Chapter Two: Yule Tide
Lily Evans Potter was a woman in, yet out, of her time. Her friends had aged, she had not; her son was fifteen when it seemed like he shouldn't be over a year old. And to compound matters, she had to deal with a sixteen year old copy of herself!
To be honest, though, she rather liked the little her; it seemed so long ago to her, being that age. Even at 21, she felt twice her age. Of course, this was to be expected, given the events in her life. Losing her friends, her husband, her life... then to just wake up fifteen years later amid the broken corpses and dying moans of several Death Eaters to find her son had killed Voldemort the first and second times, and that a friend of her son had not only killed Voldemort, but Lucius Malfoy and a creature called an 'Orc' named I'thok.
All this aside... it was good to be back. Oh, she'd miss raising Harry, no doubt about that... but given how... frisky she and James could get, she knew it'd only be a matter of time before another little Potter was on the way. Not to mention the little Evans who she had, almost instantly, come to regard as a combination of little sister and daughter.
She was interrupted from her musings by a shy little knock on her door. "Come in," she said. Lily Evans, said little sister/daughter, walked in, very shyly, and very nervously.
The elder Lily favored her younger counterpart with a motherly smile. "Sit down, Lily. I could use some company." The girl obeidiently sat. "Now, what's on your mind?"
"Um... well, you see... oh damn, this is embarassing..." the younger girl said in bursts. Lily chuckled; she knew what this was probably about. I got the same way when talking about boys with Mum...
She brushed that thought process aside; more old bones that didn't need digging up. "I used to be just like you, you know; very little of what I remember about being that age could have changed in the two weeks since out arrival. So, if there's a problem you're having, chances are... I know how to solve it."
Lily's younger version sighed. "I know, it's just... I'm confused about this situation myself. I'm here, twenty years out of place, my only good friends are a slytherin and... our son's... God, I can't believe I'm saying this at 16... friends.
"To make things worse, I want to go to the Yule Ball, and Harry scares off anyone who tries to ask me out, much less to the ball. So, I'll probably wind up dateless, and boyfriendless until Hogwarts ends."
Lily was, in short, angry. How dare her son do this? She supposed Harry thought he was protecting his mother from the suddenly horrifying advances of his male classmates. He'd have to realize that, despite the body and name, this girl was not his mother, nor would she ever be; Lily Potter was Harry's mum, and she intented to reinforce that.
"You let me deal with my son; he'll stop acting like a rather overprotective older brother soon. Now... let's have a bit of fun, shall we? Who it that you want to ask you?" Lily said, going from serious to sounding almost like a schoolgirl again.
Lily the younger grinned. "If I told you, it'd be like telling myself, huh? Well, I've looked all of the boys over. Harry's nice, reminds me of a nice version of James, but being his mother-of-sorts just makes it disgusting.
"His friend Ron's ok, but he's smitten with a Ravenclaw. Besides, two redheads' tempers might tear down the school." Both of them laughed at this.
"Moving on... Draco seemes interesting, but given that he's involved, and seems to be a bit dark... I dunno, reminds me of Severus, except for the good looks and girl." Lily laughed again, while the teenager grinned again.
"Most of the Gryffindor boys are either too dumb or too... 'active', to say it nicely... to interest me. The only one that I can admit to having the slightest interest in is the mysterious one, Gaius." Lily recognized the name from some of Dumbledore's briefings; apparently, he was of some importance to Harry's future, if Aristotles was to be believed.
Not a bad looking boy, in her opinion. Light brown hair, green eyes, well-sculpted face... nothing to take your breath away, but nothing bad, either. Combined with his personality and intellect, and he made for a good catch, especially among what she considered to be a paltry lot of students. Amazing that her son had somehow managed to gather all those with any potential to him; amazing still that most were involved with each other now.
"He's not a bad choice; in fact, the only good choice, as all your other ones are either involved or related... admittedly, the only related case is also involved..." Lily said, sighing.
