Chapter 14

August 2022

Ron and Hermione Weasely were reading yet another letter from their daughter. They were worried because she had been thrown back into the middle of a war and relieved that she had survived nearly three years so far even if it had only been two months for them. Hermione had still not found anything to bring her daughter back and had reluctantly resigned herself to wait for a very grown up Rose to come knocking on her door one day. She was not yet ready to abandon hope completely.

7th March 1978

Dear Mum and Dad,

Another birthday without you! I'm 19 today and I wish so much you could see me now. In the last three years I have gained a lot of friends – more than I ever had before, if you don't count all my cousins. Before I came here I was always too preoccupied with studying to make friends and the only real friends I had were Albus and Scorpius. Now Lily, Sharon, Becky, James and Remus are all my friends, not to mention Sirius – my husband.

NEWTs are just around the corner though and I don't know if I will be able to keep in contact with all of them. Sharon has decided to leave the country and go to the US, while Becky wants to work at the ministry. Sirius wants to join the Aurors, Lily and I are going to apply to apprentice as healers at St. Mungo's and James and Remus are going to work for the Order full-time.

Sirius and I will stay with the Potters until we have earned enough money to buy or rent a house or flat of our own. I'm actually looking forward to that, now that I've fallen for him but I'm also worried more than ever about our future. What will happen in three years? Will I be strong – or cold hearted – enough not to change the future? Can I really condemn my husband to spend thirteen years in Askaban for something he didn't even do? The future has never seemed so daunting and I'm afraid I won't live long enough to see you again.

I really shouldn't ponder such dark thoughts on a day like this. I've had a wonderful birthday so far with lots of presents and a party planned for this evening. The Marauders are going to sneak out and organise butterbeer, mead and maybe even firewhisky from the Three Broomsticks and lots of sweets from Honeydukes. They already asked the house elves to provide some finger food. I just hope they will lay off the pranks tonight.

Love

Rose

17th June 1978

It was the middle of June and Dora and her friends had just finished their last exam. They all poured out of the castle to sit at the lake and enjoy the sunshine. In only a few days they would leave Hogwarts for good and enter the real world where the war was still raging although Hogwarts seemed as peaceful as ever.

"Finally, we did it. We sat our NEWTs!" Sirius exclaimed happily and flopped down onto the grass.

"Now we only need to wait for the results," Dora said nervously and sat down next to him.

"Why are you nervous, Dora? We all know you will get your nine Outstandings," James commented and rolled his eyes at her, sitting down on Sirius' other side.

"No, we don't know that! I could have messed up somewhere," the red headed Ravenclaw stated biting her lips in worry.

"I'm sure we all did fine," Lily reassured her from James' side.

"Yes, especially after all the studying. I don't think I've ever studied as much as in the last few months. Not even for our OWLs," Sharon commented who sat on Dora's right.

"I'm just glad it's finally over," Sirius groaned.

"So you won't miss Hogwarts at all?" Remus asked who seemed a little depressed.

"Of course I will miss Hogwarts. I will miss the Quidditch team, sneaking around after curfew and playing pranks on unsuspecting teachers and students. The only thing I won't miss is studying," Sirius explained.

"But that's what Hogwarts is for! It's a school," Becky lectured him.

Sirius just rolled his eyes while Dora seemed to agree with her dorm mate. Remus just smiled good-naturedly at his friend and laid an arm around his girlfriend. He had finally got his act together and asked Becky out three months ago.

"When will we get our leaving certificate anyway? We will need it to apply for an apprenticeship," Sharon inquired.

"In the morning of our last day at Hogwarts there will be a small ceremony for the seventh years where we will get our leaving certificates from our Head of House and the best students will be awarded some points for their Houses," Dora explained who knew Hogwarts a History by heart thanks to her mother.

"What are you all going to apply for?" Becky asked the group of friends.

"I'm going to apply for an apprenticeship as a healer," Lily replied.

"Me, too," Dora said.

"I want to be an Auror," Sirius stated proudly.

"Remus and I are going to work for the Order of the Phoenix," James announced.

Remus looked down in embarrassment. James had enough money to decide not to work but he didn't. He would prefer to find some paid work but he knew it was unlikely, due to his condition. No one wanted to employ a werewolf. So he had taken Dumbledore up on his offer to work for the Order in exchange for board and lodging.

"I'm planning to go to the US," Sharon announced. "Not sure yet what I'll do there though."

"I'm going to apply for a position in the ministry. I'll probably just get some low position though and will have to work my way up because I don't have the right connections," Becky told them before anyone could ask.

The friends spent the rest of the day relaxing and talking about their dreams and plans for the future, just enjoying the company of a group that would maybe never meet again after Hogwarts.

A few days later all the seventh years were gathering in the Great Hall after lunch. The other students had all been sent away for the small ceremony that was about to take place. The teachers were all standing in front of the head table while the seventh years sat at their house tables.

Dumbledore stepped forward and beamed at his students. "Congratulations Ladies and Gentlemen! You have completed your education here at Hogwarts. In a few moments you will receive your leaving certificate and will no longer be students of this school. We – the professors – wish you all the best for your future. Now, Professor McGonagall, if you please."

Professor McGonagall stepped forwards and started to call out names. The students she had called walked up to her and received their leaving certificate. She announced the number of NEWTs they had achieved and then shook their hands before they were sent back to their seats.

"BLACK, SIRIUS!" was actually the first Gryffindor she called up. "Congratulations, you received five NEWTs." She actually seemed relieved he was no longer her student, when she shook his hand.

"EVANS, LILY!" Professor McGonagall called and Lily walked up to the head table.

"Congratulations, you achieved eight NEWTs," the Professor told her and gave her one of her rare smiles, while she shook her hand.

