The Other Snapes: Donovan, Isaac, Ashley, Natalie

by PicnicAtHangingRockGirl

Snape's older brother, Isaac, and their eleven year old niece, Natalie, become Hogwarts tutors, the same year Lupin is allowed to return. Harry and Hermione trust them and Harry trusts Snape because of them. Will Isaac discover that Mrs. Norris is his friend Alison? What did Gilderoy Lockhart do to Susan Bones? An alternate sixth year.

9. Memories

Father McKenzie worked at a small, gray brick church, which surprised Harry and Hermione, who had been expecting something much larger and gothic. He had thick, feathery, white hair and glasses. The first thing Harry noticed about him was how strikingly green his eyes were.

Father McKenzie swept his eyes over Isaac, Natalie, and Harry, like he could have cried the way people do at weddings. Isaac's chest felt tight, as he self-consciously remembered how bad his arms looked. Natalie hoped no one could tell she was thinking this meeting should have happened sooner.

Harry was drawn to the way Father McKenzie looked at him. Most people would widen their eyes and exclaim, "You're Harry Potter!" but it wasn't just an awe struck expression, followed by a series of questions about what it was like being the-boy-who-lived, but more like how Sirius had first looked at him.

Father McKenzie looked like he was going to address Harry first, but, instead, he said, "Isaac," in a way that, if he had been out of his uniform, would have given the impression that he was Isaac's grandfather.

He opened his arms, went over to Isaac, and hugged him tightly. Isaac was surprised at first, but then he smiled, relieved, and hugged him back.

"Hi." Isaac said, softly.

Father McKenzie took a step backwards and held on to Isaac's shoulders. He smiled, with tears gleaming in his eyes, "I missed you… I missed so much of your life... and Ashley's too." He confessed, "She came to see me, when she was leaving with Gregory Wilds and," he added, grimly, "Severus."

Isaac nodded. He studied Father McKenzie: his gray hair, his aged skin, which still looked alright, but different than when Isaac had last seen him, but that lingering sadness in his eyes… It hit Isaac like a surprise hex.

Father McKenzie knew that he cut himself. He saw the realization in Isaac's eyes and pulled him back for another hug and kissed him on the cheek. Harry and Hermione turned to each other, intrigued by how Isaac accepted affection much more easily than they could ever imagine Snape doing.

Filch, who had been the one that told Father McKenzie, looked away. Natalie squeezed Filch's hand and gave him a small but encouraging smile. He smiled back, completely forgetting to care about what Harry and Hermione would think.

And, as it happened, Hermione looked over at them, absently. She nudged Harry, who had been focused on Father McKenzie, and got him to look too. Filch smiling: it really was enough to make you feel like you were hallucinating.

Hermione watched Harry turn back to look at Father McKenzie. She felt a sinking feeling in her stomach, as she remembered he had looked the same way, when he thought his dad had saved them, back in their third year.

Father McKenzie caught Harry's eye and walked over to him, with the same kind of bitter-sweet smile Sirius used to have, when he looked at him.

Father McKenzie's took a deep breath and said quietly, "You're Lily's son." Harry understood everything before he explained, with a sad smile, "I knew her—I'm Father McKenzie by the way-and I knew you for a bit when you were a baby. And, Harry, can I call you Harry?" Harry nodded and Father McKenzie continued, "I'm sure you're tired of hearing this, but you do have your mother's eyes."

Harry confessed, "I'll never get tired of hearing that."

Father McKenzie nodded, understandingly. Then, there was a pause. Isaac and Filch shared a serious look, while Natalie and Hermione just stared at Harry and Father McKenzie.

Father McKenzie took another deep breath and asked, apprehensively, "Would you mind if I— May I just hug you?"

Harry nodded, like Father McKenzie shouldn't even have felt the need to ask for permission, "Yeah, sure."

Being hugged by Father McKenzie was like when Sirius, back in Harry's third year, had offered to become his legal guardian. Father McKenzie felt happy too, but also a rush of regret for not contacting Harry sooner.

After a few moments, Father McKenzie pulled away, his hands on Harry's shoulders. He nodded at Harry, with a heartbreaking smile. Harry suddenly became aware that there were tears stuck in his own eyes, as he smiled back.

Then, Father McKenzie went over to Natalie, but kept a short distance between them.

"I've heard a lot about you." he told her.

Natalie smiled, faintly, "I've heard a lot about you too. And the cards you send us are always so nice."

Hermione noted how Father McKenzie was debating about whether or not he should hug Natalie. Natalie gave him an apologetic look, like she was trying to make up for not being as accepting as Harry.

Natalie did go hug him though, after a few moments, like she felt like an idiot if she didn't, even though she clearly didn't want to. Father McKenzie didn't hug her as forcefully as he had hugged Isaac and Harry, but just gently placed his hands on her shoulders.

As Natalie pulled away, Hermione, along with Isaac and Filch, noticed how Father McKenzie gave her an understanding smile. Natalie shrugged at him, as if to say, That's just life.

Father McKenzie met Isaac's gaze, grimly, a moment before he led them all in the church.

It was as like the outside; small but functional. Filch and Isaac slipped away from the group, over to a cork board covered with newspaper articles and pictures, Natalie and Hermione resumed their discussion about A Little Princess, and Harry immediately offered to help Father McKenzie get some extra hymnals from a back room.

It was shabby compared to the main area, with cobwebs, no lighting except the sunlight, but it was apparently only used for storage. Just a bunch of wooden shelves that looked older than Father McKenzie. The Hymnals didn't look much younger either, with most of the covers worn out or pages nearly falling out.

Harry said, as he inspected a hymnal with a cover charmed back on, awkwardly, "Er, Father McKenzie, I don't know when I could get it, but-"

Father McKenzie, who had had his back to him, turned to him, solemnly, "I know your father's side of the family was well off, Harry. Your grandparents-"

A hint of a smile formed on the corners of Harry's lips, "You knew them too?"

Father McKenzie smiled a little, like he could see them in Harry, "Yes, a little. They used to stop by with…"

Harry saw Father McKenzie hesitate, like the way Harry had had to think about what he wrote to Sirius, when the Ministry would read their letters last year.

"With my mother?" Harry asked.

"No. Well, not just with her." Father McKenzie admitted, like he had swallowed too much bad tasting food at once. He averted his eyes, as he asked, "Harry, do you know what your grandparents did for a living?"

"No, most people only ever tell me about my parents, how great they were…" Harry couldn't help but remember what he saw James do to Snape after their O.W.L. exams.

"Your dad changed, Harry." Father McKenzie assured him, which surprised Harry a little. Then, Father McKenzie admitted, hesitantly, "I only met him a few times, when he was a student, but I visited your parents a little, when you were all in hiding-"

Harry gave him a confused look, "Sirius took you to see them?" Had Sirius known he trusted the Snape family?

Father McKenzie shut his eyes, regretfully, "No, Harry. I know you've probably been taught that the Fidelius charm is full proof, but it's not." Father McKenzie started to get nervous, but kept going, "Ashley Snape got past it."

Harry wanted to hear him say he was kidding, but couldn't get himself to believe that it would be true, "How?"

Father McKenzie asked him, "You heard me mention to Isaac before that Ashley came to see me yesterday, right?"

Harry nodded, "Yeah."

"Well, she told me that, if I could find you, she wanted me to tell you all about how she got past the charm." He admitted, with a defeated sigh, "And, Harry, she also wanted me to tell you about how your grandparents were good friends of her parents and Warren and Emma Filch."

"Mr. Filch's parents?" Harry felt like he was having an out of body experience.

Filch's family, who Harry had never once thought of before, but couldn't picture as being nice people, and his dad's side had been friendly? Not to mention that James could have easily grown up with Snape and his siblings. Had he hated them, and probably Filch too, all that time?

Father McKenzie nodded, "Yes. They all worked together as Aurors, Aurors who decided to live double lives in the muggle world to protect muggles from wizards like Grindelwald or, nowadays, Voldemort." Harry might have interrupted him, if he hadn't said Voldemort so easily. "You haven't heard of it, the Muggle Guards, because the Ministry doesn't talk about that section much because most wizards won't go that far. Plenty of wizards believe in protecting muggles, but living in their world… The ministry doesn't even fund it-"

Harry felt as if he had had a surge of energy after a sleepless night, "Who started it? Who runs it?"

Father McKenzie admitted, like he expected Harry to freak out, "Genevieve Snape, back when she was Genevieve Harrington-"

"She's related to Professor Snape? Is she his mum?" Harry voice gave away the sinking feeling in his stomach.

"Yes, she was his mother, and that's what most people still think of her: the mother of a Death Eater-"

"I didn't-"

"Harry, I know you don't trust him." Father McKenzie insisted, desperately, "And I'm sure that you think you have good reasons, but, Harry, he is not out to kill you. No one in his family is."

Harry was obviously hurt, "I know that, but why couldn't he, his siblings, or his parents, or even Mr. Filch have told me that our families used to be close? And why couldn't you have come and found me?"

Tears were stuck in the old clergyman's eyes, "I didn't think you would trust me. I obviously trust Professor Snape and his family. And as for Argus, it must be the hardest for him…"

"Why? Because I can do magic and he can't?"

"No. Harry, Argus, Mr. Filch I mean…" He sighed, then said, "Well, his mother, Harry… Harry, she tried to save your grandmother," he continued more cautiously, "but they both got killed by Voldemort."

Harry felt hot pressure on the back of his eyes, "I didn't know. I didn't know Voldemort killed my grandparents either, I just thought they had died before…" Harry pictured the pair of them, so much blood on their corpses that you didn't know where the cuts were, eyes wide open.

Father McKenzie sensed this and added, gently, "He only killed your grandmother, but Bellatrix Lestrange killed your grandfather, not long after you defeated Voldemort-"

Harry's voice broke and tears blurred his vision, as he couldn't stop himself from recalling all sorts of torture the Dursleys put him through that had made him wish a long lost relative would come to his rescue, "He was still alive?"

Father McKenzie rushed over and hugged Harry, who clung to him, like a child. He stroked Harry's hair, which relaxed Harry enough to cry silently. Then, he offered, "I'll show you my memories of that night, so you can see him."

As they pulled apart, Harry asked, "Could Hermione, my friend out there, see it too? Our other friend-"

"Ronald Weasley?"

"Yeah," Harry nodded, not at all surprised that Snape or Filch would have mentioned the trio to Father McKenzie. "I think I'll need her help, telling him about it later. I don't know how I'll feel after-"

"Go get her," Father McKenzie told him, understandingly. He added, as Harry turned to go, "Why you're at it, get everyone else too. They'll all know what I'm doing anyway."

Harry turned around and gave him a confused look, "Even Natalie?"

"She's already seen it. So has Argus." he shared, sadly. Then, he made an old pensieve slide out of the back wall.

Harry nodded, wordlessly, before he popped his head out the door and spotted Isaac, Filch, Natalie, and Hermione all by the newspaper articles and pictures, "Hermione, Mr. Snape, Mr. Filch, Natalie, Father McKenzie wants to see you."

Hermione was struck by the sound of his voice, which gave away that he had been crying as much as his eyes did. She rushed over, closely followed by Natalie. Isaac and Filch exchanged an alarmed glance and trailed after them.

Hermione gave Harry a look of deep concern, as soon as she was in the storage room, "Harry, what's wrong?"

Harry just stared at her, too distraught to explain, but Natalie said, as if she had to say it to know the moment was real, "Father McKenzie told him about his grandparents being friends with mine, that Argus's mum got killed because she tried to save Harry's grandma, and that my mum got past the Fidelius charm on his parents' house."

Hermione felt her head spin and turned to Father McKenzie, wide eyed.

As Isaac closed the door behind him and Filch, he added, "They worked together too, in a part of the Ministry my mother started and my father still runs."

Natalie informed Hermione, "That's why we live in the muggle world, to protect muggles from wizards like Voldemort."

Hermione looked over at Isaac, who nodded. She asked, "Why haven't I ever heard about this before?"

"The Ministry doesn't like that we run it, because my brother used to be a Death Eater." Isaac explained, uncomfortably. "They don't even give us funding. My father pays for everything."

Father McKenzie cut in, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I've promised Harry that I'd show him my memories from the night Voldemort killed his parents."

Hermione shared a solemn look with Harry.

Isaac asked Father McKenzie, knowingly, "Ashley asked you to do this?"

"Yes, yesterday. Gregory didn't even know about it. She really only asked me to tell Harry about it." He confessed, "Showing him was my idea."

Natalie turned to Isaac and they gave each other a We should have seen this coming. look.