"What's wrong, mum?" young Lily said, then immidiately blushed as her hands went to her mouth. "I-I'm sorry, it's just-" she started crying, the emotional strain of things finally overwhelming her.
Lily immidiately enveloped the sobbing girl in her arms, patting her back, whispering words of comfort. In time, young Lily calmed enough to talk.
"I'm sorry about that, it's just... talking to you seems like what talking to mum should have been like... if I had ever gotten the chance."
"It's ok... I rather like the idea of having you for a daughter." Lily said, smiling. The two embraced tightly, but young Lily had to go.
"I'm glad to have you but, I need to go and think for a little while."
"That's alright; send my son to me when you see him. I'll strighten him out for you." Lily said. Then, her younger counterpart left the Potters' rooms in Hogwarts castle.
Elsewhere, Gaius sat. "Elsewhere" was the highest roof Hogwarts possessed; far enough away from people to properly think.
He was becoming more powerful by the day, no doubt about it; he was, at present, more powerful than Harry Potter, famed Boy Who Lived. Gaius knew, however, that he wasn't always going to be more powerful, nor as important.
Despite this, he held no malice towards young Potter, only the affection friendship breeds. (AN: No, Gaius is not gay.) Gaius was there for a purpose, just as was Harry, Dumbledore, Voldemort, I'thok, Aristotles, Grindelwald, Xallara... the list went on and on.
But what Gaius was pondering tonight was the part of the prophecy which focused on the Fusion of the Two Loves. This had been interpreted many ways, ranging from two life magics becoming one to two people becoming one, which in turn varied from Gaius and Harry (spoken of as the Guardian and the Dispeller of Darkness) to two as-yet unknown people.
The thing that bugged Gaius was his domine's refusal to elaborate on why Lily Evans had been brought as well as her elder version. At first, he suspected the old entity was trying to play matchmaker. But now, he thought that Lily was meant to fulfill some part of the prophecy, be it by being in the fusion, or setting it into motion.
A cold breeze blew; oh, how he longed for New Orleans sometimes! Always warm, only snowed every fifteen to twenty years, temperature barely ever got below freezing... and yet while there was never a dull moment, the excitement of the Crescent City was never life threatening.
He pondered that. Some of his friends stayed at Hogwarts for the holidays. He had the option of going home; he might just take them with him...
Gaius filed that thought for later, then wet back to thinking of prophecies... and Lily. He had been thinking of her a lot lately, even though Blaise still invaded his thoughts. Although he thought himself over the raven-headed Slytherin, he found he still harbored feelings for her.
What confused him was that he also felt that way for Lily.
Elsewhere, Lily was in the Astronomy Tower, thinking about her place in this new, old world. So much was the same, yet so much was different.
Her musings were interrupted by the appearance of Blaise Zabini, cherring the Gryffindor immensly; despite her Slytherin-sorting, the two girls had instantly clicked, and became almost as good of friends as the famous Trio was.
"'Lo, Blaise" Lily said in a low voice, cheerful yet not so cheerful.
"I know that tone of voice; what's wrong, Lily? Boy problems? Need me to hurt anyone?" Blaise asked. Lily giggled; she could just picture the terror in most of her classmates' eyes if the pissed off Blaise by hurting her friend.
"Nothing so bad that I want to make half of Hogwarts pee in their pants!" Lily murmured slyly, as the two girls shared a good laugh.
"Really, what's wrong?" Blaise asked as she sobered from their laughter.
"Harry's keeping all interested boys away from me."
"Good thing or bad thing? Like I said, if you need me to hex him..." Blaise trailed off.
Lily giggled again. "No, I did something better: I talked to mum... well, that's what I've taken to calling my older counterpart... anyway, she's pissed as hell about it, and probably will be doing all the hurting for you."
Blaise smiled; about time someone put that little idiot in his place. Not that she would tell Lily; she had no desire to hurt her friend.
"Anyway... you interested in anyone?" Blaise asked.
Lily blushed and looked away. "You'd get mad."
