Chapter 8:

Harry stumbled back, tripping over a metal tray table in the process. Several objects came crashing to the floor. He froze in his spot, not wanting to move. The Hufflepuff boy sat up with a jolt, and Lily's eyes opened and looked in the direction of where the noise had come from.

"What on earth…!" Madame Pomfrey said as she rushed back into the room. "Mr. Potter I thought I asked you to sit over there?"

"I…I was," Harry said startled.

"Then why are you over here?" Madame Pomfrey asked glancing at the mess on the floor.

"Ummm…I… I was…" Harry stammered trying to search his brain for a plausible excuse.

"Nevermind, I don't want to know," she said as she turned back to where she had come from. "I'll be right back out with you potion, since obviously you need some sort of supervision."

"Are you all right?" Lily asked. She was now sitting straight up in bed.

"Yes," Harry said shortly, not looking at her.

"My names Lily by the way," she said. "I know you asked me before. I never got the chance to tell you though."

"Nice to meet you," Harry said still not looking at her.

"For someone who was so talkative before," Lily said as she stretched her arms. "You sure are being very quiet."

"I've…I've got a headache," Harry said slowly.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Lily said sympathetically. "But I know how you feel. After today, boy, do I know how you feel."

"I'm sure you do," he said looking up at her as staring her straight in her eyes. It was almost as if he was looking in a mirror.

"You know…" Lily said trailing off. "You know who I am?"

"Yes," Harry said very seriously.

"I heard Dumbledore telling McGonagall that he was going to tell you," Lily said forcing a grin.

"Guess my secrets out. At least now you know why I'm having a very odd day."

"I can relate," Harry mumbled as he rubbed his head.. He had wished for this opportunity so many times in the past. An opportunity to talk to his mother, to see her, alive and healthy. After all that, he finally got his wish and here he was screwing it up. He was turning one of the only conversations he would have with his mother into awkward dribble. They was so much he wanted to tell her though. So much he wanted to say. So much he could say. Sixteen year of pain and suffering at the result of having lost his parents, and he wasn't allowed to speak any of it. It was almost as if this wasn't a wish come true, but more like a dream where he would wake up right before the good part.

The entire time Harry had been thinking, he hadn't noticed Lily staring at him intently. She opened her mouth to say something, when Madame Pomfrey walked back into the room.

"Here you are," she said handing Harry a fizzy looking potion. "Drink it down and your head will feel much better."

"Thanks," Harry said drinking it all down in one big swallow. "Guess I'll be going."

"Wait," Madame Pomfrey said. "Professor McGonagall's just asked that you take this young lady back to Gryffindor with you."

Harry looked at Lily, who forced a smile at him. She seem to feel very awkward. "Ok," he said meekly.

"All right, dear," she said looking at Lily. "Just follow Mr. Potter. He'll take you where you need to be."

"Thank you," Lily said smiling at Madame Pomfrey and then hopping off the bed and walking over towards Harry.

"Dear," Madame Pomfrey said before they left the hospital. "You're a transfer student?"

"Yes," Lily said awkwardly as she glanced at Harry.

"You look rather familiar," Madame Pomfrey said. "Guess I just must have had a patient once that looked like you."

"Probably," Lily said politely as she walked towards the exit. Harry followed.

"Probably?" Harry asked.

"I was in there just last week," Lily said as the two of them walked towards the Gryffindor common room, Lily leading the way. "Well, last week twenty years ago. I wasn't a patient though, it was because Sirius had fallen off his broom during a Quidditch match and we all went to see visit him. I don't think in all six years that I've been at Hogwarts I've ever been ill. It was always during holidays I got sick."

"Sirius?" Harry said excitedly.

"Yes," Lily said as they reached the portrait of the fat lady. "I'm guessing they've changed the password since my day?"

"Zanadu," Harry said as the portrait swung open and they stepped inside. Harry now led the way, as if Lily was letting him go ahead of her, unsure of what was to come.

"Harry!" Ron called from across the room. He and Hermione were sitting by the fire playing chess. Harry started to walk over and suddenly stopped. He turned to see Lily standing where she had been before, staring slowly around the room.

"Has it changed?" Harry asked as he walked back over to her.

"No, not a thing," she said as she looked around the room before looking right at Harry. "It's as if I've never left. That's what makes all this so strange."

"I'll bet," Harry said grinning. "Come on, follow me." He led the way over to where Hermione and Ron were. They both looked up and smiled at Lily as she approached.

"This is Ron and this is Hermione," Harry said pointing to each one respectively as he sat down. "This is Lily."

"Hi," Ron said jumping to his feet and smiling politely at Lily. "It's nice to meet someone from the….ummm…it's nice to meet you!"

"You too," Lily said smiling at him and at Hermione, who kept glancing from Lily to Harry.

"Have a seat," Harry said motioning to an empty chair.

"So Lily…" Ron began. It was obvious that he was full of questions. Not to say Harry and

Hermione weren't, but it was most obvious that Ron was.

"So…" Lily said nodding. "Is Snape…is he a good professor?"

"No!" Ron and Harry said very loudly in unison.

"He is too," Hermione said shaking her head in disbelief. "He's very knowledgeable and very well read on his subject. He is however…well he's a bit mean."

"A bit?!" Ron said wide eyed. "He's horrible! I would rather drink toilet water than sit through one of his lessons!"

"I'm not surprised," Lily said lost in thought. "He was always very smart. Prefect and whatnot, but he was ruthlessly mean to my friends and I."

"He's the one who sent you here?" Hermione asked.

"We think so," Lily said shrugging. "I mean I'm not really sure. He was just the last thing I encountered before I ended up here."

"Wouldn't be surprised," Harry mumbled. "He tends to like to make everyone's life a living hell."