Father McKenzie pulled the memory, a silver-blue light, out of his temple.

When he was done, Isaac put his wand, which was elegant, with a design of vines wrapped around it, to his temple, "I'll combine my memories with yours."

Father McKenzie took a step forward, "Isaac-"

"It's fine. I want to." Isaac insisted, as he pulled his memories out.

Father McKenzie shared a listless look with Filch and Natalie. Harry and Hermione looked at each other, like how they did at the start of each year's adventure.

After all the memories were in the pensieve, the six of them leaned over and fell in. Hermione was the only one who screamed. Harry and Natalie told her, "We'll be alright, Hermione!" and shared an understanding look right after.

They landed in Gringotts, deeper than most people ever wanted to go. Harry glanced at Hermione, but she was looking at the only people walking past the vaults: a younger Isaac and Ashley, with the ends of their wands illuminated.

The younger Isaac looked slightly better rested. The dark circles under his eyes were fainter. He had on black pants, but paired with a sky blue button down. His sleeves were rolled up, half-way up his forearms. Harry and Hermione noted that his arms were just as unmarked by Voldemort as their own.

Harry felt like his throat was clogged with mucus. He eyed Isaac, who just stared at him, as if to say, "It's alright."

"What were you doing here?" Harry asked him, curiously.

"We were looking for anyone who might have gotten lost. The goblins really don't do it enough." Isaac told him, simply.

Hermione asked him, "Do you do this often?"

"Yes," he nodded, "twice a day, at least one of us will go." He added, "Well, Natalie and I won't be doing it for a while-"

Hermione turned to Natalie, awestruck, "You do it too? For how long?"

"Since the day my uncle Isaac finished teaching me." Natalie smiled, sweetly.

Harry asked Isaac, "Is that part of your job-"

"No," Isaac said, "which is why I need you both to promise us you won't tell too many people about this. The Goblins don't care about what we do, but the Ministry doesn't want us interfering-"

"Why?" Hermione asked, outraged. "What you're doing-"

"Millicent Bagnold thought, and now Fudge thinks, that it makes the goblins think they can slack off on checking themselves-"

"But they barely check at all!" Harry and Hermione said together.

Isaac smiled, like he couldn't believe he was talking to them like this, but was grateful for it, "This is something you're both interested in?"

"Yes," Harry and Hermione insisted.

Isaac gave them an apologetic look, "I do appreciate it, that you want to help-"

"So do I." Natalie added.

Isaac explained, "But, for most people, it's easy to get lost. I know you both have dealt with so much, but-"

"It's alright," Harry and Hermione assured him.

Harry swallowed and added, "Mr. Snape, I'm sure you know that your brother and I don't get a long, but, after I'm done with school, I want to apply to join your family's part of the Ministry-"

"You would be accepted, right away." Isaac told him. "Both of you, even Mr. Weasley, and anyone who helped you break into the Minstry last year." Harry and Hermione were not surprised he knew. "An interview wouldn't be necessary."

Hermione smiled, hopefully, "So your family has people living double lives all over England?"

Natalie frowned, "No, just a few areas."

Isaac explained, "Most wizards who lived their whole lives in the wizarding world just can't imagine living any differently and, even if their up for it or they already lived in the muggle world, when people find out that my family is involved-"

"That shouldn't affect anything, if they really want to protect people." Hermione decided. "I don't get along with Professor Snape much better than Harry-"

"I know." Isaac admitted. "Professor Lupin told me, last night. Listen, I know how my brother is and how he treats most of you, but he doesn't hate you or anyone just because they're muggleborn or, more specifically, not," he said in a disgusted voice, "pureblood."

"He really doesn't." Natalie insisted, in a way that made it obvious she wanted them to believe her.

Hermione smiled at her, "Well, of course he doesn't. I, honestly, just overreacted and he even told Harry and Ron that they could learn good manners from me."

"Yeah, he did." Harry added.

Hermione continued, "Sometimes I just get so carried away. I honestly can't believe how dense I was."

"You're anything but dense, Hermione." Natalie insisted, much more happily. "You're the smartest student in your year."

"I just study a lot." Hermione told her, while she tried to hide how flattered she was.

Natalie shook her head and said in a sing-song voice, "Someone's in denial."

Hermione laughed and so did Natalie. The others smiled and were surprised by Hermione appearing so relaxed.

Harry suddenly thought to ask Isaac, "How much of your family lives double lives?"

Isaac told him, "All of us: me, Natalie, Ashley, our father, and my brother, when he's not teaching."

Harry nodded, feeling the same as when Quirrell had told him Snape had been trying to protect him. Hermione locked eyes with him and they both understood they both had a new found respect for Snape.

Filch blurted out, "My father does it too."

Isaac and Natalie turned to him, immediately. Father McKenzie, who was also still in contact with Warren, wondered how he should feel about what Filch did.

Hermione, who was catching on to a little of what was going on, turned to Father McKenzie, but he just shrugged, awkwardly.

Filch added, hesitantly, while he looked directly at Isaac, "He usually goes in around eleven."

"Brilliant." Harry, who had gained a deeper respect for Filch and his family after learning Emma tried to save his grandma, decided. "That means there's a better chance of finding someone who's gotten lost."

Isaac nodded at Filch, "Yeah,"

Natalie couldn't help but smile. She said, as soon as she noticed Hermione look at her, "We also try not to talk, so we don't miss any sounds, anything that might lead us to someone who's lost."

Harry said, "Right, well, I'm glad that I know you're doing this, but why are you showing us this?"

Isaac told him, "Just watch. It will make sense, eventually."

As soon as Harry turned to watch the younger Isaac and Ashley, a hoarse voice said, in the distance, "Hello? Please…"

The younger Ashley and Isaac sprinted forward and the younger Isaac yelled, "Lumos Maxima Exigo!"

The whole room became fully illuminated and Harry and Hermione's jaws hung open. Isaac admitted, humbly, "It's my own spell." Harry and Hermione gave him impressed looks, but he said, oddly apologetic, "Keep up with the memory."

The six of them ran to catch up and when they did Harry went pale and Hermione gasped and covered her mouth with her hands.

The younger Isaac and Natalie had found a younger Lupin, almost fully under a few large rocks. He was shaking because of how much pain he was in. Blood was spilling out of him and he was paler than Harry and Hermione had just turned. He also had long scratches on his face, but that was from when he had been a werewolf.

The younger Ashley immediately blasted away the rocks and Lupin collapsed, barely conscious. Isaac got down on his knees and made Lupin sit up right, basically by hugging him.

The younger Isaac pulled a little black bottle out of his pocket and forced the younger Lupin to drink it, even as he coughed from the taste.

Ashley, who was almost crying, just like the younger Isaac, got down on her knees and helped Isaac force Lupin to drink whatever was in the bottle.

Ashley told Lupin, "I know it tastes awful, Remus, but you have to drink it." He struggled and almost got away, but she crammed the bottle in his mouth and said, "No, you have to drink it!"

The younger Isaac made Lupin sit up more and told his sister, "Easy, Ashley, we don't want him to choke."

She pointed out, desperately, "Isaac, look at him, he's nearly dead!"

The younger Isaac didn't respond, but looked scared.

Harry asked, as tears sprung in his eyes, "What is that stuff?"

"A healing potion," Isaac replied. Harry turned to him and saw he was crying a little too. "I've had to drink that kind too. It's like your being choked, it's so bad."

Hermione commented, "Well, you were only trying to help him." Then, she hugged Natalie, who had started sobbing. Isaac went over and put his hands on Natalie's shoulders, comfortingly. Father McKenzie felt ashamed for having her come see the memories and looked away. Filch looked away too, took off his glasses, and wiped away the tears stuck in his eyes.

After the younger Lupin had swallowed enough of the potion, the younger Isaac stuffed the bottle back in his pocket. It surprised Harry and Hermione to see him keep his hold on Lupin in what was obviously a hug and say, softly, "I'm sorry."

Lupin wiped tears out of his eyes and pulled away from the younger Isaac, "It's alright." He locked eyes with him and nodded, for emphasis.

The younger Isaac gave him a grateful look.

Natalie looked over at the younger version of her mom, who smiled at Lupin and the younger Isaac, like a spark of hope had just ignited in her. Ashley said, "So it's true, what they say about the school choir: 'loyal for life'."

The younger Isaac and Lupin chuckled, while Harry and Hermione exchanged a Lupin and Mr. Snape were in the choir together? look.

The younger Lupin told her, jokingly, "Lucky for me."

The younger Isaac grinned at him, "I would have still helped save you, even if you were one of those non-choirers."

Ashley put her hand on her hips, as if she were offended, "What's wrong with us non-choirers?"

Lupin explained, "You can't sing."

Then, the three of them cracked up in a way that reminded Harry and Hermione how young they were, only a few years older than themselves.

Ashley told him, "See, now, I should have left you under that rock."

Lupin pointed out, "Isaac would have still been here."

The younger Isaac added to Lupin, "Yeah, but I'm afraid of," he pointed at Ashley, "her."

Lupin chuckled and asked him, "So you would have left me for dead?"

The younger Isaac placed a hand on his shoulder and the two of them cracked up. The younger Isaac promised, "Hey, I would have said something very nice about you at your funeral."

"Thank you, Isaac."

"Yeah, like how I've never seen anyone die quite like you."

The three of them cracked up again.

Ashley asked, after they were done, "Now, can we get out of here? Not that the hostile/scary/dark/feels like your life is ending atmosphere isn't nice, but…" she grinned because of their jovial expressions.

The younger Lupin got up, "Well, I really don't fancy staying here much longer either."

Isaac asked, as he got up, "Do you want to file a complaint about the rocks?"

Ashley added, apologetically, "It wouldn't really do any good though. The Goblins and the Ministry don't usually care about who has gotten lost or even hurt down here."

The younger Isaac added, cautiously, "And since you're a werewolf…"

Lupin averted his eyes and looked more uncomfortable than Harry or Hermione had ever seen him when it came to talking about his condition, "I'm used to it."

The younger Isaac insisted, gently, "Remus, It won't be like that for much longer, I-" Hermione gave a curious look about the "I" part.

Lupin locked eyes with him and pleaded, "Can we just get out of here?"

"Yeah," the younger Isaac nodded.

They turned to go, but Ashley bent down by the rocks and picked up Lupin's wand. She handed it to Lupin and said, with a little, joyless, smile, "You don't want to forget this."

Lupin thanked her and added, as he put it back in his pocket, "No, and I certainly wouldn't want to have to come back here to find it."

The younger Isaac and Ashley offered, simultaneously, "We could go with you next time."

Lupin smiled, fondly, which Harry and Hermione couldn't help but think was nice, "Thanks. I'll remember that." He admitted, "I honestly feel like I would have been lost, trying to get back, on my own, right now."

Ashley and the younger Isaac shared a look that intrigued Harry and Hermione.

Ashley told Lupin, hesitantly, "Remus, how would you feel about getting out of here, faster?"

Lupin looked a little confused, "You mean on one of the carts?"

"No," she said, a little nervously, "not on one of the carts. We could apparate out."

Lupin shook his head, "No, we can't apparate here."

"I can." she said. Hermione gasped, silently, but Harry wasn't too surprised after what Father McKenzie had said about her breaking the Fidelius charm.

"How?"

Ashley shrugged, "I just put a lot of focus into it and then I was able to do it."

Lupin turned to the younger Isaac, who confessed, "She's the only one in our family who can."

Lupin looked back at Ashley, shocked. She had just looked down, like she felt dumb for telling him, when Lupin remarked, in a way that made Harry and Hermione think of the way Ron and Harry were always impressed by Hermione's cleverness, "Why am I even surprised?"

Ashley smiled, modestly. Then, she instructed them, "Hold on to my arm. Isaac, hold on to Remus's."

They did and then the scene shifted as the three of them apparated to a cozy, two-story, tan bricked house. It was obviously late July, by the heat.

Lupin immediately turned to Ashley, "You got past the Fidelius charm too?"

Ashley smiled, awkwardly, and smiled. The younger Lupin gave her a strong look of being impressed and surprised.

Hermione gave the same look to Isaac, who just smiled, nervously.

Suddenly, James, Sirius, and Peter (everyone from the present glared at him, with dagger eyes) bulleted out of the house and screamed, fearfully, "Remus!"

James and Sirius threw their arms around him, but Peter stood back, anxiously. Isaac looked away, guiltily, witch clenched fists. Filch and Father McKenzie put a comforting hand on his shoulders. Natalie would have too, but she was standing too close to Hermione to go over unnoticed.

James and Sirius asked Lupin, "What happened to you?"

Peter added timidly, "D-did you get attacked?"

