A/N: Thank you to my Beta, lozipozivanillabean, especially for constantly cheering me on!

xxxxxiv.

salvation is coming in the morning

(Saint Honesty by Sara Bareilles)

August 6, 1981

"No."

"James—"

"I said, no, Hermione!"

Rage and fear swirled inside his chest. His mind was already a jumbled mess from everything Hermione had told him, but he still could not fully grasp why she was willing to sacrifice their family's safety just so they could defeat Voldemort. It didn't help his confusion and anger when he found out that she'd sneaked out of their house a few nights ago just to meet Dumbledore and tell him her plan.

Ire flared in his heart as he took a deep, shuddering breath just so he wouldn't blow his top off. Judging from Hermione's blue eyes, he knew that she understood his reaction right now but still, he didn't want to spout ridiculous things fuelled by irrational anger and fear he may later regret.

A few hours ago, Albus Dumbledore had dropped by their house. James was obviously surprised because they'd been contacting the Order leader for ages, but he'd never given them any proper reply. Dumbledore's presence and Hermione's distracted behaviour the entire morning, meant James had landed on a conclusion he knew he would never like.

Dumbledore allowed Hermione to tell James what her plan was. The Headmaster merely stayed silent, his blue eyes never leaving James's form. He didn't even flinch when James loudly refused, as though he was expecting he'd be disapproving of Hermione's plan.

"And you agreed to all of this… this madness?" he cried, wildly gesturing at Hermione.

It irritated him immensely how the old wizard continued to look serene despite facing a thunderous wizard. But then again, he was hailed as the greatest wizard of all time. No wonder he was the only person Voldemort truly feared. "It is a brilliant plan, if I may say so myself," he calmly answered.

James took that as a cue to stalk out of their living room, stomping towards their bedroom and slamming the door shut. A few moments passed when he heard their door creak open, his wife silently slipping inside. James wished that he was able to hold Harry right now, because at least his son gave him some semblance of peace and comfort during this difficult time.

"I'm… I'm going to see if Harry's awake," he stiffly said, already stalking towards the door, but Hermione was faster. She'd blocked his exit, a resolute glint in her eyes despite how they were swimming with tears.

"Harry's fine," she croaked. "Dumbledore volunteered to look after him until we've settled this."

"There's nothing to settle!" he thundered, hazel eyes dangerously flashing as he curled his hands into tight fists. "I've already told you what my answer is, Hermione. And no, no you cannot change my mind!"

He was breathing heavily, different worst case scenarios flashing through his mind. "Why—" He thickly swallowed as desperation seeped through his angry mask. "We're safe here, Hermione. Our family is complete. No one will die if we continue to stay here. Why do you want to disturb that peace? Think of Harry!"

"I am thinking of Harry!" she hotly retorted in return, her tears steadily pouring down from her face. "Everything I've been doing, all the decisions I've made in this second life, all of them were for Harry!"

"And you think this plan of yours will be for Harry?" he harshly spat. "What happened to the promise we made that we'd live through this bloody fucking war just so our son – our son, goddamn it – will have two, very alive parents?"

Her face crumpled as she slumped forward, raw desperation on her face. "You know that Harry will never be safe if Voldemort continues to live, James," she whispered, her voice barely heard in their dark room. "And… and we may still live after the plan, after we have killedVoldemort."

"And we may fucking die too, just so you know," he angrily snarled. He regretted it almost immediately when Hermione flinched, but he was too incensed and confused and bloody fucking terrified to care right now.

"No one will die," she ground out with profound determination and James really, truly wanted to believe her. "No one. I will make sure of it."

"You can't know that for sure," he pointed out. "Everything is uncertain. The future is uncertain."

"I'm so tired of being uncertain!" she cried out. Her blue eyes firmly held his gaze as she continued, "and I know you're tired too, James. You're tired of hiding away when you know you can do so much outside. You're tired of not fighting tooth and nail to make this world a better place. James Potter is not meant to stay put. James Potter is meant to fight. But we can't do that if we continue to hide in this house."

He reached forward and grabbed her forearm, frantically peering into her eyes just so he could pour some sense into her. "But you're asking to die," he sobbed, belatedly realising that tears had now tumbled out from his hazel eyes. "This plan of yours – it could be a death sentence, Hermione. And I can't— without you, in my life… why do you have to sacrifice yourself?"

