Chapter 3. The Calm Before the Storm
The fact that Lily and James would have two children in the future was news that traveled like lightning through Hogwarts. For the next week, Lily felt a bit weird walking into the great hall; she tried not to think of the kind, fierce boy who looked just like Potter or the cute little girl who looked just like herself, but that was hard to do when people congratulated you and asked you how it felt to see them.
Severus felt like throwing up when he saw Lily and Potter. They both hovered around each other, sneaking glances here and there. Potter was beaming at the compliments he got while Lily looked like she was about to faint despite seeming happy as well.
The teachers smiled at the student's excitement. One of Flitwick's ravens had shared the memories of Harry and Historia, so the teachers were all able to see the Potter children. Albus came to the same conclusion as Rodolphus did on Historia's early admittance. No one has ever attended Hogwarts before eleven, so he was pretty surprised by the little girl. He sensed intense magic energy coming from Historia. If her magic were developing faster, it would explain her enrollment, but he had no proof of this. 'Hopefully, there will be an apparition explaining why soon.'
Most of the teachers had frowned at how Snape treated the students but could not currently do anything about it. Minerva was proud to see her future lions were good-hearted children, willing to help each other with little to no prompting. She was filled with pride at the praises the other teachers were giving her lion when he helped his housemate and stood up to the childish behaviors of the future potion master.
The school day passed with no interruptions, much to the student's disappointment. The marauders kept their eyes peeled, looking up and down each hallway and classroom twice, interrogating students, and pestering teachers to the point of detention. When dinner rolled around, they could be seen slumped in their seats.
Stella, Melody, and Jasmine noticed the put-out look on the boy's faces and sat down next to them. They began talking about Harry and Historia, "I bet Harry is a great big brother. He probably keeps all the boys away from Historia." Jasmine giggled, causing a smile to form on James and Sirius's faces.
Melody, however, shook her head, "What about when he graduates?" She asked, "They might be in the same year, but she is two years younger than him. The ministry might hold her back to take the OWL'S and NEWTS in her proper year. Anything can happen in those two years!" She had an evil smile on her face, watching as the boys began to panic slightly.
Sirius growled, his hand twitching to grab hold of his wand to hex any boys that might come close to his precious goddaughter. James and Sirius began plotting how to keep the male population from the innocent little girl, not realizing that the hall was filling with apparitions. They only noticed when the food on the table began to change from their run-of-the-mill dinner to meals that were only served on Halloween.
The present students and teachers moved out of the way and began converging to the Gryffindor table where Historia, Harry, Ron, and Neville were eating.
"Where is Hermione?" Historia asked, looking up and down the Gryffindor table for the bushy-haired girl.
Neville looked down, seemingly ashamed, "Parvati said that she has been in the girl's bathroom all day, crying."
Alice narrowed her eyes, sizing up her son, "Why has she been crying?"
Frank held her hand, eyeing the red-haired boy sitting next to his son, "I'm not sure, but from the way the rest of them are looking at Ron, I would say he had something to do with it."
The kids continued to eat, Harry piling more food on Historia's plate, much to the little girl's annoyance.
"Harry! You know I can't eat that much. My tummy already hurts." Historia pouted while Harry gave her a small smile.
"But if you don't eat enough, you won't grow any taller, and then you'll still need a step stool even when you're older!" Harry teased.
Historia huffed, cheeks going slightly pink when Ron and Neville snickered along with Harry.
The present students also laughed at the young girl's reaction. Sirius smirked at James, "It looks like little Harry might have some pranking blood in him. I was a bit worried that he would be straight-laced like Evans."
James nodded in agreement before noticing Lily huff in the same manner as Historia. James smiled to himself; he loved that his daughter and his future wife had similar habits. It just makes everything feel more real.
In the middle of the sibling's amusing argument, a man ran into the hall hysterically.
"Troll! In the dungeon! There's a troll in the dungeon!" He promptly passed out.
Those present gasped in horror. "How did a troll get into the school?" Lucius exclaimed, holding onto Narcissa, who had turned pale and began looking for their child.
Lily and Alice were the same; they both were near tears as they watched their children panic. James made his way to Lily and held her hand, giving her comfort. The people around them were shocked that Lily didn't brush him off like she usually would have done but instead leaned on his side.
They jumped as apparition Dumbledore let out loud firecrackers, gaining both the future and present student's attention. "Nobody panic! Prefects, lead your houses to your dormitories. If the teachers would kindly join me in the dungeons, we will deal with the problem swiftly."
The students got into line and followed their housemates. Historia, Harry, Ron, and Neville looked nervous, but the boys comforted Historia when her eyes teared up.
"What about the Slytherins? I heard that their common room is in the dungeons. What if they get hurt?" She sobbed, rubbing her eyes furiously.
The Slytherins reeled back, surprised that the little 'Gryffindor princess,' as they heard the future Slytherin students call her, cared about what could happen to them. The rest of the houses were also shocked. They all turned to Lily and James; Lily had a smile on her face, pleased that her daughter didn't inherit James's prejudice towards Slytherins. James, on the other hand, was gaping at his little angel. Didn't she know how cruel and vile those snakes can get? 'Although, this is a life-threatening situation, so I get why she is worried.' James admitted.
They walked a little further before Historia froze, her face paling at an alarming rate. "Hermione." The boys looked confused at first before realization dawned on them. "Hermione doesn't know about the troll!" She whispered before turning and running down the stairs. The boys were quick to follow, Ron and Neville hesitating for only a second.
They all followed the first years, panicking internally. Lily felt like her heart was going to explode, "Why can't they just tell a teacher or a prefect?" She questioned, not expecting an answer back. She then turned to James, who was running beside her, "This is all your fault!"
James looked affronted, something that amused the present audience. "How is it my fault?"
Lily was about to retort when Alice spoke up, "If you two haven't noticed, my son and nephew are also running headfirst into danger, so why don't we just worry about one thing at a time." Frank held Alice's hand as they ran; he was just as worried about these kids as Alice was. He also saw that her older cousins, Fabian and Gideon, were not their usual jokey selves. They were so pale that their freckles were the only bit of color on their faces.
Historia brought them to a sudden stop. She and the others gasped when they saw Snape enter the third-floor corridor. "What is Professor Snape doing here? Isn't he supposed to be with the other teachers?"
The boys shrugged, "Search me." Neville said, confused. Once the hallway was clear, they continued until they smelt something foul.
Historia covered her nose, "What is that?" Harry was the first to spot the troll. He stood in front of his sister, shielding her as much as he could.
They watched as the four children locked the troll in the room it walked into. "Now, let's go tell the professors and find Hermione." Harry wrapped an arm around Historia, who still looked a bit worried.
They all froze as they heard a shrill shriek from inside the locked room. "Hermione!"
James and Sirius shared a worried look as the little girl ran towards the door and unlocked it. They all watched as Neville and Historia tried to urge a petrified Hermione to move towards them, while Harry and Ron were starting to throw things to confuse the troll. Lily let out a shriek when the troll turned to her and her friend's child. James wrapped an arm around her as she began to sob. Severus felt the air leave his lungs when the troll picked up Historia, who was kicking and screaming at the monster to let her go.
He looked around at his housemates, surprised to see that most of them were horrified. Narcissa had started crying when an anguished cry left Lily's mouth. The teachers paled, terrified that they had yet to arrive.
Once Harry jumped on the troll's back, James lost his temper, "Where are all of you? My children and their friends are about to die!" He held his tears back, falling with Lily, who was sobbing her heart out.
