Author's Note: Hello! I know, I know. It's been awhile but yes I am alive and yes I am finally updating. I am so so so sorry it has been so long since I posted but I do want to address this. First to those who have been encouraging thank you thank you thank you. I truly appreciate everybody who still comments, follows, and favorites despite the fact that I haven't updated. Second to those who have been rudely demanding I update please stop. None of my stories will ever be abandoned. They are all WIP but I do have a life outside of FanFiction so it does take me awhile. I haven't mentioned this before but I think it should be said that I do work full time and my commute in total is anywhere from 3-4 hours every day (an hour and a half to two hours each way). This is tiring so after working all day, I don't necessarily have the energy to write.
I would also like to say that I did promise this would not be on any kind of schedule and I feel that I have spectacularly kept this promise. I beg of you all to understand.
To all of my readers who have stayed loyal to this story, I thank you. This is a bit of a fluff chapter and shorter but I wanted to give you all something. The next chapter I swear won't take two months to post, AND next chapter I can promise you that we will FINALLY get to meet Rabastan in this time period. So please enjoy this (un-betaed) update, and it will be updated again once it is betaed.
I would like to send out a huge thank you to Travelliah for keeping me motivated but understanding when I don't necessarily have the energy to finish.
As always I own nothing. This is all thanks to JK.
Chapter 13
The two witches appeared at the apparition point in Hogsmeade, both wobbling a bit on the landing.
"Sorry," Lily cringed a little while checking Hermione over for any minor splinching. "I'm not the best at Side-Along yet. I can, I just don't normally have to."
Hermione's stomach was still rolling. She much preferred to apparate herself but she had promised James she would get Lily to Hogwarts today. She took few deep breaths to calm her stomach before she opened her mouth again.
"It's alright. I would have apparated myself, but I haven't gotten my license yet," Hermione lied. She had her license back in 1997, but here, she was 16. She would, unfortunately, have to wait until her birthday in August. "Can you walk up to the castle with me? I could use the company, and I'm sure Professor Dumbledore would let you use his Floo."
"Why not," the redhead agreed. "It'll save me from having to go home for a little bit longer."
The young witches began the short trek to the castle in silence, both seemed to have gotten lost in their thoughts.
Lily decided to break the silence with what she hoped would be a safe topic. "What are you meeting with Professor Dumbledore for?"
"Mum and Dad are meeting me as well to discuss next school year, and so I can be Sorted. I really have no desire to be sorted in front of the entire school. I'm already going to stand out and I don't particularly care for the attention."
"Are you nervous?"
"A little, but I've faced much worse than this. Granted this will be the first time in a while that I've faced anything without my two best friends. We did everything together," Hermione commented quietly.
She had been in the 70s for a couple of months and was adjusting well. Anytime she began to think about Harry or Ron she would just remind herself that she would still know them, even though she wouldn't be their best friend anymore. She could make sure that they had the chance of having a real childhood: no adventures, at least of the life or death kind, no figuring out mysteries. Harry would grow up with a lot more confidence, hopefully, and Ron won't feel inferior being "The Chosen One's" best friend. But going to Hogwarts without the two of them? That would take some getting used to.
"Hermione?" Lily questioned, startling the younger witch out of her thoughts as they made their way through the gates of Hogwarts and across the grounds.
"Sorry," she apologized. "Got lost in my head for a moment. It's going to be odd attending school without them."
"I know starting at a new school isn't always easy. I remember my first Hogwarts Express ride. Not only was I starting a new school but I was entering a completely new world. Having a friend on the train made it easier though. I'm sure you're perfectly capable of finding your own way but I'd be more than happy to introduce you to a couple of my younger friends before term starts," Lily offered. "I think you and Mary would really hit it off."
"That would be great. Thanks."
"I should also warn you…" Lily trailed off, not wanting to tell Hermione what James did, but knowing she should.
"Yes?"
"Well, James recruited a friend of his to keep an eye out on you," Lily grimaced, waiting for the explosion. She had already figured Hermione to be exceedingly independent and assumed the younger witch would not be okay with her older brother recruiting others in his overprotection of her.
However, Hermione simply snorted and rolled her eyes. "Of course he did. Does that boy not know how to mind his own business?"
The ginger witch laughed "No, not really. Especially when it comes to family."
Hermione thought about Harry. "I was raised an only child, but I did have a friend who was practically a brother. Towards the end, we were all the other had, and we took care of each other, but he was never like James in that regard. If anything I was overprotective of him."
"Why was that? My experience with wizards is that they can be cavemen."
"He had a complicated situation. His parents died when he was a baby and the relatives who raised him didn't like him very much. He always felt as if it was his job to save everybody, so it sort of became my job to save him."
"Where is he now?" Lily asked after a moment, allowing Hermione to compose herself.
"I don't know to be honest," Hermione smiled sadly.
"Well, I hope one day you two are able to find each other again. I'd quite like to meet him."
At that Hermione couldn't help but smile, "I'm sure one day you will."
As the two witches made it to the Entrance Hall, they noticed a path of lilies leading into the Great Hall. Lily froze and stared at Hermione, a look of confusion on her face, while Hermione suppressed a small giggle and beamed at her future sister-in-law.
"Why don't you go see what that's all about? I think I can find my way to the Headmaster's office on my own." Hermione then left the slightly bewildered muggle-born witch to her slightly idiotic brother.
