A/N: I'm sorry for taking so long with these. And last chapter will probably need to be edited and then re-posted because of all the typographical errors I left in it, lazy git that I am. Did you know I have exactly 199 reviews as of right now? Vet'ran cosmic, thanks so much!

Oh, my lord. I just read what my cousin did. Honestly, having relatives over can be hell in a handbasket! For the record, my password has now been changed, but since six people liked …that…I think I'll leave it in. On a happier note, I now have a beta reader! Took me bloody long enough! Shara Michelle has given this chapter the okay, so here it is, and here you go.

Chapter Forty-Two Three: Consequences for All Good Things

Julie learned to do equations in math, though she didn't like it much. Her hair had started to get bushy. She had just turned twelve. Her parents were there.

She fell off the slide and scraped her knee with more blood than any of the other kids had had yet in her class. Instead of being terrified, she was too busy grinning as several kids gathered around to appraise the mark admiringly. She had just lost her second front tooth, and her first 'big' one made her look a bit squirrelish. She was seven-and-a-half. Her parents were there.

Julie disappeared from her crib a few hours after being turned in as a foundling child. She weighed eight pounds and four ounces and had a lot of dark hair already. Her scar was still red and had bandages around her tiny hand. At precisely two-seventeen in the morning, she vanished into thin air.
Noone was there, so noone noticed; excepting of course the couple who had picked her up to hold under an Invisibility Cloak. She was very little and slept through their visit, so she was very easy to hold and pass back and forth. It was putting her back down into the crib that was the hard part for them.

In the library, Julie and Beatrice were playing chess. As Beatrice took her time placing a bishop, Julie stared intently at the board. The instant her turn came, pieces began to slide around, both white and black, until black finally came to a mate within five minutes. When Beatrice looked back from the noise that had distracted her, she hadn't been paying enough attention to even care that the board was completely different, much less that she had lost. Julie didn't say anything, but sort of wondered what had happened, judging by her disturbed look.  It was the first time she used magic, on her ninth 'birthday.' Her parents were behind her watching quietly and very proud.

At Denningford Orphanage, nearly five miles away, Julie got the phone call telling her Cory had died. She didn't say a word, just stalked off into the night. When the Broughton authorities found her the next morning on the same step she had been left on, curled up in a crying ball, they had no idea her parents were there guarding her and had walked with her all the way in the dark. Miss Parkington wasn't the only person who hugged her, crying, that day, though she had no idea.

A ferret left at the Royal Humane Society came home in a thirteen-year-old Julie's pocket despite her dormitory Matron's protestations. She toyed with several names for the thing, finally calling him Anthony Starcatcher. He rode in her pocket almost always, and she even made a hole in the lining of her vest so she could have him along all the time. By then she had been classified as 'depressed,' 'antisocial,' 'lonely,' and 'a discipline problem' by her teachers, and noone really objected to Anthony as Julie's grades returned from where they had fallen when Cory died and her crimes disappeared but for a few pranks. She even started to talk to her friends again, and made some new ones, especially from the Drama Club. A boy named Jack Merridew gave her two white mice for her fourteenth birthday, and her first kiss as well. Her father was not only there but a little ticked at the boy's forwardness.

Ten-month-old Julie learned to walk in a room 'by herself.' Her parents caught her and supported her once or twice, though she could not see them. Her dad tickling her, though, she did feel and giggle at, though she did not yet have the suspicion to look where it was coming from.

While Julie studied at the library, a black-haired boy pretended to use the computer next to her, while a bushy-haired girl gave the appearance of reading. Julie wound up asking the girl where she could find something and was directed perfectly; she didn't notice the resemblance between them any more than she noticed the potion vial sticking out of the girl's pocket. All she could recall about the incident was the way the boy and girl kept glancing at each other, as if in amazement, probably flirting.

A sixteen-year-old boy sneaked up Julie on the dark. She used her knife and he was suitably injured and later transferred to what the kids called 'juvie.' Had she known that there was a very tall man grabbing the boy by the shoulders invisibly, she would not have cut him. She was ten years old.

Julie was called into the office, for her next transfer, she expected. A tall man by the last name of Thomas explained something rather improbable to her when the Matron was out of the room. At first she laughed in his face, but then he showed her his wand. When Julie finally accepted the idea of Hogwarts and being a witch, her parents hugged each other, knowing what would come soon.

