Chapter Eleven:
Attack and Leaving
Walking down to the Great Hall the next morning, Harry almost crashed head on to the Marauders (Minus Peter) and Ginny, who were heading down to visit Lily. "Whoa Harry! Watch out!" Ginny said, getting up off the floor, her face slowly turning red. She had landed on James, and their lips were uncomfortably close. Now knowing that this was his son's closest friend, James had turned red as well, and slapped Sirius, who was laughing like a maniac, on the back of the head.
Harry had gotten a good laugh from that too, but also found it quite disturbing that his father and best friend were that close. Just to make the situation even more uncomfortable, Sirius had bugged the three of them. It took a combination of Ginny's Bat-Bogey Hex, James' Jelly Legs Jinx, and Harry's Rictumsempra Charm to finally shut him up.
A month and a half later, Harry received to letters, to his and Ginny's great surprise. At breakfast, he opened the first one.
Dear Harry,
I have been notified (Or rather remembered) that Death Eaters will be attacking the school sometime next week, I'm not sure of the date. I also remember that you helped the school, and then disappeared with a mysterious stranger and Ginny. Someone will be along to take you home. I trust that you will relay the message to Ginny as soon as possible. Please take your time remaining to get to know your parents, Sirius, and Remus very well. I feel that it is very important, and will make a positive impact on your future.
Best regards,
The Lemon Drop Lover
Harry rolled his eyes at the not-so-subtle hint about lemon drops. Then, he wondered who would come to pick them up. His best guess was Remus.
Then half-way through supper, a black owl swooped into the Great Hall, and landed right in front of Harry. Carefully, he opened the letter, and read.
Potter,
I hope you are doing well, because you won't be soon. No good luck and I don't wish you the best wishes. You already have enough luck and I don't believe in wishes, especially good ones for you.
One of your least favorite Death Eaters,
Lucious Malfoy
Harry laughed at this letter, and then burnt it up in front of everyone, who gasped in unison. They knew that black owls were not good news; either notices of the newest dead person, a family member, or a threat from Voldemort. Only Dumbledore had gotten one of these before, so they doubted it was one of those.
That night in his room, he told Ginny about the attack and about how they were going to be picked up by someone. She merely nodded, then left to finish her homework. Harry then told Dumbledore that the two of them would be leaving in the upcoming week. Dumbledore looked sad, as Harry was the best teacher he had in that subject.
Harry showed defences and practiced dueling in all his classes, so he was helping them prepare for the battle. During his class of first years, an alarm sounded, informing Harry of approaching Death Eaters. "Don't panic!" He yelled at his terrified class, "I have to go. Don't leave until a prefect or a teacher comes to get you. Miss Jack, you are in charge." He picked her because she was the calmest one of the group.
He ran to the Entrance Hall and onto the grounds. Already, there were teachers there. Ginny was right behind him. "What are you doing?" He hissed.
"I've been in worse battles than most of these teachers put together. If you are about to tell me to get back into the castle, then you will be in for it," Ginny cried. Harry, realizing she was right, simply stunned the Death Eater behind her, and continued, with her on his side.
The battle lasted for a quarter of an hour. Many of the teachers had fallen down, stunned, but even more Death Eaters had fallen. Right before he disappeared, Malfoy said, "We'll get you next time Potter, I can guarantee that!"
Harry just said, "In your dreams Malfoy!"
"No, my reality." He then disappeared with the rest of the Death Eaters.
Dinner that night was a subdued affair. Even though that none of the teachers had been seriously injured, most had to stay in the Hospital Wing at least over night, more for a longer period of time. Dumbledore had cancelled classes until there were enough teachers to teach their classes and substitute for others.
Harry was pushing his food from the right side of his plate, to the left, and back. Ginny was looking at him concernedly, but didn't say anything to him. If she would, he would snap at her and tell her to mind her own business. He always did that when he was in a bad mood, and Ginny had learned the hard way not to talk to him during this mood.
The doors to the Great Hall opened with a 'bang!' Harry slightly smirked, knowing it was someone from the future. They all made a big entrance.
"It's time to go," A silky voice said, "Headmaster's orders."
"Why are you here?" Harry asked pointedly, his bad mood showing through.
"The Headmaster gave me the tedious job of receiving you and her," The voice from underneath the hood said, "Trust me, I wasn't jumping in excitement, or wanting. Your godfather wanted to come, but the Headmaster wouldn't let him. Because of where it is."
"But, you're here," Harry said pointedly, hoping he'd get the point.
"No, it's that 'time of the month' as the dead convict said," The voice was taunting, and it was putting Harry on the edge.
"Look Professor, just take Harry and me away. Don't say anything, because I won't be defending you when he attacks. Personally, I'm surprised he hasn't already done so; I would have. Actually, I would have done so my very first week of Hogwarts. Then, maybe I wouldn't of had to go through that 'terrible ordeal' with the book, if you get my drift," Ginny said warningly.
"Very well, come, the two of you."
Harry and Ginny met the stranger in the center of the Great Hall. With a wave of his wand, the stranger, Harry, and Ginny disappeared.
"Wow!" A bunch of excited first years cried.
"How?" Second years asked the third years.
"They must have apparated!" The fourth years cried.
