A/N: This chapter last version is on 05/10/2016

The Importance of Kindness

20th August 1971.

It's been several months since I received Harry Potter's memories. Summer had come and Marcel has often showed up with new clothes from a certain store. Ma has been fussing over it but Marcel keeps insisting that he is only friends with Galahad and that he doesn't even know if the man is gay too. I know for sure that he is but as I know it's best not to intervene I'm keeping quiet and letting my brother sulk a little about his supposed unrequited love. Because of work he hardly has time for me and it makes me a little upset but I know it's not his fault. It end up being a good thing that I have much free time as I had to process everything that I learned with these new memories.

I tried to take advantage of the free time to trace a plan to change the future. I know that nothing big will happen for a few more years so I decided to position myself right in the middle of the history events. I thought about what to do. Maybe work so people who are bad don't go near the ones that are good, maybe I could befriend everyone involved? It would mean to meet and find a way to get on the good side of Lily Evans, Severus Snape, James Potter, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, Sirius Black and Frank Longbottom. I don't know who Alice Longbottom would be by now as Harry Potter never knew her maiden name, but if it's what I decide to do she is on the list too.

While I tried to write observations about these people on the present I realize that I don't actually have much knowledge of it. I tried to concentrated in interests that I could cultivate so to have reasons to approach them all but I soon realize that I'll need a lot of luck. I'm more terrified about trying too hard and not managing to get any friends. What if I end up trying too hard to be close to these people that I end being alone? I have to keep my mind from this possibility. After all, if I don't change anything I don't see a point in me having all these memories. As I debate with myself about what to do Pa gets home and comes to talk to me.

"Hey little witch. How are you?" He asks kissing the top of my head.

"Fine. I was just making a list of things to do in Hogwarts. Maybe I should play Quidditch... Molly would worry but the twins would love it and Marcel would think it's a waste of time. But that's okay because I'm going to get some O's so he won't think I'm stupid." My father laughs at me.

"Of course. I got some free time and thought maybe we could go to Madam Malkin's to get your school robes and maybe a stop on Florean Fortescue's…" Before he could stop talking I had already locked my arms around his neck in a hug.

"Pa is the best! I'm changing so we can go." I run into my room where I put some nice blue robes and my dragonhide black boots.

Soon we were on Diagon Alley together walking, I hold Pa hands so I don't get lost as the place is bustling with people buying last minute things for the school year. We go to the clothing shop first and spend more time than needed taking measurements for my robes. We do end up leaving with a with a bag with a more than the black robes on the school list. Afterwards we go straight to the ice cream parlor and as ice cream is my favorite dessert I can't help myself but to hurry to the shop pulling my father in the process. We get to Florean's and enter in a small line where I lock eyes with Sirius Black. He is accompanied by his little brother brother Regulus and his mother Walburga that looked angry and too displeased with the place. Merlin knows what kind of stunt they pulled to drag the woman in here. The memory of Regulus dying trying to do the right thing surfaces and I tried direct my head to toughs of ice cream flavours.

I get to the balcony and ask for a chocolate and banana ice cream with sprinkles topping. My father is right behind me like he is trying to protect me and It crosses my head to try and make friends with Sirius now but the memories of the older woman portrait complaining stopped me from approaching them at all. Surprisingly Walburga approached us, well actually she approached Pa.

"Well, well, well! If it isn't Marlon McKinnon." Walburga used a tone of disdain and contempt and I made a grimace at her.

"Walburga, it been awhile." Pa says with politeness but I can tell he is tense as he reaches for my free hand and squeeze like he's telling me to keep quiet.

"When I heard you had married a muggle I thought that people were making a joke, my face when I discovered it to be true. Such a shame, but I guess it was expected since you had already shamed your family not being sorted into Slytherin in the first place." She held her nose up and I shot daggers at the her while she didn't even look at my direction.

Well, now I know first hand why Sirius run away from home. Oh her surprise when her kid gets in Gryffindor. Pa cleared his throat before speaking.

"My family had no problems or reservers neither with me being in Ravenclaw nor with me being in love with Sarah. If anything, they were happy that my little house misplace made the bitter pure blood profiters stay away from me with their scams." I goggled at my father's comment and notice the woman starting to grow red like a tomato before going back to her table while muttering under her breath. If anything I'm really curious about the story behind it.