Her tears increased as she gingerly placed a palm against his wet cheeks. "I'm not going to die either," she reassured steadfastly.

"Hermione—"

"Do you regret this, James?" she quietly continued, cutting him off from whatever futile attempt he was going to make to change her mind. "All of this. Harry… me?"

He took a deep, shuddering breath. "How can you even ask me that?" he firmly asked. "I love you. I love you so much, Hermione. You and Harry… you're both the best things that have ever happened to me."

"But everything you have had to endure—"

"I love you," he simply repeated, as if it was the surest thing in his whole world.

The corners of her eyes crinkled when a small, sad smile appeared on her face. More tears slipped down from her eyes as she cupped his other cheek with her free hand. "Then trust me, James," she insisted. "I've thought this through for months. I've crafted a lot of back up plans in case the primary plan blew out of proportion. Dumbledore reassured me there would be a lot of back up when the time comes." She neared her face and pressed her forehead against his. "Trust me, love. Everything will be better soon."

He quivered against her touch, tightly closing his eyes as he pulled her into a bone-crushing hug. "There's really no stopping you," he murmured against her voluminous hair.

She curled her hand at the back of his neck and lightly shook her head. "I'm sorry, James," she whispered in return.

He wasn't sure for how long he held Hermione in his arms. When she pulled away and led him back outside, he didn't put up a fight anymore.

When they arrived back in the living room, it disconcerted him a bit at how Dumbledore was spelling Harry's toys to dance mid-air, much to the delight of the child. Harry was standing on his tiptoes, trying to grasp his floating toys, and giggling when he missed a step and fell flat on his bum.

Dumbledore calmly stood up when the couple came back, pointedly ignoring their swollen eyes and tearstained faces. At the same time, his spell on the toys wore off and Harry laughingly caught his favourite stag stuffed toy, triumphantly grinning at the older wizard.

"He agrees," Hermione said, tightly squeezing James's hand.

He may or may not have imagined how the Headmaster's shoulders slumped in relief. "Very good, James," he said.

"I have one condition, though," he insisted. He ignored Hermione's questioning gaze while he took a deep breath. "I'll be in this house when that day comes too."

"But—"

"I already agreed, Hermione," he tightly replied. "The least I can do is continue to stay by your side. Until the end."

Her eyes swam with tears, and it was obvious she disapproved of his condition. But then, to his relief, she lightly sighed. "I knew you'd insist on being there."

James determinedly nodded his head and glanced back at Dumbledore. "Everything she planned must be followed to the dot," he demanded, never mind that he was talking to the leader of the resistance and a wizard that was practically as respectable as Merlin himself. "If at least one thing isn't followed, if… if there's even a slight blip, then I'm going to hunt you down."

Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled. "You have my word, James," he promised.

September 30, 1981

Severus Snape always knew Hermione Pettigrew would be a pain in his arse. The moment Lily had taken her under her wing, he knew his life wouldn't be the same anymore. Lily was already a handful; imagine adding another incorrigible, stubborn woman to their group.

When he was young, he thought Lily was enough. She was his first friend; they shared numerous afternoons away from their troubled homes, practicing magic and discovering wondrous spells they didn't know they were capable of producing. It didn't really surprise him when he walked towards their usual meeting place and realised that he was, without any fraction of a doubt, very much in love with the fiery redhead. Everything else around him didn't matter.

What surprised him, though, was that he was capable of accepting Hermione as one of his friends. As a Half-Blood Slytherin, he was wary of new acquaintances, constantly wondering what underlying ulterior motives somebody had when he or she wanted to become an acquaintance. Hermione Pettigrew was different, though; through the years, he'd seen how she genuinely wanted to hang out with them and study with them. It was inevitable, now that he'd properly thought about it, that he'd become quite fond of the swotty brunette.

For years, he thought Lily was enough, but once the prophecy had been revealed, he realised he couldn't imagine his life without his best friend in it either.

Thus, becoming her family's Secret Keeper didn't need too much thinking. It was the least he could do, after everything Hermione had done for him and Lily.

And now… now this.

Merlin and Morgana, Hermione Pettigrew – well, Potter – was truly a pain in the arse.