"Nonsense, it can't be that bad. Tell me"
"Gaius Maxwell."
An akward silence came upon them, but didn't stay for very long. "You do have good taste; and no, despite the fact that I used to date him, I'm not angry. Just... surprised."
"Do you still feel anything for him? I mean, I couldn't do anything of it would hurt you."
Blaise, who was turned away from Lily at the moment, grimaced. Oh, how she ached for the touch of the reclusive American. And how sweet and considerate her friend was being, offering her an opporitunity to try to go back to him-
No. Blaise reached a decision. She'd had her chance. Things just didn't work out; she'd get over it, eventually. Lily deserved a try. The Slytherin turned around to face her redhead friend. "Go ahead and try for him; you have my best wishes."
Lily visibly brightened. "Oh, thank you, Blaise! Thank you!"
Blaise laughed. "Thank me after he goes on a date with you!" The other girl smiled, a smile which Blaise returned as they embraced.
But Blaise wasn't feeling as happy as her hug and smile suggested. Something was bothering her, and she couldn't figure out what it was.
"Absolutely outrageous!" Lily Potter was saying to her son, who tried in vain to shrink more and more each minute; no success so far.
Then, James Potter and Sirius Black walked in. "We'll take it from here, Lils." James said, escorting out Harry before Lily could protest.
The three men walked to the Room of Requirement, which turned into a replica of Gryffindor Common Room. "Ahh, home sweet home, eh Pad?" "Right, Prongsie old mate!" the two ex-Marauders laughed together, remembering old times.
Then they remmbered why they were in here. "Harry, hpw are you protecting Lily by keeping all interested boys away from her?" James asked.
"I don't know; I just thought that no one should be trying to go out with mum."
"She's not your mum, Harry. She's just Lily Evans, a sixteen year old Gryffindor with hopes and dreams already differing from those your mother had.
"Giver her space; protect her, by all means, but don't smother her."
"But- Harry tried to interrupt Sirius.
"No buts. I'm right, and you know it. Ask your dad; he tried the same thing, only Lily hexed him for his troubles."
"Actually, padfoot, that was because I walked in on her wearing those knickers with the little-"
"DAD! I'm in the room, I don't need to hear about mum's knickers!"
For some reason Harry couldn't seem to comprehend, the two adults broke into laughter over this little remark.
"Honestly! They have good advice sometimes, but they seem so... childish!"
"Young in mind and body, Harry! Never loose your youth, it's the prime of your pranking life!" Sirius said, his mood far less akin to his name than beforew the Marauders were re-united.
"Say, James, now that Snivelly- err, Snape- is sort of on good terms with us... shouldn't we do a prank on someone else? To keep in practice?"
"Ok, Padfoot... but who?"
The next day, Professor Flitwick could be found squawking about how his blackboard became covered in obscene graffitti whenever he tried giving notes.
Professor Binns was found sleeping all day- much to the relief of his students.
Last, but not least, Professor Sprout found her greenhouse overrun with the "New and Improved Marauder-approved Edition" of WWW's Instant Swamp.
Blaise continually dropped hints to Gaius about Lily liking him. This culminated when she found him in a pissed off mood.
"I know, Lily fancies me! No moe hints today, I'm not in the mood!"
Rather than be offended, Blaise looked amused. My my my, aren't we touchy today?"
Gaius sighed. "Sorry, Blaise, it's just been a rough week."
Blaise regarded him; as he had seemed to spend less time with her as of late, he hadn't gotten a chance to really talk to her recently. "Oh? How so?"
"I've been reading the Prophecies again."
Blaise sighed, unconciously repeating Gaius. Those damn books always get him depressed. "Why do you read those books? Why not just ask your 'domine' Xallara?"
"I heard the quotation marks around that one. Is there any particular reason you don't like him, Blaise?"
"I don't like him because he plays with time as if it were a toy!"
Gaius chuckled. Blaise growled. "What?"
"If it weren't for him, you wouldn't have acquired your new best friend, Blaise. Give credit where credit is due."
