Disclaimer: Neither Harry Potter nor any of its characters belong to me and I am not, in any way, profiting from posting this story up. All rights got to J. who was genius enough to think up this whole thing
Title: Once bitten Twice Shy
Pairing: Sirius B./ Remus L. x Haylie P. (fem Harry P.)
Summary: Haylie Potter manages to defeat Voldemort, but at a high cost. With everyone she knows and loves dead, no future to look forward to and absolutely nothing to lose, she travels back in time in an attempt to nip evil in its demonic bud but miscalculates with her runes and ends up in 1976 instead. In short: The Marauders' and Lily's 7th and final year. As she and renowned ladies' man, Sirius Black, start falling for each other during her short noticed stay while Dumbledore plans a course of action, there's only so much trouble that can crop up, and having a now well and alive Voldemort on her tail again does not help her case any.
Chapter 2 – An Unwelcome Chance Encounter
Haylie woke up early the next morning, a goal in her mind and fully refreshed.
In a strange, perverted way, travelling back in time had eased her stress somewhat. The knowledge that she could do something to save her friends and families from their horrible fates uplifted her mood and she found herself with a smile on her face as she went through the morning's activities.
Teeth brushed, hair neat and clothes newly scourgified (she resolved to buy a new wardrobe of clothes at first opportunity), she stood in front of the only mirror in the living room, admiring her appearance with a morning cup of coffee in her hand and an appraising smile when something that could only happen in the Wizarding world happened.
The mirror spoke up.
And quite suddenly Haylie might very well add.
"Much better, honey," the mirror approved in a loud voice, frames lifting in a twisted version of a human smile," Your fringe really brings out your eyes."
Three things happened in quick succession thereafter.
Haylie gave a strangled sort of scream
Her hand jerked as though an earthquake had wracked her quaint room
And, coffee went flying everywhere.
With a muffled curse, Haylie stared at the newly made coffee stains in the previously immaculate rug. There was silence in the room as she alternated her glare from the sheepish-looking mirror to the empty mug which had previously held coffee, before she let out an explosive sigh, bringing her fingers up to knead her nose bridge. She rolled her eyes heaven-ward, murmuring a silent plea to whomever god was listening.
"Merlin!" she sighed heavily," Just great. I forgot mirrors in the Wizarding World could do that…"
She opted to ignore the apologetic stutters coming from the mirror, as her brow furrowed, trying to recall the house-cleaning spell Mrs. Weasley had taught her long ago.
It was something that started with 't', she knew. T-something. Tergro? Tegeo? Tergeo? That was it! Tergeo!
Satisfied, she murmured the incantation for the spell, waving her hand with a flourish at the stains and watched as they disappeared faster than you could say 'Quidditch'. Soon, there was no more evidence of the incident that had occurred a moment ago.
However, as she went to tend to her the bed (which she had, regrettably, left unmade that morning), there was the sound of knuckles on wood and Haylie turned towards the door a questioning expression on her face.
She went to open it, giving the mirror a warning look not to mention anything of what he had seen in the room a few seconds ago (the coffee stains and the wandless magic), and raised an eyebrow at seeing Madam Rosemerta at the door, looking pleasantly flushed in the face and carrying tray loads of foods balanced precariously in her hands and similarly on her elbows.
"Hello dear," she said cheerily," Good morning! I heard a sort of commotion in the room just now, is everything alright?"
With a flush, Haylie realized she was talking about her almost-scream that had escaped her mouth a few seconds ago.
"Oh right," she said hurriedly, still burning red in the face," Terribly sorry, Ma'am. Just that the mirror gave me a shock just now."
Madam Rosemerta cracked a smile at her sheepish expression upon realizing what she meant.
"Come now, dear," she said soothingly, "Many our muggleborn customers have been frightened by that darn mirror for years and years on end. You're not the first one to be."
She then nodded towards the pub area where Haylie could hear the strained notes of laughter if she strained her ears. "It's like Diagon Ally out there, Hogsmead weekend and all. The noise is loud enough to wake the dead. It was wonder I was even able to hear you above all that noise."
Haylie cracked a weak grin at her joke but, mostly, her mind was reeling in numbed shock. It was a Hogsmead weekend? That meant all Hogwarts students, third year and up would be here! Everyone whom she had known who were born during this time period. 'Shit' wasn't a good enough word to express the mortification Haylie felt at the thought. This was too soon! She didn't know who was staying at this current time period. What if it was Malfoy Sr.'s Sr.? Or Bellatrix Lestrange (Merlin better hope she not bump into that particular person)? And who knew who else…
She shook herself out of her morose thoughts and forced a smile when she heard the pub owner's voice bringing her back to reality with a nasty bump.
"Were you planning on going out sometime later?" she asked curiously, having not noticed Haylie's lapse of attention for the time being.
"Yes," she answered and she pushed her thoughts aside (there would be time for that later)," Preferably to purchase new clothes for myself and, maybe buy some potion ingredients or too. I'm assuming you will be attending to the pub then?"
Madam Rosemerta nodded before the both of them flinched at the sound of glass breaking in the other room. Madam Rosemerta huffed and gave her an apologetic glance.
"So sorry to cut this conversation short, dear, but I think I've left those adolescents unattended long enough. Have a pleasant day and personally, I hope we'll be able to continue our conversation later."
