A/N: I just want to thank everyone for their patience with this update. I didn't love these next two chapters and had to finish my dissertation before I could really think about improving them. Poka, you're amazing and hope to not disappoint!

Chapter 16: Prelude

"Headmaster, I need a break." Hermione felt her legs shake. She'd been standing too long. The pain in her lower back was starting to overtake the pain in her hip. Collapsing into a chair, she looked at her teacher.

A flash of sympathy on Snape's face was fleeting. "Do you think Tom Riddle will give you a break? This is the moment you need to train for. Exhausted and ready to quit,"

"I'm not ready to quit," she said defiantly

"Then show me," he said flatly.

She struggled to her feet. Wand up and leveled at the training dummy

"If you are unfortunate enough to be in the vicinity of Tom with a wand you cannot assume he isn't protected. He's very proud of his shields. And he's paranoid. If he's in a situation where he thinks there could be a possible attack, he will be surrounded by his shield. It will give him extra seconds to respond to a challenge and for you, giving him seconds is like giving him a lifetime," Snape lectured, his hands clasped behind his back as he paced a small path off to her side.

The thought of Tom brought his face to the forefront of her mind. Anger surged within her. "So I'll just use the killing curse. A shield won't stop it."

"You think you'll be able to use the killing curse on a moment's notice?" he asked her.

She thought about Albus and the hatred she had for Tom the moment of her friend's death. "Yes. If it's Tom Riddle, yes."

"You think that now. But if you miss, if you have an iota of doubt, it's over. Use his weakness against him. His paranoia can be your advantage to ensure you won't miss. This spell uses his shields against him. It will create pressure that will generate immense heat. He won't want to drop his protections out of fear he'll be burned or crushed. That's when he'll notice he can't breathe," Snape repeated his explanation.

She understood the theory. Execution had been a challenge. She was better at potions and transfigurations. That hadn't stopped Albus or Severus from pushing her to focus on defensive spells. Her vision focused on the wooden puppet. She couldn't see the shield, she knew it was there.

"All the oxygen he needs will be siphoned away. Shields have to be permeable to air and that's your opportunity. You must cast this spell and move. Keep moving. It can take a few seconds before he'll have to make a decision—drop the shield and be crushed or leave it in place and suffocate. Either way, it will end with him being incapacitated for several seconds. A lifetime for you if you get away."

Her wand was up, she imagined the scenario. Understood she wouldn't have the luxury to think. She needed to react. This needed to be a spell she could cast on instinct. Trust to find its target and stay in place as she ran. "Circum vi," she said, felt her wand push back in her hand as a counter force rippled back at her. The shield around the dummy wasn't invisible anymore. It was glowing in response to the pressure surrounding it.

"Excellent. Now, move, but keep your spell in place."

"Why are you in the dark?" Sirius asked.

His question startled her. Hermione's head jerked in his direction. The memory faded. Snape's face disappeared as Hermione's vision cleared. There wasn't much about the details of that Hermione's life she recognized, but the situations weren't entirely unfamiliar. The lesson Snape drilled into his charge was so ingrained in the duplicate memories, she was confident she could cast the spell he taught that person. A useful bit of knowledge. "I didn't know it was dark," she answered. It was the truth. When she sat down in the chair it had been daylight. She'd been so immersed in the memories time lost all meaning.

The admission had his eyes narrowing. The lines as she squinted reminded her of the Sirius Black she knew.

"You should stop doing that," she told him, turned on the lamp next to her.

"Doing what?"

"Squinting up your eyes. You'll get permanent lines."

Considering her words, he opened his eyes wider and sat down next to her. "It sounds like I'll be lucky to grow old enough to get wrinkles," he said, focusing on a thread sticking out from a stitch on the arm of his chair, avoiding eye contact.

Hermione placed a hand on his to still his nervous movement. She was sorry she ever mentioned anything to him. His future demise wasn't something to dwell on. Especially since so much might change. She needed to get back to the time chamber and see if anything had been confirmed. Part of her wondered what good it would do. Until Tom was apprehended, the past and the future was malleable. "I didn't tell you what I knew to make you accept defeat. I hoped to give you knowledge that could give you the power to change your fate."

His head nodded up and down. "I know. It's hard not to think about it. Like memories that were never meant to be."

