Disclaimer: All characters herein except those otherwise noted belong to J.K. Rowling, who I think, on occasion, to be some sort of goddess. Inspired by another fic of mine, and throught out while sitting through much boredom at work. Spoilers for all five books, I suppose.
Notes: Thanks so much to Kathy, for beta, and for helping over rough spots plotwise. Love ya, babe. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and given me such wonderful feedback.
Through Time
Eight: The Army and the Order
They all stared at Lily. The redhead still looked at Neville, unblushing, and knowing every eye of all of the kids in the great hall was on her.
"While we're at it, I might as well say, I'm Sirius Black." Sirius put in, sounding almost bored. James snorted.
"Potter, James Potter." James said, lisping out the 's' on the end of his name like an actor he'd seen once in a muggle movie he and Sirius had gone to. He lifted his glasses out of his robe pocket and put them on. "Please to make your acquaintance."
"Look," Lily said, "as much as I'd like to stand around and get to know everybody better, but the wizarding world IS under attack, so…"
The front doors opened then, and Remus Lupin walked through them. Lily turned to him, and stared. He froze.
"Professor Lupin," Harry began.
Lupin stumbled forward. "Ooo, sorry," Harry heard a familiar voice say. A witch with neon pink hair stepped away from Lupin. "You oughtn't to stop like that, Lupin…"
Harry gazed openmouthed as a large portion of the Order of the Phoenix came through the doors. Molly Weasley rushed over to her daughter and son and grabbed them in her arms, squeezing them tightly. Ron blushed, and Ginny simply rolled her eyes.
"Hi mum," Ginny said.
"Why are you all here?" she asked.
"We could ask you the same," Ron shot back.
"Do not cheek me, Ronald." Mrs. Weasley said. She turned and hugged Harry and Hermione, who still wore startled looks. I'm so glad you're all safe!"
"Of course we're safe," Harry said, his arms dangling limply. "Why wouldn't we be? Voldemort isn't here."
Mrs. Weasley stiffened. "Well." She said.
Lily shook her head and turned around. "Sirius, go down to the Charms classroom and –"
"Sirius?" Lupin asked. He was staring at the boy. "Lily?" He almost choked. "James?"
"You're… Remus. But older." Lily said, staring at him.
"How…" Lupin asked. "No. This was his great plan. Of course."
He turned away from Lily, James, and Sirius and raced up the stairs, his robes flapping wildly as he ran. James, Lily and Sirius raced after him up the stairs, leaving Dumbledore's Army, Draco, Blaise, and the Order of the Phoenix in the hall.
"What's going on?" Tonks asked.
"We're Dumbledore's Army," Ginny told her. "And Draco and Blaise, of course."
"Well, I really think you should go back to Gryffindor Tower and stay there, Ginny," Mrs. Weasley said.
"No," Ginny said, looking at her mother. "We're not allowed to be part of the Order, but we ARE going to help, whether you want us to or not."
"Ginny," Mr. Weasley said, stepping forward.
"No!" Ginny said. "You're not paying attention. We were there last year, in the Ministry. We're going to be there this time."
She stared down her parents, unflinching.
"Well," came the growling voice of Alastor Moody, "we don't have the time to debate what these kids do. We're here to see Dumbledore."
The order, as one, save for the Weasleys, began to move up the stairs. Bill and Charlie stopped next to their little sister, who gazed up at them with the same defiance she'd shown their mother. Both men bent down and wrapped her in a tight hug, and Ginny closed her arms around her brothers, before they let go and went up the stairs. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley shook their heads and followed the rest of the Order to Dumbledore's office.
Fred and George Weasley burst through the doors then.
"Are we late?" Fred asked.
"I told you, yes," George replied. They stopped.
"Well hello," Fred said. Lee Jordan came in behind him, followed by Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet—the recent graduates, and more recent additions to the Order, and members of Dumbledore's Army.
"We need to get the Ravenclaws," Harry said. He did an about-face and charged down the corridor toward the Charms classroom without another word. Hermione, Ron, and Ginny followed, and soon, the rest of the students followed.
George flashed Fred a smile. "Good to see everyone again," he said. The youngest members of the Order of the Phoenix charged up the stairs.
~`~
Dumbledore was waiting for them, when Lupin, Lily, James, and Sirius burst into his office.
"Good morning Lily. Remus, Sirius. James." He said, inclining his head to the three men. "I suppose this is about what I did." He smiled at them.
"What?" Lily asked.
"You did it," Lupin said. "I know that you were trying to do it, but I never dreamed you'd actually be able to…"
"What?" Lily asked again.
"Why, bring you to this time, of course, Miss Evans." McGonagall said, frowning at Dumbledore. "The least you could have done was warn us, Albus."
"Ahh, Minerva, I thought it best that no one knew," Dumbledore said.
"You did this?" Sirius asked, startled.
"Of course." Dumbledore said. "It takes a powerful wizard to bring someone through time without the aid of a time turner. Myself, and Voldemort are possibly the only ones who could have done so. Lily, I realize that, after talking with Harry, you discovered that time is a series of circles. To complete one circle of your life, you had to be brought forward, then sent back without the knowledge that it had happened. You discovered that your love for Harry now would remain with you as you went back, and that would motivate you to give your life for him as an adult, in your own time.
"Therefore, you must realize that whomever brought you forward, would have to know that your presence in this time, and you meeting your son at the age of sixteen—when he has never, ever known you, or the love you have for him—would set into motion a series of events that would culminate in the defeat of Voldemort when he attempted to kill Harry as a baby. A murder that he could not commit, because he was protected by your love, locked within you from the age of sixteen. Voldemort himself would not have taken the chance to bring you forward, even if he thought that taking your life as a sixteen year old would prevent the birth of your son.
"That is why I brought you here—to start that circle of events." Dumbledore finished. "Now all that is left is to send you back."
"No!" Lily shouted. "No," she repeated. "I'm not going back."
"You have to," Remus said. "You cannot risk your life here."
"I won't be." Lily said.
"Lily," Dumbledore began, but the Order of the Phoenix began streaming through the doors, and he said no more to Lily, and Lily did not tell her plan.
~`~
Harry strode through the doors of the Charms classroom, stopping Professor Flitwick in the middle of the lesson. He strode down the aisle, the remainder of his companions remaining at the back of the classroom as he went to Flitwick.
"Sir, sorry to interrupt, but there is an emergency. Voldemort—"Harry said. Flitwick winced. "Voldemort has called his Death Eaters to him. Sprout, Snape, and McGonagall have already dismissed classes and sent their students to their dormitories."
"Very well," Flitwick said, his voice higher pitched than normal. "Prefects, if you would please escort the younger children back to their classes, it would be most appreciated."
He hopped down from the dais on which he stood to teach his class, and ran from the room as quickly as his short legs would carry him. Remus came running over to Harry. "Lily and Black?" he asked.
"She and Sirius are in Dumbledore's office, with Professor Lupin and the Order of the Phoenix," Harry told him. "Sirius has the counterpotion to the Glamour. He and James have already taken it."
"Thanks," Remus said, and hurried out of the room.
"What's going on?" Cho asked, coming up to Harry.
"Cho," Harry began, "I'll explain later. Please go and get Luna and Padma, and I'll explain it to the three of you when you get back."
Cho nodded and hurried from the room. The rest of the DA went from classroom to classroom, telling Professors what was happening.