"Fine, fine... Can we talk about something else?"
"Sure," Gaius said, still chuckling a little bit. "What?"
"Well... I'm just curious... do you fancy Lily at all? Even a bit?"
Gaius thought about this for a moment. How does one answer such a direct question indirectly?
"I admit, I do feel a certain... attraction towards her."
"You're not answering me and you know it, Gaius. Tell me the truth."
Gaius looked a bit embarrassed. "Alright, I do... fancy her. There, I said it. Satisfied?"
"Immensely." Blaise said, smiling at him. She no longer felt anything but friendship towards him, she was certain. Well, at least she hoped she was.
"So, Harry... how was your 'chat' with mummy?" Ron asked, laughing.
"And just how do you know about that?" Harry asked, irritated.
"The usual way: Hogwarts grapevine. Lily told Blaise, Blaise told Gaius, and he told me and Draco."
"Ugh. If I stop one person from asking her, not only will my mum kill me, but my dad and Sirius will too." Harry said.
"Well, Potter, you asked for it. We told you not to do it." Draco called from a bunk in the Gryffindor 6th Year Boys' dorm. Although not a Gryffindor himself, he was a frequent visitor to their dormatories as of late, as were Blaise Zabini and Luna Lovegood.
"Why not pick someone to ask her, then?" The three boys looked up at Gaius, who was just walking in the door.
"You know... that's not a bad idea. Could you suggest anyone who's dateless?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, I could suggest me." Gaius said.
"I thought you were going with Blaise?" Draco asked.
"Well... not quite. She's dropped the hint- several, in fact- that Lily wants me to ask her." Gaius stated.
"...Alright, you ask to take her. But don't do anything, lest I hex you."
"And get hexed by your mother in turn." Gaius retorted, sending Ron and Draco into laughter.
"Oh. Right." Harry said, suddenly remembering the many- and quite unpleasant- things his mum had promised to do to him if he interefered in her younger version's love life again.
The look on his face sent the other three boys in the room into howls of laughter again.
Events suddenly acquired a swift pace after Lily's intervention. Lily was asked to the Yule Ball (and subsequently accepted) by Gaius; Draco and Ginny were found to be mysteriously missing more and more often in the days leading up to Yule Ball, during which times Ron had to be forcibly restrained from attacking.
Harry and Hermione were spending more and more time in his dorm... "'Just studying together.' Right. More like shagging each others' brain out." Ron snorted one day, talking to Ginny by the fire in the Common Room.
Ginny giggled; Ron studied her face."You know something."
"Hermione made me promise not to tell!" she said gleefully, which in itself answered Ron's question.
The boy in question groaned. "Please tell me they aren really..." he trailed off, and Ginny just giggled again.
"Oh, come on, Ron. It's nothing you haven't done before." That statement certainly shut him up.
All of a sudden, a pall came over the room. Everything seemed to darken, then brighten up. Ron looked at Ginny, whose mirth had vanished completely. On the contrary, she looked terrified by something she saw.
Ron turned, and saw three shadow-like figures moving up the stairs. Up the stairs. Where Harry and Hermione were. The redhead bolted, making it to the stairs as he heard the first screams.
He entered the 6th Years' dorm to find the three shadows attacking the room's two occupants.
"Dispellarimite!" he cried, wand shooting a jet of blue-white light toward one of the shadows. It had no effect, save to make it brake off it's attack on Harry and move towards Ron.
Ginny rushed up the stairs, followed by Luna and Draco, who the two Weasleys had been waiting for. They made no difference.
In the time stream, Gaius noticed a shifting of time. Something was wrong. He then examined it, and felt the most fear he ever had in his sixteen years. The Trio. They had come.
"Domine Xallara! The Trio are come!" The Aspect of Time moved swiftly, entering Hogwarts' Gryffindor Tower, his protege in tow. (The runes of protection were so much sand in a boot to an Aspect.)