It was then that they realized how much time they had spent in the past.

***************************************************************

"Five months?" Judy Parkington asked in shock. "Are you mad? You left a second ago, how are you to explain this?"

"Uh, just tell Julie what we did?" Severus asked rather sarcastically. "Something tells me she won't exactly mind the circumstances."

"Hasn't it occurred to you that what you did is technically a felony? It's not like people aren't going to notice it!"

"Calm down, Ron!" Ginny said, just short of smacking him. "You aren't going to lose your job, Sev and Hermione aren't in trouble, and the lot of you are overreacting terribly." The redheaded lady grinned suddenly. "And besides, the evidence isn't really that obvious. Witches wear robes, you know."

"I'm just wondering what Madam Pomfrey'll think when the baby's born in February instead of in June or so."

"Yeah! We get to see the baby before we go to America!"

"I was wondering when you'd realize that, Ron," Ginny said a bit acidly.

 "It's just occurring to me that you're really going to have a new baby," Harry said, smiling. "Don't suppose anyone'd care to lay odds on what kind he or she'll be?"

"I think a bet on his-or-her House would be more lucrative."

"Why? It's fifty-fifty Gryffindor or Slytherin, isn't it?"

"Oh, I don't know, my mother was a Ravenclaw."

"Now there's a bit of history I didn't recall," Professor McGonagall observed. "What names have you two got in mind?"

And thus the mad race of suggestions and scribbling on parchments began. Professor McGonagall excused herself a few minutes into it, but the only person who noticed merely suggested 'Minerva' if the baby was a girl.

The Headmistress had some miscreance to deal with.

***********************************************

"And now, nobles all," Tom announced. "I declare the Students' Revels open!"

Since all or most of the grown-ups and teachers had disappeared, the Weasley cousins and remaining students had elected to celebrate the holiday in their own way. A deserted classroom had been commandeered, desks pushed to the walls, leaving a central patch of cleared floor, which Tom and Tim covered with pillows. Chuck Weasley had procured a few boxes of some substance in bottles, and as each Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw entered, they were handed one. Just as everyone had settled into a more-or-less circle, a knock sounded on the closed classroom door.

"Who dares to knock?" Tim asked in his most uppity impression of Nearly-Headless Nick. "Reveal thy name and House of origin!"

"We are Grudgett, Blodgett, and Blodgett of Slytherin."

There was a silence before Julie made a grandiose gesture and said:

"Enter!"

The Gryffindors stared at her. She gave them a look and mouthed the words 'trust me.' Lyff and his twin cousins opened the door and bowed floridly.

"Many compliments of the season to all of you," Grudgett said. "We have come in search of the reveling we had heard was commencing here."

"We come bearing gifts," Jen announced, pulling a suspicious-looking bottle from her wizard robes.

"Enter in, noble Serpents," Hannah Stern greeted. "Knowest thou of the Muggle game we are hence to play?"

"Pardon mine ignorance of custom," Jem excused himself. "None of us are students of the Muggle Studies course."

"Then permit our American comrade to explain the game."

"That we will, earnest Lion."

The ultra-civil attitude and bizarre antiquated language was making it hard for Mitchie not to laugh. Biting her lip, she stood to explain matters.

"The game we play this evening is 'I Never.' Going in circular order after the manner of clocks, we each in turn announce to all present something which we have never done. All present who have done it must take a drink, and, if pressed, tell the tale of that which they have done."

"Well spoken, American. Shall then the game commence?"

There was another knock.

"Hold but a moment," Julie said, going to get the door. "Reveal to us thy name and House of origin!"

"I am Draco Malfoy of Slytherin."

There was a definite pause during which everyone stared at Julie in horror. Mitchie, however, found this to be splendidly funny and asked him in. The Gryffindors were grinning as Julie gave Mitchie an 'are you crazy?' look, to which the Yank merely mouthed 'trust me.'

"Art thou familiar with the Muggle game 'I Never'?" Julie asked.

"Yes, quite. It is played in France often."

"Then by all means, noble Serpent, do join with us!" Mitchie invited expansively. "As the senior present, would you do us the honor of going first?" She handed him a bottle as Julie openly scowled at her.

