The disclaimer is in the first chapter.

AN1(I don't know how long before the next chapter, but I had these edited, and I couldn't keep them locked up.)

Author Notes 2. I want to thank the Higher Power for the opportunity to learn more things every day.

Way back when I had a tool that allowed me to edit and create cover arts and I worked with that tool for some time, without issues. Last year my laptop crashed, and I had to get a new one, and since I had not been using any photo editing tool, I lost sight of how to edit and customize any cover art.

This year, the challenge arose, and uh, it has been a constant headache, to get used to the new options, too much information, too technical in content, and well, I got to use a new set of tools and was suffering soo much through the process that SlytherinSal said, here, this is what I think your cover art should be, and I agree, newsflash, this is the first time someone does something like this for me. Hence why I changed the cover art. It was a gift, and you don't turn such a gift away.

Noppoh, was the first to laugh at my grammar, way back in 2016 when we met, still, she helped me make sense of it all.

Mark the Unruly was the one that said, yeah, let's get the story (or any story) into shape and all of them have been amazing through the latest trip. So, if you ever have friends that keep up with your crazy ideas, or people that come up and ask for help, help, and I promise you will be surprised by how your world becomes a lot richer, with just the smallest of details. Including the knowledge of new photo editing tools.

In case you were wondering if stories just appear like spontaneous generation organisms. Nope, It takes an entire village to raise a child, or in this case 3 brilliant and stubborn people besides yours truly here.

Enjoy!


Chapter 3. The original Alliance of the Light.

Lord Frank Longbottom opened his eyes at the sound of baby giggles. Something wasn't quite right, for one, the bed was different, also the room was full of light and he could hear an indoor fountain beside the baby's laughter. He looked next to him and found Alice — she was sleeping deeply — then he remembered. The Fidelius Charm had been breached and Alice and himself had been under attack. His mother had received a curse, and he had heard that bitch LeStrange cackling. A dog had growled and the Cruciatus curse had stopped. He'd turned to Alice. She was breathing and trembling, but unconscious. He dragged himself towards her before he, too, passed out. Now, in a beautiful bedroom, he regained consciousness and, when he noticed Alice breathing at ease and with no signs of struggle or battle scars, he wanted to believe that his memory was nothing but a bad dream.

Lady Augusta knocked on the door. "Frank, are you up, son?"

"Yes mum, give me a moment. Let me wash my face first."

"Very well," replied Augusta.

"Frank, what- Where are we?" asked Alice.

"I haven't got a clue, but I heard Neville's laughter and mum is here too, and you opened your eyes, and Merlin, just for this moment I'm grateful," said Frank while he embraced Alice.

"It's okay Frank, we are all here, that's what matters," said Alice, and she returned the hug and felt her husband tremble and weep.

After a while, Alice and Frank emerged from their room to a beautiful Spanish Villa home. Alice recognized the coat of arms as the Potter's and she said, "Frank, this home belongs to the Potter's, but how?"

The Longbottom's walked into a garden and noticed a couple.

Sirius Black was there and next to him was a woman who was breastfeeding a child under a thin blanket. The woman raised her eyes and Frank began blushing; she had a loving allure about her. Alice felt something familiar about her but had a tough time placing what it was.

The child finished feeding. The woman cleaned him and then uncovered the boy. Only then did the Longbottom's realize it was baby Harry Potter. The strange woman smiled at baby Harry and said, "Okay, you've had your snack, now it's time for this bunny to take his nap." The toddler struggled with drowsiness and, after a moment of rocking and patting on his back, he went to sleep.

Luz appeared and took baby Harry to his room. Lady Augusta arrived as well. She was carrying Neville. He, too, was fast asleep. Luz appeared next to Lady Augusta and took Neville to bed. Once the children were resting, Lady Augusta reached out to the strange woman, took her by the hand, and said, "Come, Mary dear, you must have your breakfast; we need you to be healthy if you are going to keep feeding that little boy."

"Mum, could you tell me what's going on? Where are we and who is this woman that is taking care of Harry?" asked Frank.

"Frank." Lady Augusta walked to him and hugged first her son, then her daughter-in-law. "It's so good to see you up and ready to question. It took three days for the two of you to come around. Thankfully, the healer said you and Alice are now out of danger. Please, come along, Mary has been a wonderful hostess and I'm sure you will get all the answers you need."

Alice and Frank nodded, a bit surprised at Lady Augusta's physical display of acceptance and greeting; it was as though she was under a powerful cheering charm. Lady Regent Longbottom was usually cold and detached to new acquaintances, however, something had shifted and, to Frank and Alice, it was an amazing change. The Longbottom's walked into the kitchen and there was an array of fresh fruit, toast, cereals, juices, and other morning goodies. The Longbottom's took notice of how their Matriarch began preparing a plate and pushing it to the woman. The woman, Mary, began blushing and smiled, then said, "Gussie, thank you, you're too kind."

"Nonsense dear, I remember a certain Lord Frank to be insatiable as a babe as well and I always had to have at least five small meals in order to deal with the chores."

Sirius wanted to laugh but an arched eyebrow from the hostess Mary stopped him. Now Frank was curious. Alice too began gathering food, and Mary asked, "Would you like some tea with that, or fruit juice or coffee?"

"Fruit juice, please?" answered Alice.

"Of course." She picked the pitcher, served, and passed the glass. As they were eating, Frank realized she was a substitute soul, however, her soul was still there, that meant that there was more to the woman in front of him. It was then that Mary's eyes shifted to the emerald green shade of Harry's.

Mary/Lily spoke, "You are a very perceptive man, Lord Longbottom. What gave me away?"