"Ron, do something!" Historia shouted as Harry stuck his wand up the troll's nose, further angering the beast.
Ron hesitated before he lifted his wand and cast a "Wingardium Leviosa" The club that was about to hit Historia flew out of the troll's grasp. In his shock, he dropped the girl in his hand, causing the other children to scream.
Historia landed next to the Slytherins, who immediately went to check on the girl. Lucius and Rodolphus reached her first; both felt ill as they saw the little girl had passed out from the fall. She was worryingly pale, her breathing was shallow, and there was blood coming from the back of her head. Rabastan and Regulus saw the two freeze before Lucius let out a shaky breath, "She's bleeding a lot, and I'm worried about her breathing."
James and Lily ran over, Sirius and Remus close behind them. Lily let out a sob before sitting next to Rodolphus, who seemed uncomfortable, as she reached out to touch her baby. She let out a broken whine when her hand went right through Historia.
Ron knocked out the troll, who fell with a loud thud. The four eleven-year-olds rushed to Historia. Harry leaned down, checking Historia's pulse and breathing. "We need to get a teacher!"
As if on cue, Professors McGonagall, Snape, and Quirrell rushed in. McGonagall looked ready to faint when she saw the troll. "What were the four of you thinking?" She scolded before she saw the small body lying limp on the floor.
Snape rushed to Historia and began muttering spells under his breath. At once, the bleeding stopped, and some color returned to her skin.
Everyone let out a breath of relief, including the Slytherins. Lily grabbed ahold of Severus's hand, "Thank you! Thank you so much, Sev." Her voice cracked, but Severus could tell she was earnest. James put a hand on Severus's shoulder, something that shocked everyone in the room, "You saved my daughter, Severus. Thank you."
Severus was taken aback at the sincere look in James's tear-filled eyes. "It was nothing, Potter." He said awkwardly, nodding at James.
Lily, however, beamed at James, 'Maybe he isn't so bad after all.'
"What happened here?" Severus questioned the four, his eyes never leaving the frail little girl.
Before the three boys could explain, Hermione told the professors, "It's all my fault. I went looking for the troll; I thought I could handle it since I read a lot about them, but I was wrong. If Ron, Neville, Harry, and Historia hadn't shown up when they did, then I would surely be dead."
The boys tried to look like this wasn't new information but were hilariously failing. McGonagall huffed before turning to Snape, "How is she, Severus?" The worry in her tone was palpable.
"She will live. I will take her to the hospital wing to get her checked over, just in case." He paused before turning to Harry, "You are lucky, Potter. If we had arrived even a minute later, she would have gone into shock."
Harry stiffened before nodding. He held onto Historia's hand, finding solace in her warmth. Professor McGonagall let out a sigh before casting a stern look at the four Gryffindor's, "I will be taking ten points from you, Miss Granger. You should have known better. I will, however, reward five points to Weasley, Longbottom, and both Mister and Miss Potter for sheer dumb luck," They looked at each other with smiles before thanking McGonagall. "Now run along; the feast will continue in the dorms. Don't stop anywhere else!"
Harry watched as Hermione, Ron, and Neville shifted a bit before looking at him. "It's alright; you guys go on ahead. I'm going to stay with Historia."
They all smiled as the three refused to leave the siblings. The present students and staff strolled behind an exasperated Snape and four chattering Gryffindor's, stopping when they reached the hospital wing. James watched in shock as Snape set Historia down as gently as possible before informing the four children that he would bring Madam Pomfrey.
Harry walked over to Historia, moving a stray hair strand away from her face. "You're going to be just fine, Histy."
Lily and James smiled at their children, they could see the pure love Harry had for Historia, and there was no doubt that Historia loved him just as much.
Sirius glanced at Regulus, who was looking at the scene with a blank expression. He remembered a time where his little brother followed him everywhere, holding on to the back of his shirt. Now, they don't even acknowledge each other's existence. Sirius looked back to his best mate's children and felt the desire to pull his brother to him; however, he knew that his brother leaned towards the dark side because of their parents. 'There's no way he would disobey them.'
Snape returned with Madam Pomfrey, who began casting spells over Historia. She gave an approving nod to Snape, "Well done, Severus. Thanks to you, she won't even have a scar."
All the students and staff began to smile and joke around. "I can't believe that a couple of first-years were able to knock out a troll!" Stella giggled, drawing Sirius out of his stupor.
He wrapped his arms around Stella and Melody, tickling their sides for a second, "I bet they got it from me," He nodded towards Harry and Historia, "I am a pretty big risk-taker. They inherited that trait from their beloved godfather." Stella and Melody had to lean on Sirius so they wouldn't fall over laughing.
Lily rolled her eyes, already knowing that she wouldn't be able to change James's mind on who should be their children's godfather. Who would he trust his children with, other than Sirius Black?
"I will owl her guardians, inform them of the situation. Severus, you may go and inform the headmaster that Miss Potter will be just fine. The four of you can stay for a few more minutes, but then you must go." Madam Pomfrey was bustling around Historia, tucking her in and filling a glass of water.
Harry had thanked Snape just before he left, which shocked the students again. Severus was taken aback when his grownup version just sneered at the child. He felt his heart clench a bit at the look on Lily's child's face, and he felt like kicking his future self in the legs.
Hermione shuffled her feet slightly before asking the matron, "Are you sure Historia is going to be okay? She was bleeding a lot."
At the look of worry on the bushy-haired girl's face, Madam Pomfrey cast a few more charms over the unconscious girl before gasping and casting a few more spells. "I can't believe I missed this."
The talking dwindled, and eyes turned to Lily and James, who were watching the scene with bated breath. Sirius and Remus put a hand on James's shoulder, giving him a bit of comfort.
Madam Pomfrey began muttering before she ran over to her potion cabinet and pulled out a few bottles. "Potter, I'm going to need your help. Just hold her mouth open for me."
Harry rushed over, a little confused, but he did what the matron told him. Madam Pomfrey made Historia drink a few potions, Lily and James were able to get close enough to read the labels. They began to pale slightly and wouldn't respond to their friend's questioning.
Lily and James's friends looked at each other and agreed, 'We can continue this in the common room.'
"Come on, sweet girl, drink it all, don't choke, please don't choke. There you go." Madam Pomfrey whispered worriedly.
Harry began to look slightly frightened, "What's going on, Madam Pomfrey?" He jumped just when she turned to look at him and his friends.
"Miss Granger, and Mister's Longbottom and Weasley, you may go. Everything is going to be just fine. Goodnight." Once the three left, she turned towards Harry, "Mister Potter, are you or your guardians aware that Miss Potter is anemic?" She sighed at Harry's blank face. "She has thin blood; if she were to get a fairly deep cut, she could bleed out and die."
Harry paled and, after a moment, shook his head, "I had no clue. The doctors we went to never said anything like that."
"Well, I'm going to check you over as well, just to make sure you don't have a similar problem."
James held onto Lily's hand, squeezing it for reassurance. They both let out a breath when Madam Pomfrey determined that Harry was healthy despite being a tad bit underweight and needing a few nourishing potions. Historia was required to stay in the hospital overnight for observation, and due to Harry's persistence, Madam Pomfrey rolled a second bed next to Historia's for Harry. They all watched as Harry bid Historia a good night, holding onto her hand before going to sleep himself.
The scene ended, and it left most of the residents with a warm feeling. The love Harry had for Historia was evident and so innocent. Regulus and Sirius made eye contact before Regulus looked away. He couldn't bring himself to admit that he missed his big brother, 'He is a blood traitor. He turned his back on his own family. I bet he doesn't even miss me.'
