm on this huge reading rant, so if ya'll can recommand some GOOD fanfiction. Ummm...I'm pretty much opened with all canon ships, I guess, but I just really don't have the energy to go through like 6 hundred thousand HP fanfic (seriously, we write a lot of fanfics). That will be appreicated! Thanks!
END READING UNLESS YOU FEEL LIKE READING ME RANT SOME MORE!
Al and James makes a comeback! Sort of. And a little part with Gin and Rose at the beginning. No one knows that Rose is the mole (heh YJ) except for herself, and of course, Snape. HOW COULD YOU ROSE! Any-who, that's all for now!
~ Especially Evil Lilies
Chapter 11: Just a Matter of Time
Team Status
A. Longbottom – Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
S. Malfoy – Seaside Britain
L. Potter – Seaside Britain
J. Potter – MIA
L. Scamander – Seaside Britain
R. Weasley – Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
H. Weasley – Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
December Year 1997 Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
There's a mole.
Ginny's brain has been buzzing for the last few weeks. She pretty much hasn't remembered a single thing since Snape had barged in through the Room of Requirement door. She thought that he might've said something to Rose, but she wasn't entirely sure. The rest of the Army was like that as well. All twenty of them seemed to be moving like zombies throughout the day. Transfiguration, Charms, lunch, Double Potions, Herbology, dinner, detention, homework, sleep...sleep…sleep, and repeat.
It was tiring, but not in the way of sore muscles and headache, but the pain had come to a point of numbness. At this point, Ginny wasn't even sure if she was going to react if someone just jumped out of a closet and put a crucio curse on her. It felt as if she was broken, losing the Army was one thing, but now Snape seemed to target Ginny at her very core, she's lost her fire.
Not good, she thought, trying to keep her head up as she marched across the hall. She had to look like this wasn't affecting her, otherwise Snape would win. And she would never let him win.
"Hey Rose." She greeted the other ginger girl as they sat together by the Great Hall. Rose looked extremely nervous since the Snape incident at the Room of Requirement, probably scared that the guy will pop up randomly behind their pumpkin juice and hex the life out of her. Ya…Snape did give off a nasty aura, but Ginny assured her that it was nothing to be worried about.
"There's a mole." She said, but without the fire that she usually carried. Ginny winced a bit.
"What?" Rose touched her face quickly, searching for the imperfection.
"I mean the inside spy type." Ginny corrected herself.
"Right." Rose sighed, "That would make more sense."
Silence. It wasn't the type of reaction Ginny was looking for…
"It couldn't be Neville or Luna." Ginny ranted on and went through her mental list. She had done this about twenty times this morning, but maybe talking it over with someone helps. Rose was the obvious choice because of her smarts and logical-ness, but she was looking rather nervous at the moment. Ginny dismissed it though, as she was lost in her thoughts, "Nor any of the Gryffindors, or Hufflepuffs because they're annoying nice." Ginny mumbled, "That leaves the Ravenclaws, but what could they even gain from telling Snape this, they're as much against Slytherins as we are!" She said exasperatedly.
"You don't suspect me?" Rose asked. That was not the response Ginny thought, but it was a fair question.
"I trust you." Ginny said hazily, her mind was running but she was getting nowhere, "Then again, Michael and I had a bad history, so maybe it was old grudge, but he was good friends with Harry…"
"Maybe there isn't even a mole?" Rose said anxiously, "Maybe Snape just overheard someone talking or something."
Ginny haven't thought about that. It's highly stupid of them to talk about it randomly in the hall way. Maybe it was that Smith guy, he was stupid enough.
"You could be right." Ginny mumbled, "It just sucks that he caught us twice in a row." She felt incredibly stupid and weak at that point. She let Snape of all people, best her, not once, but twice! She had to do better than that! Briefly, Ginny wondered what Harry is doing right now, and how were Ron and Hermione. If Ginny couldn't even handle one nasty guy, how was he holding up being the most wanted man in all of Great Britain?
"If there is a mole though." Ginny said, her fire returning and Rose flinched, "I'm going to do whatever it takes to find him, and He. Will. Pay."
Double crossing Ginny Weasley was like playing with fire. Someone was about to get burned.
December Year 2022 12 Grimmauld Place
A/N FLASHBACK FLASHBACK FLASHBACK FLASHBACK FLASHBACK FLASHBACK!
"I'M BORED!"