Severus's thoughts were brought back to reality when he ventured out of their quaint house at Spinner's End. The magic of the Fidelius Charm was palpable from where he stood, and he wondered what his neighbours had thought when he and Lily suddenly announced a well-crafted lie about moving across the globe. But then again, no one really bothered with each other in this town. Sev doubted his neighbours were worried about the eccentric Snapes.

He shivered as a cold breeze danced against his cheeks. Autumn was steadily making an appearance, and Sev hoped this war would not stretch on until the end of winter. Dumbledore had assured them that with this plan now set in motion, for all they know, Voldemort would be dead by Halloween. The way Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled with so much sureness, so much hope, made Sev believe in him.

"What are you doing outside?" he heard his wife call him.

Sev lightly smiled and closed the door behind him. When he turned around, he quirked an eyebrow at Lily's dishevelled look. "Looks like somebody needs a bath," he pointed out.

Lily snorted and swiped her face, managing to drag the flour dusted on her nose onto her cheeks. "Later," she said. "After our Secret Keeper arrives. I still need to bake more treacle tarts."

His eyebrows flew up to his hairline. "I thought you baked some a while ago?" he asked.

His wife cracked a small, shaky smile. "They're not enough, darling," she said, followed by a soft laugh. "Not enough."

His heart painfully clenched at how her emerald eyes shone with suppressed tears. He remembered, clear as day, when Lily immediately said 'yes' to Dumbledore's order for them to be placed under the Fidelius Charm. "If it will help bring Voldemort down, if it will help Hermione in any way, then yes, Albus. We'll do it." Lily's ferocious answer was enough to sway him, as he too loudly proclaimed his agreement.

Regrettably, both of the Snapes had to leave work for an indefinite period of time. Slughorn had assured him he'd become the new Potions Master once he returned. Lily's boss covered up her absence by saying that she'd been asked to travel to an obscure country in Southeast Asia for further training. Both of their lives had been brought to a standstill, all for Hermione, and Sev knew that neither he, nor Lily, regretted their current decision.

All for Hermione.

Their eyes snapped towards the fireplace when it roared emerald green. Sev waved his wand to let the wards down, allowing their Secret Keeper to stumble inside.

James Potter looked terrible. Sev wasn't prepared to behold his former classmate – former bully – looking so gaunt and tired and so, so not him. He looked older than twenty-one, with dark smudges under his dull, hazel eyes and a face the palest he had ever seen.

Sev's eyes then landed on the bundle on his arm, Potter's hand still partially covering the baby's nose to prevent him from inhaling soot. The baby was wide awake and squirming in his arms, and Potter had to shift him into a more comfortable position.

Harry had grown. The last time he'd seen him, he was still so terribly small. But now, he looked healthy, with full cheeks and plump, pink lips. His curly, raven-coloured hair had grown longer too, the ends coiling behind his ears. His blue eyes still looked exactly like Hermione's, and Sev felt his heart quivering a bit, realising that it had been a while since he'd seen his best friend.

"How's Hermione?" he heard himself blurting out. He ignored Lily's wary glare, no doubt thinking he was being rude for not properly greeting the wizard. Sev rolled his eyes and frowned at the bespectacled wizard. They all knew he didn't care about James Potter at all, so why the hell did he need to pretend to be amicable?

"She's…" Potter's voice cracked as a small, shaky smile appeared on his face. "She's okay."

Judging from Potter's face, Hermione was nowhere near okay. He grimaced and still nodded his head in the end, not wanting to probe further and prolong his interaction with this toerag.

"I brought Harry," James then lamely said, striding forwards and depositing his baby into Sev's arms without warning. The Auror extended a baby bag into Lily's awaiting hands, murmuring a soft 'thank you' when Lily gave him a small smile.

"P-please," Lily stuttered, her green eyes shining with tears. "Please. Tell Hermione she has to come back alive." She pierced Potter with the fiercest glare she could muster. "Both of you."

An almost inhumane smile stretched wide on James's face. "Yeah, yeah, okay," he said. His eyes barely strayed towards his son, as he murmured another 'goodbye' to the couple and almost immediately turned away and walked towards the Floo.

Sev and Lily exchanged glances, wondering why Potter was acting like he wanted to leave as soon as possible. At the same time, Harry in Sev's arms stirred and blinked open his blue eyes. The small boy then realised his father wasn't holding him anymore and started to make a fuss.

