Disclaimer: I don't own what JK Rowling created, I'm just fiddling with it.
Author's Note: not everything in this story will go along with the books. I just thought I'd point that.
Also In This Story (stuff I forgot to mention in chapter one): Lily did not die. James did for her and Harry what she is famous for doing for Harry (i.e. dying to save them). However, Harry did go to live with the Dursleys, and Lily went into protective custody in France. She will one day see Harry again, and in this story, if I've got anything to do with it (and clearly I do) so don't worry. She and Anna are still close friends, but she is now under the name of Lillith James. Living not far from Anna, they spend lunches together. Most of the wizarding world (including Severus Snape) believes that Voldemort killed Lily Potter. Harry, as yet, still believes his parents died in a car accident. Albus Dumbledore, Anna Montaque and some people high up in the Ministry are aware of Lily's true fate.
~*~
Chapter Two: Old Faces, New Places
~*~
"Severus is in France?"
Lily echoed her friend.
"Yes, I just told you that." Anna said impatiently, putting down her cappuccino. "He's here, in France, and he wants to talk about whether Angelica is going to Beauxbatons or Hogwarts."
"You told me she's going to Beauxbatons. I do believe your exact words were 'She's going to England over my dead body'." Lily reminded Anna, who nodded.
"I did say that, and I bloody well meant it." Anna sighed. Severus had turned her carefully created little world upside down just a few days ago. Angelica was still asking about him, and Anna was ignoring all the owls that came from him, the calls that he sent to L&T.
"Anna, you need to relax." Lily put her hand over her friend's, and smiled encouragingly. "If it bothers you this much, talk to Dumbledore. He's bound to be able to get Severus to leave you alone. He'll understand, trust me, Anna."
"I'm afraid it'll all look so foolish down on paper." Anna confessed.
"Then go to England." Lily said calmly, sipping her tea. She was very English, and though Anna had taken to coffee like a duck to water, Lily was loyal to tea. Chamomile tea, where possible, but any tea would do. Chamomile soap, chamomile tea. Clean inside and out?*
Anna paled. "Go to…England?" she made it sound as though the word was distasteful.
"Yes. England. You remember, we went to Hogwarts there." Lily seemed currently unshakable.
"You think I should go to Hogwarts and appeal to the Headmaster directly?" Anna considered it. The idea wasn't half bad.
"Yes, Anna, I do. If there's anyone who can help you, it's Dumbledore. He has helped you – and me – before, after all."
Anna impulsively embraced her friend. "Lily, you are a godsend. Could you take Angelica while I'm in…away?" Anna seemed reluctant to even say 'England'.
"Of course. Angelica is an angel when she stays with me." Lily laughed, reassuring Anna.
~*~
"You're going where?"
Jacques wasn't adverse to the idea – he thought it was good – but it was sudden, and he knew her intense loathing for the place. Well, for the memories created there.
"I'm going to England. Jacqueline is perfectly capable of doing my job for a while." Anna found she possessed strength of will, a determination she never knew she had.
"All right then. How long will you be away?" Jacques asked, recovering from his initial shock.
"I don't know. A week, maybe more." Anna informed him. She had abandoned her usual soft pink for a pale blue suit, though that was really the only difference.
"Where will Angelica be?"
"With a friend of mine, Lillith James."
"Fine." Jacques knew there was to be no arguing with her, Anna was determined and far be it for him to try to stop her.
~*~
Anna sat on the plane to England, in first class – Jacques treat, he had insisted – and tried not to think about where it was she was going.
England.
A part of her felt she was going home.
Another part of her felt that she was making one of the biggest mistakes of her life.
Severus, she knew, was going back to England today. He would have used some magical means, she assumed.
Bastard she thought to herself when she conjured in her mind an image of him. The last time she'd seen him.
Cold, aloof.
~*~
"Ms Montaque, how delightful to see you again." The Headmaster greeted her as she entered his office. "I understand you are here to discuss your daughters education."
"In a manner of speaking, professor." Anna replied, sitting down in the chair he indicated.
"Oh?" he turned, holding out a small plate of chocolate. "Chocolate, Ms Montaque?"
"No thank you. I would like you to ask Professor Snape to stop pestering me."
"Pestering you?" Dumbledore asked cheerfully.
"When Severus spoke to me first, I stated clearly that Angelica is going to Beauxbatons." Anna said carefully. "He has not ceased 'pestering', and it is irksome. I will raise Angelica as I see fit, and it is my decision not to send her to Hogwarts."