Dumbledor dismissed the students, and they headed back to their dorms.
Lily and James sat in front of the fireplace; their friends surrounded them, silently waiting for them to start. But Lily couldn't find the words to say. At the sound of a cough, she looked at James, who was just as pale as she was.
James took a deep breath before whispering, "There's something wrong with Historia."
Sirius scoffed, "Well, we already knew that. We were there when Madam Pomfrey told Harry that she was anemic."
"But you shouldn't be worried too much," Remus comforted, "There are potions that can help, and I'm sure that in the future, there will be other things that can help Historia."
James, however, shook his head. "You didn't see the potion bottles. Sure, Madam Pomfrey told Harry that Historia is anemic, but there's more." His voice cracked, and his hands trembled. "Madam Pomfrey gave Historia a magic suppressant."
The boys stiffened slightly while the girls gasped. Lily let out a sob, hugging Alice, who had been trying to comfort her.
Sirius began pacing, running a hand through his hair. "You're joking, or maybe you read the bottle wrong? There's no way that she could need a suppressant, not at her age."
He let out a choked growl at the look on James's face before slumping into a chair and burying his face in his hands.
Confused and slightly worried, Peter asked, "What's wrong with Historia needing a suppressant?"
Remus sighed, "It means that her magic could potentially harm her." At the blank look on Peter's face, he continued explaining, "Historia's magic is growing at a faster rate than most children her age. That's why she is most likely at Hogwarts early; the wards around the school stabilize our magic while we grow. But it seems like Historia's magic is growing far too fast for the wards to stabilize. That's why Madam Pomfrey gave her a suppressant."
Peter nodded, "But then, why are we worried? If she takes a suppressant, then her magic would be under control."
Before Remus could answer, Lily spoke up, "Magic suppressants work temporarily, and after a while, the body can develop an immunity to the potion. When that happens, all the suppressed power will come out in strong bursts of magic that could have devastating consequences."
"Essentially, Historia's magic could harm her from the inside out. And right now, there is nothing that can stop something like that." James let out a heavy sigh.
For a second, everyone was silent until Stella hummed slightly. "I don't get why we are worrying now. We can worry when Historia is born."
Next to her, Jasmine smiled, "Yeah, and in the meantime, we can look up ways to safely suppress magic."
Melody nodded her head in agreement before looking at Lily and James, "Historia is family; we all care about her, so I'm sure if we all try, we can find a way to help her."
The tension in the room disappeared at the fifth-year girl's suggestions, and a pleasant atmosphere was created. After an hour, all the girls went to bed; Fabian and Gideon replaced them. The two were planning on sneaking out but got sidetracked by the four sixth-years conversations.
"You know," Sirius started, "I can't believe how worried Snape seemed when Historia got hurt." He had a look of disbelief and suspicion. "I think he's still in love with Lily, even though she marries you, Prongs."
James snorted, "I don't care if he is; I'm just glad he saved my daughter, even though he was a jerk to my son."
"Prongs, what were all the potions Madam Pomfrey gave Historia?" Remus asked, "I got the nourishing potion and the magic suppressant, but there was more."
"There was one for internal bleeding, just in case, I guess, one for nausea and one for blood replenishing." James listed, looking a bit worried but hopeful, "I know she will be fine, we saw her in second year, and even though she looked small for her age, she didn't look unhealthy, so there's that."
Fabian and Gideon chuckled, "She gets that from you, mate."
James looked slightly offended, "What do you mean?"
"Well, you were a tiny git when you first got here,"
Gideon smirked, "He's right. I thought you would collapse if there were a strong breeze."
James huffed and crossed his arms, turning away from his laughing friends. He pouted and stared at the fireplace before noticing something in the corner of the room. Once it took shape, he gasped loudly, gaining the other boys' attention.
In front of them was Professor McGonagall and what they assumed was a mother and her child. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Lancaster, but there are no more available beds in the girl's dorm. Perhaps Miss Lancaster can have the available bed in the boy's dorm?"
Mrs. Lancaster looked stricken, "No daughter of mine is staying in a boy's dorm! Oh, I knew transferring schools during the first week would not work out well. When I see your father, Lacy, I will strangle him!"
The boys snickered at the image of Mrs. Lancaster strangling her poor husband.
"But mum, I want to start this year! If I don't, I'll be a year behind!" Lacy began to tear up.
A soft cough interrupted the three. Historia stood nervously behind Professor McGonagall, "If you don't mind, Professor, I can take the bed in the boy's dorm. Lacy can have my bed."
"What!" James and Sirius shouted. Remus's eyes glowed yellow with a surge of protectiveness overwhelming him. Peter looked nervously between his three friends and the two older boys, who seemed to be just as displeased as the three boys if their growling was anything to go by.
McGonagall looked taken aback, "Are you sure, Miss Potter? This is not a matter to be taken lightly."
"I'm sure, Professor. I sleep better with Harry anyway. I miss his stories." Historia smiled at the concerned teacher and the hopeful girl. "Besides, it would be a shame if Lacy couldn't be with students her age."
With a sigh, McGonagall turned to Mrs. Lancaster and asked her for her opinion. Mrs. Lancaster asked Historia again if it was okay, and when the small girl agreed, she thanked her.
Lacy jumped with joy, "I can't believe I get to go to school with the girl who lived! Oh, thank you so much!" She hugged Historia, who laughed softly, "You don't have to call me that, just Historia is fine."
McGonagall walked the mother and daughter out, telling Historia that the house-elves will move her things to the boy's dorm. The apparition ended with Historia walking up to the boy's dorm.
"I can't believe Minnie let Historia move into the boy's dorm!" James shouted in disbelief.
Sirius nodded his head, fuming, "Who knows what those boys might do to her." He began listing how he would kill them if they found out any of those stupid boys put even a finger on her.
Remus, however, was a bit nullified, "But it was nice of Historia to give up her bed for Lacy. And don't forget, Harry will be with her, so we know he will protect her."
Fabian and Gideon smiled at the sixth-years, "And there is our nephew, Ron. We're sure he will protect her too."
"Why did Lacy call Historia 'the girl who lived'? That is a pretty weird nickname." Peter was confused and a bit worried at the implication that for her to be the girl that lived, that must mean somebody died.
However, the other boys didn't seem worried; Remus patted Peter on the shoulder and led him upstairs. "I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. We should get some sleep."
That night, James had the worst sleep of his life. The thought of his daughter being taken advantage of right under his nose was unbearable. When morning arrived, he got ready slowly, 'I'm going to have to tell Lily. Oh, she is going to kill me. I just know it!'
The marauders waited for Stella, Melody, and Jasmine, and once they had arrived, they told the girls about Historia staying in the boy's dorm. At first, they were dismayed, but once they found out why she had offered her bed to the other girl, they smiled. Jasmine placed a comforting hand on James' arm as they walked into the great hall, "She is a noble girl, just like her parents." James patted her head with a smile, thanking the brunette for cheering him up.
Lily was talking to Alice and Frank about how cute their son is when James walked up to her. She couldn't believe how fast her feelings towards this boy had changed. She went from hating everything about him and thinking that he was just an arrogant toe-rag to someone she could see potentially spending the rest of her life with. He just seemed more caring and mature now.
They stood a little bit away from the Gryffindor table so nobody could hear what James had told Lily, but the whole hall heard her reaction.
"WHAT?" She screeched, blowing up James' eardrums. Everyone stopped talking and looked at the two as they argued back and forth. "What do you mean she is sleeping in the boy's dorm! She's a girl!"