He dispersed the Trio, who hadn't enough power yet to truly fight off any magical being of great power. In short order, Dumbledore had too come to the site of the Trio's first attack, and began bringing the students to the Hospital Wing.
Xallara turned to his student. "Now," he said, looking grim, "You know why you are called the Guardian. You have done well this day. Shortly, you will inherit a great deal of my power, and stand alone in your post."
The incident hadn't affected the school, so few knew why Harry and his friends were in such a seemingly depressed state. Said people were given time off of classes to recuperate.
Harry and Hermione had not only recieved an inquiry about the nature of the attack, but as to what they were doing when the attack came. Needless to say, McGonagall had some choice words about this, at which Dumbledore could barely contain his laughter.
Ron, Ginny, Draco, and Luna were examining the Gryffindor Common Room, especially the place where the Trio had entered.
Lily and Blaise stayed in the Hospital Wing, keeping Hermione company.
Harry was in training, as he had suffered the least damage during the attack.
And Gaius was up to his eyes in stacks of books and videos. He knew he had seen the Trio somewhere before.
He looked at Dante's Inferno: the Three Betrayers, Judas Iscariot, Marcus Junius Brutus, and Gaius Cassius Longinus.
He looked at future Muggle films: references to a Trio of evil spirits wer found in the films The Darkness and White Noise.
He looked all over time and space, finding so many references to a Trio of evil that it was scary. Especially so since it was a major part of Aristotles' Seventh Prophecy.
He tried to figure out who they could be, searching all through the Records of the Evils of Time and Space, a book compiled by those who were privy to the secrets of time.
He drew up a conclusion: the three spirits of the Trio were Grindelwald, Voldemort, and I'thok.
Grindelwald was the most aggresive, and the most prominent. Voldemort was the most detached, most ruthless, and the least prominent. I'thok was the most powerful, and the least involved. He was, however, their way into the mortal realm.
Also part of Aristotles' Seventh Prophecy was that the Trio, when at the pinnacle of their power, would become one, and become as powerful as an Aspect. The thought of this made his blood run cold.
He turned his attention to his friends. They needed a break. A long break. The Christmas Holidays would work, but not in England. They definately had to come to America. For located there was the only place where they could leave Hogwarts, yet still be protected: Maxwell Manor.
He would have to talk to Xallara, but when they were finished with the wards around his father's mansion, there wouldn't be any way anyone save those he allowed could get inside.
Eventually, the depression lifted, and just in time, too; the Yule Ballhad arrived. Nearly three hours before the Ball was scheduled to begin, the girls who planned to attend returned to their dormarotories to begin dressing and making themselves up.
The boys, on the other hand, didn't being to at most an hour before the Ball, sometimes waiting until it was 15 minutes away. To pass the time, most played Exploding Snap or, as in the case of Harry, Ron, Draco and Gaius, Poker, a game which Harry had introduced Ron and Draco to.
At last, it was time for the ball to begin, and the boys gathered outside the Great Hall to wait for their dates to arrive. Harry, Ron, and Draco were going with their girlfriends, and Gaius was to take Lily... to keep her away from "those damned boys who're just after a snog" (as Harry put it), of course.
Hermione was the first to arrive. Harry could do naught but stare, as the dark green dress flattered her figure nicely, yet was also, somehow, very modest. Ron got a good laugh out of Harry's reaction, until the second girl arrived and he, too, couldn't help but stare.
Luna wore a dark blue dress, in the same design as Hermione's, and her hair, instead of it's usual frizzy self, was softly waving, and two tendrils framed the sides of her face. Draco thought Ron's face was hilarious, but didn't say anything. He knew that Ginny would probably reduce him to a speechless imbicile.
Hermione and Luna were soon escorted into the dance by their still-speechless boysfriends, and Gaius waited with Draco outside the Great Hall. "How long do you think it'll be before they recover their powers of speech?"
Gaius chuckled at this. "Probably about the same length of time as us."
Draco looked up. "Fancy Lily now, do we?" This recieved a snort in reply.