After watching Hermione walk away, Lily finally turned to face the Great Hall. She knew this was James's doing, and she had a feeling it was some kind of prank. Though she figured it wouldn't be too bad if his sister was involved. She didn't seem like the sort to tolerate the more extravagant pranks of the Marauders. Lily decided to not keep her idiot waiting any longer and walked into the Great Hall to find the one and only James Potter standing on top of the Gryffindor table.
"Hello love," James greeted his witch with a smile that looked like it was about to break his face. "Did you have a nice day with Hermione?"
"James, what are you doing here?" Lily chose to ignore his question.
She didn't think it was possible but he smiled even bigger. "Ah! You see my dearest Lily-flower, I have been doing quite a bit of thinking over the past few months, and I know you were not too pleased with my avoidance of you towards the end of the school year. And despite what I told you, that, for the most part, had nothing to do with my sister."
Lily narrowed her eyes at her boyfriend but he continued before she could say anything. "From the moment I laid eyes on you, I thought you were the most beautiful witch I had ever seen. Granted I was 11 and most of the witches I had met at that point consisted of family, but that is beside the point."
"I knew one day you would be Mrs. James Potter. In fact the first time I ever proposed to you was right here in the Great Hall, with me standing on top of the table, similar to how I am now. I believe your response was something along the lines of 'over my dead body' and 'never embarrass me like that ever again'." As James spoke, he slowly walked the length of the table, getting closer to his, hopefully, future bride.
Lily, who always had a comeback for James and could match wits with all the Marauders, for once was speechless as she watched her wizard walk towards her.
"So naturally, that meant I had to do it every year, and as often as possible. You are so very pretty when you're angry," James winked at her.
"Though I was originally captured by your beauty, your ability to outperform every single one of us in the classroom, your kind heart, your stubbornness, your willingness to forgive, your incredible ability to stand up for what you believe in with no fear, all of this and more is what made me truly fall in love with you."
"I can't imagine not spending my life with you, so I ask you, in the same place I first asked you," timed out perfectly, James was able to jump off the end of the table and complete the short walk to stand in front of Lily. He reached into his pocket, got down on one knee and asked, "Lily Jane Evans, will you marry me?"
For a moment Lily didn't speak, she had tears in her eyes and was worried her voice would break if she tried to say something at that moment so she did the only thing she could think of, she nodded yes. James's eyes immediately alight with happiness jumped up and scooped her up in his arms twirling her around while shouting for joy.
All Lily could do was laugh at her fiance's exuberance. "James! Put me down!"
He immediately complied, not wanting her to change her mind and wanting to get his ring on her finger, though she hardly noticed. She couldn't take her eyes of the man that she swore she would never end up with. "I love you. And thank you for not making a big spectacle of the proposal. It was perfect."
"Anything for you, love. I couldn't chance you saying no this time!" James joked. "Hermione did make me promise not to do it publicly."
"Honestly, I half expected the rest of your Marauders to come charging in here in some elaborate scheme."
James's eyes widened slightly, which did not go unnoticed by the witch, "Of course not, why would I do that? This is a moment for the two of us. Why don't we go and find my parents? They are supposed to be somewhere in the castle." He rushed out, trying to get Lily out of the Great Hall as quickly as possible.
"They are about thirty seconds away from storming in here aren't they?" Lily asked knowingly.
"Well…." James rubbed the back of his neck nervously.
Before he could come up with any kind of answer, fireworks came zooming in from every door, and Sirius, Remus, and Peter were setting off sparks with their wands. A large banner appeared behind the couple declaring "Mr. and Mrs. Prongs forever", and James could only grin sheepishly at his new fiancee.
To her credit, Lily only glared at him for a moment before she grinned and jumped into his arms once more. "You wouldn't be James Potter if you didn't include some kind of fanfare."
"Is it safe to come in now?" Hermione's voice called from the doorway once the fireworks died down.
Lily, James, and the rest of the Marauders turned around to see the Potters, along with Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall all looking exuberant at the scene in front of them. Well, the Potters and Dumbledore looked exuberant, Professor McGonagall had a slight upturn to her mouth indicating her happiness at the situation.
"Of course!" James shouted.
Hermione launched herself at her brother and soon to be sister and wrapped them both up in the biggest hug she could manage. With tears in her eyes, she whispered to them, "I am so happy for the both of you." After a few moments, she untangled herself from the couple and stepped back allowing the others to offer their congratulations as well.
Hermione was given a few moments to observe the scene and wondered if this is how it happened the first time around. She never knew how James originally proposed, she didn't know if Harry even knew, but that didn't matter. That future was gone, and she would make sure that Harry knew about this when the time came. She might be his aunt this time around but that didn't mean she wouldn't soak up every single memory she could to pass along.
It was time, she knew, to start making changes and to slowly expand her circle of those she trusted with her information. She had over two months in the past now to adjust and come to terms with her new reality.
From stories the older Sirius and Remus had told her, the war really started for them in 1979 but didn't pick up until 1980. If she had anything to say about it, the war would never even get that far. It would be a slow process, but she felt she had already begun to make small strides with her limited interactions with Regulus. She knew she could get him to trust her, and she would make sure he didn't stupidly sacrifice himself, not when there were other options.
Maybe her anxiousness to continue fighting came from the fact that she had been continuously fighting for almost a year or maybe it's because now that James and Lily were engaged, Harry would be here sooner than later, and she would not allow him to become the subject of a prophecy.
It didn't matter the reasoning behind why she felt it was time to make a move, all that mattered was that she would. And this time, with the Potters standing by her side, and, putting her reservations about the man aside, Professor Dumbledore, she knew they would succeed.