James' panicked voice amused the Slytherins, "I know that! I'm just as upset as you are, Lilypad."
Minerva walked over to the two and sighed, "What has Mister Potter done now, Miss Evans?"
Stella giggled, "James didn't do anything, professor."
"Then what is the problem?"
The whole hall gasped when James told them how Historia had to sleep in the boy's dorm so another girl could have her bed. Most were worried for the petite redhead's safety, while others were impressed with her giving nature. Dumbledor's eyes twinkled, "Historia is a girl with a generous heart, so it does not surprise me that this has happened. Rest assured, Mister Potter, Miss Evans, we will take every precaution to ensure your daughter's safety. Now, all of you best be getting to class."
Regulus sighed for the fifth time as their new defense teacher, Professor Albin, went over a shielding charm's wand movements. The class was Slytherin and Ravenclaw, which he was thankful for as every other class he had was shared with at least one Gryffindor. He sat with Rabastan and Barty Crouch Jr, a close Ravenclaw friend of his. They practiced the wand movements while discussing the outburst that had happened in the great hall.
"I can't believe they allowed a girl to move into the boy's dorm, no matter the circumstances." Barty seemed repulsed.
Rabastan chuckled, "I don't know. If a girl moved into our dorm," he motioned to himself and Regulus, "I wouldn't be too upset."
Regulus smirked at his friend, 'He is just as big a flirt as Sirius is.'
Barty continued, "She is rather small, from what I've seen." He sounded worried, and both Regulus and Rabastan couldn't help but agree.
Both boys, however, scowled after a second, "Why should we care?" Rabastan asked, annoyed.
"It doesn't matter to me if the girl is tiny." Regulus nodded in agreement, and the three friends began talking about the future Slytherins.
"Narcissa and Lucius have a son, right? Draco?" Barty asked.
"Yeah, and Bella and Rodolphus have a son in the same year, he is a bit quiet, but I think his name was Helix."
Rabastan nodded, "Yup, I remember Nott's kid talking to him about the Potter's daughter."
At that moment, Historia appeared next to them. The room filled with cries of discomfort as the apparitions walked through some students; Professor Albin asked all of them to come to the front of the class and avoid contact with the specters.
"I don't get what you see in him, Hermione." An exasperated Historia sighed.
Hermione scoffed, "He is a brilliant man who has accomplished so much and has helped many people!"
"Lockhart is a fraud and a liar!"
"No, he isn't!"
Historia stared at Hermione in disbelief, "I can not believe that you believe the garbage he puts in those books. How come he was able to get rid of a whole pack of werewolves with a spell he claims he invented, but when anyone asks what the spell is, he clams up."
"You're just upset that he keeps bothering you and Harry. He is a competent man and a great professor."
"He just released a bunch of cornish pixies in the classroom and ran when he realized he couldn't deal with them!" Historia waved widely at their surroundings, "We had to deal with them. He left a bunch of twelve-year-olds and a ten-year-old to deal with a mess he created, and you still insist he is competent?"
Lucas Albin snorted at the girl's argument, and much like his students, he watched the fight with amusement. Regulus couldn't help but agree with Historia, "How can any teacher leave their students to deal with their mess?"
"It seems that this Lockhart fellow is more of a glorified storyteller than a professor, Mister Black. He is certainly not teacher material." Professor Albin made a note to speak with headmaster Dumbledore about the quality of teachers going down in the future.
Hermione seemed to lack an answer for the younger girl. Her silence gave Historia a chance to continue her triad against the pathetic excuse of a teacher, "Not only that, but he is the most egotistical person I have ever had the displeasure to meet; he's worse than Malfoy! 'Did I tell you about how I defeated the ghoul that was terrorizing a small village?' and 'I didn't banish the Bandon Banshee by smiling at it.' and don't get me started on the 'I won Witch Weekly's most charming smile five times in a row!' What am I supposed to say? Congratulations! If there were a class on smiling, you would be the best teacher ever!'"
She took a deep breath, "And all the tips he gives to Harry and me, honestly! We are more famous than him! People around the world have known my name since I was born! He makes it harder for the both of us; pulling us out of class to talk about what to say during interviews, making us late to class because he wanted to talk about how better hair care routines would make people like us more and encouraging Colin to take pictures of us whenever he can." She began turning red.
"Damn," Rabastan whistled, "She really doesn't like him."
Barty hummed in agreement before asking, "Why would the whole world know her name? What did the two do?" Nobody could answer the question, but they wondered what could have granted them such fame.
Historia started tearing up, "I hate it when he draws attention to us. Everybody calmed down about the boy and girl who lived; there weren't that many people pointing at us or whispering about us, so I thought everything would be calmer this year, but thanks to Lockhart, everybody thinks that Harry and I are going around; looking for attention." She let out a few sobs that Hermione's shoulder muffled when she brought the girl into a hug.
A burning rage passed through the students and teacher. No teacher should bring a student to tears.
Regulus felt a strange pang in his heart as he watched Historia cry into her friend's shoulder. He quickly got rid of those feelings, 'She is the daughter of a blood traitor and a mudblood. I shouldn't feel bad for her.'
"Oh Historia, you do have a point, and it annoys me as well that he draws more attention to you and Harry, even when it obviously bothers the two of you, but I can't see how he could fake everything in those books of his without anyone finding out." Hermione bit her lip in confusion.
Historia sniffled, rubbing her eyes, "That would be hard, but he has to be lying. There is no way that man was able to beat a werewolf. He's so pathetic." Both girls laughed lightly, Hermione stroking Historia's hair in a calming motion, "Let's follow the boys; we have fallen a bit behind."
The apparitions faded once Historia and Hermione walked through the classroom door, hanging on to each other and giggling at Lockhart's portraits.
"Funny," Barty voiced his amusement, "I didn't notice the paintings until the girls pointed them out."
Many students uttered their agreements before heading back to their seats. Professor Albin cleared his throat, his mind racing a mile a minute, "There are only five minutes left of class, so I will just tell you that anyone who could not cast the charm will have to practice as homework." He waited until the groans passed, "You will need to know the charm for tomorrow's practical lesson. Now, you can leave early."
Regulus, Rabastan, and Barty walked to the library, planning to look for additional spells they might need for tomorrow. On the way, they bumped into Bellatrix, Rodolphus, Lucius, Narcissa, and Severus.
"See anything interesting, cousin?" Bellatrix asked Regulus as a joke but looked intrigued when he nodded.
"I'll show you after dinner." Regulus always felt nervous around Bellatrix. In the past few years, she has become crueler and more open about her stance on the war. His parents encouraged her, especially when Bella's older sister, Andromeda, married Ted Tonks. He was a muggle-born, so any relation to him would be a disgrace to the family name; his mother burned Andromeda's face from the family tapestry, and now any mention of her was taboo.
Bellatrix was about to demand that he show her his memory this instant when she felt a chill go through her. She yelped and grabbed onto her fiance, who placed his arms around her protectively. She glared at the apparition that walked through her before realizing that it was her son and nephew.
The two sisters were ecstatic when they found out that they would both have children the same age; they spent hours going over how they would decorate their rooms and where they would buy clothes. Rodolphus and Lucius smiled at their respective fiances, feeling a sense of pride at how they gushed over their children's names.
"Finally! I was wondering when we would see our children again. Most of the apparitions have been about those stupid Gryffindorks, especially that filthy mudblood's spawns." Bellatrix sneered while Narcissa huffed in agreement.
"Potter had this stupid look on his face. You should have seen it, Helix. It was hilarious!" Draco laughed. On his arm was a pug-faced girl, who squealed annoyingly, "It was so smart of you to tell them about Black, Dracy-poo!"
