James made his way to the Room of Requirement, hoping he wasn't too late. He couldn't seem to shake off his friends, who wanted to stay up late and work on potential pranks. While he felt nostalgic watching Sirius goad Remus (and also try to work on the boy's self esteem), he couldn't wait for them to eventually close the lights and fall asleep.
When he finally made his way to the Room, he wasn't sure what he needed to say. All he could do as he paced was repeatedly beg I need to see Vera.
The door appeared, small and nondescript. James furrowed his brows, hoping this would work as he turned the knob.
The room itself was covered wall to wall with piles of books, caldrons, discarded hats, robes, trunks. It was vast- expanding far beyond his field of vision.
"There you are!" Severa cried out.
She was searching inside one of the many cabinets. Evidently, she did not find what she wanted as she closed it in a huff.
"What's going on, Vera? You promised you'd explain why we've ended up here." James moved towards Severa, standing face to face with her as she rummaged through various curios.
Severa arched her brow. "How can you be so certain I'm the person you think I am? Or that I know your predicament?"
"The Severa who should belong in this time certainly wouldn't be willing to meet me alone...especially if she knew what I wanted to do with her right now."
"Throttle me?" Severa asked in amusement.
"Close," James grabbed her by the waist and kissed her directly on the mouth. Severa leaned in, her hands dropping to her side, then moving around his neck. Janes presses himself closer to her, until their foreheads touched. He sighed. "I've wanted to do that since we've arrived here."
"You shouldn't make a habit of it," Severa mumbled, still clinging to him. "We can't just start getting chummy out of nowhere, it's too conspicuous."
"So, it is you?"
Severa frowned. "Of course it is. Would you have still kissed me if I was actually sixteen?"
"No, but you keep being so bloody obfuscating. And you still didn't explain anything as to why we're here."
Severa narrowed her eyes in annoyance. "I was getting to that before you interrupted me." She took a deep breath and steadied herself. "I think I am partially to blame. I'm sorry you're trapped in this mess with me."
"What do you mean?" James asked, letting go. He sat down on one of the discarded ratty armchairs, while Vera leaned against a bookcase.
"You and I haven't been happy in a while, have we? There's nothing left for us, we've been stagnating, especially with the children grown up. Our marriage was essentially a sham that we fooled ourselves into believing, but did we really live the lives we wanted?"
"Maybe it isn't what we planned, but yes, I think so," James protested. "So what did you do, Vera? Was it that...book you were meddling with? The one about soul magic? Did you think you could just get a do over because you were so disgusted with the life we built together?" James could feel the heat rising in his face. They had this discussion too many times already, he thought they had gotten past this point, that she really loved him.
"No, I didn't mean it like that!" Severa shouted back. She turned away from him, staring into the distance. "I just...I just feel useless. Like I'm going through the motions in my life. The only time I actually had any purpose was during the war. If I could go back, change things just a little- I could end things earlier, for good this time."
"You're talking about Lily, aren't you? You want to destroy the Horcruxes before the Prophecy?" James asked.
"Yes, and since I already know their whereabouts- and how to destroy them, I could in theory get it done before Harry is born. Lily will lead a normal life, and more importantly, she will be alive."
James didn't know what to say to that. Despite the years that had passed, the missed opportunities and their almost love, he did feel something for Lily too- buried deep inside himself. No matter how many romantic gestures he performed for his wife (or mostly for his own satisfaction), or the happiness he felt for his children, he too felt that gnawing sense of guilt. For everything he and Severa did, they still failed her.
"Vera, this is insane." James declared, though he wasn't so sure himself.
"I'm truly sorry, James. I didn't expect you to follow me here. I can try to find a way to send you back, though I would have appreciated your help."
"I didn't say I wouldn't help you, Vera." James replied. He looked at her, their eyes locked on each other as James stared into her brown inscrutable irises. He stood up. "Whether I like it or not, we're in this together. And I'm following you, wherever this journey takes us."
Severa's mouth opened as she breathed in heavily. "I can't ask that of you. Not again."
"You aren't asking me," James noted, "I'm volunteering. Besides, I know too much. For all I know, you don't know how to 'send me back,' and you'll find it easier to place me in a shallow grave."
Severa laughed in surprise. "You think so little of me?"
"No, but I know to be wary of you when you're manic. And even though you could do this on your own, you definitely could use my expertise."
Severa shook her head, wiping her face. "You're throwing away your second chance...for me? You do understand that you can do anything this time around, get a different career, a different girlfriend - maybe even try to work things out with Lily."
"You wouldn't be jealous?" James asked curiously.
"Maybe, the irrational part of my brain might be. Personally, I think she's too good for you, but I won't stop you." Severa replied earnestly.
James wouldn't want to test that. "Either way, it's kind of silly to discuss those sorts of things. It's not like I'd be able to be involved with anyone else at the moment. I'm far too old for anyone except you, and the same goes for you. We're stuck with each other," he teased.
Severa gasped, in what sounded like a laugh, or a sob. She adjusted her robes and composed herself. "Very well then, we best get started. I called you here to help me find the diadem."
"It's...here?" James asked incredulously.