"Your dad said that just the other day," Lily said smiling. Harry suddenly sat up very straight. "I'm sorry about before," she continued.

"It's ok," Harry said. "You couldn't have known."

Lily smiled. "So how long ago did James…" she trailed off.

"What?" Harry asked.

"How long ago did he die?" Lily said very forced. "I mean I thought I heard you say that he had…"

"A long time ago," Harry said picking his word very slowly. Ron and Hermione watching his every syllable. "I was very young."

"Oh," Lily said looking down. "I was just curious…I mean I won't ask you how or anything, I know it must be painful…."

"Very," Ron said. "He doesn't ever talk about it." Hermione nodded.

"Plus," she continued. "I'm not sure I really want to know. I'm really sorry though," She looked at Harry. "It's just…well I knew your dad and I just wanted to…"

"It's all right," Harry said smiling. "I understand."

"We dated," Lily said smiling. "Well, we still are, but since it's the future…you know what I mean." Harry nodded. He was glued to her every word. He wanted to hear everything she had to say, about her, his father, her family…everything.

"He's a very dear friend to me, and I care about him very much." Lily continued. "I'm glad he had a son though. I wouldn't want that spirit to be gone forever. Plus, one that looks just like him. It's amazing. Any brothers or sisters?"

"Nope, just me." Harry said grinning.

"You really don't want any," Lily said making a face. "I mean I'm sure it's not always the case, but I know from my experience…" She made another face.

"Your sister?" Ron said.

"Yes," Lily said smiling at him. "How'd you know I had a sister?" Hermione and Harry both glared at him.

"I…" Ron said looking at them for some help. "You just look like the type of person who would have a sister."

"Oh," Lily said nodding skeptically, but not asking any further questions. "Well, yes I do. An older sister named Petunia. She's wretched. Treats me like a freak just because I go to school here. I'm not normal enough for her." She scowled as if remembering something specific.

"I can imagine people like that," Harry said looking at her.

"Not from James's family," Lily said. "They're definitely into magic. Your name goes back generations in the wizarding world."

"Does it?" Harry said looking at Ron and Hermione.

"Yes," Lily said. "I remember James's father, your grandfather I suppose, telling me all about the Potter name. One of the few pure blooded wizard families left."

"Pure blooded?" Harry asked.

"Not a trace of a Muggle marriage anywhere in the family tree," Lily said looking at him. "Kind of made me realize why in the long run James's and I wouldn't work out."

"Why not?" Hermione asked.

"Because I'm Muggle born," Lily said. "Like I said, my sister thinks I'm a freak because she and my entire family are Muggles."

"I am as well," Hermione said. "But I don't see what you meant about you and Harry's father not ending up together? I mean you're not a Muggle, you're a witch."

"Oh I know," Lily said suddenly remembering what she had said. "But…well it's hard to explain. You see every marriage into the Potter family had also come from an extensively long pureblood family."

"So?" Ron asked.

"So you're Muggle born, and you don't come from one of those…" Hermione said.

"Exactly," Lily said. "It's not so much James' parents that would have cared. I mean they understand that it's becoming almost impossible to find good pureblooded wizards and witches, but his grandparents would go absolutely mad."

"Well who cares what they think," Harry said. "I mean they're living in the past."

"And so am I," Lily said as a sad smile came across her face. "I guess by the way things turned out, they had some sort of influence over James's final decision." Harry, Ron, and Hermione all looked at each other, unaware of what to say.

"I mean his grandparents had a lot of money," Lily said blankly. "If you had ever seen James's house…the inheritance he would have received. He couldn't afford to cross them…"

"He would have gone with his heart in the end," Harry said. "In fact I know he did." Hermione took a small gasp, and Ron looked at Lily waiting for a reaction.

"I'm sure he did," Lily said grinning widely. "Knowing James he most likely choose with his heart over his head in the end. He always tends to that…He always rebelled against his upbringing. Sirius and him both. Both born into privilege and choosing a life of troublemaking. Can't imagine how many times I've heard Sirius's father tell him how his antics will end up shaming the family name one day. All though I hardly believe either of them would have done anything bad enough to end them up in, say Azkaban." She laughed. Harry, Ron, and Hermione didn't.

"They were a good group," Lily continued. "James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter."

"Well most of them," Harry said rolling his eyes.

"You've met them?" Lily said eyes widening. "Are they all still…"

"Alive?" Harry asked. "Yes all of them. Sirius is my godfather in fact."

"Really?" Lily said. "I wouldn't have doubted James making that decision for one second. How is he?"

"Good," Harry said. "Well, he's better than he was. Remus is well also"

"Oh," Lily said smiling. "I bet the death of your father was devastating for both of them. They were so close. Especially Sirius"

"You have no idea…" Harry said trailing off. "You really have no idea."

"And Peter?" Lily asked. "He must have been devastated too. He always idolized your father. He would never admit it, but it was obvious." Harry's face turned white. How badly he wanted to tell her that Wormtail was the reason that his father had died. The reason she would also meet her eventual demise. The look on Hermione's face was enough to shut him up though, all though he could tell that she also really wanted to say something.

"I really never met Peter," Harry said half lying. He himself believed that he had never in fact met Peter Pettigrew, but in fact had met Wormtail. Almost as if they were two different people.

"Oh I see," Lily said. "We'll it's good to know Sirius and Remus are all right."

"Maybe you can see them!" Hermione said. "I mean they keep in touch with Harry."

"Really?" Lily asked. " I would love too! Just to see how they ended up. They wouldn't even have to know who I was."

"Hermione…" Ron whispered under his breath. "What are you doing?"

"I tell you later," Hermione said smiling. "I tell you later…."