"LUPIN, REMUS!" Remus walked up to her, looking slightly nervous. "Congratulations, you received eight NEWTs." Relieved he walked back to the Gryffindor table after he had shaken her hand.

"POTTER, JAMES!" James gave McGonagall a broad grin as she presented him with his leaving certificate. "Congratulations, you received seven NEWTs." Again the professor seemed relieved to see him go.

When all the Gryffindors had received their certificates, it was Professor Sprouts turn. After she finished with her Hufflepuffs she stepped aside and Professor Flitwick took her place.

"BOOT, REBECCA!" he squeaked as loud as he was able to. "Congratulations, you received eight NEWTs." Since he had no stack of books to stand upon she had to lean down slightly to shake his hand.

"DAVIES, SHARON!" Sharon made her way up to the head table. "Congratulations, you received six NEWTs."

Finally it was Dora's turn. "GRANGER, DORA!" Professor Flitwick called out. "Congratulations, you received nine NEWTs." Dora practically skipped back to her seat.

After the Ravenclaws only the Slytherins were left. The only Slytherin Dora had ever talked to was Severus Snape. He received seven NEWTs.

When all students had received their leaving certificate, Dumbledore stepped forward a second time to award house points for outstanding performances.

Dora was awarded 50 points for Ravenclaw since she graduated as top of the class, Severus Snape was awarded 20 points for Slytherin for achieving the highest Potions and DADA scores and Lily earned 10 points for Gryffindor for the highest Charms score.

Then the short ceremony was over and the leaving feast started. Ravenclaw won the House Cup although Gryffindor had won the Quidditch Cup. Sharon and Becky were actually crying because their carefree years at Hogwarts had come to an end. After the feast the three Ravenclaw girls stayed up late into the night remembering their last years at Hogwarts together and promising each other to stay in contact with each other, no matter what.

The train ride to London the next day was quiet and depressing for the seventh years. They were leaving their happy childhood behind to enter a war-torn world, a world where mistrust threatened to destroy their friendships.

Dora and Sirius lived with the Potters for the next few months. They both applied for jobs, Sirius at the ministry and Dora at St. Mungo's. Both of them were accepted and started their training on the 1st September. Lily had been accepted at 's as well and Dora and Lily enjoyed training together.

James and Remus were busy with the Order. Lily and Sirius had joined as well although they were mainly occupied with training for their jobs. Becoming a healer or an auror was hard work and demanded a lot of effort. Dumbledore paired all of the Order members up so that no one had to fight alone and there was always someone to have their back. It was too dangerous otherwise. James was paired up with Lily while Sirius was paired with Remus.

Together, James and Lily were a force to be reckoned with and so it didn't take long until they were faced with Voldemort himself. He offered to spare them if they joined him and his Death Eaters but they declined. He then attacked them but they managed to escape him with only minor injuries. Nevertheless the shock sat deep and they were only too aware that they had moved up significantly on Voldemort's hit list.

In December, for their second anniversary Sirius bought a small house for him and Dora. It was situated near Potter Manor in Godric's Hollow. It was meant as a surprise for Dora so he didn't tell her about his plan before he took her to their new house.

"What are we doing here?" Dora asked when they arrived in front of the house. Sirius had taken her out on a walk and now they were standing in front of a little house in Godric's Hollow where she had never been before.

"This is our new house," Sirius announced proudly. "Happy anniversary," he added and kissed her on the mouth.

Dora smiled and her eyes shone brightly. She dragged Sirius over to the door, eager to explore her new home. The house was neat and clean but bare of any furniture. It had only three rooms, a bathroom and a kitchen but was more than big enough for the two of them. Dora looked around in excitement, already planning how to furnish and decorate the rooms.

They decided to turn the empty room downstairs opposite the kitchen into a living room and the two empty rooms upstairs into their bedroom and a guest bedroom. By March Dora and Sirius had finished furnishing the house and they celebrated Dora's twentieth birthday in their new home. Dora had only invited her closest friends, which were Lily, James, Remus and Becky. Sharon had already moved to the USA and was unable to come but had sent a birthday card and present.

They were all sitting in the living room and having a good time, forgetting all about the war that was raging for the moment.

"Do you remember that prank that was played on Sirius in fifth year?" Lily asked and laughed, "The one that turned his whole skin blue."

"Oh yes, that was hilarious. You never found out who did it, did you?" James remarked.

"No, I didn't" Sirius pouted. "I would have liked to get them back."

Dora and Lily laughed loudly while Remus smiled knowingly. Sirius looked at them suspiciously. "You know something," he accused them.

Dora smiled sweetly at him. "You deserved it, honey, with all the pranks you played on me. I just thought it was time for you to get a taste of your own medicine."

"You! You were the one who played that prank on me! How did you do that?" he exclaimed.

"Easy, I brewed a potion and convinced one of the house elves to put it in your pumpkin juice," she answered amusedly.

"I've never seen that side of you before," Becky said and shook her head in amusement.

"Usually I don't like pranks all that much but I thought I would make an exception for Sirius. He was practically begging for it," Dora argued.

Sirius was pouting again while James was laughing his ass off. These two were a match made in heaven or maybe hell. Both of them were hot tempered and obviously knew how to pull pranks. Together as a team they would no doubt be able to raise hell for anyone who stood in their way. It reminded James a little of his and Lily's relationship, which in turn reminded him of the announcement he and Lily wanted to make.

"I have some good news. Lily and I are engaged. She has finally agreed to marry me," he announced after he had managed to stop laughing and beamed happily at his friends. Lily was beaming with joy as well and showed off her engagement ring they hadn't noticed before.

They all congratulated the happy couple and asked about their plans for the wedding. It was a pleasant day not overshadowed with the horrors of the war for once.