"Like he cared," Harry remarked, bitterly.

Ashley explained, "We found him under some rocks at Gringotts and I thought this would be the best place to take him to get cleaned up."

James looked at her, like he had just realized she was there, "How did all of you get here?"

Ashley admitted, nervously, "I managed to get past the Fidelius charm."

Before James could respond, the younger Isaac pulled out the black bottle and shared, "I already gave Remus some healing potion. So he's alright now."

Sirius snatched it out of his hands, but only succeeded, Harry and Hermione noted, because the younger Isaac let him.

Lupin said, in a mixture of shock and acute disgust, "Sirius!"

The younger Isaac assured him, "No, it's alright, Remus."

Lupin insisted, "No, it's not." He turned to Sirius, who was inspecting the potion, "Sirius, Isaac and Ashley just-"

Sirius screamed at the younger Isaac, "This stuff makes you feel like you're drinking Goblin piss! I would know! I've had to drink this stuff before!"

The younger Isaac gave him a pleading look that made Harry feel as ashamed of Sirius, like when he saw Snape's memory last year.

Isaac told Harry, quickly, "He probably wouldn't have been as angry, if he had been with us at Gringotts."

The younger Ashley snapped at Sirius, "So has Isaac! And it's not like he wanted to give Remus something that tasted so awful, but Remus was nearly dying!"

Sirius, James, and Peter turned to Lupin, who said, as if it just hit him fully, "It's true. If Ashley and Isaac hadn't found me, when they did, I, most likely, wouldn't be alive now."

Harry and Hermione glanced at each other, as they recalled how Hermione had needed to be rescued from the troll in the first year.

James offered, like he couldn't believe he wasn't dreaming, "You can come in, all of you, and, Remus, I'll lend you some of my clothes to wear."

James ushered Remus in by his upper back and shared a shocked look with Sirius. Peter kept his eyes on Lupin, worryingly, with his hands wrung together.

Harry and the others followed them inside. It was all white walls, hard wood floors, and filled with eloquent furniture, muggle-only paintings, and rugs.

Isaac explained to Harry, "I'm sure you know that your father's side of the family was rich. This was all bought and paid for by your grandfather Benjamin. You'll get to see him here."

Harry felt a surge of excitement explode in him. This would be better than looking into the Mirror of Erised for sure!

James led them through the front hall, into the kitchen, where Lily was with a healthy Frank and Alice Longbottom, and a baby that Isaac pointed out was Neville.

Neville's father, a man who had soft muscles and tidy, side parted brown hair, was holding Neville and rushed over with his wife and Lily to ask about what had happened to Lupin.

They weren't anything remotely like the zombies in St. Mungo's. Harry and Hermione both sobbed once, but they were able to stifle themselves and watch. Isaac had tears stuck in his eyes and was comforted by Filch, who cried a little too, and Father McKenzie again. Natalie just frowned.

Alice, a slim woman with a flattering blonde bob, saw Ashley and the younger Isaac come in first. To Harry and Hermione's surprise, she (and eventually Frank) looked at them, somberly, but like old friends being reunited.

As James took Lupin out of the kitchen, followed by Sirius and Peter, a man in his early forties, but who had more gray hairs than most people his age, walked in. He was holding baby Harry.

Hermione commented, "Harry, he looks just like you and your dad."

Harry felt a smile tug at the corners of his lips, "Yeah,"

Isaac added, generously, "He was just as brave too."

Harry would have turned to him, with an appreciative look, but he was too focused on his grandfather.

Benjamin was as tall as James, just as fit. He had blue eyes behind the same kind of glasses James had on, which made Harry wonder if James had had a strong desire to please his father. In that moment Harry could understand why. He couldn't explain it, but somehow Harry knew, if his grandfather was still living, he would be vying for his approval too.

Benjamin suddenly had to struggle to keep a strong hold on baby Harry. Harry watched his younger self reach, enthusiastically, for Ashley and call her, affectionately, "Ah ah!"

Benjamin smiled a little at Ashley, like everything about her and the younger Isaac being there should have been normal. He handed baby Harry over to her and said, "Here, I might as well give someone else a turn at holding him."

Ashley shared a knowing grin with Lily, as she gently bobbed Harry up and down.

Benjamin asked Lily, amused, "So would I be right in guessing you've already told her about how much I hog Harry from everyone?"

Harry couldn't help but smile to himself.

Lily pointed out, "Ben, she was going to find out either way."

Frank added, "Yeah. Isaac, Ashley," they were both a little surprised and relieved by how easy going he was with them, "you missed it but, when Alice and I got here, Lily wanted to take Harry from Ben here, to get him some food, but Ben actually said no. He did feed Harry himself though."

"Well, at least he got fed." Ashley commented, in a sing-song voice, as she made Harry wave his left hand at her.

Frank told her, "Yeah, well, that's good an all, but…" He smiled and laughed with the others, at his reaction. "Well, I'm holding on to my son and making sure I don't lose the right to hold him."

"By not even letting me hold him," Alice jested.

"That's right." Frank said in a way that got them all laughing.

Benjamin smiled, "Well, Alice, maybe, Ashley can help you get him back. She's already gotten through an impenetrable charm."

"Yeah, but that was easy." Frank jokingly insisted, in a way that made Harry and Hermione think of Fred and George.

The younger Isaac finally jumped into the conversation, cautiously, "It only took her three months."

Frank looked over at Isaac, who immediately averted his eyes. Frank walked over to him and said, "Well, since you haven't even gotten a chance to hold him, I'll let you hold Neville." As he handed him baby Neville, he added, "Maybe, he'll make a little nickname for you, something like 'Eye Eye'."

The younger Isaac asked, Neville, in a gentle way that made Harry and Hermione feel like they were watching a miracle, "Well, are you a fan of pirates, Neville?"

Baby Neville told him, happily, "Gah!"

Frank explained, "He says that, when he likes someone."

The younger Isaac and Frank locked eyes and shared a small smile. The sentiment sprayed through the room and made the others smile, including Harry and Hermione. Father McKenzie, Isaac, and Filch were left feeling appreciative, but nostalgic. Natalie was the only one who felt like something was nawing at her, like a mouse on cheese, Why couldn't things have just stayed like this?

Benjamin stated, as emotionally as if he were at a wedding, "Well, if we were all ever actually going to get around to hugging each other, now would be a good time."

Alice noted how the younger Isaac and Frank used their eyes as means of asking each other if a hug would be acceptable and she swooped in to take baby Neville. She stepped back and nostalgically admired the way Frank cautiously wrapped his arms around the younger Isaac's shoulders and kissed him on the cheek, how the younger Isaac cradled the back of Frank's head, also kissed Frank on the cheek, and allowed him to rest his head on his shoulder.

Harry and Hermione did a double take. It was a little odd to see what seemed like such a private moment happening in front of an audience. Plus, the idea of a relative of Snape, his own brother, being friends with Neville's parents… It just wouldn't process.

Filch finally couldn't escape the fact that he wasn't in the memory and clenched his jaw to keep from crying. Isaac looked over at him. Then Filch locked eyes with him, as if to say, What can you do? I can't fix it now.

Benjamin chuckled, softly, but with tears stuck in his eyes. He looked down, took off his glasses, and wiped them away.

Alice exchanged a bitter-sweet smile with Ashley and took baby Neville over to see her and baby Harry. Harry felt a smile tug at his lips, as he watched his baby self immediately start interacting with baby Neville. They chatted in gibberish and laughed together.

Ashley asked Alice, "What do you think they're saying to each other?"

Alice replied, "I don't know. Maybe, Neville's asking Harry about when he first met you."

Lily shared, "It was a dark and stormy night."

Alice and Ashley, surprised by Lily's description, had their mouths opened, smiling. Benjamin tried to hide his amusement by looking away. The younger Isaac smiled in an I don't even know why that shocked me way. Frank pulled away from him, looked over, and laughed a little.

Ashley looked over at Lily and said, in a way that reminded Harry and Hermione how young they were, "Lily, that sounds horrible."

"Well, it was pretty bad out that night." Lily reminded her, with an apologetic grin.

Ashley nodded and told the others, "She's right. I was soaked, when I came here the first time."

Lily added, "It was scary, seeing her like that. I didn't actually recognize her at first and I ran out to… well, attack her." She smiled awkwardly because of Benjamin, Alice, and Frank's stunned expressions. Harry and Hermione looked the same way.

Ashley reminded Lily, "But you didn't. So everything worked out." She told the others, "I shouted out who I was just in time."

"Yeah," Lily agreed, relieved. Then, she looked up at the ceiling, "What's taking them so long?"

Immediately afterwards, Lily looked like she wanted to cram the question back in her mouth. Everyone fell silent, even the younger Neville and Harry, unable to deny that the others were upstairs, arguing about Ashley and Isaac being there. Harry, who felt like he could hear the argument about whether or not the younger Isaac and Ashley could be trusted, suddenly felt like he couldn't lock eyes with anyone but Hermione, who gave him a sympathetic look.

Lily muttered, "I'll go get them." and left.

Harry saw his grandpa open his mouth, like he was going to try and ease the tension, but he closed it right after.

A few moments later, Lily, followed by the Marauders, came back, with her mouth shut, tightly, teeth clenched. James, Sirius, and Peter avoided looking at the younger Isaac and Ashley, but Lupin exchanged solemn faces with them. Lupin was now in James's clothes, shiny black shoes, khaki pants, a black belt, and a dark blue button down. His hair had been combed, face washed, and wounds bandaged.

All the non-Marauders, except Lily, the younger Isaac, and Ashley exchanged a nervous look. The younger Isaac did, however, look over at Lupin, who shared a grim look with him.

Lily eyed James, demandingly, who then said, a little reluctantly, "Isaac, Ashley, I want to thank you for saving Remus. I know that if you two hadn't shown up, well, it's like he said before, Remus might not have been here now." Then, he looked away from them.

Sirius remarked, "Yeah, thanks, but, I could have found Remus, when I went to get him-"

Lupin glared at him, "You wouldn't have been looking at Gringotts, Sirius."

Sirius shot him a remember who they are look, "Alright, but I could have went-"

"You didn't even know I had gone there." Lupin snapped.

Sirius moved his mouth around and said nothing. He gave James and Peter a disapproving-of-Lupin's-behavior look. Lupin noticed and looked over at the younger Isaac, who gave him an empathetic look.

Harry felt ashamed of Sirius again and looked down. Isaac noticed, but felt idiotic about making up an excuse for Sirius, when he had been so obviously rude. Hermione just frowned, like she wasn't surprised about how Sirius acted.

Lily and James broke the silence together, "Remus, why did you need to go to Gringotts?"

Lupin glanced at Benjamin, who gave him an apologetic look. Then, he explained, "I had some money I was putting away-"

Sirius, very confused with James and Lily's question, told them, "That's usually what people go there for."

"People who make their own money," Lupin turned to him and explained. "Lily and James have been assisting me, financially, for some time now…"

Harry and Hermione scoffed as Peter looked like he actually felt bad for Lupin.

Sirius looked more shocked than when he first heard Lupin defending the younger Isaac and Ashley and asked, "Well, why didn't you tell me and Peter," he added, "and Frank, and Alice, and Ben?" Then, he looked over at James, "Why didn't you tell me-"

Lupin explained, "I begged them not too. Ben saw me come out of the unemployment section at the Ministry, five months ago, and he told Lily and James-"

Sirius cut him off, only to ask, "Wait, Remus, did you get fired exactly five months ago?"

"Yes," Lupin replied.

Sirius looked like he was hearing about a huge scandal, "McGregor fired you right after your parents got killed?"

Lupin nodded. His lower lip quivered slightly and he looked down. Harry felt like sludge was in his throat and like he was about to take a Potion's test he hadn't studied for.

Sirius promised him, "No, Remus, I'm going to get him to give you your job back."

Remus shook his head, "Sirius, thank you, but it won't do any good."

Benjamin added, "I already tried talking to him, Sirius, but he is adamant about his no werewolf policy."

Sirius looked around, as if he would find some great solution among the tea kettles, pots, pans, and other kitchen related knick knacks. He pointed out, "He knew you were a werewolf before-"

"But my parents were alive then." Lupin reminded him. Harry felt a wave of sadness overwhelm him, but slip out just as fast as it had come, before he started crying. At that time, Lupin was obviously still shaken by his parents' death, as much as Harry had been, when he found out his own parents had died to save him. Lupin finished, "I didn't know until McGregor fired me, but they had asked him to let me work at his shop and…"

Lupin cried and whimper-sobbed into his hands so fast that it made everyone, except for Father McKenzie, Natalie, Isaac, and Filch, who already knew it was coming, jump. Baby Harry and Neville cried too, at the sight of him.