Lucius and Narcissa wrinkled their noses at the girl's nickname for their son. Regulus stared at the boy in confusion, "Why would your son mention me to Potter's children?" He asked Narcissa, who shrugged.
Helix let out a puff of air in amusement, "Sorry I missed it."
"Where were you anyway?" Draco asked, detangling himself from Pansy.
"I was in the library, didn't feel like going to class." Helix gestured to the books under his arm, "You told the Potter's about Black, right? How'd they take it?"
Draco smugly described the look of annoyance and confusion on Harry's face. Helix, however, maintained a blank expression; both boys recoiled at Pansy's loud voice, having forgotten that she was there, "And that little brat seemed confused as well. perfect princess Potter looked worried for her dear brother." She laughed tauntingly.
Narcissa shuffled a bit, wondering what her cousin could have done to worry the two Gryffindors. She also noticed Helix look at Draco with a stern look, like he was holding something back. 'That girl affects him.' She couldn't help but frown slightly, 'In what way, I wonder.'
Helix cleared his throat, "What exactly did you say to them, Draco?"
"I told them that if I were them, I would hunt Black down, make him pay for what he did."
"What did I do?" Regulus asked out loud; his voice had an edge of panic. Rabastan placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to ease his worry.
A new voice spoke up, "By the look on their face, they have no clue what Black did to their parents."
Helix turned to the dark-skinned boy next to Draco, "What do you mean, Zabini?"
"As Parkinson said, baby Potter seemed confused. We all know that she is painfully honest," His words were met with chuckles of agreement from his fellow snakes. "If she doesn't know what Black did, then it's safe to say that neither does Potter."
Helix ran a hand through his hair, laughing slightly, "Now the little princess will be running around, looking for answers."
Draco scoffed, "What matters is what Potter will do when he finds out. I hope he finds Black before the dementors, and I hope Black kills him. Finish the job once and for all."
Narcissa and Lucius were taken aback by the sneer on their son's face. He seemed to hate the Potter heir truly. Bellatrix laughed at her nephew's words while her cousin paled.
Regulus swallowed the bile in his throat, "Why are the dementors after me?" 'And why would I try to kill a thirteen-year-old boy?' Just the thought made Regulus want to throw up.
It was then that the Black sisters noticed their younger cousins' worry. They both reached out to him, talking to him gently.
Pansy's shrieking laugh followed Draco's statement. She latched herself back onto Draco's arm, "Imagine not having to see their stupid faces in class. The world would be so much better without princess Potter around!"
This time Severus noticed the looks on all three of the boy's faces, "It seems," He whispered to Lucius, "that the boys are slightly enamored with Historia." Lucius nodded, coming to the same realization.
The apparition faded with Helix asking Draco for his notes, changing the subject.
The group stood frozen for a few seconds. Narcissa was worried for both her cousin and her son. It did not feel right that her boy wished for someone else's death, no matter who the other person was.
'I can worry about Draco later; Regulus looks so pale.' She gingerly nudged him, smiling when he peered up at her. Regulus had grown a lot over the summer, and she did not doubt that he would be taller than her by year's end.
"Are you doing okay?" She asked him softly.
Regulus took a few breaths, calming himself down, and nodded. He thanked her and Bellatrix but shared a look with Rabastan, who nodded in understanding. They will talk when in the privacy of their dorms.
Rodolphus looked at the younger boy, noting his pale skin and far-away eyes. He couldn't blame the poor boy; finding out that those horrid creatures were after him must have shocked him greatly. The implication of why was terrifying; the only reason the dementors would chase you is if you belonged in Azkaban.
Regulus, however, set his sight on Lucius, "Why would your son want me to kill Potter's son?"
Lucius felt his heart drop, as did Narcissa, but could not answer the question. Bellatrix cackled, drawing everyone's attention, "He was probably just messing around. There is no reason to take what he said seriously." She said casually.
Regulus nodded, but he was still worried, "What about the dementors?"
Severus sighed softly, "You are not the only Black, are you? Draco could have been talking about anybody in your family."
The others agreed with the sixth year. Regulus felt the tension leave him, "You have a point." The thank you was silent, but the other boy understood.
Regulus, Rabastan, and Barty decided to forgo the library, feeling a bit hungry and tired. They walked to the main hall silently, all of them thinking about what they just witnessed.
As much as Narcissa didn't want to look at Lily Evans, she couldn't help but glance at her as she walked into the hall. Draco wanted her son dead. She couldn't help but feel a bit of shame, even though she knew that it was probably a petty rivalry between the two boys.
Dinner went by quickly, and when the elves served dessert, the easy mood in the hall changed.
Sirius spotted her first, and it was his cry of "Historia!" that got the rest of the halls' attention.
Sirius sprinted after the girl, as did everyone else. When he got close to her, he took in her appearance. She appeared a bit older, maybe thirteen, but she was still small. Her features had changed slightly; her scarlet hair was longer, her eyes were a bit more hazel in the moonlight, but the green was still as vibrant as ever. Historia also seemed to have a bit of a growth spurt, just not in height. Sirius growled slightly at the looks the boys around him were giving Historia, but he couldn't help but admire her beauty himself.
'She's not wearing her uniform.' Sirius noted. 'It must be past curfew.' Historia was wearing a knee-length nightdress. It was a bit mature for a girl as young as her, with its white lace details and thin red silk, but it was still modest.
The students and staff followed the girl up multiple flights of stairs until they finally reached the left corridor on the seventh floor.
"Why did she come here?" Lily asked the question everyone was thinking.
Dumbledore quickly scanned the hallway, frowning when he noticed nothing stand out. "I'm not entirely sure Miss Evans, but perhaps young Historia will provide an answer."
Everyone deflated slightly at the headmaster's answer, expecting something more. They began to murmur when the apparition began to walk back and forth, many saying that the poor girl was a bit off her rocker. It was after Historias's fifth lap that the wall behind her began to change.
What was once an empty wall was now large oak doors. James and Lily were gaping at their daughter, wondering how she was able to find something like this. The parents rushed in after their daughter, followed by the other students and teachers.
"Professor, is this the room you found the spell in?" Lily asked the headmaster.
Dumbledore shook his head, something that disappointed the redhead. Lily had wanted to see the magical room for herself, but when she went to the place Dumbledore said the room would be, there was nothing there. The rest of the school shared in her disappointment.
Historia was able to summon a room that had not existed before. Inside the large room was a fireplace and seating area resembling the Gryffindor common room. There were bookcases against the left wall; right next to that was a potions area. This was something that delighted Lily and intrigued Severus.
The young girl skipped over to the bookcases, pulled out a rather heavy-looking book, and made her way to the simmering cauldron. "Let's see," She hummed as she flipped through the pages before landing on the correct page. Historia peered into the cauldron, consulted her book, and then looked into the cauldron once more before relaxing slightly. "The color is right, and," She inhaled the potion before gagging, "it smells like it's supposed to. Now it's going to be trial and error before it's finished."
"I wonder what she's making?" Lily walked closer to her daughter's book but could not read more than a few words before the mini redhead shut the book. Nobody noticed the look of shock and confusion on Severus's face, no one but Regulus, Rabastan, and Barty. The three made eye contact with Severus, silently asking him what had him so shocked; Severus nodded his head, signaling that he would tell them later.
Historia waved her hand, and to everyone's surprise, the book floated back onto the shelf. She then summoned a pile of papers and a quill before conjuring a chair and taking a seat next to her potion, all without a wand!