Harry craned his neck in search for his father and once he saw James, he extended his arms and opened and closed his hands. "Dada! No!" he sobbed, big, fat tears welling in his clear, blue eyes. "Dada! No!"

James's shoulders tensed and he whipped around so fast Sev wondered if he'd given himself a whiplash. The bespectacled wizard's hazel eyes were wide and shining, his jaw opening and closing like a fish out of water. "What… what did he just say?" he breathlessly asked.

Sev slowly knitted his eyebrows, unsure why Potter looked like he'd faint soon. "'Dada, no', I believe," Lily whispered, equally curious herself.

"Dada! No!" Harry echoed, still trying to reach out for James.

In three, big strides, Potter was in front him and pulling Harry back into his arms. "You menace!" he cried as tears slipped past his eyes. Sev's eyes widened because he'd never seen James Potter cry before. He doubted the incorrigible wizard who'd used to bully him would even allow himself to show this side to Sev. Nevertheless, there was a steady stream of tears leaking from his eyes as he cradled Harry to his chest. "Why'd you have to say that word for the first time today, of all bloody days?"

"Language," Sev absentmindedly sniped.

James's gaze flew back towards Sev. His eyes widened, seemingly realising he wasn't alone with his son. He hastily swiped his tears away as his cheeks turned splotchy red. "Err… sorry about that," he muttered, unable to meet Sev's dark eyes. "Harry has never called me 'Dada' before so umm… I just got a bit excited." His glance shifted back onto Harry and he proudly grinned at his son. The baby had long quietened down now that he was back in his father's arms, his blue eyes slowly slipping closed. "I promised to drop him off and leave as soon as possible without making a fuss. It would be easier for me to do that but then…"

His words died down as more tears welled up in his eyes. Beside Sev, Lily took a mighty sniff and tried to clamp her lips together to stop herself from bursting into loud sobs.

"Lily," Sev called, reaching forwards to clutch her elbow. She met his eyes and instantly understood what he was trying to relay.

His wife hastily nodded her head and wiped her tears away. She then proceeded to disappear into their kitchen, only to come back with a small plate of treacle tart. "Look, Harry. Look what Auntie Lily made you," the redhead cooed. James's met Lily's eyes as the witch extended her other arm to reach for the sleepy baby.

Potter reluctantly transferred Harry into Lily's hold. When Harry started to fuss again, Lily shoved a small piece of treacle into Harry's hand. "Your Mummy told me you love treacle tarts, you sweet, sweet boy," she cooed, grinning brightly when Harry's blue eyes lit up in recognition and started cramming the dessert into his mouth. "I've made plenty to last you a lifetime."

"Don't feed him too many sweets," James seriously said. "It'll upset his stomach."

Lily gave James a kind smile. "I won't," she said. "I promise." Her eyes then landed back on Sev, her smile turning forlorn. It still struck him how pretty Lily looked with the babe in her arms. The vision he'd seen when Lily had first held Harry in her arms, with a baby that perhaps had his face and Lily's red hair and eyes, swam back into his mind once more. His heart leapt into his throat, hoping against hope that they'd survive this war so that they could build a family of their own.

The redhead quietly excused himself and distracted Harry with more treacle tart. The boy was gurgling happily, chanting one-worded replies to Lily's questions as they finally disappeared into the kitchen. Thankfully, Harry didn't throw another tantrum.

"I'm… I'm leaving this. For Harry."

Sev blinked and returned his gaze back towards James. He looked embarrassed once more, while extending a folded cloth and parchment towards him.

"In case we didn't…"

He trailed off, but his hazel eyes held meaning. Sev scowled. "You're going to survive this bloody war, Potter," he disdainfully spat.

Normally, such tone of voice would elicit irrational anger from the reckless Gryffindor. However, James merely cracked a wobbly grin and it disconcerted Sev greatly. "Just in case," he insisted. He shook the cloth and parchment, waiting for Sev to finally clutch it. He sighed and relented, grasping the things from Potter's hands.

"What are these things?" he asked.

"Ah, well, Harry will know soon enough once he's of age."

Sev snorted at his dubious answer. No doubt these were tools used by this incorrigible wizard and his equally annoying friends for their mischief-making during their youth.