The younger Isaac immediately went over and hugged Lupin, like he had at Gringotts. After seeing Frank cling to the younger Isaac, Harry and Hermione were both starting to understand that Isaac had been a rock for Frank and Lupin and, they assumed correctly, for many others too.

Sirius exchanged a helpless look with James and Peter.

Harry asked, completely baffled, unlike Hermione, who was already starting to grasp the answer to his question, "Why aren't my dad and Sirius or anyone else comforting him too?"

Isaac told him, "I don't know… I… They might have just been shocked… He was their best friend and-"

Filch looked at Harry and Hermione more kindly than he had ever looked at them, but it still wasn't a kind expression, just stern instead of complete loathing. He told them, "Isaac's always been good at comforting people. No one could do any better at making someone feel better and safe."

Isaac locked eyes with Filch, a little surprised, but flattered, by his honesty. Natalie smiled because of her uncle's modesty.

Father McKenzie added to Harry and Hermione, "Argus—Mr. Filch I mean—is right. Honestly, I'm not even I'm not that good at helping people."

Isaac felt a rush of feeling carefree, something that rarely happened, even if he was at leisure, "No, believe me, he's good at comforting people. He's just modest."

Harry and Hermione smiled, while the others felt bitter-sweet about Isaac feeling carefree.

"Well, thank you, Isaac." Father McKenzie told him.

Isaac lost the feeling, reflected on it, right as he said, "You're welcome."

Everyone resumed watching the memory. The younger Isaac offered Lupin, "Remus, it will all work out. Your parents are safe, with God, and there's a cure for being a werewolf out there."

Remus told him, certainly, but quietly, about the last part, "No, there's not."

The younger Isaac wasn't fazed and decided, in a way that made Harry and Hermione finally believe there really was one, "Yes, there is, Remus."

Ashley looked around at everyone, took a short, but deep breath, and then went over to her brother and Lupin. She placed a hand on his shoulder, "Remus?" She offered, when Lupin pulled away from the younger Isaac to face her, "You can come and work with us."

Her brother was about to voice his agreement, when Sirius said, like a parent being told their child was dead, "No."

Lupin warned, "Sirius-"

"No, Remus, you're not honestly considering working for them?"

"Well, they did just save my life-"

Sirius blurted out, "Yes, but, Remus, there brother is a death eater-"

"Not anymore!" The younger Isaac exploded, which surprised everyone but Ashley, who looked just as ready to bite Sirius's head off. He added, more calmly, "Severus was a death eater, yes. For five days, Sirius. But as soon as he got there, even before that, Severus wanted to leave, he-"

Hermione and Harry gasped, silently. Five days? Just five days.

"So why did your blessed brother even join Voldemort—oh, wait, I mean the Dark Lord, as your brother," he added, "and probably you call him-"

"No!" Ashley screamed, in a booming voice. "My family is not full of death Eaters! All of us live in the muggle world, just to stop them from hurting people! And I mean, honestly, Sirius, who are you to be talking about families-"

"Ashley," the younger Isaac shook his head at her, to beg her to stop.

Sirius told Ashley, "Well, at least I don't go making excuses for my bloody family."

Ashley remarked, "Only because you can't make excuses for them."

"Ashley," the younger Isaac said again.

Ashley told him, "No, Isaac, he can hear it. He's wrong. Even you yelled at him."

The younger Isaac glanced at everyone, as he said, "Well, we really don't need to be fighting with each other." He glanced, remorsefully, at baby Harry and Neville, who Harry and Hermione just realized, were too scared to cry, "And certainly not in front of Harry and Neville. I'm sorry I started it."

"It's alright," Lupin, Lily, Alice, and Frank insisted. The four of them shared an understanding look right after.

Sirius asked, "Yeah, well, how do we know that Snivellus-"

"Don't call him that." Ashley ordered, while Isaac just watched him.

Sirius asked James directly, "How do we know he's really still not a Death Eater? Five days? James, you know something doesn't sound right about that."

It was clear that James agreed with him, but one glance at Lily kept James silent.

Sirius turned to Frank and Alice, who immediately disagreed with him, even before he spoke.

Alice insisted, "Sirius, he's not a threat to Harry or Neville."

"Yeah?" Sirius asked her. "What if he's not the only death Eater, what if," he gestured to the younger Isaac and Natalie, "they are? And their father?"

"Shut up, Sirius!" Ashley and Lily ordered, together.

The younger Isaac glanced, nervously, at baby Harry and Neville, whose fear didn't look right on babies.

Sirius was about to argue with Ashley and Lily, when James said, "Sirius, don't." When Sirius turned to him, just like, Harry noted, Ron had when Harry had also decided to go to church with Filch, Isaac, and Natalie, James said, "You're not arguing with Lily. And she trusts them, so… Well, they didn't kill Harry or Neville and Ashley's already been here."

Harry suddenly felt just as proud of James as he used to be, before he saw Snape's memory. Isaac noted the glow Harry got from it and smiled to himself.

Sirius backed down and he and James avoided eye contact.

Benjamin spoke up and said, "Well," he looked at Remus, who wordlessly gave him approval to say, "Isaac's right about things getting better for Remus." He swallowed, before he explained, "He was able to go to Gringotts today because I got him a job at the Leaky Cauldron. Well, actually, Harry and James, you, helped me, in a way." Benjamin smiled, but tried not to, "I, er… Well, I have to act like I do and I do, when I'm not here-"

James smiled, mischievously, "What did you do, Dad?"

Benjamin told him, "I acted like I was very distraught about not knowing where you and Harry are, and Lily, Alice, Frank, and Neville too."

Everyone, even Sirius, laughed. Harry and Hermione we surprised to see the younger Isaac so happy, when the present day one was more doom and gloom than Snape, even if he was friendlier. Natalie Filch, Father McKenzie, and Isaac himself felt bitter-sweet seeing the younger Isaac laugh so easily.

James commented, "So, really, Harry, Lily, Neville, Alice, Frank and I can take half-credit for this?" Harry smiled, but it dimmed when he realized the job couldn't have lasted too long.

"Anyway, we're really happy for you, Remus." Lily asked, "What are you doing there?"

"I handle things like getting packages and making sure everything is accounted for in storage." Lupin explained. "Behind the scenes stuff, basically." He added, "Tom's letting me live there for free."

Lily smiled and nodded, "That's good."

James offered, "Yeah, and, after the Order defeats Voldemort, we can all come and visit you."

James's promise killed all the joy in the non-memory people's eyes, while all the memory-people clung to his hopeful prediction.

Sirius smiled, wryly, "And you can thank me, after I've killed him."

James finally made eye contact again and stared at him a moment, before he jested, "Oh. You were serious?"

Sirius motioned, up and down his chest, to himself, "Yeah. Sirius Black, baby."

The memory people laughed, while the non-memory people just smiled. James and Sirius hugged each other, animatedly.

As the scene shifted, it spotlighted the fact that Lupin gave Isaac a look that said, I think you could defeat Voldemort. Isaac felt it rip at his heart, like the knife he used to cut his arms with.

The next scene was in Donovan's study, at Snape manor. There was a giant, green, gold embroidered, rug on the hard wood floor, shelves, stuffed with books, covered the walls, and a few green couches and armchairs were scattered about the room.

Isaac pointed out, to Harry and Hermione, Donovan, who had as much early gray hair as Benjamin, was sitting behind the desk, "That's my father." A slightly younger Father McKenzie, was one of the couches, and Benjamin was at the window, behind Donovan. It was night and a calendar, on the desk, was opened to October.

Memory-Father McKenzie was in regular priest attire as always, but Donovan and Benjamin could have, noteably, easily passed for muggles. Donovan was apparently as drawn to the color black as his sons. His shoes, pants, and sweater were all black. Benjamin, however, was in beige pants and a white button down. His dark green sweater was next to him.

"I think the Collings's kids are coming up." Benjamin said.

Donovan and Father McKenzie got up and they all went to the main hall, which didn't look any different from how Natalie was used to seeing it: antique and catalogue clean.

When they opened the door, a pair of wheat blonde, eight year old twins, dressed as vampires, were holding their black capes in a way to conceal their mouths.

The men laughed, as the boys said, "Ve vant to drink your blood."

Donovan asked them, "You wouldn't rather have some candy?"

He was so different from his sons, especially Snape. He was just so unexpectedly friendly.

The boys dropped their capes and grinned, as they answered, in their normal voices, "Ok!"

The men grinned and Donovan let them in to grab a few generous helpings of muggle candy from a plastic, purple bowl on a little, foldable table, by the door.

Benjamin told the boys, "Easy, boys. Leave some for someone else."

Donovan assured Benjamin, "It's fine. They'll probably be the last kids here."

Benjamin whined, comically, "But I wanted some." and Donovan smiled, fondly, at him.

One of the twins said, matter of factly, "You should have worn a costume, then."

Harry and Hermione laughed, like the memory-people, while Father McKenzie, Isaac, Filch, and Natalie only smiled a little.

Benjamin bent down a little and told the little boy, "I am wearing a costume. I'm a," he grabbed the bowl, "candy robber."

The boys went over to him and reached for the bowl, as they demanded, happily, "Give it back!"

Benjamin laughed with them as he teased them with near chances of getting the bowl. Harry smiled, as he imagined himself, eight years old, dressed up as a vampire, while his grandpa pretended to deny him a chance at candy.

Then, suddenly, Benjamin dropped the bowl and Harry felt a sick, icy feeling crawl up him.

As Memory-Father McKenzie held on to Benjamin, who was swaying a little and starting to hyperventilate, Donovan sent the Collings twins, who kept asking what was wrong with Benjamin, away with the whole bowl of candy.

Isaac informed Harry and Hermione, "You won't see the actual killing, but this is when we found out about Lily and James getting killed, and, if we continue, you will see Frank and Alice get tortured… You don't have to-"

Harry watched his grandfather crumbling to the ground, crying and sobbing, and said, shakily, "I want to stay."

"Me too," Hermione added.

"Alright," Isaac told them, with a shared look of apprehension with Father McKenzie, a little regretfully.

Donovan and memory-Father McKenzie got on the floor and held on to Benjamin's shoulders, as they both repeatedly asked him what was wrong.

Benjamin told them, "They're dead!"

Memory-Father McKenzie and Donovan went pale.

Then, Donovan ran out of the hall, screaming, "Ashley!"

Harry asked Isaac, "How did he know? How could he have known-"

"Ben and James used a connection charm. It lets you know that the other person you made the charm with is still alive or if they die." He added, "They didn't put one on you-"

"Why?" Harry asked, hurt by the idea that his grandpa and dad wouldn't have loved him enough to do it.

Hermione jumped in, "Those spells are risky, Harry. They're like the Fidelius charm. It's in your soul."

"That's right." Isaac agreed. "Later on in the day we just saw, Ben told me all about it. They were scared that it would upset you if one of them died and…"

He stopped speaking, as Donovan returned, followed by Ashley and the younger Isaac. The younger Isaac was crying and making sounds that sounded like a cross between a hiccup and a sob, like he was trying to restrain himself. Ashley, however, was crying full force, but she wasn't as hysterical as Benjamin.

Ashley's hair was in an elegant up do, with a few free locks in front, she was wearing a dark blue cloak and a corseted dress in the same shade. The dress looked good on her, but it's antique look made Harry and Hermione think about how she was only about twenty.

The younger Isaac's hair looked like it had gotten a salon treatment too. Because of the color of his clothes, he looked so much like he was Snape's brother. His knee length black cloak was nicer than anything Harry and Hermione had ever seen Snape wear and was fitted. His black, silk shirt wasn't stiff, like Snape's, but he had on a waistcoat that was, in a flattering way.

The three of them got on the floor and Ashley instructed everyone, in a rush because it was hard to keep her voice steady, as she pulled her wand out of her cloak pocket, "Hold on to each other and get your wands out."

As soon as everyone did, Ashley apparated them to the house from the last memory. All of the windows were shattered and the little front gate was broken too because it had been blasted with a spell.

Benjamin led the way into the house, which was eerily disheveled on the inside too. The light bulbs had all exploded, furniture was upside down, and paintings were either crooked or on the floor. Even in memory form, the atmosphere disturbed Harry, Hermione and the others.

Benjamin immediately spotted James's corpse on the stairs and sobbed into the palm of his hands, as well as collapse and cry out, "My son!"