"There was something very familiar about you, but the thing is, I've never seen you. Then I realized that sometimes magic manifests in extraordinary ways, and you feeding baby Harry meant that something equally unique had occurred. Only then you appeared Lily, my question now is when did you Lily, and you Mary, first meet? And, what kind of spell did you weave on my mother and the babies, that everyone is so at ease with you?" asked Frank.

"There is a reason you are a top Auror, it would seem. Congratulations on a sound theory. Let me answer your questions."

An hour later after the retelling of the tale, of the traveler, the child, and the Grimm, Alice and Frank looked ready to be sick again. Mary/Lily quietly asked, "Are you okay? Do you need more rest?"

"I- I'm just trying to digest the story. I mean, from what you are telling us, everything went to hell after the Potter's died and I'm sure, if not for your opportune intervention when we were under attack, my son would have ended up an orphan too. Regent Potter, you saved us when you sent your Grimm to protect us. Now I understand why my mother, the very proper Lady Augusta, is so gracious to you. I, too, would fawn over you, like a bee to the flower. There is one thing though; my mother rarely relaxes. Are you sure you did not dose her with any potions?" asked Frank.

Any other witch would have been offended at the question. Mary smiled and answered, "Goodness no, I just welcomed her to my home, kept a close medical watch over you two, and organized games between the two godbrother's. Other than that, there was no magic or manipulation."

Lady Augusta snorted, and said, "Yes, no manipulation from you, but Albus Dumbledore has manipulated us all to a tee."

Alice and Frank gaped at Lady Augusta's bluntness. Still, no one could debate her stance. "Mum, what are you saying?" said Frank Longbottom.

"She's right," said Lily/Mary. "That man was instrumental in both our houses being targeted and our boys almost ending up as orphans. These two boys are heirs to power and wealth. So, if the noble houses of Potter, Black, and Longbottom fell, who would gain from your houses not making a stance?" asked Mary.

"The original alliance for the light," answered Augusta.

"Right, so with the war done, no original alliance of magical houses, and no one to direct the wizarding world, the power falls under whose hands, and for what purpose?" asked Mary again, her golden eyes shining.

"It would fall under Albus Dumbledore and his bloody greater good," answered Sirius.

"I mean no offense to you Mary, but what the hell? Did it take a time-traveling Squib to see through this conspiracy? And, you Mary, you've been here a week? While we have been living here for years and only until now, we can see the facts?" asked Frank Longbottom.

"I take no offense Frank, really. But I have one more question: have you tested yourselves for brainwashing or drugs that might alter your attitude?" asked Mary.

Lily had to take a stance in Mary's body, her green eyes flashing in fury. "What Mary is trying to say, and I'm so angry I Could kill, is this: Do you think something magically compelled us to keep that bearded trash, that holier than thou cretin, in all of our plans? Because we accepted being part of the Order, did he too brand us just like Voldemort did to his footmen?"

Mary nodded and said, "That's it, we need all of you, and yes that includes you, Sirius, to go to Gringotts and check if you have tracking charms or magical manipulation by a spell or a potion. Once we get these questions answered, we will reunite here. If this Dumbledore was keen on eliminating you, then we need you to be clear of all suspicion. We will then reconvene to form a strategy. A strategy to bring this goat out of the chair of power. The war against one dark lord is done, now we begin one with a light lord and we must prepare. Our children depend on us."

"Heavens, yes. The regent for House Potter is correct; we will go to Gringotts and get that healer screening. We will reconvene here after we get the results," said Lady Augusta. Everyone nodded and took off, leaving Mary/Lily alone with Harry.

Mary smiled and said, "Lily, if you don't mind, I want to check that enormous bathtub and have a soak. I love caring for a one-year-old, but I forgot how demanding it is on me?"

Lily didn't blink and answered in an echo. "Of course, my home is your home."

Mary stared at her nude reflection in the bathroom mirror. "Goodness, was I ever this young and fit? ***I always pictured myself as being too fat, but I understand why I became pregnant. I was a real cutie. Why didn't you tell me that Harry's godfather was so handsome?"

Lily replied as Mary took a soak. "Well, because I never saw him as cute, only as a goofball that broke too many girls' hearts back at Hogwarts. Oh, don't get me wrong, he knows he's good-looking. Unlike the Malfoy's who consider themselves gods among men, the Black's were the scoundrels of hearts, and the Potter's just considered themselves the smart ones. Everyone one of those males had a moronic attitude, plus a colossal head and ego to boot."

"I noticed you said nothing about the Longbottom's?" asked Mary.

"Well, I had a crush on Frank Longbottom and on Amos Diggory but, you know, I won't mention that either," replied Lily.

"Oh yes, stronger and sexier than thou. But I have to say, Harry developed beautifully. If not because he was gone, his father must have been quite the looker too. You picked the smart one, didn't you?" insisted Mary.

"The smart mouth, yes, plus there was a hint of the great man that was going to mature into. When Harry was born, he became the kindest, most gentle, and funny guy. I wanted to have another two babies, but I guess that wasn't written in the stars," added Lily.

"Yes, that happens. I too married a man who had the possibility of becoming a great one. But instead, I ended up raising my son alone. I don't regret it; sometimes things don't go the way you want and you just have to work with the things you do have," said Mary.

"Ah, Mary, I can see your soul. All of your knowledge, together with my magic, will make the difference," said Lily.

"We will just have to make sure that Harry develops without feeling like he's a god among men. That he doesn't become a heartbreaker, and that doesn't feel like he's the only smart one in the room. That, plus other goals, like that light goat lord and his sidekicks messing about with our style. Yes, Lily, I can certainly see that we have our work cut up for us," added Mary.

-oo0oo-


*** Imagine Karen Mulder or Jeri Ryan, look-alike and yes, that's Mary Simmons. Gorgeous, but down-to-earth and loving.***