Potter started to look awkward, looking as though he wanted to say something else, something more, and Sev wondered why he wouldn't just leave. His son might start another tantrum and he should take this opportunity to slip away.

"Look, Snape…" Sev quirked an eyebrow when two, bright red spots appeared on the Pureblood's cheekbones. Potter seemed adamant not to meet his eyes. "I – err – I know my friends and I were atrocious to you back in school and I never really properly… umm… you know."

Sev's eyes grew wide, his face turning sickly green as he realised what the other wizard was trying to do. "Merlin and Morgana, Potter. Please spare me," he grumbled as he made a face.

James lightly glared, his cheeks turning redder. "I might not have another chance in the future, so just shut up and listen, yeah?" he snapped.

Sev snorted and bared his teeth. "That's not the attitude you should be sporting if you're trying to apologise for something, Potter," he spat.

The bespectacled wizard looked properly shamefaced. He took a deep, shuddering breath and glanced heavenward, trying to compose himself. When his hazel eyes met Sev's dark ones once more, there was pure determination and real earnestness in them. "You're right," he weakly said. He took another deep breath and cracked a small smile. "But Snape, I'm… I'm really sorry for everything we did to you back at school. Me, especially. I was the most atrocious of us all and I didn't—I wasn't sure why I liked bullying you the most."

Potter paused and removed his glasses. He ran a hand over his tired face as a sigh escaped from his lips. "Merlin, I was a real brat," he said with an embarrassed chuckle. "I don't even know why Hermione fell in love with me. I don't deserve her at all."

"No, you don't," Sev snapped without much thought. "You don't."

Instead of getting offended, his smile turned really despondent and Sev didn't like it at all. "No, I don't," he repeated, his eyes turning glassy once again. "But she bloody loves me. Merlin knows why."

He paused for a moment to discreetly wipe a few errant tears from his eyes. Once he was more composed, James met his eyes again. "I know apologising isn't enough for everything I did to you back at Hogwarts," he continued. "But I guess… I guess it's a first step, yeah?"

Sev, unsure of what to reply, merely stiffly nodded his head.

Potter's smile turned warmer and soft. "I'd like to take this opportunity too to thank you." He awkwardly rubbed his chin. "Admittedly, I was wary about you becoming our Secret Keeper but Hermione trusts you with her whole heart. And now I completely understand that you did it for her, because she'd been a great friend."

His heart ached at the mention of Hermione, wondering when he'd be able to see her again.

"I should… I should probably go," Potter then said, chancing a brief glance at his wristwatch. "Harry might throw a tantrum again and it'll be harder for me to go." He expelled a shaky laugh, prompting more tears to slip down from his eyes. He then extended his hand and curled his fingers. "The address, Snape."

"Right," he quipped, slipping a hand inside his pocket to pull out the crumpled parchment containing the bewitched address of the Potters. Sev was very much tempted to withhold this piece of paper that would change everything, but he knew Lily – and even Potter, Merlin – would throw a fit if he continued being stubborn. He passed it onto James, who held it like his life depended on it.

Potter stood awkwardly, now unsure of what he was going to do. "Take care—" He thickly swallowed and breathed through his nose, his hazel eyes impossibly glinting with more unshed tears. "Take care of my son," he said, voice now barely above a whisper. "He's a… he's a brilliant boy. He deserves to be surrounded with so much love."

He knew it was uncharacteristic of him, and blimey he still didn't like James Potter, but he was compelled to give him a small, reassuring smile. The bloke looked like he needed his assurance. "Come back alive, Potter," Sev said. "Then you and Hermione can smother him with your unwavering love."

Potter good-naturedly laughed and it disconcerted Sev because for a moment, he felt like they'd been conversing like proper, old friends. The bespectacled wizard bid his goodbye and stumbled into the fireplace, disappearing in a brief flash of emerald green.

He wasn't sure for how long he stood like an idiot in the living room once Potter had gone.

"Sev?"

He lightly shook his head to dispel the bizarreness of it all, before glancing at his wife. "Yes?" he asked.

Lily's eyes widened. Then, tears welled up in her eyes as she strode closer to him. Harry was still happily munching on treacle tart, already making a mess on his chubby cheeks.