The whole room was silent save for the sound of Historia's quill scratching and the potion simmering. Sirius was the first to speak, letting out a shrill "What the fuck was that?" James and Remus looked over at each other before looking at Sirius. Lily was wide-eyed, staring at her child like she had grown two heads. The students began talking to each other, sharing their disbelief.
On the other hand, the professors quietly discussed how it seemed effortless for Historia to use wandless magic at such a young age. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled merrily; this proved he was right!
"Historia had been admitted early due to her magic developing faster and stronger than normal. It seems she will be capable of many impressive magical feats. You should be proud, Mister Potter, Miss Evans."
James let out a laugh before wrapping an arm around Lily, "I knew our daughter was going to be amazing, but I can't believe she is that gifted. She must have been a handful as a baby!"
Lily smiled slightly at the boy, "Yeah, I wish we could see her accidental magic." The future parents smiled at their daughter as she checked on her potion and wrote any changes that occurred.
There was no change in Historia, not until the door opened. Hermione walked towards the potions area; in her arms were a large pile of books, each one that seemed heavier than the last.
"You could have told me you were leaving." The older girl let out a sigh, glaring at the redhead when she started laughing.
"My bad; I was just excited to see if anything changed."
"And did it?"
"Not anything major, just the changes that you predicted." Historia pouted slightly.
Making her way over to the cauldron, Hermione peered inside before nodding, "Well, we are on the right track. It's only going to get harder from here."
Historia smiled brightly, "I know; I can't wait until it's done!" Historia bounced happily while clapping. "I just want Mr. Professor to be happy!"
While Hermione was giggling at Historias' enthusment, the present students glanced at each other.
"Who's this 'Mr. Professor' guy? Why does my daughter want him to be happy so badly?" James questioned loudly, a scowl growing on his face at his daughter's excitement.
Sirius was thinking along the same lines as James. The look in his eyes made the people closest to him shiver and pray for the man Historia was gushing about.
The girls continued to talk about the professor, discussing how fun his classes were and how he was so kind and caring.
"It's been two years, but I still can't believe Snape got him fired!" Historia exclaimed.
Hermione agreed, "He was the best defense teacher we had."
While the girls complain about the poor professor getting fired, the present students sent curious looks at Snape, startled by the new information. "Why would I get him fired?" He whispered to Lucius and Rodolphus.
"Maybe he was hiding something?" Lucius suggested, placing a hand on Severus's shoulder.
Walking away from the potion's area, the two girls walk to the open space towards the back of the room. Once there, the present audience noticed a suit of armor in the corner; next to it was a storage container filled with swords and fencing equipment.
"Historia?" Hermione said the girl's name lightly, as if nervous about the younger girl's reaction.
Historia turned her head towards Hermione while still checking the swords, "Yes, Hermione?"
Hermione cleared her throat, looking around anxiously.
Lily looked at the brunette, confused, "What is she so nervous about?" She asked out loud. James shrugged but paid attention to how Hermione seemed to be a bit wary of his darling daughter's reaction.
"Is he really back?"
At her question, Historia paused her inspection on the sword she picked out. She faced the older girl fully, her face losing any of her prior amusement.
It didn't take a genius to understand who Hermione was talking about, the muggleborn's fear being the most significant clue for the present population. They all remained quiet, even though multiple questions were going through their heads.
"Hermione."
The look on Hermione's face was one of pure fear. She had tears running down her face, and at the sound of her name, she sniffled softly before looking up at her best friend.
Historia walked up to the girl slowly, reaching up to wipe her tears away. "I'm afraid he is." Her voice was steady. "He's been trying for years, and this time, he succeeded."
"What will we do? I know that you and Harry and Professor Dumbledore have tried to convince the minister, but he won't listen. He even sent that awful woman to teach defense."
Historia let out a short laugh, "I don't think you can call what she is doing 'teaching.' How are we supposed to learn defense if we can't even use our magic?" She scoffed before smiling at Hermione. "But I have a feeling you have come up with a solution to our problem."
Hemione shuffled slightly before seemingly building up the nerve to blurt out, "I think we should start a defense club of our own!"
Everything was silent. The students looked at each other before looking at their professors, who looked just as shocked as they were.
"Correct me if I'm wrong," Sirius started, "the new DADA professor is so bad that Hermione thinks that the best way to learn defense would be from their fellow fifth years?"
Without thinking, Regulus nods his head, "They have to be desperate if she is willing to go that far." Even though he barely knew the girl, he saw enough to understand that she was a very studious person.
Sirius and Regulus made eye contact, and later on, Sirius will swear up and down that he saw a flicker of amusement in Regulus's eyes before Historia's laugh brought the boys back to reality.
"You have come up with many ideas, Hermione, many of them smart and well thought out, and admittedly borderline illegal in multiple countries," At this, Hermione went pink while Historia continued, "but this has got to be one of the flimsiest ideas you've ever had."
"Think about it. Umbridge isn't going to teach us how to defend ourselves properly. We have to learn somehow. You said it yourself. Voldemort is back."
The student body gasped at the girl's casual use of the dark lord's name. The death eaters glared at the girl, while the one's planning to become death eaters looked slightly impressed. Even though she was afraid of the man, she still used his name.
Historia nodded, "You're right, of course, and I agree." Hermione brightened at her words, "Voldy is back, and we should prepare for a fight. If we don't practice while we have the chance, it won't take long for him to control England. He'll spread faster than he did over thirteen years ago."
The marauders snickered at Historia's name for the most powerful dark lord in modern history. The majority of students and staff were shocked at the girl's blase attitude.
Historia let out a sigh before walking back onto the training area. She beckoned the armor forward, and the present students were surprised to see the armor move into a fighting stance. Lily gasped when the armor lunged at the girl and felt faint when she noticed that her daughter was fighting back just as fast.
They all watched, transfixed at the way the little girl was able to keep up. She fought hard, yet she looked like this was the easiest thing she had ever done.
While fighting, Historia asked Hermione, "Who do you want to teach this little defense group of ours? I doubt the professors would be okay with this."
Dumbledore smiled at the young girl, "Young Historia seems to be full of many secrets. I wonder what else she has in store for us?"
Minerva looked at her future lion with poorly concealed pride. She would be the teacher of two very bright girls. She couldn't help but smile as Historia won the bout against the armor.
"I thought you could teach?" Hermione said hopefully but frowned slightly when Historia shook her head.
"Dumbledore has set up extra lessons for me with the other professors, except that vile woman. I wouldn't have the time. Besides, you know my magic is different from everyone else's. The best advice I could give is to ditch your wand and try to manifest your magic from within you." She shook her head in amusement. "I don't think that would help anybody."
"Yeah, I forgot about that." Hermione conceded.
After a few seconds, Historia suggested Harry. Hermione seemed shocked at first but smiled at Historia's reasoning. "Harry is great at defense. I'd go as far as to say that if he tried, he could have been top of the class. And let's not forget, if anyone can lead us, it's him."
James and Lily smiled at their daughter's words. Sirius wrapped an arm around Stella and Melody, "It seems like Harry is a dependable kid if he can inspire that much confidence in these two."
Everyone who heard him agreed, even the Slytherin's. It hadn't escaped their notice that, despite being a Gryffindor, Historia didn't hold a prejudice against any of the other houses. It was safe to say that she didn't judge people based on their house but on their actions as individuals. This was a welcome change for many of the younger Slytherins, who were tired of the other houses looking at them as if they were evil incarnate. The older years were still cautious of the little girl, waiting for her to say anything that would put them down just for being a Slytherin.