"Yes, though I'm having a bloody difficult time trying to find it. I've forgotten where it was from last time. I've searched this area, you could help me with that section," she said, pointing to the pile of knick knacks on her right.
James rolled up his sleeves and got to work.
After an hour or so, he found a dull ugly tiara sticking out on top of a blackened bookcase next to a rather hideous marble bust. James lifted it above his head. "Found it!"
Severa ran over to him. "Fantastic!" She was grinning despite herself. She grabbed it from his hand and placed it in her leather schoolbag.
"Do I get a reward for my efforts?" he asked cheekily.
"What do you expect, Potter? That I go down on you?" Severa asked coolly.
"Well, if you're suggesting it, I'm not opposed to the idea." James replied, mussing his hair.
Severa scoffed. "Maybe some other time. If you can find me Basilisk venom I'd certainly be happy to."
James laughed. "You drive a hard bargain. Could we ask the room?"
Severa stood silent, evidently deep in thought. "We could try." She closed her eyes tightly, and suddenly, a large, blindingly white fang clattered onto the floor, dissolving the thick Persian rug they were standing on.
"Merlin, it worked." James muttered.
Wordlessly, Severa grabbed the fang at the root, placing the diadem on the floor. In one swift motion, she raised her hand above her head, plunging it into the diadem. As the jewel shattered, they heard the piercing wail of Voldemort's soul as it flew out, dissipating into the air.
They stood for a moment, waiting. When nothing else happened, they exhaled.
"I think that counts per your conditions, don't you?" James asked.
Severa rolled her eyes. "You didn't do anything."
James grinned. "Then why don't I return the favor instead? You certainly deserve it."
Severa's eyes widened in surprise. "James!"
"Is that a no, then?" He asked mischievously.
Severa looked at him carefully. "Well, maybe just this once."
He took her hand, and led her to a tufted divan (gods, how much furniture was abandoned in this room?) as she rested supine on its arm. He kissed her tenderly on her neck, his arms moving down her back as he gently massaged her, taking satisfaction in her sighs as she closed her eyes. As he undid the buttons to her robes, he kissed down her body, noticing little scrapes and cuts on her arms, burn marks on her wrist, little things he hadn't seen before. Severa noticed.
"Don't look at me," she said nervously.
"It's hard not too," James countered. "Should I stop?"
"No. Do you really want to do this though?" Severa asked.
James kissed her. "Of course I do, I love you."
Severa sighed. "No need for dramatics." But she hadn't sounded as sharp towards him.
He could tell though, that she had needed to hear that. He kissed down her torso, spreading her legs open, admiring her pale skin as he took pleasure in the sounds of her beautiful voice.
He had wanted to take her then and there, but that could wait. They had time enough.
After it was over, they held each other.
"We can't get together this time around," Severa declared. "Not if we want to maintain any cover."
James wanted to argue, but she interrupted. "You know it makes sense. No one trusted us when we went public, it made things much too difficult. If I'm going to get the other Horcruxes, I'm going to have to gain the trust of the others, and that means staying the course."
"What about you and Lily...are you two staying friends?" James asked.
Severa glared at him. "Sadly, no. It seems this world has some slight differences compared to our own, so it seems Lily and I never did have that moment where we were open about our feelings. And you and I never got together. It seems we still hate each other."
"Strange." James remarked. "So what are you going to do about her?"
"Do what most girls do at our age, let the friendship run its course. It's not like she'll notice," Severa said bitterly. James thought it was a bit harsh, but also knew better than to disagree. Instead, he kissed her forehead and squeezed her hand. She squeezed it back.
"We are meeting again though, aren't we?" James asked.
Severa turned to face him. "Of course. We still have so much to plan, contingencies to think of. Granted, we're still a few years off from the next steps…"
"And those are?"
Severa rubbed her lips together. "I'm joining up again, of course. This time I'll have to get into the Inner Circle faster, on my own merit. As for you...have you thought of joining the Order?"
"I was in the Order."
"No, not with me as a spy. We can't work for Dumbledore this time. We need to take control of our own lives, it's not like he'll believe us anyway- but he has his own motives that won't align with ours. But you're still on the Light side, if you join after school, he will trust you more."
James has to admit, not fighting with his friends in the war had been one of his biggest regrets. "Alright, I'm in. Though this plan is completely barmy."
"I'll be happy to listen to your suggestions if you have any. But we have time, plans can be altered," Severa replied cryptically.
James faces her, making sure to see her eyes. "As long as you keep me involved. We're in this together."
Severa looked at him in admiration. "Yes, we are." She kissed him, and they spent the rest of the evening fooling around. It wasn't until five in the morning they realized they should try to head back.
They snuck out of the Room of Requirement, hiding underneath the cloak as he escorted her back to the dungeons. Before she left for the Slytherin Common room, he kissed her goodbye.
"Remember, we meet again next week," Severa said. "Until then, try to act normal."
"How can I when you make it so difficult?" James asked.
Severa shook her head. "Don't make me regret this."
James smiled. "I won't."
He watched as she left into the portrait hole and walked back to the dormitory. The enormity of the situation slowly weighing on him like a pit in his stomach. This was real, and they were going to make some irreversible changes.
He only hoped everyone else was prepared.