Chapter 32.

"Are you sure that it's ok?" Amelia said anxiously

"Of course it is, we've got plenty of room, the more the merrier" James said cheerfully

"OK just let me know the minute is not ok and I will a=make other arrangements." Amelia said decisively.

"That's not going to happen, you can stay in the room we set aside for Regulus, he prefers his trunk, and with the story you told us today I don't think that's going to change any time soon!" James snorted "I doubt Padf…oof" James winced as Sirius dug him sharply in the ribs with his elbow.

Hermione blushed, she had noticed the handsome marauder watching her discreetly for most of the afternoon. At first she thought perhaps he was mistrusting of her, but when she'd caught his eye, he winked and grinned causing her face to flame and her to flee the room.

It had been decided that Amelia (she really needed to get used to calling herself that) would be staying with the Potter's, while Louisa would stay with the Grangers. Amelia knew that her mother, her birth mother? Was still uncomfortable around her. Amelia, having grown up in an entirely magical household would be more comfortable at the Potters, and if she was being honest with herself it was a little odd to be around her younger self.

Regulus and Louisa were her the only parents she could remember, she had called them mum and Dad since she was 2 years old. Since she had been staying in New York, 20 years in the past, she had got used to calling Louisa by her first name, rather than Mum as she was only a couple of years older than her.

It would be impossible for Amelia to return to her own time, as the moment she landed in this timeline, she became part of the events, and the time she came from ceased to exist, at least that was what she could gather from her own research as well as the original Hermione's notes, that was why the original Hermione disappeared.

Not that she would want to go back, even if she could, she had nothing to go back for, the parents she had known and her brother were gone.

"Are you alright?" Lily asked kindly.

"Yes, sorry" Amelia said. She often had times when she got lost in thought. She tried not to dwell too much on what she had lost. They might not be with her in the same way that they were, and their relationships would surely be different now, but everyone she lost was here with her now, alive and well.

"Your room is this way" Lily said walking up the stairs in the hallway "we were thinking of getting Chinese for dinner, is that ok?" Lily Asked

"That's lovely thank you" Amelia said politely, feeling a bit awkward.

"Well, this is you, there are towel in the bathroom which is through that door, and this ones the wardrobe" Lily said opening the door to the empty build in wardrobe and gesturing to the closed door next to it.

"James and I are the floor above along with Harry's room, Sirius and Remus technically live in a flat closer to the centre of London but they're never there, so their rooms are to the right a left on this floor. As James said Reg sleeps in his trunk. " Lily said.

"Thank you, for letting me stay I mean. It's all bait surreal." Amelia Said.

"Your family, and family is always welcome. It'll be nice to have another woman about the place." Lily laughed.

"I heard that" Sirius shouted just as Remus shouted "Hey!"

"Bloody animal hearing, you'll have to get used to that, they hear everything" Lily laughed.

"Heard that too!" Sirius laughed from down stairs.

"Anyway" Lily said loudly towards the door, "come down when you're ready" Lily smiled and left the room.

Amelia sat on the double bed I the room and looked around. It was a beautiful room, light blue walls with white beside tables and white linen on the bed.

Amelia took her suitcase out of her pocket and re sized it with her wand. She spent some time enjoying the sounds of the house, as she unpacked her things. It was nice having people around again. The home she grew up in had been peaceful, but there was always people in the house moving about, house level cleaning and tidying or cooking. Once her family had died it was too quiet. The house elves were still there of course but it wasn't the same. She was enjoying the sounds of life going on around her.

"Knock Knock" Regulus said from the door, but not entering the room.

Amelia turned to him and smiled.

"Come in"

"Are you OK?" Regulus asked

"Yes of course" Amelia said

"Why are you crying?" Regulus asked worriedly.

"Oh I didn't realise I was!" Amelia said touching her face and noticing her cheeks were wet "Just thinking about things" she said.

"I err, I wanted to make sure you were OK, and I wanted to thank you." Regulus said quietly.