"We can hold the meetings here if that's okay with you?" Hermione asked.
Shrugging, Historia agreed, "Yeah, that's fine. The room changes for whatever needs you could have. Just don't think about needing a place to brew your potions, fine-tune your swordplay, and relax by a fireplace."
"The room would have to be big enough to hold practice duals. How many people do you think will join?"
"I'm not sure. Right now, everyone is on edge because they think we're lying about Voldy being back, so it's going to be hard at first, but I think we could convince a few people."
Sirius nudged Remus a bit, making the taller boy glare at him while softly rubbing his ribs, "What?"
"I love how she calls him Voldy like he's just a random person and not a dark lord," Sirius smirked.
While Sirius enjoyed his goddaughter's lack of formality, Bellatrix didn't. At the moment, if she could, she would have hexed the girl for her loose tongue.
"Historia, do you think there's going to be another war?" Hermione asked suddenly, gaining the full attention of everyone watching. Dumbledore and the other professors were especially paying attention. Anything that could be useful for the order would be more than welcome.
Historia looked stunned at Hermione's question. She put back the sword she was using before walking towards the window that overlooked the castle's south side.
"As you know, the war ended the day I was born; it ended on Saturday, October 31, 1981. On that day, James and Lily Potter were the final deaths during the war that had lasted eleven years." Historia paused, taking in a shaky breath.
James and Lily froze. Everyone in the room seemed to be paralyzed before they all stared at the horror-filled future couple. Lily seemed to come to her senses quickly; she let out a heart-wrenching sob, one that broke James's heart. He wrapped his arms around her and followed her as she sunk onto the ground, sobbing into his shoulder.
"We died the day she was born! We weren't there for her, James! She doesn't know us! And Harry would have been two years old; we left them alone!" Lily cried out. James felt his heart sink; he looked at Lily and then his friends. He was at a loss on what to do. Did he really die the day his precious daughter was born? How could he leave her and Harry? Who were they staying with now? He shook his head at his last question. Obviously, they were with Sirius. If anything happened to Lily and him, he knew Sirius would take over.
Sirius, Remus, and Peter felt like someone punched them in the gut. They stared at their unofficial leader with wide eyes before Sirius snarled out, "No! I won't let this happen!" he turned towards his brother in all but blood, "I won't let you guys die. We can change this!"
Remus nodded his head; he wished he could speak, but his throat felt heavy. Peter shivered slightly, afraid of what could happen to his friends in the future, of what could happen to him.
Alice and Marlene knelt next to Lily, "What Black said, we won't let this happen. We're not going to lose you, Lily! Friends for life, remember?" Marlene asked with a teary-eyed smile.
Lily nodded at them, grateful to have such caring people as her friends. "Thank you."
The Slytherins watched the scene with blank features, but some couldn't help but feel a bit of guilt bubbling up. Regulus watched Historia, how she stared out the window with lifeless eyes. He whispered to his friends, "How can she talk about her parent's death like she was reading out of a textbook?"
Rodolphus took in Historia's appearance before turning to Barty, who seemed to see something in Historia's eyes, "She's more affected than she lets on."
"Voldemort killed my dad first. He stayed behind to give mom, Harry, and me a fighting chance. But there's only so much you can do to a dark lord without a wand. The next to die was mom, according to Harry, she begged him to spare us, to kill her instead." Historia's voice was filled with cold anger, "He did. Then he tried to kill us. But because of our mother's sacrifice, he wasn't able to. Instead, he left us with a scar, branding us as the boy and girl who lived."
Everyone was stunned; a toddler and a newborn defeated the dark lord?
"No!" Bellatrix shouted, "There's no way the dark lord was taken down by two snot-nosed children and a filthy mudblood's sacrifice!" She looked at her fiance, an outraged, crazed look in her eyes.
Lily was too grief-stricken to care about the pureblood witch's insults. She held onto James as she watched her daughter.
"James?" Lily whispered his name. Everyone was quiet, trying to listen to the girl's words. "If we died the day she was born, then did we only have time to name her? Did you even get to hold her?" Her voice cracked, and her sobs started back up again.
James had silent tears streaming down his face; he felt like someone ripped his heart out of his chest. Both of their friends were crying, finding it hard to believe that their friends would die in such a way. The professors watched as their student's hearts were breaking, and they felt powerless to stop it. Minerva held onto Dumbledor's arm, wiping her face with a handkerchief. She couldn't stand hearing their cries, how she wished she could take their pain instead.
After a minute, James lifted Lily back up into a standing position. He held her face in between his hands, wiping her tears away, "Lily, didn't you hear Historia? She said that the only reason why she and Harry are still alive is because of you! You saved them. You saved our children!" He kissed her on the forehead, "Just like Sirius said before; we will stop this from happening. We won't leave our children this time, alright?" He smiled when Lily nodded her head, "You're right, James. We just have to make sure that this time around, we stay with them."
"Hermione, you know what the world was like back then; Sirius said it himself, no one knew who to trust. Those eleven years were terrifying for everyone. Voldemort was at the height of his power; he had hundreds of followers from everywhere. The Black's, the Malfoy's, the LeStrange's, all the old families, except a few, were on his side." Her voice filled with disgust, a look of disbelief marred her face. "They claimed they followed him because he was pure in every way and upheld the ideals of Salazar Slytherin. Well, you already know how I feel about them; their idiots, the whole lot of them."
The mentioned families glared at the little girl, as did all who agreed with the dark lord's views. The Gryffindor's cheered on the future lion, finding amusement in the girl's lack of filter.
Historia let out a sigh, "It would have been hard work back then."
Hermione, confused, gave the younger girl a look. "What do you mean?"
"For Voldy. Everyone knew he was out there. They worked hard to learn how to fight. They couldn't afford not to, not when any one of his followers could have attacked them. They learned how to fight because if they didn't, they would die. War mentality."
"So then, you're saying that because the public doesn't think that he is back, if there is a war, it's going to be worse this time?"
Albus, Minerva, and Lucas leaned in, just as eager to hear her answer as the children were.
Historia nodded her head, "Much worse." She looked down, shutting her eyes for a second. Hermione let out a groan, taking a seat on the couch, putting her head in her hands.
"The people don't want to believe he is back. Those eleven years were hell. Everyone lost somebody; the fear of going back to those times must be horrible. I can't blame them for wanting to ignore the warning signs, but that will just make Voldy's come back more powerful. Back then, he couldn't take the ministry, even at full power, but now? All he would have to do is walk through the front door with a few men."
Historia sigh in annoyance, "With the stupid minister, Fudge, in charge, he'll have control of the ministry with a few days; not even all the Aurors would be able to stop him!"
The seventh-year Slytherin boys smirked at that; it seems it would only be a matter of time before they won. Bellatrix cackled, obviously enjoying the look of fear on the other student's faces.
Hermione stood up then, paling drastically, much like the present student's, "Last time, he wasn't able to take Hogwarts. Do," She paused, taking in a shallow breath, "Do you think he would be able to now?"
Her question inspired fear in everyone, including the headmaster. Albus was not a stupid man; he knew that the older he would get, the weaker he would become; he just hoped that no matter what laid ahead, his students would never have to feel fear while living under Hogwarts's roof.
However, Historia's answer dashed his hopes. She looked at Hermione with a look of fear that shocked everyone, including the Slytherin's, "I think he could."
There was a long silence before everyone exploded. The younger students looked fearful, while the older ones were stunned. Was the future really that bad?