"That I would, fair Lion." Draco joined the students in the circle. Everyone waited with bated breath. "I never fell into the Hogwarts lake."

Lyff Grudgett, Chuck Weasley, and two Hufflepuffs all drank. Next it was Mitchie's turn.

"I never…had a crush on a teacher."

Everyone but a Ravenclaw took a drink. Mitchie smiled. "Alright, y'all, dish."

"Professor Granger," Tim and Tom whispered in unison. Julie shot them a look of venom and shock mixed.

"Me, too," said Donaghan. "In second year."

"Honestly!"

"No, I had one, too, it's understandable," Chuck observed.

"You guys!" Julie complained in abject distress.

"Come on, Professor, 'fess up," Mitchie coerced.

"Not you, too!"

"Well, no, mine was Professor Sinistra in second year."

"I had the biggest thing for Professor Snape," Hannah said with a grin. Julie had long since given up and buried her face in her hands.

"Didn't we all?" a Hufflepuff girl inquired.

"Oh, I had a crush on Hagrid," Lucy Christie said. Tom gave her a look of total incredulity. "It's hard to explain."

"I take it you didn't have a crush on your dad, Julie," Tim inquired. She was spared from confessing by Mitchie suddenly uttering a night-splitting howl.

"What was that?" Malfoy inquired.

"Sorry, a bit too much…what is this?"

"Absinthe," Chuck Weasley said jokingly.

"No!" both of his cousins cried. But it was far too late. Mitchie and Julie had both cracked up royally.

It took a few minutes to get everyone settled down, at which point Donaghan took his turn.

"I never bribed a teacher to get out of trouble."

That brought out several choice anecdotes.

"I never kissed anyone in a broom closet."

Everyone drank and that one was shrugged off.

"I never shagged someone out on the Quidditch pitch."

There was a knock and in the name of getting rid of Chuck's 'I never' Matius Flint was invited in.

"I never shaved a cat."

"I never got a note for the restricted section of the library by lying."

"I never dated someone who was more than a year younger than me."

"Speaking of, where is Aldous?"

"Didn't he go home."

"His parents were going abroad, I thought he was staying here."

That topic, perhaps not too wisely, was shrugged off.

"I never told someone I was gay to get out of dating them."

To everyone's shock, only Julie and Malfoy drank at that.

"Orphanage, he had acne like lizard skin."

"Millicent Bulstrode, need I say more?"

"I never kissed a teacher," Hannah Stern announced.

Julie looked surprisingly unguilty and began to count off on her fingers.

"Kissed my dad on the cheek after the Quidditch game, Uncle Harry under the mistletoe –does that count? Then there was Flitwick and Hagrid after I danced with them-"

"Good lord, you've got a record," Malfoy said.

"And you, that's five."

"I kissed Professor Granger once on the cheek," Tom said.

"She's like your aunt, that shouldn't count," Lyff Grudgett protested.

"I never dated two people at once," Lucy Christie said.

Julie and Jen Blodgett were the only two people to drink. Lyff looked like he'd just swallowed his own tongue.

"Who was it, Jen?"

"MacAndrew Shannon," she confessed with a grin.

"A Gryffindor?"

"Right on, girl," Mitchie encouraged.

"Jen! You cheated on Lyff with a Gryffindor?" Jem asked in shock.

"You're dating him? I thought you guys were cousins…?"

"He's adopted," Jen explained. "How 'bout you, Julie?"

"I plead the Fifth."

"It's not America," Mitchie said.

"Well, who could fault me a Gryffie and a Slyth at the same time? I was comparison-shopping. Let's leave it at that."

"Come on, 'fess up!" Lucy begged.

"I bet it was Malgryevic and Donaghan."

"The Bulgarian? No, thank you!"

"Then confess, Julie!"

"I wouldn't put it past her to fancy some first-year and lead him astray," Draco said. The look of undiluted vitriol his secret girlfriend shot him was enough to put him past suspicion.

"Anyway, it's Tim's turn," Mitchie observed.

"I never dated someone from another country."

Mitchie and Donaghan drank and then kissed each other very briefly. Julie didn't even twitch and even seemed to approve of this. "Guess it wasn't Malgryevic then."