"Oh, my love," she said, reaching forward to touch his face. "Everything will be all right."

Sev huffed a disbelieving laugh, wondering what face he was making when James Potter was still standing in his house. Then, he wrapped his arm around Lily's waist and buried his face against her neck, seeking comfort and hoping for the best.

-ooo-

Hermione was curled on the couch in front of their fireplace when James came back. She perked up at his arrival, her blue eyes wide and glistening with tears. "Harry?" she managed to croak out.

"He's safe," he placated, absentmindedly brushing soot off his robes. "Evans is already feeding him treacle tart." A wide, goofy smile appeared on his face. "He called me 'Dada' today! Merlin, I kept on telling him to start calling me that instead of 'berk', but Harry's been mighty stubborn. I wonder where he got that from…"

His wife expelled a watery chuckle.

James removed his glasses and wiped his errant tears away. He then strode towards the couch and plopped down beside the brunette. Hermione shifted on her seat and opened her arms, allowing James to bury his face against her neck. He took a deep, shuddering breath, tightening his hold around her as the reality of their situation grew heavy.

This was it. Phase one of their plan was now complete. Harry was already far away from them, hidden with the Snapes while placed under the Fidelius Charm. In only a few weeks, he and Hermione would face off against the vilest wizard the Wizarding World had ever known.

"I love you," he whispered, pressing a soft kiss against her neck.

Hermione's fingers wove through his messy hair. "I love you too, James," she whispered in return.

The Potters perked up when their front door opened. Albus Dumbledore strode inside and looked at them, a serious glint in his normally twinkling blue eyes. "Is Harry safely delivered to the Snapes?" he asked.

"Yes, Headmaster Dumbledore," James replied.

The Order leader's lips stretched into a small smile before extending his hand. "The address, if you please," he continued. James slowly stood up from his seat and placed the crumpled parchment on Dumbledore's upturned hand. "Thank you, James." His blue eyes quickly darted towards Hermione, then back at her husband. "I wish you both good luck. If something comes up, contact me immediately."

James mutely nodded his head.

Dumbledore gave them a long stare, his face looking old, weary, and forlorn. Above all, however, was blatant hope on his face – hope, that with Hermione's plan, they would be able to defeat Voldemort and rid the Wizarding World of his presence.

The great wizard then disappeared with a 'pop', leaving the two Potters alone.

October 15, 1981

They all looked like shite. Well, in his defence, Peter felt like shite too and he didn't doubt the others felt the same. Even their normally composed Order leader looked out-of-sorts, like he was preparing for a battle with heavy uncertainties weighing on his shoulders.

Peter didn't like the look on Dumbledore's face and forced himself to glance at the other people in the Order of the Phoenix Headquarters. It was only him, Remus and Sirius with Dumbledore today, as this new plan concocted by his sister was something Dumbledore did not wish to divulge with the other Order members besides those closely involved with the Potters. Normally, Lily and Snape would be there too, but seeing they were now under the Fidelius Charm with his nephew, they were currently indisposed.

They were only waiting for one more person now. Peter was feeling close to insanity because of the wait and the unbearable silence, but try as he might, he couldn't bring himself to form proper words. Even his best mates weren't in a chatty mood. Remus looked like he'd reverted back to his pre-Wolfsbane Potion self, his scars starker on his very pale face. Sirius, on the other hand, was busy staring daggers at the top of the round, wooden table in the East Tower.

Just then, the familiar knocking rhythm broke through their tense silence. The door swung open and Regulus Black stiffly strode inside. He looked the worst of all of them; Regulus seemed like he hadn't been sleeping well for the past few days. Beside him, Sirius curled his hands into fists and refused to lift his mercurial eyes to greet his brother.

"Regulus," Dumbledore softly said. "Welcome."

The Death Eater tipped his head to acknowledge his greeting and sat down on an empty chair a few meters away from the Marauders.

"Any news?" the Headmaster smoothly said, interlacing his fingers together and leaning back against his chair.

"Voldemort is growing rigorous. Like I've said before, the other Death Eaters had almost caught the Longbottoms' Secret Keeper. But still, they're safely hidden," Regulus mechanically reported. "Voldemort is convinced the Potters are hidden away in Godric's Hollow, though. The number of Death Eaters he has deployed in that area has increased." Peter took a sharp intake of breath, fear now mercilessly gripping his heart. "I've alerted Potter through the Protean Charm and they've been on high alert ever since."