"And Severus is not pleased with that idea?" Dumbledore's guesses were irritatingly correct.
"Yes. It is not his place."
Severus, who stood outside the door, felt his heart sink with those words. She's right, though he realized. L&T sent me papers years ago, it legally isn't my place
~*~
She sounds highly strung, to say the least Severus thought as he listened to her speaking.
"Please, Headmaster, I just want to be left alone." Anna sounded as though she were pleading. Severus cursed himself silently. He should have just left her alone when she told him to, but he had wanted to see her again, wanted to see Angelica.
Angelica, their daughter.
Anna's done a brilliant job with her, she must be an amazing mother he mused. Dumbledore's words interrupted such musings.
"I will do what I can, Ms Montaque. Your daughter could benefit from time at Hogwarts, however. Not to disparage Beauxbatons, but your sisters went there, you went here, and compare how the three of you turned out. Not to belittle your sisters."
There was a long silence. Not uncomfortable, just thoughtful. Anna pondered the Headmaster's words.
"I'll be blunt, Headmaster." Anna said finally. "I have nothing against Hogwarts. And I am sure that Angelica could benefit from time here. But after the events of 1986 – events you are well aware of, Headmaster – I don't want her here. I don't want her so far away from me, and I don't want here anywhere near Severus Snape."
"You spent 1987, your last year, at Beauxbatons. Your sister Lucia remained at Beauxbatons with you to provide you with a babysitter, and keep Angelica happy while you were in classes, or studied." Dumbledore was speaking slowly, as if to a child. "Lily, a year ahead of you, had already had Harry, near the time you had Angelica. She and James got married soon after, before their tragic deaths eight months later. You've not set foot in England since 'that year'. What changed?"
"I don't know why I'd discuss it with anyone aside from Lily." Anna's voice was stiff, Severus imagined her sitting in her seat, rigid.
"Lily?"
"Lillith James, a friend of mine." Anna elaborated. What a coincidence Severus thought.
"Ah, Ms James. I believe I have met her. But, Ms Montaque, I assure you – as I have assured you before – that you are welcome to discuss such matters with me."
"You were very helpful in '86." Anna admitted. "I suppose it is nice to talk to someone. I don't speak of it often, not even with Lillith."
"If you wish me to be so once more, I am quite happy to listen." Dumbledore replied. To Severus, it seemed he had taken on the role of caring grandfather, and that seemed a good thing. Anna, he was vaguely aware, did not know her grandfather and was not on the best of terms with her father.
"Would you?" Anna sounded grateful. Severus's heart contracted, once upon a time she had been a friend of his, listened to him, talked to him.
No more.
"Of course." Dumbledore assured her.
Severus felt that to listen any longer without letting them know he was there would be a little too personal. He was denying Anna her privacy; something he felt was unfair of him.
He knocked, and waited for Dumbledore's "Ah, come in, professor," before he entered.
Anna stiffened and did not say anything.
~*~
"Ms James, just the woman I wanted to speak to!"
Jacques looks very…what does Anna call it? Ah yes, lawyer-esque. 'Like statuesque but not so nice'. Singularly unpleasant to me. He may be her friend, but I don't like him. Besides, statuesque should be a feminine word, I've seen the thesaurus Lily thought, but she smiled all the same. "Mr. Leloupblanc, you called about Ms Montaque I understand?"
"Ah, yes. You are a friend of hers, no?"
"Yes." Lily wasn't giving anything away, and she disliked the 'lawyer- esque' vibe he was giving. What a satisfying word. Anna had talent for that, for sure.
"I merely wish to inquire as to if you know when Ms Montaque will be back in France and the well-being of Angelica." Jacques said smoothly. Lily resisted the urge to slap him. She knew Anna thought highly of him – as a friend, Anna assured her – but he rubbed her the wrong way.
"She hasn't told me."
"I would have thought she would have told you, the legendary 'best friend'?" Jacques seemed…oily. What was Morganna doing being friends with this…creature?
"She said she wasn't sure. Was that all, Mr. Leloupblanc?"
"Yes, yes."
~*~
*From a Terry Prattchett (sp?) book. Death was a bit confused, I believe. I forget the title of the book, but it was in the Discworld series. I also forget the exact wording. Anyway, don't mind me. Read the story.
~*~
Author's notes: that's all for chapter two of Wishful Thinking, thank you for reading.