Seeing his grandpa so desperate made Harry feel destroyed. He sobbed loudly and hunched over a little, as if he were going to collapse too. He might just have, if Hermione and Natalie hadn't rushed over and held on to him. Isaac and Father McKenzie cried silently and avoided looking at Harry, while they were comforted by Filch.

When Donovan saw James's body, it was obvious that he was remembering James as a child. Although, he wasn't as disturbed as Benjamin.

Memory-Father McKenzie got down on the stairs and held Benjamin, who clung to him as he kept looking at James, and memory-Father McKenzie offered some prayers.

Ashley and the younger Isaac looked at James, like their father did.

The younger Isaac swallowed his sobs and shared, "Frank's still alive. He's at Hogsmeade. We need to go upstairs-"

"I'm not going upstairs!" Benjamin decided. "I am not looking at a dead baby!"

No one said anything, but Ashley started to head up the stairs. Just as she had, they all heard Harry wailing and looked up.

"Harry…" Benjamin said, hopefully, as he scrambled up the stairs, past James.

The others followed him and the younger Isaac, who was last, grabbed James's wand and stuffed it in his pocket.

Harry's room was the first on the right. The walls were white, so was the crib and the changing table. Most of the toys were torn apart and stuffing was scattered everywhere.

Baby Harry reached his arms out for his grandpa as soon as he saw him. Benjamin rushed over, got Harry out of his crib, and held him close. Benjamin kissed Harry repeatedly on his cheeks. Then, he caressed the lightening shape scar and, after Harry showed no sign of it hurting him, tenderly kissed the scar too.

Harry smiled, with a faint pain settled in his heart.

Lily's corpse was their too, near the crib. Benjamin had had to step over it to get to Harry. Ashley collapsed and cried over her body. Donovan got down, sobbing too, and comforted Ashley. Memory-Father McKenzie recited prayers again and went over to hold baby Harry with Benjamin.

Even though the younger Isaac was apart from everyone, the look on his face, just like Ashley's, made it permanently impossible for Harry and Hermione to ever question if Isaac and Ashley had really been friends with Lily.

The younger Isaac was hunched over a little, as he grabbed his chest, and sobbed once. When he straightened up a little, he said, "I'm going to find Frank, Alice, and Neville."

Donovan immediately got up and grabbed the younger Isaac's wrist, attached to the hand he was holding his wand in, and insisted, "I'm going with you."

Ashley turned to them and told the others, as she got up, "I'll take you to Hogwarts." She told her father and brother, "I'll get Severus and we'll come and help you guys in Hogsmeade."

"Alright," Donovan told her.

Benjamin insisted, "Wait, Ashley, take James's invisibility cloak. It will give you and Severus an advantage, incase," he locked eyes, sadly, with Donovan, "something goes wrong at Hogsmeade."

Donovan nodded.

"Right," Ashley agreed, nervously. "Thanks."

Then, everyone exchanged a quick hug and kiss on the cheek with Donovan and the younger Isaac. The Snape family even hugged and kissed baby Harry on the cheek, which surprised Harry a little, as he thought of how Snape treated him.

Donovan and the younger Isaac apparated to Hogsmeade. It was so still and abandoned looking, compared to how Harry and Hermione knew it. However, a black horse with a patch of white on the forehead was tied up in a barn someone had forgotten to close the door, on one side, to and whinnied loudly. A second later, two, tall deatheaters Isaac informed them was Rodolphus and Rebastan Lestrange, decked out in full uniform, apparated in a few feet behind them.

Donovan and the younger Isaac immediately screamed, "Expelliarmus!" and the Deatheaters glared at them, a second before they went to retrieve their wands.

Donovan took the younger Isaac over to the horse. The rest of the barn was oddly empty, and Donovan used magic to put the riding gear on the horse. The younger Isaac got on it, like a professional.

He locked eyes with his father and said, quickly, "Dad, I love you."

"I love you too." Donovan said back, as he squeezed his hand.

Then, Donovan stood back and pointed his wand at the other door, "Alohomora!"

The younger Isaac rode out of it, while Donovan ran out the other way to battle the deatheaters.

The younger Isaac, who looked determined but nervous, had the horse take him through Hogsmeade, until they reached some bushes before an area with a little wooden bridge, with a roof, over a river. He jumped down from the horse and ran forward a little.

Bellatrix Lestrange was there, unmasked, obviously under the delusion she could never be caught. She was prettier and, although she still seemed sociopathic, looked saner than Harry and Hermione ever knew her to be. And Frank, in a knee length, fitted, green cloak that was so nice looking that Harry and Hermione figured it must (and it was) be a gift from the younger Isaac, Ashley, and Donovan, was limping over to his wand, which was in front of the closest pub.

The younger Isaac told the horse, "Stay here." and ran out from the cover of the bushes and disarmed Bellatrix, who gave him dagger eyes.

She ordered, "Stay out of this!" as the younger Isaac ran over to Frank and she went to get her own wand, which had flown back a few feet.

The younger Isaac held onto Frank's shoulders. He asked, in a low voice, when he saw that Frank's right thigh was bleeding, "Are you alright? Where's Alice and Neville?"

Frank told him, in a hoarse voice, "They're hiding, somewhere on the other side of the bridge, and I'm fine."

The younger Isaac nodded and then the two of them braced themselves to fight Bellatrix. Harry and Hermione noticed how Frank suddenly seemed braver, with the younger Isaac around.

Bellatrix pointed her wand at them and told the younger Isaac, "You know, you're worse than," she motioned her wand at Frank, "him by betraying your own kind. But it's not too late to join our side, Isaac. Our master's still out there and," she glanced at Frank, "he knows where he is. We can still achieve his dream, together, all of us purebloods side by side."

The younger Isaac asked her, "What? Live in a world where you'll even consider incest, just to make sure there are still pureblood wizards around? That's not exactly pure, Bellatrix."

Harry and Hermione smiled and nodded.

Bellatrix argued, "Better than being a filthy half-breed."

The younger Isaac tried to disarm her again and, but she blocked the spell. He dodged it hitting him and hexed her at the ankles, which made her collapse. Frank went forward, as she pointed her wand at them, to disarm her, but she got him in the thigh again, which deepened the cut.

Frank gasped, in pain. The younger Isaac went over, pushed Frank back behind him, and exchanged a few spells with Bellatrix. She was notably worried by his skill, but tried to look like she was in control of the fight.

She sent him a hex that he blocked and made hit her. It looked like a tiger ripped the skin on her fore arm, while the younger Isaac stumbled backwards and grabbed onto Frank to steady himself. Before they could do anything, Bellatrix apparated away.

The younger Isaac told him, "Let's go." and led the way over to the bridge. While they ran across it, the younger Isaac asked Frank, over his shoulder, "How's your leg?"

"It hurts, but I think I can run all the way to Hogwarts." Frank confessed. "Maybe, only as far as the gate though."

"Severus will probably already have something for it." The younger Isaac added, "Now, where do you think Alice and Neville could be?"

"By Gylney's," Frank replied.

When they were out of the bridge, they turned around because they heard Bellatrix's shrill, whispery voice, "Going so soon? We were only just starting to have some fun."

Frank, who was in front of the younger Isaac, looked like he had no fear in him, only because he was so sure the younger Isaac was like a spell proof shield, while the younger Isaac tried to look the same way. The bridge was empty and Bellatrix wasn't anywhere to be seen.

"Up here." they heard her say. The two of them looked up, but she jumped away before that and landed behind them, "Let's play."

They turned around and the younger Isaac immediately sent her flying backwards and her wand flew out of her hand too. He smiled, more relieved that victoriously, and was about to cast another spell, when a flash of light appeared and his own wand flew out of his grasp. The light left his skin looking like Bellatrix's, torn and oozing with blood, and he gasped. He took it well, though, considering the scars on his right hand had been reopened.

Frank looked over to where the light had come from and saw three male deatheaters (Rodolphus, Rebastan, and Barty Crouch Jr., who had been the one that hexed the younger Isaac, as Isaac informed them). Barty Crouch Jr. had Donovan, whose eyes were closed (but he was still breathing) and he had a long gash on his chest, visible because his shirt was ripped, levitated in the air. His right leg was also limp, because it was broken.

The younger Isaac's eyes bulged, like Frank, and he trembled, as he ran over to them, "Dad!"

Barty Crouch Jr. hexed him again, silently, and the hex not only threw him back a bit, but pinned him to the ground. He could still turn slightly, enough to see Rodolphus help Bellatrix up and conjure over her wand.

Then, Bellatrix pointed her wand at Frank, pinned him to the ground, and said, violently, "Crucio!"

"No!" the younger Isaac cried.

Harry went pale, while Hermione sobbed loudly and hugged Natalie, who cried harder than she had when they saw Lupin in Gringotts. Isaac went over, hugged Natalie, and offered, "We can stop-"

"No." Harry, Hermione, and Natalie insisted. Isaac locked eyes with Natalie, who nodded.

Bellatrix ordered the men, "Go find the filthy wife and child. I heard him say they're at Gylney's."

"No, please!" Frank and the younger Isaac pleaded.

Bellatrix said, "Crucio!" again and made Frank twitch and experience so much pain he couldn't even scream. After she stopped the curse, she demanded to know, "Where's the Dark Lord?"

The younger Isaac begged, as tears slipped down his face, "Please! Just let him go! He doesn't know where Voldemort is… But I do! Let Frank and his family go and I'll take you to him."

Bellatrix considered this, as the younger Isaac looked, desperately, into her eyes. Frank looked over at the younger Isaac, like he still thought of him as a great protector.

Isaac stared, guiltily, at Frank.

Bellatrix leapt over to the younger Isaac and kneeled on him. She took out a silver dagger, which worried Frank more than the younger Isaac, so it seemed. She dug the dagger into the skin behind the younger Isaac's left ear and dragged it across.

Natalie tore herself away from Hermione to hug her uncle and hide her face in his chest. He kissed the top of her head and held her.

"Leave him alone!" Frank sobbed.

The younger Isaac shut his eyes, tightly, while hot tears slipped out of his eyes.

"Just torture me instead!" Frank begged.

The younger Isaac said, through gritted teeth, "Frank, no…"

Bellatrix ignored Frank and got the knife to the younger Isaac's throat. She asked, with a malicious smile, "So where is he?"

"He doesn't know!" Frank insisted, desperately.

Bellatrix stopped using her dagger on the younger Isaac, who insisted, weakly, "No, I do…"

"He doesn't." Frank told Bellatrix. "Neither does my wife and son. I'm the only one who knows. I'll-"

Bellatrix cut him off by using the Cruciatus curse again, briefly. She walked over to Frank, who was shaking because of how much pain the curse caused him, and said, "You shouldn't have lied to me."

She used the Cruciatus curse again and the younger Isaac cried, "Please! I'll help you look for him!"

Bellatrix stopped the curse and barked, "Shut up, Isaac!"

Suddenly, they all heard the other deatheaters bringing Alice and baby Neville with them. Alice was pleading with them, "Please, just let Neville go! He's only a baby!"

Bellatrix went over to them and Frank and the younger Isaac pleaded for Alice and Neville to be left alone.

Shortly after, Frank turned to the younger Isaac, "Isaac?"

The younger Isaac looked at him and said, "I'm so sorry."

Frank told him, a little uncomfortable with having to comfort the younger Isaac, "No, Isaac, it's not your fault."

"Frank-"

"It's not, Isaac. You tried very hard to stop them."

The younger Isaac looked at him, as if to say, I didn't try hard enough.

Frank gave him a sympathetic look, as tears glistened in his eyes, "Hey, there's always Heaven. Lily and James are their now." The younger Isaac sobbed, softly. Frank continued, "I don't want to die either, but if we do, I guess we'll see them and Mrs. Filch," Filch looked away to hide his tears, "Mrs. Potter, Silvia, and maybe Alison," Filch shifted, uncomfortably, "and your mom."

The younger Isaac struggled not to sob loudly, "My mom wouldn't be proud of me-"

"Yes, she would." Frank insisted, firmly. "I still am. Isaac, I still love you. Everyone does. You're still everything I wish I could be." Hermione, excitedly, covered her mouth with her hands and Harry smiled, eyes glistening with tears, same as both Isaacs. "I'm glad you're my friend."

The younger Isaac confessed, "Thank you. I love you too and I'm also glad we're friends."

Frank shared a distraught smile with him, right before the horse the younger Isaac had ridden ran across the bridge leapt over them. Bellatrix, who had been discussing how to handle Alice and Neville, turned, with the others and saw the horse stand, like it was an army.

Harry and Hermione would have cheered, if they didn't already know how things turned out.

The horse galloped towards the deatheaters and, just as it was going to attack, Bellatrix hit it with a hex that cut its throat and it fell, with a thud.