Before I went back to talking with Pa I shot a look at Sirius who looked like had melted in his bench and wanted to disappear not even having the nerves to look in my direction. His little brother had blushed heavily but didn't lose his posture. So easy to see why they didn't got along. I stare at my father amazed, sometimes I forget that Ravenclaw is as much cleverness as wits. Pa is wicked!

"Let's sit Pa. I want to talk to you about something." I said smiling as I went to the furthest table from the Blacks to sit.

"So what my little witch want to talk about?" He said with a smooth voice.

"Three things. First, how do you know that woman?" I ask making my 'I won't let you fool me face'.

"Well little witch, I only really got cut from the pureblood cycles when I married your mom and that woman is Walburga Black. One of the Sacred Twenty Eight families. We once were really good friends but eventually we strayed apart." Now I'm surprised. Does this means that the woman had a heart once? This questioning will be the death of me.

"What happened between you?" I ask with a shy voice, I want to know the answer but Pa almost never gives me stories from his teens.

"When we were growing up she was a sweet girl with an stupy amount of magical power and a delicate constitution but as the years passed her family got harder and harder in her…– I can see him biting his tongue to continue." Education. And soon the sweet friend I had became some sort of pure blood maniac that I couldn't recognized. I still tried to keep our friendship but she helped a friend of a pure blood family with money problems try to scam me to marriage. – He says looking me straight to the eyes like he's trying to evaluate how I'm handling this piece of information. I give him my sad face.

"Why would she do that?" I frown.

"She thought that she was helping me pairing me up with a purer family. But this was the last straw for me and I had not met her since then."

"What did you mean by 'education' Pa?" I ask as I know that there is something wrong in the way he said it.

"Her parent tortured her. They used the cruciatus curse on her, my guess was that they went too far and broke something in her head." I feel a lot of different things right now. Confusion and clarity. Because of the memories I had of Harry I thought that she would be a bad person and period. But now I see her as much of an victim as executioner.

"How can we help someone in a situation like hers? How can we help people change who they will become?" I ask trying to figure what to do since I know that people that I will meet will have been hurt too and maybe I can help them someway.

"Be kind. It's not going to work all the time but kindness is the only way to change people. The only way to reach the heart of those who have armors around them. Your mother taught me that when I fell in love with her." I smile at that. He's right. I just need to be kind. I keep eating my ice cream in silence before finally getting courage to keep our talk.

"Now, second subject. Are you going to be angry at me for being sorted in any house? Slytherin for exemple." I asked trying to see if will become a problem for me being placed in Slytherin if I end up deciding to go there for whatever plan I might create.

"Not at all. Every house has its pros or cons and there's nothing wrong in being associated with the qualities of any of them." He said with his characteristic shy smile. "The hat places you based on qualities and not defects. How could I ever get disappointed in you for having certain qualities?!"

"Good, so I'm not dead if I end up being a snake." Pa had to hold his smile at this. "So, third subject. I think I'm old enough for a pet. I since we are already close to the shop it should be more than convenient to just go to and get a cat." I always make a good use of my words when I'm asking for something.

"Your mother was not a fan of this idea when you suggest it last christmas." He said raising one eyebrow.

"Well, good thing she's not here." I say with a big sly smile and puppy eyes.

"Oh Merlin! Your brother is right, there's nothing that you can ask smiling that I wouldn't do crying." Pa then kisses the top of my head while I celebrate that I can get an animal. I have always loved furry things.

"I do must say that you do have reason to worry about being a snake." Pa comments making me laugh.

We finished eating and immediately went to Magical Menageries where I end up buying a kneazle black cat with beautiful green eyes that I almost couldn't control the urge to name it Harry. "I'm going to call it Lightning because he is so fast!" I told Pa that agrees with me since he doesn't mind pet names too much. Of course I'm lying as Lightning is because is how the potterwatch used to call Harry and with this cat untamed black fur and bright green eyes what else could I call it?

Soon we were back home where Ma welcomes us with a growl when she spots Lightning and my smile. Marcel immediately laughs at the us and after a storm of scolding from my mother towards my father, Ma started pampering the cat even worst than I. During dinner we talked about Marcel's work and about the new indian silk that they had imported and how Galahad had made an order to make some capes to sell in his store and I couldn't help but to pay attention and smile at my brother for his ability to make the matter always go back to his flame. I had started to be able to pay better attention to my brother even when he was concentrated talking about work and from a few months now we have getting a better relationship. It's only a shame that so soon I'm going to Hogwarts and I won't be able to appreciate it anymore.