Hermione took her hand back and straightened her sweater. It was Lily's. A lovely irish wool. Lily had insisted that Hermione borrow fresh clothes. A wardrobe hadn't been something on Hermione's mind when preparing to follow Tom into the past. "There are things to learn in those memories. Things that might already be saving lives." It didn't take long for the aurors and the Order to realize if Werewolves were part of the Death Eater's plan, the ambush would likely happen the night of a full moon. That gave them eight days. Eight days to make potions, to plan offensive and defensive strategies. Albus, Mad-Eye, and Remus bore the brunt of the responsibilities coordinating the resources of the two groups. Sirius was more than happy to be a runner. Delivering messages or supplies while James did what he could from the cottage to keep an eye on Lily.

"It's not good for you. Spending so much time reliving that life," Sirius voiced his concerns. It wasn't the first time.

She didn't disagree. She just didn't think there were other options. "Tom has future knowledge. Voldemort's memories. We need an equalizer. I think this was how it was supposed to be."

Sirius' eyes narrowed again. He rubbed them with his hand when he remembered her advice. "What does that mean?"

"There are prophecies. About me. They're the reason we had any notice at all that Tom was going to try to change the past. I was meant to be here. I was meant to have these memories. And I think this is the reason." Hermione had thought through the events in her present. If she hadn't had the prophecy about the shrieking shack, she would have stayed in the time chamber sorting through the timelines to find the event that would have saved Harry. It could have taken hours or even days to sort out, the timeline was such a mess. Time putting herself in danger of being found. Still, if she hadn't known to enter the timeline, if she hadn't had the equipment to protect herself, she would have never attempted it. She wouldn't have had the memories. She now thought that had been the purpose of that prophecy. The push she needed to have the knowledge she now had.

"Prophecies. They can't be trusted."

"These can. Believe me, I was the first to object to taking them seriously. Then I held an orb containing one and saw a powerful vision. There's order in the universe. Order despite power of entropy. And in that order, time isn't linear. I believe the prophecies given to me were the universe's attempt to correct Tom's damage."

"Before it happened," Sirius pushed back, still unconvinced.

"Because it happened."

"If that's true, why you? Why did the universe choose you? Make you go through all of this," he said with concern. It wasn't meant to belittled her contributions but to question the universe for its choices.

"Wouldn't that be a nice thought," she said more to herself. "That the universe chose me. It didn't. Tom did. Because he thought the universe wouldn't miss me."

~~/~~

Monday, July 28, 1980 | Godric's Hollow

The week had been constant activity. The location of the Ambush wasn't determined until Friday when the informant made contact. The date gave it away. They claimed several Death Eaters were planning to hold a meeting at a known safe house.

Hermione kept up with the developing situation, but focused her time on trying to dissect as many memories as possible from her interactions with Tom. It felt like a slow descent into madness. It wasn't meant to just get potential intel for the Order but to find any clues as to where she could find him. The longer she dwelt on those memories the more connected she felt to the other version of herself.

Time had allowed her to appreciate the outsider perspective. In the alternate timeline freedom wasn't something she ever experienced. If she hadn't been hidden away by Albus or Severus, she had been a prisoner. Despite that, there was never a feeling of helplessness that overwhelmed. Hermione might not appreciate the painful memories she inherited from that person, but she was grateful for the spirit of determination and resourcefulness she felt a connection toward.

The adverse effects from shielding the killing curse were resolved. Hermione was ready to track down the dark wizard and end her nightmare. She felt empowered through everything she had been made to overcome in Tom's new world. She knew people in the cottage were worried about her obsession with the life she never lived. Sirius was surprisingly more vocal than Albus. The latter had more experience with accepting her choices than the former. Sirius had spent his evenings trying to distract her from her thoughts. Mostly, she welcomed the company. His heart was in a good place. Still his protectiveness was different. She remembered how he fought to include Harry in the Order business despite Molly's protests. Her two encounters with the younger Sirius had been after she sustained serious injuries, and she chalked up his behavior to those experiences and tried not to let it bother her.

Potion bottles were neatly lined up on the kitchen counter. Hermione took the last of the wiggenweld potion from Lily after the redhead corked it and sat heavily onto a nearby stool. Hermione was painfully aware of the date. Lily's growing baby bump was impossible to miss.

"I know I'm huge," Lily said, rubbing circles over her belly, having caught the looks from Hermione. "I still have a week before he's due. I guess that means I'll get bigger. My mum always went on about how late I was and that your first often takes longer."

"A week?" Hermione asked.

"At least, I suspect. With everything that's been going on, we're not ready yet. There are diapers to buy, baby clothes to wash. It's hard to believe something so tiny needs so many things."