Alice cried, along with Neville. She called over to Frank and the younger Isaac, "They killed the horse!"

The younger Isaac and Frank shared a pained expression.

Bellatrix, her husband, his brother, and Barty Crouch Jr. brought Alice, who shared a look with the younger Isaac that said all Frank and he had said, and Neville over. She pinned them down with the same spell used on Frank and the younger Isaac. The Longbottoms were all together, with the younger Isaac left to watch.

Bellatrix asked them, a lot like how Delores Umbridge talked, "So do you want to tell us where our master is?"

Alice begged her, "Please, just let Neville go."

Bellatrix screamed, viciously, "Crucio!" and Alice twitched around, like Frank had.

The younger Isaac and Frank cried out, "Alice!" and "Let her go!" while baby Neville wailed.

Bellatrix's eyes glowed with hate, "Shut up or tell me where the Dark Lord is!"

The younger Isaac, Frank, and Alice begged to be the only one that suffered and stayed, but the deatheaters just did what Bellatrix wanted. The younger Isaac turned to look at the older Longbottoms in time to see them get blasted by Bellatrix, her husband, his brother, and Barty Crouch Jr.

When they were finished, to the horror of the younger Isaac, Frank and Alice were a lot like the living zombies in St. Mungos. Harry, Hermione, and Natalie were out of tears, but stared, sadly, like the adults.

The younger Isaac was hysterical and pleaded, "Please, just let Neville go! I'll erase him memories and leave him with muggles, far away! I'll help you find Voldemort!"

Bellatrix sneered, "Why do you dare to speak his name?" and then she, briefly, used the Cruciatus curse on him.

The younger Isaac started to lose consciousness, but was able to see Ashley run in and yank James's invisibility cloak off herself. Her hair was loose and she wasn't wearing makeup and had changed into a loose, lavender dress. Harry and Hermione widened their eyes, as they saw her blast all of the deatheaters, except Barty Crouch Jr., who quickly apparated, with a silent hex that pinned them to the ground. She looked as hysterical as the younger Isaac had, when he first saw their father.

Then, the memory was over, because the younger Isaac had lost consciousness.

Father McKenzie said, "This next memory is mine. It runs parallel to Isaac's."

When the scene formed, they saw Ashley, memory-Father McKenzie, Benjamin, and baby Harry apparate into the Hogwarts dungeons, outside of Snape's office.

"Oh." Hermione said. "I didn't think of it before." She turned to Isaac, "Your sister can apparate right into Hogwarts to?"

Isaac nodded.

During their conversation, Ashley had immediately started pounding on Snape's office door, "Severus!"

He, quickly, opened the door and, after a quick glance at Harry's scar, trembled, in an un-Snape like manor. His eyes glimmered with tears, as Ashley informed him, "Lily and James are dead. We've seen the bodies."

"We need to tell Professor Dumbledore." Snape decided. "Ashley, would you get us to his office?"

She nodded and they all held on to each other, so she could apparate them to the entrance of Dumbledore's office. Snape told the gargoyle, in a strained voice, "Hershey bar." and the spiral staircase, which grew up from the floor, was revealed.

Snape and Ashley glanced at each other right before Ashley turned herself into a raven, which impressed Harry and Hermione, and flew up. Everyone else got on the stairs, heard Ashley pound on the headmaster's door and scream, "Dumbledore!"

Not long after, they heard her explain to him what had happened and admit that she had managed to apparate to Hogwarts.

When the others had reached the door, Ashley led them in. Dumbledore, dressed in a simple , dark purple sleeping robe, was ordering paintings to go to their other frames to inform members the of Order and the Ministry about what had just happened.

After the last painting went, Dumbledore addressed them, "Benjamin, Father McKenzie, you and Harry can make yourselves comfortable. You're welcome to stay here until everything's sorted."

"Thank you," Memory-Father McKenzie and Benjamin said, as they took a seat on a deeply red sofa.

Dumbledore went over to Snape and told him, "Severus, I need you to go to Hogsmeade-"

Ashley immediately widened her eyes, desperately, as she stepped forward, "No, no. Professor Dumbledore, I'll go." Before Dumbledore could argue, she pointed out, "It has to be me. If Severus fights the deatheaters, they'll know he's been working for you and whatever plan you have for finding deatheaters won't work." There was a brief pause before she admitted, "Besides, I really don't want any more of my family risking their lives-"

Snape pointed out to her, "I'll be fine. I'll be with Isaac." Isaac looked down, guiltily. Snape added, "And Dad too."

"Yeah, so I'll be just as fine, if I go." Ashley told him.

Dumbledore interrupted, before Snape could say speak, "Severus, I think your sister may be right." Snape and Ashley turned to him and he added, "We'll need all of the remaining deatheaters to trust you-"

Snape decided, with a desperate mixture of anger and sadness, "And I need all of my family alive!" Harry and Hermione didn't even think about how unSnapelike he was acting, but admired his devotion to his family.

Ashley insisted, "Sev, I'll be fine."

"But I don't want to risk it." he pleaded. "I know you're highly skilled, but you're still the youngest." Snape pulled a black bottle, which had been enchanted to fit inside, without making a bulge, out of his pocket, "I can use this. It's polyjuice potion. I'll look like you, so none of the deatheaters will think I'm a traitor."

"Why do you even have that on you?" Ashley asked, somberly, like she already kne, as Snape, who gave her an I had to be prepared, to protect you look, plucked three hairs off of her head.

Ashley, with the others, watched Snape throw his head back and gulp down the potion, with a defeated look on her face.

In seconds, his skin bubbled until he looked just like his sister. He made eye contact with Ashley, who turned, listlessly, to Dumbledore to hear what he had to say.

Dumbledore told Snape, "It's a good plan, but you'll need to switch clothes with your sister."

"No, I won't." Snape pulled another enchanted-to-fit object out of his pocket, the dress they had seen in Isaac's memory.

Ashley asked, "Why exactly are you so ready for this?"

Snape only gave her another brief I had to be prepared, to protect you look before he waved his wand and the dress appeared on him, while his other clothes showed up, in a heap, on the floor.

Ashley unbuttoned her own pocket and pulled out the invisibility cloak, which she had enchanted to fit in her pocket. She shook it to get it unfolded and told Snape, "Take it with you." She suddenly looked ready to cry, "It'll help you with not getting killed."

Snape touched it, uneasily, "This belonged to Potter."

"Yeah," she thrust it into his arms, "and he's dead. And you're more likely to end up the same way, if you don't use it." She turned away from him and shared a pained look with Benjamin.

Snape kept his eyes on his sister and was about to promise her no one else would die, but decided against it, like she should have already known. He just told her, "Thanks. Now, I need you to get me to Hogsmeade."

Ashley turned to him, nodded, and immediately hugged and kissed him on the cheek. He did the same thing, in a way that imprinted the image of him as a protective older brother into Harry and Hermione's brains.

Benjamin offered, "Hey," they turned to him, "you'll, most likely, be back here in less than a half hour. It's like you've both said, Isaac's there."

Harry and Hermione glanced at each other, with a shared feeling of how intriguing it was that everyone talked about Isaac, almost like how people praised Harry.

Benjamin and Memory-Father McKenzie's eyes glistened with tears, as they both remembered Snape and Ashley as children. Then, they both got up and hugged Snape.

What struck Harry and Hermione the most was the way Snape turned to Harry, like he regretted not previously getting to know him better. He said, in a strained, soft voice, "Goodbye, Harry." and he was very focused on Harry's eyes, the ones he inherited from Lily.

Then, Ashley apparated Snape to Hogsmeade, while she remained in Dumbledore's office. She turned to Dumbledore, after Snape was gone, to hear what he had planned.

Dumbledore gave her an understanding look, as he came around from behind his desk, "Now, I'm sorry to do this to you, Ashley, but you and I must go and tell the Ministry what has happened." He stressed, gently, "I don't know how many times you'll have to recount, what you've seen tonight-"

Ashley admitted, sadly, "It's fine. Anything is, if it helps us figure out if Voldemort is really dead and find his followers."

Dumbledore nodded, then put his arm out for her to hold on to, "I'll give you a break and get us there." He added to Benjamin and Father McKenzie, "I think it would be best for both of you not to tell anyone you're here. If someone does come up, however, you're free to tell them the truth."

Benjamin and Memory-Father McKenzie nodded before Dumbledore and Ashley apparated to the Ministry.

As the scene shifted, Hermione asked Filch, "Mr. Filch, where were you-"

"Hospital wing." he told her, simply. "A few first years had wanted to prove themselves to some older students the day before and, when I wasn't looking, hit me with a few spells. I was unconscious for three days."

Harry had turned to look at him too and said, "We're sorry to hear it. I hope those first years got… detentions for the whole year."

Filch looked surprised at his sincerity, a moment, but just ended up accepting that, since Harry knew his mother had tried to save Harry's grandmother, he had a knew found respect for him. It actually made him a little sorry for all those years of antagonizing Harry.

"They were expelled." Filch explained. "But Headmaster Dumbledore let them come back, two years later because they seemed genuinely sorry." He added, unemotionally, "They even apologized to me."

Harry nodded and then, like everyone else, resumed watching the memories, even though, by now, it felt like the equivalent of cramming a whole textbook in their heads.

Then, the shifting process was suddenly frozen in a swirling mass around them.

Father McKenzie explained, "It really is exhausting for me and Isaac to pull out so many memories and to relive them-"

Harry, obviously torn between concern and a longing to see more, offered, "We could take a break."

"No," Father McKenzie shook his head. He glanced at Isaac, before he added, "We'll just skip over a few things."

Isaac listed it off, "Severus and I brought back my father, Frank, Alice," his voice was notably sadder when he mentioned Neville's parents, "and Neville, and the death eaters, who were taken to directly to Azkaban, all of them, except Barty Crouch Jr. and Bellatrix Lestrange." His voice was sadder again, "We caught them later. Well, Bellatrix had been caught, but she escaped…"

Harry and Hermione nodded.

Harry asked, uncomfortably, "Mr. Snape…er…did your dad…did he make it?"

Isaac nodded, grateful for Harry's concern, "Yes, he made it."

"Good." Harry told him. Hermione nodded in agreement.

Isaac continued, "Well, after we got back to Professor Dumbledore's office, he and Ashley came back and took us to the Ministry to see the current Minister, Millicent Bagnold." He glanced at Father McKenzie, "We'll start around there."

Then, everyone looked forward as the scene shifted to the Minister of Magic's office. The mainly sapphire blue décor was very Ravenclaw, as was Millicent Bagnold. She was a severe looking woman in a severe, very Ravenclaw-like ensemble. Her raven black hair was pinned back in a sturdy bun, with a few free locks to accentuate her deeply beautiful face.

Memory-Father McKenzie and Benjamin, who held baby Harry, as close as he could, were off in a corner, talking in low voices. Harry and the others caught a part of their conversation.

"…doesn't let me keep him?" Harry's grandfather asked.

Memory-Father McKenzie reminded him, "They let Augusta keep Neville…"

Donovan was lying on the couch. His children were kneeling next to him. Harry and Hermione immediately noted how Snape, who was the last person they would have wanted to be comforted by, gently caressed his father's cheek and lightly stroked his hair. The younger Isaac held his father's hand and wrist. Ashley, who was between her brothers, was sort of hugging their father.

Dumbledore was telling Millicent Bagnold, "… which is why I don't believe that he's dead, Millicent-"

"So why exactly do you think," she pointed at Harry, "that he has that scar?" She added, sarcastically, "He bumped his head?"

Dumbledore, although Millicent was treating him so disrespectfully, remained calm and said, "No, I believe as much as you that Harry's scar is the result of Voldemort," he looked a little disappointed as Millicent shuddered, slightly, "failing to kill him, but, since a body hasn't been found-"

"He was obviously destroyed by the spell backfiring." Millicent insisted, acidly.

Dumbledore gave her a grim look, "Millicent, nothing like this has ever happened before, so we can't be sure that Voldemort," she shuddered again, "was completely destroyed by the spell rebounding off of Harry-"

Millicent stood up, quickly, pressed her hands on the desk, and leaned forward, "No, but I'm quite sure that you're only trying to get us to search for Voldemort for your own need to be the glorified hero again-"

"Shut up!" Ashley turned around and ordered. "He's just trying to make sure that Voldemort—oh, you can deal with hearing his name—is really dead!"

Harry and Hermione smiled, admiringly.

Millicent, a little taken a back, gave her a an angry You really want to disrespect me? look. Ashley glared at her, right back, defiantly.