1st September 1971

The days passed quickly from my trip to diagon alley and soon the start of the school year arrived. My family arrived early and soon I had run away from my tearful parents and was on the train looking for a compartment to sit. I had ignore some people that I thought I probably didn't ignore in the past of the future of my visions. I sometimes get confused with this type of logic but I'm progressively getting better in showing a façade while being confused about it. I was about to give up on finding anyone from Harry's memories when I opened a compartment door to see Lily, Severus, James and Sirius sitting together. James and Severus already shooting daggers at each other. I put a smile face not to roll my eyes at this.

"Hi…" I say timidly as I don't know if I'm going to be welcomed in here. Just now I remember that I never had any friends my age and everyone I know is older than me.

"Hi, I'm Lily do you want to sit wit us?" The red haired girl said almost pleading. Good, it looks like they need someone to break the tension in here.

"I'm Marlene McKinnon, nice to meet you. If is not a problem I will accept the offer." I said as I took a sit and stared at the boys with an raised eyebrow.

"I'm Sirius Black."

"You are the boy I saw in the ice cream parlor!" I say trying to see if he remembers me from that time.

"Yeah…" Now he was growling in embarrassment and I'm sure he does remember.

"I'm James Potter. You guys know each other?" He looks between us with confusion.

"No, not at all. But his mother does know my father." I give Sirius a comforting smile. "Not on good terms I'm afraid. The Blacks are known to think of themselves above the rest."

"I'm not like that." The silver eyed boy complained looking at me indignantly.

"I do hope not. And you?" I say to Severus that was by my side. If someone in here will need my kindness is him.

"Severus Snape." He said arrogantly. Too bad I know this is his protection mechanism.

"Pleasure to meet you all. Do you people know where you are going to be sorted?" Lily grimace at my question.

"Is this the only thing people talk in this school?" She asked with little patience and looking tired of the fight that probably had happened before I came along.

"Well, it is something important. There is people that take house pride seriously." I said with a sweet smile.

"The boys were just fighting because of it. And they don't even know where they will be placed." Lily retorted.

"I totally know where I'm being sorted Evans, I'm certainly a Gryffindor." James interrupted.

"I have a lot of house qualities so I can go any way. Pa said it doesn't matter." I pointed out.

"Really? You father knows my mother and doesn't have a problem with you being a bloody snake?" Sirius looked completely put off by it.

"Every house has qualities not defects. Being in a house don't mean you can't have qualities of other houses. I'm don't care about snake and lions brawl. Maybe I'll be a eagle like my brother." I said while shrugging my shoulders. "Since you guys are the first people that I met we could promise to stay friends despite which house we end up." I know I'm pushing too far but it will not hurt to try. It would be brilliant if it was this easy.

James offered his hand. "I don't plan on being friend with Snivellus but…"

"Oh, sorry then. Because I want to." She ignored James's hand and turned to Severus offering a handshake that the boy accept more because it made James grimace.

Lily and I shaked hands too on the agreement and then Sirius and James started to ignore us and we started to discuss the subjects that are taught in the school. Well, it could have been worst. At least it looks like I will get along with these two.

As I expected we did get along really well and by the end of the train ride I could tell that I had cracked Severus shell a little and he could actually consider me his friend in time. Even having the memories from Harry in my head the astonishment from the first trip to the castle was not diminished and soon we all were at the Chamber of Reception waiting to go into the Great Hall to begin the sorting. I looked around and could notice that Sirius and James were already making friendship with Remus and Peter, the former more trying hard to be accepted already. As the sorting approached decided to try push her new friends a little too.

"So... Lily and Severus I'm really nervous. I think I will end up in Ravenclaw and you guys will be placed either on Gryffindor or Slytherin. I didn't want to be left alone in a house I don't know anyone." I give them my most heartbreaking puppy eyes.

"Well, you can try to be sorted into the same house I am since I go there first." Lily says with kindness.

"What if I'm not able to?" I even improve my pleading pulling out a pout.

"Sev?" Lily says with equal pleading eyes.

"Urgh! As long as is Ravenclaw and not Hufflepuff or Gryffindor I can try to get into your house too since you go before me. Don't you want to be in Slytherin?" He asks grumpy but not so sure about Slytherin anymore as I can see he is afraid to be left alone too.

"I don't know if I can." I give him a sorry smile. "I guess we'll see."

Then Professor McGonagall opens the door and start leading us new students into the Great Hall.

Thanks for reading.