September 7th, 1973
Hogwarts Library
Rowan had gone back to the DOM earlier that day, and they'd spent the entire meeting discussing the dangers of having the Marauders' Map in a time where it hadn't even been invented yet. In the end, it had been taken away from her, and she'd watched in horror as Bertie had destroyed it.
For safety.
As soon as she'd gotten back to the castle, she'd rushed to the library and pulled all the books she thought they'd need. It left the entire table piled with advanced books and a great deal of parchment.
It was nearly five hours into her reading when she heard someone sit down. She spun with her wand pointed at them and didn't put it down immediately upon seeing who it was.
"Brooks, is it?"
"Yes," she said shortly, her nerves picking up. She remembered the stories. She knew what Sirius had told her before their fifth year about Mary MacDonald. She remembered her own experience.
But he'd come to her.
What did that mean?
"You can lower your wand," he raised an eyebrow at her when she didn't. "Do you frequently point it at curious wizards?"
"When they have your reputation, yes," she answered. He seemed to tense, and she tilted her head. "Oh, you didn't like that."
"The only reputation I carry is that of my family," he told her. "I have done nothing to earn my own yet."
"Okay," she allowed, nodding slowly. Hesitantly, she lowered her wand. "Just know I can and will hex your dick off if I have to."
He laughed a little. "I've no doubt."
Rowan closed the book in front of her, marking her spot, and rolled up the parchment after drying the ink with her wand. "Come to secluded corners of the library often?"
"This one, actually, yes," he confirmed. "But it seems you've found it."
"Yup."
"And certainly filled the entire table," he raised an eyebrow at the books. "What is this all for?"
"A project I've begun," she said helpfully, watching him read over the titles. "I doubt the titles will help you figure it out."
"Well, you don't seem to be interested in telling me what this project is, so I will figure it out myself."
Rowan laughed a little. "Look, if you manage to figure it out, I'll make you your own."
He quirked an eyebrow. "Sounds promising."
"Kyla," she held out her hand after a moment. He took it and kissed the back like a true pureblood.
"Antonin Dolohov," he introduced himself. "Though it seems you already knew."
"I familiarized myself with anyone that might be… a threat rather quickly," she admitted, watching his lips thin ever so slightly. "I have heard something else about you, other than your family's reputation, you know."
"Yes?"
"You're Russian."
She saw a small smile appear on his lips, and he tilted his head curiously. "And are you?"
She considered whether or not to lie. Richard Granger had been Russian, having moved to London and changed his name when he was eighteen. She'd learned Russian as soon as she'd been placed with them, and had picked it up very quickly. "It's… complicated. I've been speaking for years."
"How curious you are," he hummed, leaning forward. "You look at me like you want to trust me, but you don't."
"Maybe that's because you're right," she admitted calmly. "You look at me like… you know what I can do."
"What is that, Miss Brooks?"
"Kyla, please," she waved him off. "It's not that easy. As much as I'd like to trust you, I don't. Maybe it isn't fair, I don't know."
He sat back and looked at her thoughtfully. "What I know is that you're doing sixth year work without issue. I will tell you this once: I won't hurt you, Kyla, but I am curious."
She sighed. "Help me make sure I'm up to Hogwarts' curriculum."
"Third year curriculum?" he laughed shortly. She rolled her eyes.
"Yes. I'll meet you here tomorrow, same time. Oh, and Antonin?" he looked at her. "Don't say anything about these books or I will break into your dorm and shave your head."
He laughed shortly, watching as she finished packing up and left.
When she left the library, she found James running nearly into her. He stopped just short, his eyes wide. "Jesus, James, what's wrong?"
"You," he gasped, looking her over closely. "You were… scared."
"Oh, shit, right," she grimaced. "The bond. I haven't… it's been so long, I forgot you'd notice…"
"What happened?"
She sighed and pulled him down the hall to an empty classroom. "I was with Antonin Dolohov."
His eyes widened. "Did he hurt you?"
"Not at all," she promised. "In fact, he was offended at the mere idea of me being afraid of him for his family's reputation. But… I knew him in the future, and I have good fucking reason to be afraid of him."
"But you're okay?" he asked again. She nodded, and he breathed out in relief. "Merlin. Okay, we'll keep you away from him, then."
"James, no," she shook her head quickly. "I have to befriend him."
"Rowan!"
"Shut up!" she hissed, smacking his arm hard. "Oh my god!"
"You're scared, so-,"
"So nothing! I have to do what I have to do. I can handle it. Besides, he seemed… I don't know. Not who I encountered in the future. Maybe I… met him in time."
"I think this is a horrible idea," he told her. "What if he hurts you and…"
Rowan sighed. "Jamie, I'm not going anywhere ever again. I promise."
"Okay," he said finally. "Okay, fine. Can you just, like, warn me when you're doing this shit? So I can be around?"