Hermione listened to Harry's mom go on about all the baby items they'd gotten so far. Things either from friends or handed down to them. But they were mostly in storage. There wasn't a single reason Hermione could think of why she shouldn't tell Lily she didn't have as much time as she thought. Putting the final lot of potions in her case, she leaned in and whispered, "I wouldn't wait to get those diapers. Have James go out tomorrow so you have everything you need by Thursday."

The meaning behind the words wasn't understood completely. Or the shock of the reality had left Lily speechless for several seconds. Her mouth was open, her eyes big. "On Thursday? Really? Oh Merlin. I'm not ready. Not just all the things we need. I'm not ready."

It was hard not to be sympathetic. Giving birth wasn't something Hermione had thought much about. "I suppose it will all start sooner. I don't know what time Harry's born, but it was definitely July thirty-first. Are you planning to go to Saint Mungo's?" They really should have had that conversation much earlier, Hermione thought, kicking herself. They needed an entire security plan. She'd likely go into labor on Wednesday. Right? Of all the things she knew, the process of childbirth was never really a topic of interest for her.

Lily stood up. Shook her head. Sat again. "No. We have a midwife. She'll need to be let into the fidelius charm." She started to look around wildly.

Hermione was worried she was panicking. Placing a comforting hand on Lily's, the touch seemed to ground her. "We'll work it all out. When we get back, we'll make sure you have everything you need."

"Get back? Where are you going?" Sirius asked as he entered the kitchen and caught the end of the conversation.

Picking up her wand, Hermione straightened. "I'm going with you. Tom might be there tonight. I'm not passing up the chance to catch him."

"Is that wise? Leaving the house?"

"The Order has security here covered just in case Tom uses the ambush tonight as a distraction to attack Lily. I'm not needed. And you're a Marauder short with Remus spending the full moon at the Shrieking Shack," she explained, wishing she had enough time to brew a Wolfsbane potion for him to join the operation. In the end though, it might have been for the best. The potion didn't exist yet, not for another year or two. No one would know there could be a werewolf in the combat area who had possession of their faculties. He'd be a target regardless of his human form.

"Not that you wouldn't make a great Marauder, I didn't think you were permitted to be seen in the past," Sirius said, looking uncomfortable about the situation.

Hermione suspected his concern was more about her safety than following the laws governing time travel. "Are you lecturing me on the rules, Sirius Black?" she asked, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

"Well… that doesn't sound like me, does it?" he asked, at a loss for how to manage the situation. "Maybe we should talk to Professor Dumbledore."

"Sounds good. He's already at the staging area. We can meet him there," she said, heading for the front door.

"Hey. Hey, wait," he said, hurrying to catch up.

"What's going on?" James asked from the top of the stairs. He had his wand out and a small bag slung over his own back.

"She says she's going to the staging area. She's joining the fight," Sirius answered, running his hand through his hair.

"I assumed you were staying here with Lily," James said to her as he joined them on the first floor.

"I don't think it's my fault either of you assumed I was the sort to stay hold up here while lives are at risk," she said impatiently.

"It's just that we never discussed where you'd be. Convenient you waited until Dumbledore was gone to reveal your plan," Sirius countered.

Hermione rounded on him. "I've never hid my plan. I'm here to catch Tom and bring him back to my present. The longer he's here the more damage he'll do to the future. I needed time to recover and to make sure Lily and Harry were protected. I'm better now. The Order knows about the risks to Harry. I've already lost a week. I'm not your responsibility and I don't need protection. You can either help me or get out of my way. That's my plan."

Sirius held his hands up, palms out in an attempt to diffuse the situation. He glanced at James for support and then saw Lily standing in the doorway looking on. The look in his eyes changed. His best friends were in real danger and Hermione saved them. She may have saved himself from living a miserable life alone. "You're right. I didn't mean to imply you needed us to protect you."

James stepped in to help his old friend. "This is a strange situation. It's hard to know what we can be doing, exactly. We'll help you. Tell us how."

Tension slipped away, Hermione nodded. "If Tom is there tonight, we have to get to him before the aurors. We can't let them take him into custody. It's not likely they'd turn him over to an unknown witch and allow him to just disappear. It's better that no one knows he's gone."

"How will we know if he's there? What does he look like?" James asked, taking her request seriously.

The fact that there were only a handful of people who knew what Voldemort looked like before his transformation to something not entirely human wasn't a problem Hermione had considered. Taking the questions one at a time, "If he is there, he'll be in the shadows. He won't want to be seen. We'll have to work it so we're on the team that's permitted to go inside the house. I think Albus can work that angle for us. As for Tom, I can share a memory of him through legilimency," she offered and held up her wand waiting for permission.