Lily Potter was a cheery little third year. She had the best-est brothers in the world and the best-est parents as well. Inside the walls of 12 Grimmauld Place, it seemed that nothing could come to harm the ginger girl and her two older (and annoying) brothers, and it was true. Harry Potter's house has more protection spells around it than the Ministry of Magic, courtesy of his various powerful friends, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Hermione Granger, Aberforth Dumbledore to name a few. Since the latest mini-break outs from Azkaban, Lily's dad had been a little jumpy. The very first break-out was committed by Sirius Black, Harry's godfather, but he was a good man, and since then, the actual guilty criminals have been inspired and broke out as well. Small pockets of Death Eaters are escaping, and whispers on the street renewed again. The air was almost as tense as it was when Voldemort was in power.
Not in Grimmauld Place though.
"It's Christmas Lils'!" Albus Severus Potter, the second eldest of the Potter siblings, smiled down. Lily was close with both of her brothers, but in different ways. When she was looking for someone to hang out with, James was generally more fun, but Albus was always the one that she goes to look for help. Whether it'll be school work, relationship, or just someone to talk to, "You just can't be bored on Christmas."
"I've got an idea." James said mischievously. Lily and Albus exchanged nervous glances. Their parents, Harry and Ginny, were out at a meeting on Christmas, which totally sucked, but they'll be back by dinner time along with the rest of the group for the annual reunion. Albus had been left in charge (with plenty of argument from the already of age James), "How about some good old fashion truth or dare."
"Yawn!" Lily protested, "You suggest that every time we're left in the house alone!"
James pouted, even at age 19 he was super childish, "But we never play it!"
Albus rolled his eyes, "Just get it over with Lils', we'll play a twenty minute game."
Of course, it was Albus that always settled fights between them. Lily had marvelled at how he could've done it, it was very hard to calm James down, but Albus seemed to have a lot of tricks up his sleeves, having lived with him for all of his life.
"YA!" James said, then smirked as he thought of his torture devices, "Lily, I dare you to go and put on mum's make-up."
Lily rolled her eyes. Obviously not a tough dare, but probably embarrassing. She wasn't very good with make-up, and with her luck, she'll end up looking like a clown. James probably had a camera ready that as soon as she stepped downstairs, and FLASH! Lily the ridiculous will forever hang on the fridge's door.
"Fine." She grumbled, and headed upstairs. Ginny's make-up box wasn't as full as some of the other mothers, mainly because she wasn't very girly, popular, very much, but not girly. She had played for the Holyheaded Harpies in her younger days and now is a reporter for the Daily Prophet, Sport's section, which meant she had to move around a lot. Pounds of make-up weren't the most practical choice. Lily dabbed some lipstick and mascara and hoped it'll be enough to get James off her back.
"I'm back!" She sang as she re-entered the kitchen, where Albus and James were furiously arguing.
"It's not tough Al." James yelled.
"We're supposed to stay inside under mum and dad comes back!" Albus retorted, "Unless you want some Death Eaters to pop up and Avada Kedavra us!"
"There's not Death Eaters out there." James said exasperatedly, "It's the middle of the day, and besides, Ms. Churchill's face would probably scare then all away."
"What's happening?" Lily asked, very much aware of the mascara dripping down her face, but James and Al were too caught up in their fight to notice her terrible face.
"I'm just daring Al to ask for a cup of sugar from Ms. Churchill." James pouted. Ms. Churchill was their weird and scary next door neighbor who never ate anything sweet, and always yelling at the Potter siblings for being too chubby and not eating right. Lily would've felt offended, but Ms. Churchill called the British actress Emma Watson ugly once Lily had been over (worst day of her life) and they've watched Perks of Being a Wallflower, so her sense of beauty was probably messed up, along with her brain.
"Do you want Al to die or something?" Lily smacked James on the arm. Along with being ugly and annoying, Ms. Churchill also had a fierce temper that is just wacked. They couldn't say hello without being threatened by a baseball bat. Plus all the Death Eaters that were running around, more than ever since Voldemort's defeat…
"No, just a cup of sugar." James said innocently.
"I'm not going outside." Albus said firmly, "It's dangerous times and dad warned us to stay here. Now if you excuse me, I'm going to my room to finish my homework, while you two figure out how to entertain yourselves." Like without him, Lily and James couldn't function.
"Fine!" James cried. Lily was hesitant to take sides, because an Albus-James fight could get pretty ugly. Al was good at calming other people, but not so much himself. They've both got that stubborn streak from mum; and the competitiveness as well, so neither would back down soon.
This is so stupid, Lily thought. Boys.
If she had known that this would be the last Christmas the three of them would spend together, maybe she would've put more thoughts into calming the boys.
August Year 2023 12 Grimmauld Place
"I'M BORED, AGAIN!"