"If you people find my life to be so damn fascinating…" Julie scowled.

"It could be worse, Julie," Jen Blodgett said. "Try explaining that you've dated your cousin for a year but that's alright because technically you aren't related."

The conversation went on between the two dark-haired girls, nearly ignored by the rest of the revelers.

"I suppose that sounds worse to you?"

"To your twin brother?"

"Alright, that is bad."

"Which breed did you wind up fancying?"

"Breed? Oh, definitely Slytherin. Griffies are so…well, they're completely unobjectionable, and you just get so damn close to them."

"See, I wound up liking the Griffie. Slytherins leave marks, y'know what I mean?"

"If we could continue?" Tom Weasley asked. "It's your turn, professor."

"Hmm…so much I've done, need something interesting," Malfoy mused as if trying to figure out one odd thing he'd never done. "I know. I never humiliated a sibling around their friends."

Both Grudgetts drank, as did both Weasley twins and many other people there. Mitchie waited a second and then took a small sip as well, which went mainly unnoticed. Julie and Malfoy, however, had been watching and recognized the gesture of apology.

"Professor, just out of curiosity, do you have siblings?" Hannah inquired.

"No."

Everyone found that funny. "Ms. Blodgett, I believe it is your turn."

"Alright. I never spent the night with a person in a different House from me."

Things degenerated rapidly from that point as the definition of 'spend the night with' was debated and bandied about all around. Several Ravenclaws had siblings or close friends in Hufflepuff and vice-versa, and a couple of Gryffindors had friends in different Houses, too. Next was Matt Flint's turn.

"I never kept a secret from my parents." Noone seemed to notice how pointedly he was gazing at Starcatcher. She gave him a smirk and drank like many others did. "At the risk of being forward, may I ask yours?"

"Christmas presents, Flint," Julie replied with a grin. Mitchie, the only one who had not drank anything, smiled as well. It was now Lyff Grudgett's turn.

"I never dressed in drag."

Malfoy drank a little more obviously than people would have realized. Julie gave him a smile.

"If I may inquire?"

"Masquerade ball at the Paris Opera House. I looked smashing."

There was almost nobody present not cracking up over that. "And you, Jules?" She had the good sense to give him a scowl before answering:

"I have played more guys than girls in my acting career due to shortages."

"Would you care to provide us with a few of your more notorious exploits, then?" Flint asked, a bit meanly. Julie replied with her best unkind sneer.

"How's Judas in 'Godspell' suit you, Flint?"

"Can you really play a shofar?" Hannah asked.

"Sort of."

"I never killed anybody," the hapless Ravenclaw next in line said, having been unable to think of anything. It was, of course, only the professor who took a drink.

"I am certain you are familiar with the war against Voldemort?" he inquired rhetorically. All were silent. "In the interests of good fellowship, I will say my total is three dead."

"I never told someone I loved them without meaning it," Julie said.

The Slytherin cousins and one of the Ravenclaws drank, and after taking a brief look at the Gryffindor Seeker and the Yank so did Donaghan, but noone noticed his. Julie especially did not see that as her attention was focused on her professor's drink.

He didn't even twitch and even gave her a solemn gaze before an almost sly smile.

"I find myself oddly unable to lie," Flint complained.

"Of course thou dost, worthy Slytherin," Chuck Weasley said with a smile. "Within each bottle is a very diluted form of Veritaserum."

"Cousin, thou art truly a miscreant," Tom said chastisingly.

"Or merely a believer in truth above the other three," Mitchie said.

"Other three?" Flint asked, giving the American a decidedly cold and condescending glare. "What values do you hold?"

"I consider myself a child of the Revolution, honorable snake," Mitchie answered.

"Oh, Mudblood faith," the Slytherin observed rather nastily.

"Mr. Flint," Malfoy said threateningly. But Mitchie just smiled.

"I assure you, sir, my lineage is as pure in line as yours by my father's side."

"So you are one of the American Tylers?" Flint asked in mock surprise.

"I am," Mitchie said, knowing full well what he meant. "And you are the scion of the Flints, two last heirs we seem to be."

Donaghan had his arm protectively around her shoulders and the game had come to an abrupt end. Everyone was tense as a spring waiting for something to happen.