"Surely Blaise told you."
"Indeed the di- di- diidd..." Draco trailed off as Ginny walked into view.
Her dress was unlike the kind Hermione and Luna wore, and though it wasn't at all modest, it certainly couldn't be labeled 'slutty' or 'trapish' by even the most conservative judges, and Gaius was certainly very conservative.
Draco found he could actuallt speak, amazingly. His words, however, were less than scholarly. "Ginny... nice look you." He could have killed himself for that.
He relaxed when she giggled. "I'll take your loss of grammar as a compliment..." Draco blushed at the next part, which was whispered. "...you'll lose all speech later tonight."
They walked in, and Gaius was left standing alone... but not for long. Blaise soon walked down. Gaius had to fight to retain speech. "Who're you going with, Blaise?"
She grimaced. "Theodore Nott."
Gaius made a noise which sounded like he was about to vomit; Blaise laughed. "My thoughts exactly!"
Lily then arrived... and Gaius lost the battle of keeping his speech about him.
"Well? How do I look?" Lily asked shyly.
"Amazing. Breathtaking. Indescribably beautiful." Gaius said, incapable of complete sentences.
Lily went bright red. "I can't look that good!"
Blaise spoke this time. "Sure you can... just look at our normally-composed friend here. Go on and enjoy the dance; I'll try not to bother you tonight."
"If we provide an escape from Nott, then it's no bother." Gaius said, recovering his ability to speak.
"If you say so... now go inside!" Lily and Gaius obeyed Blaise's instuctions.
The Ball went well, and Theodore Nott didn't bother Blaise but once; that one time he did, he was promptly thrown from the Great Hall by Draco Malfoy.
As the night dragged on, the various couples left the Ball to find places to spend... quality time... together. Ron and Luna were the first to leave, followed by Draco and Ginny.
Harry and Hermione left, but not before Harry could give Gaius and meaningnful look.
The boy in question shrugged it off, not intending to do anything that the raven-haired boy suspected he would. He just danced and talked with Lily. Blaise drifted by to tell them she was leaving, and gave Lily a little wink.
Soon, few people were left in the Great Hall, and Dumbledore announced the last dance of the night. The people left gathered on the dance floor, including James and Lily Potter. As the moved about the dance floor, the older Lily caught her younger counterpart's eyes and mouthed 'Kiss him!'.
Lily blushed, and Gaius noticed, even though she tilted her head away from him. "Hey... what's wrong?" he lifted her head up with his hand, gently forcing her chin up.
She looked at him. "Nothing."
he watched as she spoke. Her lips looked so soft, so warm, so inviting. But no, he couldn't do it. He couldn't, couldn't, couldn't...
He was doing it. He kissed her, and she kissed him right on back. They broke apart, looked at each other... and kissed again.
Before either could be reprimanded by McGonagall, Dumbledore cleared his throat and gestured towards the exit... and the scandalized Head of Gryffindor. The two students bolted.
The next day, the group of friends gathered to plan their Christmas holidays. "Well, me and Gin are supposed to go to the Burrow." Ron said.
"I'm staying at school... Harry is too, I think." Luna said, and Harry nodded.
"I'm staying too; I've no desire to return to Malfoy Manor."
"Back to the Muggle world of the Granger family."
"I have no idea." Blaise said.
"I might stay here, or I might go to London with James and Lily." Lily said.
"I'm headed back to America. And all of you are invited." Gaius said.
The others in the room considered this. "Where in America?" Hermione asked.
"New Orleans, the Crescent City of Sin, home of Mardi Gras and Bourbon Street."
Hermione considered this. "If I'm not mistaken, those are Muggle sections of the city."
Gaius snorted. "There are no purely Wizarding sections of New Orleans. We simple limit magic to our own homes. My father's estate is about 30 minutes from New Orleans by car, and is hidden from Muggles in the way that Hogwarts is."
Most in the room considered his offer and, in the end, agreed. They were going to America.
R&R, s'il vous plait.