Haylie gave an appreciative smile.
"I'd like that."
The two women exchanged nods and Madam Rosemerta hurried off to face the commotion that had gathered in her pub.
"If you'd like, I could help you out in the pub later," said Haylie after her retreating back.
She merely got an uncertain, "We'll see," from Rosemerta over her shoulder and she smiled before shutting the door close with a sigh, once again kneading her nose bridge.
"Ugh," she groaned, feeling like whacking her head against the door," Why do all these things happen to me?"
Feeling as though fate were laughing at her, she made her way to complete the rest of her chores, cheery mood already overleaden with depressed thoughts about evil, bigoted grandfathers and crazy, curly-haired murderers.
…
At exactly one in the morning, she set off to do some shopping of her own, armed with her well-worned wand which was always at her disposal despite her being able to do wandless magic and the day prior's clothes.
As she had feared, the pub was as crowded as it could get but thankfully, fate had decided to take mercy on her that morning, for none of the Hogwarts students she recognizedfrom her own timeline were regulating the pub.
She meandered her way through the crowd of adolescents and had almost made it to the entrance when Madam Rosemerta headed her off.
"You're already going off dear?" she said in a bustling tone as she wiped the mug she had in her hand with an apron. A tray of butterbeers was floating beside her.
Haylie nodded. "I've decided to get a head start on the shopping. There's only so much hours of light in a day."
Madam Rosemerta seemed to accept her answer. "Take care dear," she said brightly, and, in a much more whispered voice, she leaned in and whispered," And do look out for anything too suspicious. I'd hate to lose such a precious customer such as yourself."
In between her stuttered thanks through a blushing red face, Madam Rosemerta laughed good-naturedly and patted her shoulder once, shortly albeit fondly.
"Take care of yourself," she repeated before she left to tend to a customer that had been eying the both of their interactions with curious but impatient eyes.
Haylie shook off the strange feeling that had arisen in her chest at the touch and opted to send a soft smile at her before she spelled a notice-me-not charm over her and a quick glamour charm that changed her features slightly, and then she was off.
…
She suppressed her turmoiled feelings at seeing Hogsmeade whole and undamaged, and kept a tight leash on her emotions as she strolled as casually she could through the thick crowd. Children jostled her a bit as they played in between shoppers' legs, screaming childish insults at each other, and she was pushed to the side more often than she could count by busy shoppers, but for the most part, she didn't mind.
Her mind was focused solely on the shopping at hand and she was mentally calculating how big of a dent today's shopping would make in her, admittedly, large resources. So far, the results were ranging from 500 galleons to 700. It all depended on how long she would be spending at the bookshop, actually.
Smiling a little to herself and her book- obsession (she was turning out like Hermione) she made her way to Gladrags Wizardwear where she had planned to buy new clothes. Those sold there weren't as skillfully done as Madam Malkin's, nor as tastefully, but they would be wearable. Haylie vaguely remembered going there once to buy Dobby a pair of Novelty socks for his birthday with Hermione and Ron.
The bell rang as she entered and she wasted no time and went straight towards the women section.
By the end of her trip, she had picked out practically a whole new wardrobe which comprised of three new pairs of black robes, plain and unremarkable (but that was just how she wanted them), dress robes for special occasions (it couldn't hurt to be prepared), two new pairs of shoes, second hand Hogwarts ones, three pairs of novelty socks in honor of Dobby who had died in his previous life, one hooded robe, a woolen scarf with reminiscent red and gold colors and a pair of dragon hide gloves and boots for the cold winter weather that was sure to come.
The shopkeeper rang this all up and the total went up to about 38 galleons and 15 sickles.
She handed the correct amount to him without skipping a beat and barely spared him a glance as his eyes trained on her suspiciously as she left with her purchases.
Let them think what they want to think, she thought indifferently, I don't care.
She checked her mental list of things to do again.
Clothes Shopping, check.
Onto Potions materials.
She altered her course to head towards Potage's Cauldron Shop where she bought a pewter cauldron then to Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment where she bought about a dozen glass vials which she spelled unbreakable and bronze brass scales. She resolved to get a few more potion ingredients from the Apothecary if there was time as she picked out a few fungi here and a few leaves there at Dogweed and Deathcap.
Potions, check.
With her purchases shrunk safely in her inner pocket, she wandered the roads for a moment.
She was slightly surprised that she hadn't come across anyone she knew yet while she had been shopping and was slightly if not more than suspicious as to the lack of people.
Perhaps she should have treasured the peace while she could and not have questioned it because it was then that there was a sound of protest behind her and, before she could move, was shoved painfully to the side by a moving body.
The breath left her lungs as she came into contact with the hard, unforgiving cobblestoned floor and a gasp of pain sounded to her left. She couldn't turn around even if she tried. Her arm was twisted at a strange angle.
"Ow," she winced as a throb of pain traversed up her wounded arm. There goes the rest of the day, she thought irritably. But as she turned around to glare at the offender, she was met with wide, familiar eyes of grey.
The only thought that entered her mind was: Sweet Mother of Mercy, kill me now.
Then her eyes rolled into her head and she hit the floor the second time in a few moments.
At least she could blame her fainting on the pain that was currently travelling up her arm.