"Sure," she agreed. "If you swear not to intervene unless I'm in actual, genuine danger."
"I swear."
"Alright. Good news, though, I think I found almost everything I need to make the map. Except maybe Remus's help."
"Oh, right. Can't you do scans on the old one or something to help?" he wondered.
"No," she made a face. "Bertie destroyed it to preserve time. I think I nearly had a heart attack when he did."
"Y'know, Remus and Pete are going to be confused why you're around all the time," he said with a frown. "I've been thinking maybe we should tell them who you are."
"Jamie, we can't," she disagreed. "I need to keep my story secret."
"But you had a fake one made up, right? Just in case everyone found out? Tell them that one."
"I don't know…" she sighed. "I suppose you might be right."
James broke out in a grin. "Good! Good, let's go, then."
Rowan laughed as he grabbed her hand and dragged her through the castle, not stopping until they'd reached his dorm room where his friends were. They all looked up and she shrugged. "I did not plan to invade your dorm. This is all James."
"Manhandling the new girl is not your best move," Peter told James as he did his homework on his bed. "No offense, Kyla."
"None taken," she smiled at him. "Normally, I'd agree."
"But we have something to tell you."
"She agreed?" Sirius's eyes widened and he grinned. "Yes!"
"I will be doing the explaining," Rowan told Sirius and James. "It's my story, and James's."
"Did something happen?" Remus frowned at them. "You guys okay?"
"My name isn't Kyla Brooks," she told them. Both boys blinked at her. "When I was eleven, I touched something I shouldn't have, and it took me to someone who erased my memories and… it's kind of fuzzy, but I ended up with Aberforth. James saw me a few days ago and lost his mind because I'm actually Rowan Potter."
"You're shitting me," Peter said, looking between the twins. "This is a prank."
"James wouldn't joke about his sister," Remus disagreed, looking at her with wide eyes. "I knew something about you was… off."
She laughed. "Thanks."
"Yeah, but you know more," Peter said. She looked at him in surprise. She truly didn't know much about him or what he was like before Halloween 1981.
"What do you mean?"
"You're keeping something," he told her. She blinked.
"Pete's kind of like a human lie detector," Sirius said. "Forgot about that."
Rowan sighed in irritation. "Jamie, are you trying to trick me?"
"Ro-,"
"I'm not telling them," she said shortly. "It truly is nothing personal, but my secrets are dangerous. They'll get me killed if I don't protect them."
"No, look, you know you can trust them," James told her, waving at his friends.
"James-,"
"And you know I'm a shitty liar," he added. She stopped. It was true. It had gotten them in plenty of trouble when they were little. "Maybe you could use their help. Maybe- maybe it'd be for the best."
"You are a pain in my ass, James Charlus," she told him, tipping her head back in frustration.
"But you're gonna tell them?"
She considered the situation for a moment before she answered. "If they take Vows to keep my secret."
"Fuck, what's worth a Vow?"
"Trust me, it's worth it," Sirius told them honestly. "I'd have taken one if she asked me to."
"Why didn't she?"
"I can explain that if you take it."
"I'll do it," Remus said after a moment. "I trust Sirius and if he trusts you, I'll do it."
"Me too," Peter shrugged.
The Vows were quick, and when they'd been taken, Rowan looked between Remus and Peter and took in a deep breath. "That day I touched the ring, I was sent from 1971 to 1991."
"What?"
"Dumbledore- Albus Dumbledore was there waiting for me. Long story short, he Obliviated me and placed me with some muggles and I grew up there. A lot of shitty things happened and I decided to come back in time to change… everything. Make things better. Abe helped de-age me from 18 to 14 and changed my name to Kyla. I came to school to befriend some people to… try and change them, or prevent them from becoming… who I knew in the future."
"You made us take Vows just to joke?" Remus looked extremely annoyed.
"Pete?" James looked at his friend. Peter looked absolutely lost.
"She's not… lying," he said finally. "How the fuck-,"
"I, Rowan Potter, do swear on my wand and magic that what I've just said is the truth," she said with her wand in the air. The tip of it lit up, signaling that she was telling the truth.
"Jesus Christ," Remus cursed.
"Wait, so you're… kind of from the future?" Peter's eyes widened. "Wow."
"The reason Sirius knew before you two is because I was pretty close with him," she explained. "Though I knew you both as well. Remus was my third year DADA professor and became a friend, and Peter… I didn't know you well, honestly. We only met a couple of times, and I was pretty… um, preoccupied both times."
"Wait, what was so bad about the future that you came back to change it?" Peter wondered.
"There was a war," she said softly. "One that begins here, in the 70s, and ends in 1981. It began again in 1995. It was 1998 when I left. I'd gone through something… I just couldn't do it anymore. We were losing. Badly. I had to change it."