Millicent asked them all, "Well, who exactly is going to want to look for You-Know-Who, now that he's dead?"

Benjamin offered, a little nervously, "I will. He killed my son and daughter-in-law-"

"Yes, I know." Millicent told him, with a wave of her hand.

Benjamin, like the others, were a little shocked by her complete lack of sympathy for Benjamin.

Ashley left her brothers and father's side to go and tell Millicent, who was about two decades older than herself, "Ben just lost his son and his daughter-in-law. You could at least try to be somewhat sympathetic."

Millicent insisted, coldly, "I'm trying to do my job-"

"And we're all trying to get justice for our friends and, for some of us, like Ben, our families." Ashley explained. "You're just trying to make the last eleven years go away, so no one will blame you for all the deaths and attacks anymore."

Millicent said nothing, as Ashley went back to her brothers and father, who all gave her encouraging smiles.

Millicent swept her eyes over Memory-Father, Benjamin, baby Harry, and Dumbledore, before she said, angrily, "Well, fine. I'll send out search parties. And all of you are free to join."

Dumbledore said, "Thank you, Millicent. I'll accept your offer to join the search parties, but, first, I'll go tell Minerva about what's happened."

He walked out of her office and then Benjamin told Millicent, "I would like to have something done about James's and Lily's bodies now."

"Yes, alright," Millicent obliged. She headed towards the door and motion for him to follow, "Come with me."

"I'll come too." Memory-Father McKenzie offered, as he followed Benjamin.

Ashley went over to Benjamin and put her arms out, "I'll hold on to Harry, while you're handling things."

Benjamin nodded, "Thanks." and handed Harry over, after he kissed his head.

As Millicent, Benjamin, and Memory-Father Mckenzie were leaving, the younger Isaac stood up and announced, "I'm going to get Remus Lupin," Millicent looked back, with a bit of a disapproving scowl, "and James's other friends. I'll take them to the house."

When Millicent, as well as the others, were out of the room, Ashley told the younger Isaac, "I'll go with you."

Snape started to get up and offered, "I'll watch Harry."

The younger Isaac shook his head, with his hands wrung together, "No. Ashley, thank you, but I'll go alone."

Ashley regarded him suspiciously and in concern, "Isaac, you're not blaming yourself for what happened, right?"

The younger Isaac gave her a Please, don't ask me that look.

Ashley widened her eyes, dismayed, "Isaac!"

Snape and Donovan just stared at him, horrified, like Harry and Hermione.

The younger Isaac sniffled and swallowed back a sob, as he explained, "I was right there."

"Yeah, and, Isaac, you tried your best." Ashley insisted.

He shook his head, distraughtly, "You weren't there-"

"I know that," she was shaking, nervously, now, "but, Isaac, I've seen you fight." She motioned to her other brother and father, "We all have. So that does give us a really good idea about how well you fought for Frank, and Alice, and Neville."

The younger Isaac just shook his head, sadly.

Snape looked like he desperately wanted to fix things. He shared a fearful look with his father and then got up, his hand on Isaac's shoulder. He told him, "Isaac, you're not to blame for this. Most of what went on tonight is not what anyone wanted, but think about how much good you've done. If it wasn't for you, I would be rotting away in Azkaban, right now, probably soulless." Snape paused a moment, as the thought of himself in Azkaban, soulless and alone, sunk in like the curse that had skinned the younger Isaac's hand.

Snape continued, "Frank was right. We all still love you, because you've achieved so much and you tried the hardest to make things right."

"It's true." Donovan gasped and immediately started coughing.

The younger Isaac and Snape knelt beside him to tell him to rest, as Ashley watched, while she bobbed baby Harry up and down to make him happy. Something about her manners made Harry know she was a good mother to Natalie and wish he could have been raised by her.

When Donovan was calmer, the younger Isaac got up and decided, "I'm going. Thank you for trying to help, but I need to do this alone."

Like his family, Harry and Hermione noticed a change in the younger Isaac. He wasn't hopeful anymore, at least not in himself. He was like the present day one, who was constantly sleep deprived. Father McKenzie realized that this was the last time he could recall seeing Isaac look well rested.

"Fine," Ashley told him, sadly. "Sev and I can look after Harry and dad."

He watched her, guiltily, kneel next to Severus and let their father look at baby Harry, as if he were his own grandson.

Then, the younger apparated to the Leaky Cauldron.

It was dark, except for the moonlight that streamed in from the windows. All the chairs were stacked on the tables and it was all amazingly calm and normal, considering what was happening.

The younger Isaac went over to the front desk and started flipping through the guest book. As soon as he spotted Lupin's name, he dashed up the stairs and nearly crashed into Lupin's door.

Harry recalled, "I stayed there once, the summer before my third year."

He exchanged a surprised look with Hermione and then watched as the younger Isaac knocked on the door and called, sadly, "Remus!"

Lupin pleaded from behind the door, "Isaac, just leave me alone. I know you tried-"

The younger Isaac sighed and pressed his hands against the door, "No, Remus, Lily and James are dead!"

Lupin immediately, magically, unlocked the door. He was sitting on a dark green sofa Harry hadn't had during his own stay. In fact the room looked more like a home than just an upgrade from living with the Dursleys.

Lupin had on shiny black shoes, navy blue pants, a white button down, a stiff, light blue waist coat, and knee length, dark blue robes. Harry and Hermione glanced at each other, as they both realized his attire were gifts from Donovan, Isaac, and Ashley and that at least the younger Isaac, Ashley, and Lupin had been somewhere together that day.

Lupin got up, slowly, and took in the long cut Bellatrix had given Isaac, the damage done to his right hand, and just the way he was shaken up. "Isaac…" Lupin looked like he had been told he was dying.

The younger Isaac stared back at him, drained. Lupin rushed over and threw his arms around him, while the younger Isaac couldn't believe Lupin still thought of him as a safety net. He hugged him back slowly and the scene dissolved, as he started to explain everything.

The scene was frozen again, to give Isaac a chance to explain, "Like my family, Remus-Professor Lupin didn't blame me for what happened to Neville's parents-"

"Because it wasn't your fault," Harry insisted.

"You tried everything you could, sir." Hermione added.

Isaac gave them a quick, appreciative smile. Then, he explained, "Professor Lupin and I immediately went to get Sirius and Pettigrew, but, as I later found out, Sirius knew Pettigrew betrayed your parents, Harry, and he went after him. And of course, you know how that went."

"Yeah," Harry agreed.

"Well," Isaac, continued, "when Professor Lupin and I finally gave up looking and went to the Ministry-"

"May, I see that?" Harry asked. "When Professor Lupin saw I was alright."

"Sure." Isaac nodded.

Then, the memory shifted to show the younger Isaac and Lupin run through the Ministry, which was full of only tall, muscled men who were employed as guards. The whole place was dimly lit and vacant of other workers.

When they reached Millicent's office, Lupin immediately went over to take Harry, from Ashley, in his arms and kiss him on the cheek.

Lupin was shocked by Donovan's, who was now sleeping, state, but not surprised. He asked Ashley, "Will he be alright?"

"Yeah," she nodded. She gestured to Snape, "Severus, gave him a sleeping potion and something for his leg." Lupin and Snape shared a blank look, as Ashley added, "After everything is sorted, we'll take him to St. Mungo's and then we're all going to see Frank and Alice. You can come too. Ben's going along, as well, and Father McKenzie."

Lupin looked at her and nodded, "I'll come. I'm sure Sirius and Peter will too, once we find them."

Ashley gave him a nervous look, "Remus, I'm sorry, but I have a bad feeling about them not being here."

Lupin admitted, a little reluctantly, "So do I."

The younger Isaac offered Lupin, uncertainly, "I'll help you look for them, if you want me along."

"Of course I want you along," Lupin insisted, in a way that dug sharply into the younger Isaac.

Harry and Hermione could almost hear the younger Isaac ask himself, Why do they still all think I'm so great?

Then, the scene shifted and Father McKenzie explained, "This is my memory. Bellatrix Lestrange had escaped and killed the Auror, Lyle Colby, who was watching her..." His lower lip quivered and he looked down.

Harry watched him and felt hollowed, like a pumpkin for Halloween.

The scene formed at the Potter's/Longbottom's former safe house. Benjamin and Memory-Father McKenzie were inside, in Harry's room. They were kneeling by the window.

Outside, Harry wasn't surprised to see Millicent, eyes wide open towards the starry sky, dead, on the front path. Bellatrix was standing over her body, smiling, triumphantly.

"We were looking for anything worth keeping." Father McKenzie said. "We heard Bellatrix kill her…"

Benjamin and Memory-Father McKenzie glanced at each other, determined, but nervous. Benjamin pulled out his wand and whispered, "Petrificus Totalus."

Bellatrix immediately noticed the spell start and sent it back, but Memory-Father McKenzie and Benjamin dodged it by lying on the ground.

Then, they scrambled to get up and Benjamin told Father McKenzie, "Go back to the Ministry, I'll-"

Hermione, who immediately realized how much he sounded like his grandson, looked over at Harry, who was focused solely on his grandfather.

Memory-Father McKenzie pulled out his own wand, "No, I'm not leaving you to face her alone."

Benjamin was about to try and talk him out of it, but then they heard Bellatrix call up to them, "Why don't you come out and play?"

Benjamin told memory-Father McKenzie, "Fine, but I'm going first."

While everyone followed Memory-Father McKenzie and Benjamin downstairs, Harry couldn't look at his grandfather without feeling hot pressure on the back of his eyes. It was like watching the hope for a happy life being ripped out of him, which gave him a sick, chilled feeling he had only experienced from dementors. His grandfather looked so determined, but Harry could tell that behind that mask, he was scared.

Maybe, he wondered, it was because he had been in similar situations. Hermione also sensed Benjamin's feelings and so did the others, including Natalie. Father McKenzie felt a rush of guilt for not demanding that he went first instead, which lead to a sickening wondering about where he and Benjamin would be now if he had.

Just as Benjamin got to the end of the stairs, he stopped, took a look at James's corpse, and turned to look up ay Memory-Father McKenzie. Wordlessly, it passed between them how afraid Benjamin was, suddenly, of dying.

Benjamin reached a hand out to him, with a pleading look. Memory-Father McKenzie took his hand and squeezed it. They kept their hands locked, even after Benjamin waited for Memory-Father McKenzie to get down the stairs.

Harry trembled, like his grandfather, as he pulled off his glasses and cried into the palm of his hand. Hermione and Natalie touched his shoulders, while their own eyes glistened. Harry stated, somewhat guiltily, "He knew he was going to die."

Father McKenzie gasped as he started to cry himself and assured Harry, "For you. He wanted to stop anyone from coming after you, or Neville, or anyone."

Harry wiped his eyes and put his glasses back on to resume watching his grandfather. He led the way, as the group followed him and Memory-Father McKenzie out the foyer, past the door, where they stopped at the tall, front hedges.

The two of them exchanged determined, fearful looks. Benjamin repressed his urge to cry, before he whispered, "If I don't make it, will you try your best to get Harry well taken care of…"

"We all will." Memory-Father McKenzie assured him. "I'm too poor, but there's always Remus Lupin and James's other friends and Don, Isaac, Ashley, even Severus and Argus will want to take care of him."

Benjamin looked away, in thought, and nodded. He locked eyes with him again and said, "Well, the Ministry will probably let one of you keep him, won't they?"

Memory-Father McKenzie went a little pale, like Benjamin, and promised, "I'll figure something out. Maybe… You'll be back with Harry soon."

"Or James," Benjamin suggested, with a sad smile.

Memory-Father McKenzie couldn't think of any hopeful words about surviving and just mirrored Benjamin's expression.

As Benjamin started to lean forward to see around the hedges, Memory-Father McKenzie whispered, "No, Ben, let me go first."

Father McKenzie warned Harry, "He dies here."

Right after he had said that, a blast of light hit Benjamin, who had just let go of memory-Father McKenzie's hand, and Memory-Father McKenzie and Harry (who everyone turned to look at afterward) screamed, "Ben!" and "Grandpa!"

The pale green light of the curse still shining, as Memory-Father McKenzie ducked down and darted forward around the hedge and pointed his want at Bellatrix Lestrange, "Petrificus Totalus!"

The green light died and Bellatrix fell straight down, backwards. Memory-Father McKenzie was just as confused as everyone else to see that Benjamin wasn't there, although some partially fried hair and his glasses, lenses cracked, were.

Memory-Father McKenzie went over to Bellatrix and stomped on her wand, as he sobbed so hard he was forced to bend over. He took a look in her eyes and saw a mixture of anger and triumph. He told her, "You're going to Azkaban forever. How much have you really triumphed? Both boys are still alive and," he stated, acidly, "Voldemort's dead."