"Thank me?' Amelia said.

"I know you said that you were alone, but you still came, you're saving us all again." Regulus said.

Amelia smiled, not really knowing what to say.

"Anyway, if you need anything, well, you know where to find me." Regulus said turning to leave.

"Erm, you were a good Dad, I wanted you to know that, your journal that you left, you talked about not knowing if you would make a good dad, and I wanted you to know that you were, er you will be, erm. yeah." Amelia said awkwardly.

Regulus smiled at her, his eyes suspiciously watery, and quickly left the room. He was not used to this level of emotion. He was also a little embarrassed that Amelia had read his diary. Not angry or annoyed of course, it was ancient history by the time she had read them, but it made him leery of confiding in his journals anymore.

He was quietly please to learn that his interest in Louisa might go somewhere, even in this timeline. Once the war was finished perhaps he could pursue something with her. He could tell that she was not displeased with the news that they were married in Amelia's past. He knew he was good looking, he was a black after all. Once Voldemort was dead, and the death eaters rounded up, he would be free.

The strange thing was, even though he was only a couple of years older than Amelia. He felt protective of her, in a fatherly sort of way, knowing that he, or his future self had raised her made him protective and he was surprised at the strength of the feeling.

Amelia made her way down the stairs and into the front room, she had heard Harry wake up and Lily had walked past her room with smile and a teary eyed Harry not long ago. Now she could hear baby squeals of joy coming from the corner of the room as he watch a giant black dog chasing his own tail. Lily, James and Remus were all sat around watching and laughing at the antics of Padfoot as he entertained Harry.

"Come in, come in." Lily said glancing over at her.

"Does this happen often?" Amelia asked.

"It happens on a fairly regular basis" Lily said.

"Honestly I think I prefer him in this form" James chipped in. "Padfoot!" He shouted as the dogs tail whacked him in the face.

"You deserved it!" Sirius said, now in human form seated on the floor, slightly out of breath.

Sirius got up off the floor, dusted his jeans off from invisible dust, and made his way over to the sofa, taking the seat next to Amelia, and resting his arm along the back of the sofa behind her, while one of his feet came up top rest on his other knee.

Amelia tried not to squirm next to him, she tried not to think about how nice he smelled. She had a mission, her father was this man's brother, granted he wasn't really her father anymore, but still. She had been raised thinking of the man next to her as Uncle Sirius. The attraction she felt for him took her by surprise.

"I don't bite you know love" Sirius said with a wink.

"Not unless you ask him too" James and Remus said together. Sirius looked slightly put out that he didn't get to finish the line, and huffed instead.

Amelia gave a small awkward chuckle. Not really knowing what to do with her self.

"Boys leave her alone" Lily said "don't worry, it means they like you dear. If they were polite to you then you have to worry!" Lily laughed.

"What happens if they are polite?" Amelia asked.

"It means they can't stand you" Lily said. "Of course being horrid to you means they can't stand you as well, but if they're teasing you, you're safe" she said.

"Well in a manner of speaking" Lily continued smirking a Sirius, who had actually started to blush, much to her delight.

"Shut it you" Sirius Joked.

Lily poked her tongue out at him as she left the room.

Amelia smiled at the banter, she had missed being part of a loving family. She sat back absorbing the joy in the room. She felt accepted by these people already. Unconsciously Sirius began to play with the ends of her hair as she leaned against the back of the sofa. Amelia didn't seem to mind, the only indication that she even noticed was the slight smile on her face, and the slight flush of her cheeks. She was drawn to him. It felt as natural as breathing being next to him.

"Well don't you two look cosy" Lily said as she came back in.

Amelia went to move away but Sirius brought his arm down to rest on her shoulder stopping her. Amelia smiled internally, she wished she could talk to her Aunt about this. They had grown close in the year that she had been staying with her. There would be much to talk about in the morning Amelia Thought to herself, as she relaxed into the back of the sofa once more.

A/N: So what did you think? Do you like where the story is going? :)