"There isn't a defense protocol set in place for the protection of the school, and the ministry would be too busy handling Voldemort's take over to send anyone over here to help. The ignorance of our government has backed us into a corner, Hermione. The question you should ask is not 'will he take over Hogwarts,' it's 'when will it happen?'; and trust me, it will happen." She walked over to the couch and sat next to the brunette.
Without looking up, Hermione asked, "When do you think that will happen?" Her voice was quiet, like she hoped that if she didn't say it loud, then it wouldn't happen.
Historia laid back, "If I were him, I would first gather more people. The bigger the army, the more devastation he can cause. I think he'll try to take over the ministry first, or at the very least have as many of his followers as possible infiltrate the ministry's ranks. Then he'll take over the school. Dumbledore isn't as strong as he used to be twenty years ago, we may be able to hold him off for a day or two, but he will eventually be able to take over the school."
Hermione stood up abruptly, a look of determination only slightly dampened by the tears welling in her eyes, "So that's it then? Hogwarts is no longer safe?"
There was a pause before Historia responded, "We have a year, maybe two, at the most."
It was like being splashed with ice-cold water. How could Hogwarts not be safe? It was one of the only places in the world Voldemort couldn't take over, and that tyrant will take it over in the future. Many had silent tears running down their face, Lily being one of them, "How can Hogwarts no longer be safe. What will happen when he takes over the school? What will he do to all the students? They can't fight him; they're children! They're our future children, all of them!" A sob broke through, and she leaned onto James for support.
He felt the same, but looking at the fear on Lily and the rest of his housemate's faces, he shouted, "What is wrong with all of you?" He stared at all the stunned faces that turned to look at him, "We are students of Hogwarts. This is our home! If the kids in the future feel the same way about Hogwarts as we do, then they will fight to protect their home, just like we would if we were in their situation." he glanced at Sirius, silently asking for his help.
"He's right. I have pranked, eaten, studied, and slept peacefully thanks to the comfort these walls provide. If I can't defend this place after the years she has spent housing me; then I don't deserve to call this place home!" Sirius looked at his housemates first before looking at the other houses. He was pleased to see that most of his peers seemed to be as determined as himself and James.
The professors were filled with pride at their students' spirits. Dumbledore cleared his throat, "It does this old man good knowing that we can leave Hogwarts' reputation to you children." Many students smiled at the headmaster as he continued, "Never forget, Hogwarts will always help those who ask for it."
Many Slytherin's rolled their eyes at his words, but for Regulus, those words sparked a flicker of hope, one that he covered with a passive look. He glanced at Sirius, who was being fawned over by three Gryffindor girls, he vaguely recognized the McKinnon girl, but he didn't know the other two.
Hermione let out a few sniffles as Historia patted her back. "I blame you, just for the record."
Stunned, Historia looked at Hermione, confused, "What do you mean? What did I do?"
"Your's and Harry's bi-polar luck. I know that we are going to win, but thanks to the infamous 'Potter luck,' we'll have to go through hell and back!"
Historia giggled, the sound easing some of the student's worries. "Do you actually think we'll win?" Historia seemed unsure and a bit afraid.
Hermione gave her a severe look, "We have to. This is our home; we have spent days in the library, studying for tests and looking for clues. And remember all the times we would go to visit Hagrid, even when we weren't allowed to be out, or when we would sneak into the kitchens to bake some treats whenever any of the Gryffindor girls were feeling sad? This castle holds so many precious memories for me; I made my first real friends here. I'm not going to allow someone as vile as him to take over, at least not without a fight!"
Historia smiled at the girl before she nodded her head, "I'd rather die than let him take our home away from us. He'd probably turn this place into you of those dark arts places in Knockturn alley, and those shops are always so ugly."
The girls laughed. Their conversation steered to lighter topics such as homework, Historia's quidditch practice, Hermione's job as prefect, and Historia's proclivity to taking walks around the school at night.
"It's weird, Professor Dumbledore told all us prefects, that if we see you walking around, just to leave you be." Hermione looked at the girl with worry, "Is there something wrong?"
Historia shook her head, smiling softly, "No, it's just, I can't sleep. My magic builds up pretty fast when I'm sleeping, and I'm starting to apparate in my sleep."
Hermione was as shocked as everyone else, "What do you mean you're apperating? How?"
Historia shrugged, "I can't really explain it. All I know is I go to sleep in my bed, and I wake up somewhere else. Dumbledore said that it could be accidental magic, but I'm not entirely sure."
The girls got up from their seats at a loud hissing noise. Rushing over to the cauldron, Historia quickly stirred the potion before looking at Hermione. "I really hope this works. Can you imagine the look on the professor's face when we give this to him!" She squealed, grinning from ear to ear.
James huffed once more, joined by Sirius. "I don't know who this professor is, but apparently, he is way too close to my daughter!"
"Yeah! He's probably a pedophile or a creepy stalker or something." Everyone shook their heads in amusement at the two boys.
The girls began to fade until they all were back in the hallway. Everyone seemed confused at first before Lily spoke up, "We must not have been in the actual room, just a holographic version of it."
They all nodded their heads, the explanation making sense. The students made their way back to their common rooms, feeling tired after witnessing the longest apparition to date. Dumbledor led Minerva and Lucas to his office, both the teachers understanding the reason why.
Lucas took a seat once they reached the headmaster's office while Minerva paced in front of Dumbledor's desk.
"My dear Minerva, please take a seat. There is no need to be worried." The older man said calmly, popping a lemon drop into his mouth.
Minerva stopped, glaring at her old professor, "What do you mean don't worry? There is a very real chance that that monster will attack our school in the future! How can you be so calm?" She looked like she would either pop a blood vessel or strangle the bearded man, and she was leaning more towards the second option.
Lucas Albin looked between the two, amused. He never saw the transfiguration teacher that he had admired while he was attending school look as angry as she did now.
Dumbledor sighed before he looked at his old student, "I'm very much aware of that fact, Minerva. That is why I am going to be calling a meeting for the order. This kind of information is one that they deserve to know." His eyes twinkled when Minerva visibly calmed down, appeased by his decision.
Nodding his head, Lucas smirked at the headmaster, "I can't wait for the Potter's to find out that they have grandchildren; you know how Mrs. Potter feels about children."
The older man chuckled, "I believe that she also wanted a daughter. The news that she has both a grandson and granddaughter will absolutely delight her."
While the professors planned to tell the order about the apparitions, the spirits had their own meeting.
Lady Hogwarts was silent as the founders bickered.
"We don't know if we can trust them. I say we don't allow them to talk about the apparitions to anybody, just like we haven't allowed the students to inform anyone outside the castle." Salazar stated, firm in his position.
Godric shook his head, glaring at his friend, "They need to know, how will they be able to stop this 'dark lord' when they can't even tell their allies about how they are getting information from the future?"
"Both of you make excellent points," Rowena stated, stepping in between the two men, "however, the decision lies in Lady Hogwarts' hands. She is the one who summoned us and the one who knows the members of this 'order' well." Helga nodded her head, agreeing with the black-haired beauty.
The men calmed down slightly, both looking at the spirit. Salazar asked her the question he thought was most important, "Do you think we can trust the members of the order with any information from the future?"
Lady Hogwarts shifted uncomfortably as the four stared at her, waiting for her answer. She thought about it for a while; the members were all good people, except Mundungus, he was a bit shifty, but it would be easy for her to stop information from reaching his ears. She remembered the students fondly and saw no harm in allowing them to know their futures. "I trust them." She said with a smile.
The spirits relaxed, Salazar was still a little bit tense, but he relented, "Alright, if you think they are to be trusted, then who am I to disagree. I just hope it won't lead to any problems."