Harry managed to smile, like Hermione and Natalie, through his tears.

Bellatrix glared at Memory-Father McKenzie, who conjured dark chains out of his wand to wrap around her. Then, he left her and, as he passed by Millicent's body, he pulled a wooden cross necklace out of his shirt and said, "Please, take their souls to Heaven."

He conjured over Benjamin's glasses, stuck them in his pocket, and then headed into the house and over to the fire place in the front room. He made fire appear and got ahold of Ashley and Snape. Baby Harry was fast asleep in Snape's arms, but Donovan had suddenly woken up and looked over at the fire too.

Memory-Father McKenzie informed them, "Bellatrix Lestrange killed Ben and Mrs. Bagnold."

Ashley covered her mouth with her hands and tried to hold back her sobs, while Snape just went pale and looked down at baby Harry.

Donovan gasped as he started to cry, but he held back sobs. He started to talk, in a hoarse voice, "Father McKenzie-"

"I have Bellatrix-" Ashley apparated next to him and he looked at her, "She's outside."

The scene melted away, as they ran outside and the group was back in the frozen shifting memory area again.

Harry immediately turned to Father McKenzie, "Thank you for being there for my grandfather." He looked away, as he admitted, "I don't know if it was just a really good guess, but he was convinced that his life was going to end and he was afraid…" Harry locked eyes with him again and said, "You comforted him, and you stood by him," Harry, quickly, glanced at Hermione, "and you even offered to go first. Thank you. And I like the way you got Bellatrix, just like my grandpa wanted too."

Father McKenzie smiled, with tears stuck in his eyes, "I didn't even think about it." Father McKenzie looked down, briefly, then said, "It's the least I could do though. I think he let go of my hand to keep me safe, so that curse—and I'm still not sure what curse it was—wouldn't hurt me."

Harry nodded and then turned to Hermione, who had tears stuck in her eyes, like everyone else. She said, sympathetically, "Harry." and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He hugged her back, under her arms, at her upper back.

Isaac took a deep breath and gave them a moment, before he asked, "Harry," Harry and Hermione pulled apart, slowly, as they turned to Isaac, "if you want, I'll show you my memory of when it was decided you would go live with the Dursleys."

Harry glanced at Hermione and then looked away to consider Isaac's offer.

Isaac pointed out, "You don't have to-"

"No, I want to." Harry told him.

Isaac nodded and then the scene shifted back to the house. A younger Fudge, in light blue pajamas and a dark blue business cloak, was standing, along with two muscled guards, their backs to the house. Ashley was between her brothers and Lupin, who was holding Harry and standing next to the younger Isaac.

Father McKenzie explained, "I was with Donovan, at St. Mungo's."

While he explained this, Harry and Hermione looked at Lupin, who pleaded, "I was a friend of his parents. Please, just let me have Harry. I know I don't make much-"

"So you'll never be able to support him and yourself properly." Fudge argued.

Lupin insisted, "No, I—I'll get another job."

"But it's always been hard for you, before, getting a job, hasn't it?" Fudge asked, knowingly. "Because of your condition. And speaking of which, what would you do with the boy, when you became a werewolf?"

Harry and Hermione glared at Fudge.

Lupin gave the younger Isaac a desperate look. The younger Isaac was obviously in disbelief of the fact that anyone was still looking to him to save them, but he turned to Fudge and suggested, "My family could watch him-"

Harry had no objection to the idea, even if he had to deal with Snape.

Fudge raised one eye brow, skeptically, "You're all really so close? It was never documented, but I seem to recall rumors of an incident which almost resulted in Mr. Lupin killing you and your brother."

The younger Isaac told him, "That was just a rumor. Remus and I have always been friends. He didn't try to kill me or my brother."

Ashley added, "That's right. He's our friend and that's why we know he'll make a good guardian for Harry."

Harry and Hermione noted, like Fudge did, that Snape was the only one not jumping to Lupin's defense and that Snape was eyeing Lupin, suspiciously, as if he questioned what Ashley said.

Fudge told them all, "Listen, there are good foster homes we can put him in-"

Ashley pointed out, "But he's famous! He could end up with some family who just wants him to make money off him!"

Fudge raised his hand to silence her, "Now, look here. Yes, he's famous, so the Ministry will take extra care to have him placed in a good home."

"You mean away from someone who is a werewolf." she pointed out.

Fudge told her, "Well, he would obviously be safer-"

"Ok, then, I'll raise him." she offered, quickly. She added, reluctantly, "I'll move out of my family's home and I'll keep him away from my brother, Severus, and Remus. Just so long as I can have him."

Although, Harry realized that he still would have been kept away from Lupin, he admired Ashley and couldn't help but think that he would have been happy to have her as a surrogate mother. He locked eyes with Natalie and was struck by the idea that she would have basically been his little sister.

Lupin wasn't a hundred percent on board with Ashley's plan, but he did look a little hopeful. Snape was cool and collected, but there was a kind of sadness in him too that Harry and Hermione hadn't expected.

Fudge shook his head, "No. I don't like it. If you are such good friends with Mr. Lupin, how am I supposed to believe that you would keep Harry away from him and one of your own brothers?"

Ashley insisted, desperately, "His mum was like an older sister to me. She always looked out for me. So I want to look out for Harry."

Harry felt a smile tug at his lips. She really would have made a good mother.

Fudge looked bored and was about to say something, when Dumbledore apparated beside him. Fudge clutched his heart and said, "Albus, you'll give me a heart attack."

Dumbledore told him, calmly, "I hardly think you're at the age where being startled could give you a heart attack, Cornelius."

"Yes, well."

Ashley, quickly, informed Dumbledore, "He's trying to deny us all custody of Harry because he thinks it's not safe for Harry to be around Remus or Severus-"

"I never said anything about your brother." Fudge reminded her.

"You didn't have to." she said, angrily. "We all know what you think of him, even after all he's done-"

"I know how much he's done!" Fudge stated. "And I also know it wasn't enough to save Harry's family or Neville Longbottom's parents for that matter!"

The younger Isaac looked down, guiltily. Lupin went pale and looked at Harry, who had remained asleep. Snape avoided looking at anyone.

Ashley argued, "At least Severus was actually doing something, while you just stayed safe in your cushy office!"

Dumbledore raised his hand and shook his head, "Ashley." He told Fudge, "Cornelius, you know how I feel about Remus-"

"Yes, you gave us all an earful earlier today, but, Albus, I'm thinking, realistically, of the boy." Fudge asked, "Don't you think there's a risk, even if the Snape family assisted him or raised Harry themselves? You-know-who may be dead, but plenty of his followers are still out there-"

"And Severus isn't really one of them!" Ashley pointed out.

Fudge and Dumbledore turned to her and Harry and Hermione were suddenly struck by how much Snape's joining Voldemort, even though it had lasted only five days, affected his family. It was like the praise Harry got for being his parents' son or the popularity Hermione achieved in Harry's presence, only negative.

Fudge told them, "You've all made good arguments, but, until an official decision can be made, Harry will be kept at the Ministry-"

Ashley and the younger Isaac looked ready to argue with him, while Snape just stood there, in quiet defeat, when Lupin, who the two guards were heading towards to fetch Harry, took a step back and pleaded, "No, please, just let me raise him!" When the guards and Fudge gave no sign of relenting, he added, "At least let me keep him until you've found a proper home!"

Ashley added, "Let us choose the family!"

At the same time, the younger Isaac insisted, directly to Fudge, "You could at least give us that much!"

Harry and Hermione noted, again, how quiet and defeated, although he tried to conceal it, looking Snape was. It was as if they could hear Snape thinking, All of this… It's only happening because of me.

Filch and Isaac felt the same way. Filch also felt as if, because he hadn't been there, cat claws had torn his heart. Father McKenzie felt it tug at him, the possibility that he could have persuaded Fudge to let one of them, or maybe himself, raise Harry. Natalie felt, how she always did watching this memory, like she should try to be more understanding about Snape's negatives since he obviously felt so guilty about his past.

When the guards pried baby Harry out of Lupin's hands, he cried out, "Please!" and made a grab for Harry and one of the guards blocked him. Ashley and the younger Isaac begged for Lupin to calm down and for Fudge to change his mind. Snape just looked helplessly alarmed, like Harry and Hermione.

Dumbledore addressed Fudge more calmly, "Cornelius, look at them, they're already acting like Harry's parents."

"And so will whoever the Ministry places him with." Fudge insisted.

Dumbledore looked defeated for a moment, but the asked, "Will you at least allow me to assist you?"

Fudge turned to him and nodded, "Of course. Considering what the boy's done, I could use your assistance at choosing a family."

The others watched as Harry and Hermione turned to each other and silently agreed that they couldn't be angry at Dumbledore for being the one to obviously make the decision to place him with the Dursleys. It must have seemed like the best choice, the lesser of two evils. A wizarding family could have got money off of him and a muggle family would have to have been alerted about the wizarding world.

Eventually, everyone say the guard holding baby Harry get over to Fudge, who told the guard holding back Lupin, "Adams, get back to the Ministry, as soon as we've left."

Dumbledore, apologetically, swept his eyes over Lupin, the younger Isaac, Ashley, and Snape. Before he apparated the guard, baby Harry, Fudge, and himself to the Ministry.

After they were gone, Adams, who had been pulling Lupin backwards, let go of him. He glanced once at Lupin, who was just staring, dismally, at the house, then averted his eyes and apparated to the Ministry.

The younger Isaac looked anguished about not being able to make things go their way, but rested a comforting hand on Lupin's shoulder. Lupin gave him a melancholy, but appreciative expression, which hurt both Isaacs. It was too much to think that Lupin still thought of him as a safety net.

Ashley turned to Snape, who had been looking at all of the surrounding houses, and told him, "Maybe, if it had been summer-"

Snape cut her off, "I should be getting back to Hogwarts." It was apparent to everyone, memory and non-memory, that Snape felt guilty about the way he had affected the way things turned out.

The younger Isaac let go of Lupin's shoulder and took a step towards Snape, "Sev—"

Snape insisted, "What Harry's done will spread like wild fire. All of the students will be running just as wild, I'm sure. It's not a sad day for everyone." Then, he asked Ashley, "Would you mind taking me back?"

She looked, over her shoulder at the younger Isaac and Lupin, and then turned back to Snape, "No."

Ashley took hold of his arm and then turned to her other brother, "I'm going to check on Dad, afterwards." She gave Lupin a nod and then apparated herself and Snape.

The memory faded away and to the frozen shifting fog again.

Harry admitted to Isaac, "I've had enough."

Isaac nodded, "Alright. So have I." and waved his wand to pull them out of the pensieve.

Everyone turned to look at Harry, who was looking down, in thought. He took a deep breath and then looked at them all, eyes glistening with tears.

"I'm sorry." Isaac and Father McKenzie said together.

"No." Harry insisted. "You were right to show me this and I won't spread it around too much. I'll keep your secrets-"

"So will I," Hermione agreed.

Father McKenzie and Isaac smiled, appreciatively, but sadly.

Father McKenzie told them, "Well, you can talk in here, but I do have to get out there. I suggest you all wipe your eyes first though and wash your faces. I will too."

Everyone just followed him out, wordlessly, although Harry did ask Filch, "Mr. Filch, what was my grandmother's name, on my dad's side?"

Filch, who still wasn't used to interacting so freely with Harry, or any student, told him, "Violet."

Harry nodded and they shared a look of remembrance for what Emma had tried to do for Violet.

They all went to the bathrooms and erased as much of their sadness as they could, but it still lingered. When they got out to the main area, everyone spotted Nearly Headless Nick sitting in the back pew, somberly, reading one of the Bibles. Isaac couldn't look at him, like he did with all ghosts, without feeling like his throat was clogged with gray sludge.

Harry, who hadn't forgotten their conversation at the end of the previous year, went over, along with Hermione and Natalie. Father McKenzie and Filch looked at Isaac and immediately understood how he was feeling.

Natalie sat between Harry and Hermione and Nearly Headless Nick closed his Bible, which had been open to the psalm on God leading people through The Valley of Death, as soon as he noticed them. He forced himself to address them cheerfully, although no one was truly convinced, "Hello, Harry! Hello, Hermione! And it's nice to finally meet you, Natalie!"

As soon as they he had inquired about whether or not the three of them planned to continue going to the church, Isaac and Filch joined them, as soon as the service had started.

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(A/N: I thought I was never going to finish this chapter. It's just so long. 46 and a quarter pages on Microsoft.)