It was nearly the end of summer and Lily would be starting her 4th year very soon. The Death Eater threats are more prominent now and a medium sized break-out happened mid-July, around Al's birthday. Some big hitters, such as Rabastan and Rodolphus Lestrange, for one, who were vicious and cold-blooded. Lily would be safe as long as she was in the house, on a protection trail, or at Hogwarts, but she hated having all these people following her wherever she went. It was a miracle that the Potter siblings convinced their parents to go to the Auror's Gala in London, and leaving the three home without any supervision, although looking back, Lily thought it wasn't the best idea.
"I know what to do!" James said. He was 20 and still hasn't moved out, but Lily liked having her older brother around, kept it fresh and exciting in the house when there was little to look forward to.
"Truth or dare." Albus said, it was given that this was somehow James' favourite game, but he only dared people, never asked them anything. Perhaps an embarrassing secret is less exciting than a dangerous mission.
"I dare you-Al." he clarified, "To go to Ms. Churchill's house and borrow a cup of sugar."
Lily groaned. It had been hanging over their head for the past half year. James had sent those letters every other week, telling Al that he hasn't completed the dare yet. Lily didn't know why he was so hung up on this, but James was stubborn as hell and really weird when it came to stuff like this.
"This again?" Albus rolled his eyes, "It's more dangerous now than Christmas James, the Death Eaters are rising, and forming their own little cult and stuff! We can't leave the house without permission! I'm just of age as well!"
"Scaredy cat." James coughed, "You're just afraid of a few tiny winy Death Eaters."
Al looked incredulous, "Ya, I sort of am." Who wouldn't be?
James rolled his eyes, "It an easy task Al, I'm sure dad could do it in a blink of an eye."
Lily whistled. Now it's on. Albus spent his whole life idolizing his dad, maybe because they looked so much alike, or maybe because he's just really ambitious. Either way, now Albus had to complete the dare.
"Hand me my jacket." He said dramatically, even though it was still summer. James and Albus slammed the door shut behind them, leaving Lily alone in the house. She wasn't scared, she'll be fine in here, but she looked out the window nervously at her brothers. Out of the corners of her eyes, she thought she saw some shadows lingering in the trees, but dismissed it.
Her first mistake.
The second one came when she took her eyes out of the window and onto her book, Great Auror of the 21st Century, with her father's name printed even on the cover. She had been engrossed in the Auror community and absolutely can't wait until she was old enough to join. Her greatest ambition, along with all the other Potter kids, was to be like her dad.
She felt a little nervous for Al and James. Sure they couldn't be in too much trouble, it was only five minutes, and if Ms. Churchill pulled a fast one on them, they were both old enough to do magic and stuff. They'll be fine, she thought to herself, but she had a tingling feeling that told her otherwise. Ten minutes and they still weren't back, but they were out of her view to even see now.
The door opened, and closed, James entered the room holding a cup of sugar.
"That took more than five minutes." Lily joked, "Well I'm glad you didn't get killed or anything."
Her smile was whipped off her face when Albus didn't follow right after him, "James?" she said. Her voices haven't been this weak since she was five. She was suddenly aware of the scratches on James' arm, and the blood tricking down his chin. Her mind wandered to the worst possibilities, but that couldn't be true. Where was Al?
"James." She repeated, "Where is Al?"
Her older brother looked about two inches tall and…wait…was he crying? James never cried. Lily's stomach did a double flip. No. Albus.
"WHERE. IS. AL?" She demanded again. If Lily could go back in time and make her own self never ask that question, she would. She hated the answer, "WHERE IS HE?" She asked hysterically, now she was full on panicking. Surely Albus was just by the front door, waiting for Lily to let her guard down and pop right out and scare her. Or maybe he took the back door or something. He just couldn't be…
"Dead." James whispered emotionlessly, but his eyes held so much pain it was hard to look at.
The cup of sugar hit the floor, and it took two hours before someone bothered to clean it up.
December Year 2023 The Burrow
It was a whole two months before Lily even bothered to smile again.
It was hard, but when she saw Rose and Scorpius, hand in hand and has that stupid lovesick expression upon their face, it was hard not to smile. At least something good came out of…this, even though it shouldn't. The world should be gray and dark and angry, not rainbow and light and happy. Nothing but sorrow should've filled Lily's days, and most of the times, nothing else did.
It was Christmas, the first Christmas without Al. The last time James had dared him to break the rules, and six months later, Al relented. Lily wanted to scream at her older brothers, both of them, for their stupidity, but she couldn't find the voice to do so.
December 25th was hard, as the Potter-Weasley family gathered around Grandma Molly's dining table at the Burrow. The house still gave off its warm and happy glow, but the atmosphere of the guests was something different.
Uncle Ron cleared his throat, "Let's dig in." he said meekly. Lily didn't want to dig in, or eat, or even breathe. She just wanted Al.
Clearly everyone else did too, because no one picked up their forks. James was looking especially down, and eventually, the silence was too much for him.