"Yeah, so she's befriending people like Dolohov," James nodded. "And we have to not freak out."
"I think the only one freaking out about it was you, Potter," Sirius laughed.
"So, I'm working with some people to help me do this," she told them. "Questions?"
"You befriended us because you're changing things?" Remus wondered. She hesitated. "Were we bad?"
"No," she shook her head quickly. "Look, James's son was my best friend. Sirius was his godfather. Sirius took care of me when things at home weren't great. Harry and I both heard a lot about you guys, and unfortunately, you were at the center of the war. Aside from that… my bond with Jamie pulled me toward him."
"Damn, this is cool," Peter said.
"And Remus, I have a project you can help me with," she said, smiling at him. "I'm making a magical map. I've got most of what I need, but I think I need help."
"I'd love to."
"Great."
The rest of the night was filled with questions, most of which went without answers. Still, the group of five snuck down to the kitchens near midnight and got snacks, taking them back to the dorm to eat and talk.
It felt like home, and she couldn't find it within her to regret telling them the truth.
OoOoOoOoOoOo
September 15th, 1973
Great Hall
"Come- on!" Rowan tugged at her friend, pulling him down the hall. "You insufferable coward!"
"I resent that!" Sirius said, hitting at her hands. "Let me go!"
"Just talk to him!" she snapped. They were gathering stares from the students in study hall. It wasn't overseen by a professor, it was voluntary and therefore no professor was there to yell at them. "He is your brother!"
"He hates me!" he hissed.
"Oh, yeah? You know that how?"
"He was with Mother!"
She scoffed. "Talk to him or I will curse you in front of everyone."
He looked at her hesitantly. She'd survived a war, he had no doubt she could curse him bad. "Fine! Fine, but if he- if he hates me because of Mother, you owe me."
"I owe you?"
He scoffed and stepped closer to lower his voice. "I know you're only doing this so you can get close to him."
"Sirius, I can befriend him myself," she disagreed. "I genuinely want to help you. Can't you try to trust me?"
"I do trust you."
"No, you don't," she stared. "You probably know you should, but you don't. And what real reason do you have to trust me? I understand, I'm just asking for you to try."
Sirius took in a deep breath and stepped forward. "Hey, Reg."
Regulus, who had already been watching them, raised an eyebrow. "Sirius."
"I, um- I thought we could… talk."
"About what, exactly?"
Sirius looked at Rowan with wide eyes. She stepped forward and smiled at Regulus.
"I'm Kyla Brooks. I'm sorry I had to drag your brother here. Since he's unable to speak, I'll do it for him. The reason he's avoided you for the last three years is that he's afraid your mother's made you hate him. It's unfair to you, and I'm sorry for that. All I ask is that you give him a chance and talk to him."
Regulus looked between the two of them for a moment before he packed up his stuff and stood. "We can speak outside. You will not be joining us."
Rowan's eyes lit up excitedly. "Yes! Yes, thank you. If you need me, Sirius, I'll be in the library."
Sirius waved goodbye and followed his brother nervously outside. They stopped and he waited, hoping Regulus would speak. Unfortunately for him, his brother didn't seem willing to start the conversation. "You seem… good."
"What do you want, Sirius?"
"I want to… apologize," he grimaced. "Look, I shouldn't have avoided you. I just figured, you're Mother's favorite and she hates me, especially since I was sorted into Gryffindor, so I assumed she made you hate me."
Regulus's lips thinned. "I am not so weak-willed that Mother's opinions create my own."
"Maybe I should've realized that," Sirius sighed. "Look… Reg, you were the only person, aside from Uncle Alphard, that I… felt safe with in that house. Before I left, Mother…" he grimaced and shook his head. "I should have had more faith in you. Trusted you."
Regulus frowned. "What did Mother do?"
"She told me I would never speak to you again, should I be sorted into the wrong House," Sirius admitted. "That you would never speak to me. That if I tried to write you, she'd… you can guess. And then I was a Gryffindor and I could only assume that she'd gotten to you."
"You know better than to listen to her," Regulus reminded him sharply. "I needed you, Sirius. I needed my brother to- to talk to me when the only person I had was Mother."
Sirius looked pained. "I wasn't there for you when I should've been. I'm sorry, Reg."
Regulus was quiet for a minute as he considered Sirius's words. "I don't appreciate that a random girl had to convince you to come speak to me."
Sirius laughed a little. "She isn't random, Reg. She was the only one near me willing to give me a wake-up call. My friends tried, but I… didn't react well when they brought you up."
"I don't hate you, Sirius," Regulus told him finally. "But if you continue to ignore me after this talk, I might."
"I won't," Sirius promised quickly. "I swear, I won't."
"Fine, then."
"Yes!"
OoOoOoOoOoOo