"At least I am certain to have children and not puppies," Flint said with a leer. The curse that hit him a second later made him fall like a scrap of board.

The entire room looked from Julie, whose wand was still pointed in her hand at Flint, to Mitchie, who was suddenly terrified.

"I'm sorry, Professor," Julie said, "he annoyed my friend."

"Five points to Gryffindor," he mumbled.

Very quietly, Mitchie pushed back her sleeve and stood up to face the room.

"I think it's about time you guys found out anyway."

Just a little lower than where Dark Marks were always placed was a five-pointed star, almost a pentacle and clearly a birthmark. "My parents were both werewolves, I was…born this way."

Donaghan had her hand in his within moments, not quite strong enough yet to do what she was doing now. At last Jen Blodgett broke the silence:

"How freakin' neat!"

And that was all. Within seconds the entire room was restored and Mitchie's arm was merely being scrutinized as a room of kids would any other odd birthmark or tattoo. Privately, Julie wondered why Jen was being suddenly so nice. Something she had said echoed in her mind:

'Slytherins leave marks, y'know what I mean?' What was going on in the Serpents' Den?

But more importantly, what to do now that she knew one loved her?

Suddenly, an owl landed on her shoulder. She read the summons and laughed, pretending it was merely a funny note in honor of the season. It was actually something a bit dire.

'Ms. Snape, may I see you in my office? –Professor McGonagall.'

****************************************************

Now it is not easy to become a connoisseur of headmasters' offices. It takes years of dissidence, misbehavior, and especially good grades to accomplish this. Julie had been both chastised and rewarded in headmasters' offices, and it is necessary to have both occasions to truly appreciate what these kinds of rooms are. They must be both intimidating and decently comfortable, organized to the point of silliness and decorated predictably. Julie had been curious about Professor McGonagall's office for quite awhile, as her Head of House's wasn't intimidating at all. Her dad's was nearly scary and suitably Slytherinish in decoration, but still the Headmistress's had to be incredible.

She was not disappointed.

There were two chairs in front of an enormous desk, behind which reposed a veritable throne of a swivel chair. On the wall was an embroidered tapestry of the Hogwarts crest, enchanted so that each of the animals moved. Right then the badger was scratching its' ear and the raven flexed its' talons. The serpent and lion had started to hiss and roar in silent but obvious noise.

"Good evening, Julie," the kindly Headmistress said. "Do sit down."

This was a ritual every figure of authority in every school used. The student was made to sit down, papers –parchments as well, in the Hogwarts case- were looked through, and then the point of the visit was reached in about one minute. "About last night at dinner…"

"I'm sorry we kept arguing. It's kind of a habit."

"I rather expected the two of you to not get along. It was the behavior between you and Malfoy afterward that bothers me more, Julie."

"It was rather inappropriate, wasn't it?"

"I'm glad you realize that," Professor McGonagall observed just a touch sarcastically. "What I've really called you in here for, Julie, is to inquire just what is going on between you two."

'Damn Veritaserum to hell!' Julie thought. It was now time to haul out the omissive lies…the only kind she could manage on the drug.

"Well, Professor…" she began. "We do argue a lot, that much's obvious. Mostly it's clashes of culture and House and opinion."

"That, I assume, has to do with the fact that you grew up among Muggles?"

"More that I grew up among poor Muggles," Julie admitted with a smile. "He's so bloody patrician, drives me right up the wall."

"You wouldn't be the first Gryffindor to feel that way. What I mean, though, is why the charade when you clearly don't detest each other quite as much as you say?"

"Charade?"

The Headmistress gave Julie a look as if to say 'I'm not stupid.' The Seeker sighed.

"It's mainly on account of the other kids. I mean, it's bad enough I just turned up like a chipmunk in a rectory; having people lay odds as to which teacher I'll wind up shagging's ridiculous." The absurd metaphor finally got a smile out of Professor McGonagall. "And you could say I do find him rather cute."

"Hence the kissing in the antechamber a few weeks ago?"

"How did you know about that?"

"I'm Headmistress. I know many things."

"I believe that was a sort of prank. He only did it to tick me off."

"You also took a trip with him to Muggle London?"

"To the library, then around my old street a bit."