"Excuse me." James said, getting up from the table. Lily could never be angry at him, the week after Al's death James wouldn't leave his bed, let alone his room. They had piled up dishes and dishes of ice-cream, and sometimes Lily would be there and they would watch old rom-coms or something. Out of all the people, James probably took it the hardest.
"You're not excused." Harry said, "We're dining like a family, it's Christmas." Not much of family they were right now though. No one was speaking except for Harry and James.
"It's not Christmas without Al." James retorted, daring to say his name and making everyone at the table flinch, Aunt Fleur sobbed a little and mum closed her eyes painfully, "I think we all knew that."
He left, and that was enough for Lily, she collapsed on the dining table and cried, and cried, and cried.
December Year 1997 Seaside Britain
It's Christmas again.
Lily kicked around some peddles at the beach they've camped on. In the old version, Harry and Hermione would've been at Gordric's Hallow, looking at James and Lily's grave, and meeting Bathilda Bagshot, who really wasn't Bathilda Bagshot. Now, Hermione was missing, as was Ron and Scorpius, Hannah had left a note and went back to her family, which was understandable, and now it was only Harry, Lysander, and herself.
James was missing too.
She had lost a brother just a year and a half ago, and now she had lost two. Lily allowed the first time in months to really let herself go. She hasn't cried since she was 14, and everyone knew what happened that time. They both abandoned her to be here alone, on Christmas of all days. She couldn't handle not listening to Al's boring facts about nothing, or James not cracking jokes about gnomes and house elves.
"I just miss them so much." She whispered to no one in particular. Albus. James. And all the other people as good as dead in her life. Why? She had gone into this mission with a happy note and able to prove herself to be worthy in the ranks of the Aurors, but it turns to be a huge nonsense. They had been on the run from Death Eaters, Hermione got kidnapped, they've got trapped in Malfoy Manor, and lost at least four people somewhere along the way. The party of 7 because the party of 3, and now it's Christmas.
"Merry Christmas to me."
She hated that blasted holiday.
A snap of a twig came from out of nowhere, Lily perked up. It was the most cliché thing to do when a twig snaps, but Lily knew what it meant. She had watched enough muggle action movies to know that someone was coming. Quickly she made her way back to camp along the beach, but a hand grabbed her and stuffed her into the forest.
She screamed, and kicked, and punched, but she seemed to be hitting nothing but air. The hand had clamped around her mouth, suffocating her a little and making her chock. This is it, Lily thought, I'm dead. Might as well, she'll be with Al and James.
What was she thinking? A daughter of the Harry Potter would never back down. No matter what happened to her brothers, she had to keep on fighting. Lily mustered enough energy and bit the hand.
"OW!" Her attacker yelped, which sounded familiar, but Lily didn't bother to try and remember it because it pulled her in again and dragged her into the bushes.
"LET ME GO YOU STUPID OAF!" She yelled as the hand finally released her, as she dropped to the ground. Finally. She brushed off some dirt while getting out her wand. Lily looked up at the kidnapper and gasped. No.
No.
What?
"Nice to see you too sis."
Now, Lily only has two brothers, one of which is MIA, the other one is dead, so I wonder who this could be?
And why he was here?
And where he had been?
And how did he get here?
MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
If you've already figured it out, and maybe you did, maybe you didn't, DO NOT SPOIL OR ELSE I WILL CRUCIO YOU TO DEATH OVER THE INTERNET! PLEASE DON'T SPOIL IT!
Anyways. ON TO THE LOVELY REVIEWERS!
A.L. Kingsley: awww... that's so sweet. I don't usually read Time Traveling stories either (I think I have like two or three on my favourite? maybe?), and part of it probably has to do with the plot thing, so it means a lot. ^_^
Twelve13: ummm...ya...you'll see MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, also, your username is kind of weird, but also really cool. Twelve 13, I'm just lmao-ing here (LE MEOW like a french cat ~(^_^)~
EmpressPyrus: although Hermione isn't coming for a while (so-rry), I'm happy to answer at least ONE of your questions. Also, I'm not going to give you any spoilers so don't even bother, like, whatev
lilylunaluver: maybe
Harry-Potter-Magic: it was tough to kill Al, that's all I'm going to say
HaleyBlack'Cile'coldfire: i'm a bitch aren't i?
BITCH AND PROUD OF IT!
It's a really short chapter, but I think the next one will make up for it. Man I was excited. This won't be the last you hear of a cliffhanger! I almost have it every chapter, but there's like three that are super doper major, or maybe more, I got to read over my plans. Any-how...That's it for now! WOW FOR THE REVIEWS! THANKS A TON AND I'LL SEE YOU REALLY, REALLY SOON!
~Lilies