Chapter 13

July 2022

Scorpius had just received another letter from Rose. Every Saturday her owl would bring him a letter from her telling him how she was faring in the 1970s. Rose had been his best friend since their first year at Hogwarts and he missed her a lot. Impatiently he opened the letter, cursing the fact that the letters only arrived once a week.

15th August 1977

Dear Scorpius,

It's awful, the war is getting worse. It's one thing to learn about it in History of Magic but a completely different thing to experience it. So many people are dying!

Yesterday there was an attack on Diagon Alley. The Hogwarts letters only arrived a week ago and there were so many children with their parents buying their stuff for school. Dorea and Charlus Potter were there, too. They managed to get many of the children to safety before they were killed by Death Eaters themselves.

We are all in mourning here at Potter Manor. James and Sirius even stopped their constant pranking! They are both talking about joining the Aurors and the Order of the Phoenix as soon as they are out of school.

I think I want to become a healer. I'm not much of a fighter but I still want to save lives.

I'm crying so much these days. For the people who died but also for those I know will be dying soon. I wish I could save them all but I know I can't. The guilt is eating me alive.

I never really appreciated to be born and grow up in a time of peace. Now I do.

Love

Rose

Scorpius exhaled shakily. Rose was in the middle of a war and there was no guarantee that she would survive it. He had no idea how many more letters she had written to him and if the last one would indicate her death. He hoped with all his might that this letter wouldn't be the last.

1st September 1977

Once again the Hogwarts students were on their way to school. For Dora, Lily and the Marauders it would be the last time. Lily and James had been made head girl and boy, so Dora was sitting with Sharon and Becky on the train. The two were gossiping about their classmates and teachers, while Dora listened.

"Who do you think will get together this year?" Sharon asked Becky.

"How should I know, I'm not a seer," Becky replied.

"I'd bet on you and Lupin. You've been making sheep's eyes at each other for months now," Sharon remarked with an impish grin.

"Lily and James," Dora stated suddenly with certainty.

"How did you come up with that? Lily has always shot him down so far. Why should this year be any different?"

"Easy, opposites attract," Dora said. "Besides, he's grown up over the last few weeks."

"The day Lily and James get together is the day you agree to marry Sirius Black," Becky snorted disbelievingly.

Dora had to stifle a chuckle and played absentmindedly with her invisible wedding band.

"By the way, did you notice that Black hasn't dated anyone for over a year now? I wonder why," Sharon said thoughtfully.

"Does it matter?" Dora asked, trying to stop her train of thought.

"I'm just curious, that's all," Sharon shrugged.

"We should put our robes on, we are going to arrive soon," Becky interrupted them.

The welcoming feast was unusually sombre. Some students were missing who had died during the attack on Diagon Alley, others were mourning the loss of one or both their parents. There weren't as many first years as usual either. One or two of them had also died at Diagon Alley and some parents of muggleborns had decided not to send their children to Hogwarts for fear they would be persecuted and killed in the war.

Dora was relieved to see that the Ravenclaws of her year were all there. During the sorting their House gained only seven new students, four girls and three boys. She helped Becky to lead the first years to their common room after the feast and then went to bed.

Being a seventh year was hard work. The teachers all gave them a lot of homework and they still needed to find the time to revise what they had learned in sixth year. Dora, Becky, Lily and Remus had formed a study group and studied even more than before. Sometimes Sharon, James and Sirius would join them but they didn't stress as much about their NEWTs as the others did.

In addition to that Lily and James also had their head girl and head boy duties. James had matured a lot in the last two years and Lily didn't mind spending so much time with him anymore. They were now often seen talking and laughing together and James had been more than happy to let Lily comfort him when he told her about his grandparents' deaths.

Lily, Dora, Becky and Remus were studying together as usual, when James and Sirius barged into the library. They went straight for their table, looking like men on a mission.

"Hey Lily, next week is the first Hogsmeade weekend, you want to go with me?" James asked nonchalantly although he was anything but calm. He had always been shot down when he had asked her out before.

Lily thought about it for a moment. "Ten o'clock in the Entrance Hall," she decided then and nodded.

James couldn't help but stare. Of course he had hoped she would agree but he hadn't really believed it. She had turned him down so often that it felt unreal to get any other answer. Finally a huge grin spread across his face.

"You won't regret it, I promise," he said and beamed at Lily. Then he plopped down on the chair next to her and took out his own books and parchment.

Sirius sat down between Dora and Remus, sliding a small letter over to her. It was spelled so she would be the only one able to read it.

Dear wife,

I'd like to invite you on a date in the Room of Requirement this Hogsmeade weekend. Please be there at 12 o'clock.

Love

Your husband

"Are you going to Hogsmeade, too, Dora?" Becky asked just as Dora had finished reading the note.

"No, I think I will stay here," Dora said slowly and Sirius grinned. He hadn't been sure she would agree to his idea.

"Oh, well maybe Sharon will come with me," Becky mused.

At that moment Sharon ran into the library, grinning madly. "John just asked me out to Hogsmeade next weekend!" she exclaimed excitedly and earned a disapproving glance form Madam Pince.

"Or maybe not," Becky murmured.

"You could go with Remus," Sirius suggested helpfully.

Remus looked up from his book and glared at the blue-eyed Gryffindor. He didn't date for a reason but if he wanted a date he would manage to get one on his own. He didn't need his friends to set him up!

"Oh, would you, Remus?" Becky asked hopefully, blushing slightly.

"Sure," he sighed and half-smiled at her. It would be rude to turn her down now he reasoned ignoring the small voice that told him he actually quite liked her.

"So you all have dates for Hogsmeade as well?" Sharon asked and squeezed in next to Becky.

They all nodded in confirmation and went back to studying.

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed!

huflepuff girl14: Dora won't interfere in the war but I promise she won't let Sirius go to prison.

KyuubiNoPuma: That's an interesting idea but I have already something else planned for her. Also, since Hedwig died that would give my story a rather tragic ending.