Dumbledore nodded his head. "Very good," he softly replied. "And Tom doesn't plan for any attack yet?"

"As far as I know, there aren't any plans," he deliberately answered, his grey eyes filling with worry and frustration. "I try to slip into as many meetings as I can, but so far none of my, well, colleagues, have figured out who the Potters' Secret Keeper is."

The smile Dumbledore cracked almost looked eerie. "Everything's going according to plan," he slowly drawled, a dark shadow now obscuring whatever expression he was making on his face.

"I still think this plan is a huge load of bullshite," Regulus spat, followed by a huge, exhausted sigh. "But… but this is Pettigrew we are talking about. She always comes up with the most reckless of plans and come out successful in the end."

Peter was unable to suppress a snort, knowing full well his sister would be stubborn about this. He met Regulus's amused eyes and sheepishly smiled.

"Will this plan really work?" Remus then asked, worry heard clearly in his voice. "I mean… it seems a bit foolish, don't you think?"

"Oh, very foolish, indeed," Dumbledore amicably said, flashing an indulgent smile at the werewolf. Remus deeply frowned and bristled on his seat, prompting Dumbledore's eyes to soften in understanding. "Nothing is certain in this war, Remus. All we need to do is to hope that Mrs. Potter's plan will be a success."

Peter couldn't stop himself from snorting once more, thinking that it sounded almost ridiculous for Dumbledore to address his sister as 'Mrs. Potter'. He was mortified when Dumbledore's blue eyes pierced him with a firm stare. "Sorry," he quickly murmured.

The older wizard quirked an eyebrow before looking at the silent shaggy-haired Auror. "I've already talked to Alastor and he agrees with the plan," he continued. "Sirius and Remus, I believe you'll be deployed to scour the perimeter of Godric's Hollow, making sure none of the Death Eaters make a ruckus and ruin our plan. Once the fateful day arrives, I expect you'll both be ready to fight in case things don't go according to plan."

Sirius deeply scowled. "Yes, Professor Dumbledore. But—"

"No."

"But, sir—"

"I have already said that under no circumstances can you visit the Potters, Sirius," he firmly ordered, his blue eyes turning steely behind his half-moon spectacles. "It is still quite dangerous. If we want everybody to be alive after all of this, it is best if we stick to our roles."

"And what if they die?" Sirius thundered, jumping from his seat and managing to knock over his chair. He pointed a finger towards Regulus but still kept his eyes firmly locked on a calm Dumbledore. "My brother was right – this plan is a load of bullshite! How can you even agree to this? Hermione and James… James, my best mate, he might—"

Sirius's breath hitched, unable to finish his sentence. He turned his face away to hide his tears, but everybody in the Order Headquarters saw how his silver eyes shone. Peter felt his eyes prickling with tears too, as the enormity of Hermione's plan came crashing down upon his shoulders. He wanted to trust Hermione, because she'd always been so level-headed and precise when it came to planning things. But then, he'd remember their skirmish back at the cave and how she'd almost died. Peter didn't know if he'd be able to take it, unable to intervene immediately once Hermione faced off with Voldemort once and for all.

He miserably slumped in his seat and swiped his tears away. Remus had rightened Sirius's chair and had pulled him back so he was sitting again. Out of the corner of Peter's eyes, he saw how Regulus shot Sirius a look of worry, but still kept himself in place, unsure how to comfort his distressed brother.

"I understand the worry in your hearts," Dumbledore placated with a small, sad smile. "But again, if we want everybody to be alive and safe in the end, we have to stick to our roles. Am I making myself clear, Sirius?"

Sirius's jaw tensed, unwilling to meet Dumbledore's piercing gaze.

"Am I making myself clear?" the Order leader repeated, this time firmer and resolute.

The shaggy-haired Auror took a deep, shuddering breath before giving him a clipped nod.

"All right," the old wizard said. "As I was saying, you and Remus will be deployed around Godric's Hollow to make sure none of the Death Eaters make a ruckus." His blue eyes then swept towards Regulus. "Report back any new plans from Voldemort, Regulus. If everything goes according to plan, he will attack on the thirty-first of October. Communicate with the Potters only through the charmed coins."