Author's Note: not everything in this story will go along with the books. I just thought I'd point that.
Also In This Story (stuff I forgot to mention in chapter one): Lily did not die. James did for her and Harry what she is famous for doing for Harry (i.e. dying to save them). However, Harry did go to live with the Dursleys, and Lily went into protective custody in France. She will one day see Harry again, and in this story, if I've got anything to do with it (and clearly I do) so don't worry. She and Anna are still close friends, but she is now under the name of Lillith James. Living not far from Anna, they spend lunches together. Most of the wizarding world (including Severus Snape) believes that Voldemort killed Lily Potter. Harry, as yet, still believes his parents died in a car accident. Albus Dumbledore, Anna Montaque and some people high up in the Ministry are aware of Lily's true fate.
~*~
Chapter Two: Old Faces, New Places
~*~
"Severus is in France?"
Lily echoed her friend.
"Yes, I just told you that." Anna said impatiently, putting down her cappuccino. "He's here, in France, and he wants to talk about whether Angelica is going to Beauxbatons or Hogwarts."
"You told me she's going to Beauxbatons. I do believe your exact words were 'She's going to England over my dead body'." Lily reminded Anna, who nodded.
"I did say that, and I bloody well meant it." Anna sighed. Severus had turned her carefully created little world upside down just a few days ago. Angelica was still asking about him, and Anna was ignoring all the owls that came from him, the calls that he sent to L&T.
"Anna, you need to relax." Lily put her hand over her friend's, and smiled encouragingly. "If it bothers you this much, talk to Dumbledore. He's bound to be able to get Severus to leave you alone. He'll understand, trust me, Anna."
"I'm afraid it'll all look so foolish down on paper." Anna confessed.
"Then go to England." Lily said calmly, sipping her tea. She was very English, and though Anna had taken to coffee like a duck to water, Lily was loyal to tea. Chamomile tea, where possible, but any tea would do. Chamomile soap, chamomile tea. Clean inside and out?*
Anna paled. "Go to…England?" she made it sound as though the word was distasteful.
"Yes. England. You remember, we went to Hogwarts there." Lily seemed currently unshakable.
"You think I should go to Hogwarts and appeal to the Headmaster directly?" Anna considered it. The idea wasn't half bad.
"Yes, Anna, I do. If there's anyone who can help you, it's Dumbledore. He has helped you – and me – before, after all."
Anna impulsively embraced her friend. "Lily, you are a godsend. Could you take Angelica while I'm in…away?" Anna seemed reluctant to even say 'England'.
"Of course. Angelica is an angel when she stays with me." Lily laughed, reassuring Anna.
~*~
"You're going where?"
Jacques wasn't adverse to the idea – he thought it was good – but it was sudden, and he knew her intense loathing for the place. Well, for the memories created there.
"I'm going to England. Jacqueline is perfectly capable of doing my job for a while." Anna found she possessed strength of will, a determination she never knew she had.
"All right then. How long will you be away?" Jacques asked, recovering from his initial shock.
"I don't know. A week, maybe more." Anna informed him. She had abandoned her usual soft pink for a pale blue suit, though that was really the only difference.
"Where will Angelica be?"
"With a friend of mine, Lillith James."
"Fine." Jacques knew there was to be no arguing with her, Anna was determined and far be it for him to try to stop her.
~*~
Anna sat on the plane to England, in first class – Jacques treat, he had insisted – and tried not to think about where it was she was going.
England.
A part of her felt she was going home.
Another part of her felt that she was making one of the biggest mistakes of her life.
Severus, she knew, was going back to England today. He would have used some magical means, she assumed.
Bastard she thought to herself when she conjured in her mind an image of him. The last time she'd seen him.
Cold, aloof.
~*~
"Ms Montaque, how delightful to see you again." The Headmaster greeted her as she entered his office. "I understand you are here to discuss your daughters education."
"In a manner of speaking, professor." Anna replied, sitting down in the chair he indicated.
"Oh?" he turned, holding out a small plate of chocolate. "Chocolate, Ms Montaque?"
"No thank you. I would like you to ask Professor Snape to stop pestering me."
"Pestering you?" Dumbledore asked cheerfully.
"When Severus spoke to me first, I stated clearly that Angelica is going to Beauxbatons." Anna said carefully. "He has not ceased 'pestering', and it is irksome. I will raise Angelica as I see fit, and it is my decision not to send her to Hogwarts."
