Chapter 2:

Disclaimer… I do not own Harry Potter or any related characters; they belong to J. K. Rowling and Warner Brothers

Lily took charge as the two strangers and James gaped at each other.  "Are you from before of after 1975 (A/N: this is an approximation based on what I've read elsewhere)?"

The boy stammered, "After."

"Then we'll go by first names only.  I'm Lily, this is James.  And you are?"
The boy looked as if he had been hit with a ton of bricks.  The girl, who also looked a bit surprised, said, "I'm Ginny and this is Harry.  By the way, we know your last names, do that doesn't matter.  What year are you in?  I'm in fifth, and Harry's in sixth."

This time James answered.  "We're both in sixth.  Hey, why's a fifth year in on the project?"

"To make a long story that we know little about short, stopped one stopped it, and to get a wider base on if it'll work again, Binns is giving it to fifth and sixth years," Ginny replied.

Seemingly ignoring the previous information, James dropped his jaw and said, "Binns is still teaching?  But I thought he was like, a hundred years old or something!"

Harry apparently had regained his voice.  "Yeah, he did die, but he is now the only ghost teacher."

Lily thought that enough time had been wasted, so she abruptly changed the subject and asked, "Did any of you do any preliminary research, or was it just me?"
 "I owled my mum for a book I got a few years ago and read it again," Ginny said, looking rather sheepish.

"If you did, why do you look so nervous?"

"Well, it's a Muggle book.  Actually a Muggle historical fiction kind of lovey-dovey novel."

"Oh.  Harry, did you do any?"

Harry responded with an, "Umm, no?"

Lily gave a longsuffering sigh and said, "James, as much as I hate to ask, did you?"

"What is preliminary research?  I've always wondered."

Suddenly, the four teens heard a noise drifting into their part of the woods.  A group of about five girls, of varying ages, walked towards a house that Lily and Ginny assumed to be the Reverend Parris's house, and the boys assumed to be God knows what.

"Well, now that we know that the meetings have started, we should discuss a game plan," Ginny offered up.

"Here's what I was thinking.  We really only ought to talk to the minimum amount of people necessary to do the project., that way we won't change anything,"  James said.

"Good thinking.  The only thing is , when do we know that we need to go back?  There has to be some point where we go back to our own time," Harry said.

"Why don't we just wait until we have enough to fill ten feet of parchment each?"  James asked.  "Ooh, I know, we could get a twenty foot paper, then we'll put in the first ten feet, then write 'to be continued…" and then on the top of yours you can write 'a continuation'?"

Harry and Ginny laughed and agreed, but Lily looked thoughtful for a moment.  "Well, we do need a prank to leave Binns with for all that he's done to us- yeah, I suppose we could."

"So that's settled then.  I suppose we should wait until those girls come out of what ever they're doing, and then we can corner, er, observe, them for a bit for some information," Harry said.

Just then, a voice from somewhere behind then said, "I'll wager you are new in these parts, eh?"

Startled, Lilly called out, "Who's there?"
An untidy old woman stood before them.  "It's just old Sarah Bibber.  If you folks are new here, here's a word of warning.  Strange things'll be coming about soon.  Going around as you are, I wouldn't be surprised if you get dragged into them.  Do you know what those girls are doing in there?  Tituba's telling fortunes and reading tea leaves and messing with the Devil's business."

"Bet you she isn't doing it right," Harry muttered to James, who stifled a laugh.

Thinking they were laughing at what she had said, Goody Bibber said, in a conspiratorial whisper, "Those girls are messing around with things that their Puritan daddies wouldn't approve of.  They'll probably do some mighty fine dissembling to get out of it if they get caught.  Those who stick out will probably get into a good amount of trouble.  You four best be watching out for yourselves."  And with that, she was off, leaving the teens to wonder if she had ever really been there at all.

After a few moment of silence, Lily spoke up.  "Well, that old nut was right about one thing.  We would stick out like a sore thumb.  James, if you don't mind…"

"Oh, right."  James waved his wand, muttering a complicated sounding spell under his breath, and instantly their clothes were changed to that of a Puritan in 1692.  Upon realizing how stiff and uncomfortable their shirts were, Harry and James immediately protested.

Ginny waved off their complaints with a wave of her hand.  "Stuff it, you two, we don't have time for you two to be complaining about how awful your shirts are.  In case you haven't noticed, these skirts have ample amounts of complicated stuff underneath them.  So unless you'd like to help with them later…"

"No, don't say that!  James will say yes and…" Lily broke off with a shudder as James grinned and Harry grimaced.

They four stopped arguing as they heard a group of girls heading in their direction.  James hissed, "Do we hide or let them see us?"

"Too late,"  Ginny moaned as the girls stopped their already subdued chatter.  The girls gave Lily and Ginny disdainful looks, while inspecting the guys further. 

"And who do we have here?" the girl who seemed to be the leader asked.  Even though she was obviously not the oldest, she gave off an attitude that said "Don't mess with me."

"Don't worry you silly little heads about them, they're not looking into girls right now," Lily said in a rather huffy voice.

The girl ignored her and said, addressing the boys, "I'm Ann Putnam.  And who might you charming gentlemen be?"

Lily cut off whatever James was about to answer and said, "Much too old for you.  I suggest you leave us alone."

Ann's face turned cloudy.  "Look, missy, things are happening, and if you don't shape up your attitude, they'll be happening to you."  Turning to the boys she said, "Well, welcome to Salem, if you need anything I'd be happy to help you boys."  She stalked off, the other girls following meekly behind.

As she left, she whispered to one of the other girls, "What a witch."

James yelled at their retreating backs, "That's wizard to you ninnies!"

One of them turned back and gave him and odd look, and Lily smacked him upside his head.  "Don't blow our cover!"

Trying to break up the imminent fight, Ginny said, "We ought to go talk to that Tituba woman.  She might be able to tell us something.  And James, Lily is right, we can't have you going and blowing our cover.  Harry, you be careful, too.  Let's go."

A/N: Alright, now how was that?  This took me about an hour to do, but it turned out about half a page longer than I expected.  I'll do my best to whip out the next chapter as soon as I can.  By the way, for those of you who are clueless, we do not like Ann Putnam.  Tituba is alright, I suppose, but she is used by Ann.  Tituba is the Reverend Parris's slave, and he does not know about what the girls are doing in his house.