"So your excursion was purely scholastic?"

"That was the idea. We wound up getting to know each other a little, though. He's not really as bad as some of the Gryffindors made out."

"I was told he spent nights with you while you were in St. Mungo's."

"Yeah, he read me some interesting books about traditions and stuff in this school, especially 'Hogwarts, A History.' Most of the time I was asleep and he just switched shifts with my Mum and Dad…probably because he's Dad's friend I guess." There was a pause and Julie realized what the professor might have been implying. "Are you suggesting I-?"

"No, Julie, I just wanted to see how you'd react to the idea of it. Clearly matters are not as I had…feared."

"Okay, is everyone here convinced that runs in families?"

"I was worried more about Malfoy's family than yours. You might say that his father was on the –unscrupulous side."

"I don't think Draco is."

It was a split second before Julie realized her mistake.

"You're on a first-name basis?"

"You wouldn't believe how it ticks him off. I swear, though, if he calls me 'Julia' one more time…"

Sometimes it was easy to get away with stuff. This was not one of those times.

"Anyway, the other reason why I wanted to speak with you…have you been told what a Time-Turner is?"

"Yep. Can I have one?"

"Why was I expecting that?" Professor McGonagall asked hypothetically with a smile. "Actually, it is technically illegal for Time-Turners to be used unless it is by Aurors or students who have been specially recommended. Technically, your parents have just been off committing a felony."

"Really! How festive! What were they doing?"

"Visiting you, actually."

"In the future?"

"No, it was your uncles' idea to let them see you grow up. They've worked up a total of about five months time-traveling."

Julie was silent, biting her lip to try not to cry.

"Then why don't I remember it?"

"It's dangerous to try and change the past, Julie. Your parents went back as spectators, nothing more." Professor McGonagall realized just how bad this was making Julie feel. "I think you'll find, though, that you recall a touch here and a sound there, and I know you remember times when you were certain you weren't alone."

"Hold on a tick! Five months? Doesn't that mean-?"

"Yes, your sibling should arrive within the next two months, Julie."

"Then he'll be born before I go to America. I get to see him…"

Professor McGonagall realized then just how fatalistically Julie viewed the Mission. Maybe encouraging her to befriend Draco was not such a bad idea, if it made becoming the Dark Lady any easier. It was worth the risk.

Minerva decided not to give Julie the report from the American Aurory Office she'd just received. It could certainly wait until after the holiday.

"And by the way, you had marked in one of the class surveys at the beginning of the year that you were interested in Animagic. Is that still the case?"

"Oh, definitely!" Julie said, brightening. "All my favorite professors and uncles and parents can."

"I've been reviewing your scores on your research papers, and despite entering Hogwarts late, I believe you should be ready to join the Advanced Transfiguration group after Christmas holidays."

"Seriously, professor? When is it?"

"We meet after classes on Fridays and second Tuesdays. In the meantime, I recommend reading these few books…" Minerva handed the girl a list, which Julie accepted and began scanning over as if it contained the secrets of the universe. "And one more thing, Julie?"

"Yes, Professor?"

"Don't spend the whole holiday reading."

********************************************************

The carriage ride home was very surreal for Julie. Mitchie had elected to go with Donaghan to visit his grandfather, something Professor Snape agreed to after extracting solemn promises from both werewolves to behave. Julie knew the Yank didn't want to pry into her family, despite Julie's parents' decision to keep her as a foster kid. She also suspected that Donaghan would need some help explaining lycanthropy to his grandfather without being disowned. As it was, she liked traveling alone with just her parents. They had taken the Grangers back to their home near Manchester first, and Julie had spent awhile chatting with her grandparents. But by far, the best part of the trip was seeing her real home come into view for the first time.

The Snape residence looked a little like a small Hogwarts, only more shadowy and surrounded by lots of trees. In the winter sun, the snow on the Gothic roof glistened and looked as if the building was topped by iridescent quartz. There was only a light dusting of snow on the steps to the front door, despite the drifts that surrounded it on all sides; due, as her father pointed out, to a charm, as there were no house-elves to shovel snow. Julie shouldered her ancient denim backpack and got out of the carriage with her mum. For the first time in her life, she was really home.

Would this be the only time she would see it?