"And Severus is not pleased with that idea?" Dumbledore's guesses were irritatingly correct.
"Yes. It is not his place."
Severus, who stood outside the door, felt his heart sink with those words. She's right, though he realized. L&T sent me papers years ago, it legally isn't my place
~*~
She sounds highly strung, to say the least Severus thought as he listened to her speaking.
"Please, Headmaster, I just want to be left alone." Anna sounded as though she were pleading. Severus cursed himself silently. He should have just left her alone when she told him to, but he had wanted to see her again, wanted to see Angelica.
Angelica, their daughter.
Anna's done a brilliant job with her, she must be an amazing mother he mused. Dumbledore's words interrupted such musings.
"I will do what I can, Ms Montaque. Your daughter could benefit from time at Hogwarts, however. Not to disparage Beauxbatons, but your sisters went there, you went here, and compare how the three of you turned out. Not to belittle your sisters."
There was a long silence. Not uncomfortable, just thoughtful. Anna pondered the Headmaster's words.
"I'll be blunt, Headmaster." Anna said finally. "I have nothing against Hogwarts. And I am sure that Angelica could benefit from time here. But after the events of 1986 – events you are well aware of, Headmaster – I don't want her here. I don't want her so far away from me, and I don't want here anywhere near Severus Snape."
"You spent 1987, your last year, at Beauxbatons. Your sister Lucia remained at Beauxbatons with you to provide you with a babysitter, and keep Angelica happy while you were in classes, or studied." Dumbledore was speaking slowly, as if to a child. "Lily, a year ahead of you, had already had Harry, near the time you had Angelica. She and James got married soon after, before their tragic deaths eight months later. You've not set foot in England since 'that year'. What changed?"
"I don't know why I'd discuss it with anyone aside from Lily." Anna's voice was stiff, Severus imagined her sitting in her seat, rigid.
"Lily?"
"Lillith James, a friend of mine." Anna elaborated. What a coincidence Severus thought.
"Ah, Ms James. I believe I have met her. But, Ms Montaque, I assure you – as I have assured you before – that you are welcome to discuss such matters with me."
"You were very helpful in '86." Anna admitted. "I suppose it is nice to talk to someone. I don't speak of it often, not even with Lillith."
"If you wish me to be so once more, I am quite happy to listen." Dumbledore replied. To Severus, it seemed he had taken on the role of caring grandfather, and that seemed a good thing. Anna, he was vaguely aware, did not know her grandfather and was not on the best of terms with her father.
"Would you?" Anna sounded grateful. Severus's heart contracted, once upon a time she had been a friend of his, listened to him, talked to him.
No more.
"Of course." Dumbledore assured her.
Severus felt that to listen any longer without letting them know he was there would be a little too personal. He was denying Anna her privacy; something he felt was unfair of him.
He knocked, and waited for Dumbledore's "Ah, come in, professor," before he entered.
Anna stiffened and did not say anything.
~*~
"Ms James, just the woman I wanted to speak to!"
Jacques looks very…what does Anna call it? Ah yes, lawyer-esque. 'Like statuesque but not so nice'. Singularly unpleasant to me. He may be her friend, but I don't like him. Besides, statuesque should be a feminine word, I've seen the thesaurus Lily thought, but she smiled all the same. "Mr. Leloupblanc, you called about Ms Montaque I understand?"
"Ah, yes. You are a friend of hers, no?"
"Yes." Lily wasn't giving anything away, and she disliked the 'lawyer- esque' vibe he was giving. What a satisfying word. Anna had talent for that, for sure.
"I merely wish to inquire as to if you know when Ms Montaque will be back in France and the well-being of Angelica." Jacques said smoothly. Lily resisted the urge to slap him. She knew Anna thought highly of him – as a friend, Anna assured her – but he rubbed her the wrong way.
"She hasn't told me."
"I would have thought she would have told you, the legendary 'best friend'?" Jacques seemed…oily. What was Morganna doing being friends with this…creature?
"She said she wasn't sure. Was that all, Mr. Leloupblanc?"
"Yes, yes."
~*~
*From a Terry Prattchett (sp?) book. Death was a bit confused, I believe. I forget the title of the book, but it was in the Discworld series. I also forget the exact wording. Anyway, don't mind me. Read the story.
~*~
Author's notes: that's all for chapter two of Wishful Thinking, thank you for reading.