"No, you can't apparate or disapparate in or out of Hogwarts," A new, bossy voice said from the door, "Haven't any of you read Hogwarts: A History."
Everyone's heads swerved to the entrance, where the cloaked stranger first appeared. "Lily!" Three of the Marauders cried. James ran up to her and engulfed her into a hug.
"James, I can't breathe!" Lily gasped, and James loosened his grip a little, still hugging her.
They, along with Sirius and Remus got permission from Dumbledore, and went up to their common room, to update Lily on what had happened during the past two months. She was amazed, but couldn't help but smirk when she heard that it had taken them that long to figure out who Harry and Ginny were.
"I've known since Harry collapsed in front of the boggart," Lily bragged, "Remember, the one with all the people blaming Harry. Then Ginny's boggart was the book. I wonder what that one was about."
"Well, the gist is that in her first year, Ginny talked to a kid named Tom Riddle through that book, which was his diary. He actually lived about thirty years ago, and she talked to a memory of him preserved in that diary. Anyway, he possessed her and made her do some really terrible things. That's why she was so scared," James said.
"Can you believe that Harry is your son?" Lily asked, changing the subject.
"Did they tell you who his mother is?" Sirius asked. When Lily shook her head, James' smile stretched from ear to ear. "Well," Sirius continued in a whisper, "It's you, Lily Potter."
Lily's jaw dropped. Then, they all fainted in the middle of the common room.
"Thanks for placing that memory charm on them, Professor," Harry said gratefully, "I completely forgot. It would totally change the future…er…right now."
"No problem Harry," Dumbledore said smiling, "Am I correct in saying that you enjoyed your holiday?"
"Greatly."
"And you, Ginny?"
"Of course. But, not as much as Harry, I'm sure."
"That's understandable. Now, I believe that both Remus and Bill are fretting over you. They both wanted to come and get you, but I wouldn't let them. I want you to tell them where you were. You met both of them, didn't you?"
"Yes. I knew Bill better though, because I taught them."
"But I did talk to Bill a couple of times. He told me a whole pile of stories about him, Charlie, and Percy. He also said that mom is pregnant. He's in for quite a surprise."
Dumbledore chuckled. "I guess we'd better be off, before they both bite off our heads," Harry said. Dumbledore nodded, and gave them a galleon, which was a port-key.
"Finally! Where were you?" Remus' voice cried.
"We were-" Harry started off, but was cut off by Ginny's head knocking his to the side. Bill picked her up and carried her to her room.
"Tell us tomorrow," He said, once he returned, "Otherwise Gin may kill you, because she probably wants to say."
"Yeah," Harry said, yawning, "I think I'll go off to bed too. I'm exhausted."
That morning at breakfast, Harry, Remus, and Bill were all munching on cereal. Ginny was in the bathroom, and was for the last twenty minutes. "Hey Bill," Harry asked.
"Yeah."
"I was wondering, why did you make your hair that long, and get an earring? Not that I don't like it, but I did mine after you, and I want to know where it came originally."
"I did it after a teacher we had. Do you remember him Remus? He taught in my first and your last year."
"Er-what subject?"
"Defence Against the Dark Arts."
Harry spit out his cereal, then began laughing. He went to the bathroom and called through the door, "Ginny! Come out here now!"
A puzzled Ginny poked her head out and asked, "Why?"
"Just come."
She did, and met Remus and Bill in the kitchen, looking at Harry as if he was crazy. "What happened?"
"I was telling him that I styled my look after our Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Harry Patterson-" Bill said, but was cut off by Ginny's laughter.
"What did we miss?" Remus asked Bill, who shrugged.
"You see, when we were gone, Harry taught, and I made a new group of friends," Ginny said.
"But she had already known two of them," Harry said, "And I knew two of the students I taught."
"It's not really where we went, but when."
"We used fake names. Ginny was Ginny West and I was Harry Patterson. I taught your younger selves!" Harry cried, and then burst into laughter once again.
"Are you telling me that you were the best Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher we had, and one of the best teachers we had ever?" Remus asked incredulously.
"Oh my god," Was all Bill could manage. Soon, all of them were laughing at the irony.
"What's so funny?" A new voice asked from the door.
"I don't know, but I think that it's pretty impossible. Funny without us-" An identical voice said.
"Is impossible," Both the voices said.
"Fred! George! Oh my god!" Ginny cried, throwing herself into her brothers.
"Are you feeling good?" Harry asked.
"Yeah. Now, what was so funny?" Fred asked.
They all exchanged glances, and then Bill said, "It's a long story. We'll tell you later."
Remus looked at his new found family. It was hard for all of them to live with so many lost ones. He had thought he'd never be happy again, once he lost the other Marauders, and again when he lost Sirius for good. But, he had Harry, Ginny, Bill, Fred and George, and he couldn't take them for granted as they were all he had.
'We'll get through this,' He thought to himself, 'We can do this, as long as we have each other.'
Ah, the famous last words from a famous man (In Fred and George's view, at least). This is all for this story…hope you enjoyed it. I'm starting yet another time travel story (I really love these…if you have any gooders, tell me in a review or by my fanfiction e-mail: It's about Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, and Luna getting chucked back into the Marauder's era (Of course!). It has an alternate fifth year ending. Read it, cuz so far it's really good! (At least I think so, but that's practically mandatory, because I'm the author.)
Toodles!
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