"Yes, sir," Regulus said, nodding in understanding.

Finally, Dumbledore's eyes landed on Peter. "As for you, Peter Pettigrew, you have the most difficult role of us all," he declared.

Peter's heart loudly thudded inside his ribcage. He was hoping that Dumbledore had been joking when he'd told him before what his role in Voldemort's demise would be, because surely there would be someone much more capable than he… like Moody. "F-frankly, Dumbledore," he stuttered, trying his very best to dispel his terror, but was unable to do so, "I don't think I'm fit for the job. It's… it's too huge. I'm not… I'm not as good as Sirius or Remus. Maybe it's better if you give that job to them instead. I can accompany either one of them to scour the perimeter of Godric's Hollow and keep the Death Eaters in place. Just- just not this job."

The Headmaster merely stared at him for a few moments. Peter was slowly becoming uncomfortable under his unwavering gaze, but he felt like it would be disrespectful to shift his gaze away.

"Why do you think you're not capable of this job, Peter?" he coolly asked.

Unable to stop himself, a snort tumbled from his lips. "You taught me for seven years," he pointed out incredulously. "Surely, you already know I'm not up to par with my friends and my sister."

"Peter," Remus sniped reproachfully.

"Well, it's true, isn't it?" Peter snapped, glaring at Remus and Sirius. "I still don't understand why you allowed me to keep on trailing behind you."

"Because you're our bloody fucking friend, Wormy, what the hell," Sirius cried, his eyes dangerously flashing. "How can you even think you're not on par with us?"

Remus sighed and rubbed his temples, a deep frown now on his face. "Is that what you've always thought?" he slowly asked. "That you don't belong in our group?"

Peter glanced down at his hands, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Oh bloody Merlin, he does think that," Sirius ground out. "Peter, mate, listen, your name is written on the bloody Map. You became an Animagus almost at the same time as we did. You became an Auror with your own skills. I can't believe you— you—" Sirius let his words dangle, furiously gesticulating with his hands to relay what he was truly thinking.

"You know," Regulus suddenly drawled, "if Pettigrew was here right now, she'd smack that idiotic head of yours and tell you to have a little faith in yourself."

Peter's eyes widened. "You remember that?" he asked.

Regulus snorted. "I almost died that day," he reminded him. "Of course I remember everything that had happened."

In spite of himself, Peter sputtered out a laugh even though a few tears escaped from his eyes.

"You managed to save us that day, Pettigrew," Regulus continued, prompting the sandy-haired wizard's eyes to snap back towards him. "Your sister told me everything that happened and one thing we both agree on, is that if you hadn't insisted on coming with us, we'd both be Inferi today."

The Black heir then managed to show a small smile that was uncharacteristic on his usually aloof face. He leaned closer and continued, "Do this for your sister. For Hermione. She trusts you with her whole heart. Why do you think she wanted you to do this role in the end? She knows you'll be able to do it."

Regulus's words rang wildly inside his ears, slithering into his mind and heart until it was all he could think about. Hermione did nothing but trust and love him, even though he'd continuously doubted himself over the years. It still broke his heart how another version of him had caused the deaths of people he'd once considered his very best friends and… and he couldn't accept that. If he was going to be the cause of James's death – of Hermione's death, Merlin Almighty – he would never forgive himself.

Thus, with a resolute nod, he took a sharp intake of breath and glanced back at Dumbledore. "Tell me what to do," he firmly replied.

A/N: Phase one of Hermione's plan is complete lmao. The entirety of the whole plan will be revealed tomorrow. I mean, I've dropped clues hahah – Sev, the Secret Keeper of the Potters voluntarily surrendering the bewitched parchment, and Peter, with the most important role of them all. Any guesses?

Also, good news, I'm already done writing the epilogue. I just sent it to my Beta, though, but I'm not sure when she'd email the edited version back since we're both busy with our own lives hahahaha. But yeah, basically, we only have two chapters left for this story.

To all those who still stayed despite the odd and seemingly disbelieving choices I've made for this story, thank you very, very much ahahahaha y'all the best.

P.S. Follow me on tumblr (kimmy-writes)! I'm shite with answering reviews but I do answer the messages sent to me over tumblr and zomg your words warm my heart.