Both men repositioned themselves to face her. She considered what memory was safe. It would just be a glimpse, but she worried her emotions of the event might bleed through. Her meeting with him while he was in custody at the ministry seemed appropriate. Bringing those memories to the forefront, she struggled. They were buried deep, having been pushed aside to focus on the changed memories and the life she was fighting to stop. It was the first time that she realized there was a possibility she could lose herself completely if she didn't remember her other life. The right timeline. Giving both wizards a glimpse of the man who represented the greatest threat to their world, Hermione turned toward Lily. "You need to know what he looks like too. In case he tries to approach you.

The pregnant witch nodded and stepped forward. Satisfied the trio would recognize him, Hermione headed for the door. It was time to bring the fight to Tom.

~~/~~

"Inferi incoming!" Moody yelled out from his perch on a crumbling brick wall. His eye spinning around, looking for danger in all directions.

Albus stepped up and produced a wall of fire along their right flank, funneling the beings to a group of aurors with cages. The mindless forms lurched forward, unaware they were walking directly into a trap. The ground was shaking. Heat was surrounding the area. The magic concentrated in such a small space was having an unmissable effect on the environment. The ministry had done its best to limit the impact on muggles. Evacuating many in the surrounding area by claiming there was a gas leak had gotten the most at risk out of the danger area. They were limited in their timing and weren't permitted to move until an hour before the aurors engaged the combatants. There was a fear that moving too many muggles would attract attention, jeopardizing the operation. Albus could only hope any exposure to magic by muggles would be limited to seeing something they shouldn't have. He had a greater fear to preoccupy his mind. Hermione. She waited in the shadows under the invisibility cloak, letting Sirius and James explain what she needed without the revealing herself to the Order and aurors in the operations area. He noted that she was shrewd enough to stay out of the line of sight of Mad-Eye. Not an easy feat considering the range of his magical eye.

Accepting that her purpose there was to capture Tom, he understood she wasn't going to do that staying out of harms way and waiting for Tom to find her. He doubted the dark wizard would be found inside the house. At least not until it was obvious the battle was clearly won by his army. The goal was to inflict damage on the ministry not to carry out a plan that would require his involvement. That didn't mean they shouldn't verify. Assigning James and Sirius to an infiltration team didn't raise any eyebrows. It was likely assumed by Moody that the pair would be in the first wave. Having an invisible Hermione in the mess didn't sit right. It would be too easy to be hit by stray spell.

"We've got some runners in the back!" Moody called out. "Trying to get out from under the disapparition block."

"Nelson's got eyes on them," an auror announced.

"Reposition Alpha team. If there's one person who's caught on that they're losing, there'll be more. We've got a hole in the net back there."

"I'll go," Albus volunteered. He wanted to get closer to the house. He trusted James and Sirius to back up Hermione. He wasn't going to be satisfied until he saw she was unharmed for himself. Making his way around the ridge they built up to reinforce their enchantments, he got a look at the far side of the house. It was clear the battle from within was bleeding out. If it hadn't been for Hermione, the aurors who would have showed up thinking they were going encounter a few scared Death Eaters would have been easily defeated. For once, Albus was grateful Moody was naturally paranoid. It hadn't taken many details to convince the head auror there was an ambush in the works. He couldn't help that there would still be fallout regardless of what side retreats first. The Death Eaters had put up an impressive display. They weren't a band of rudderless criminals. Voldemort was gone and the Death Eaters were more organized than he had ever seen them. That had been the point. Tom wasn't going to be there. Everyone that had been rounded up so far were expendable. Low level fighters or beasts and beings. Replaceable. But tomorrow The Daily Prophet would report that Voldemort's army was still a threat. Maybe even that there was a new leader calling the shots.

"Good one, James!" Sirius called out.

Albus looked around to find the source. It didn't take long. The two wizards were holding off three attackers in front of a gaping hole in the exterior wall. That's what it looked like. Until Dumbledore saw Hermione in the shadows. She had discarded the cloak but had the good sense to stay as out of sight as possible. The shimmer from a hood obscuring her face told him she was wearing the suit that would protect her from changes to time. She had been prepared in case Tom had been there. Ready to take him with her to a very uncertain future. It looked like she had managed to stop one of the fleeing Death Eaters, blocking the escape and creating an opportunity for James and Sirius to come up from behind. In seconds all three Death Eaters were disarmed and bound.

Sirius formed a makeshift prison with his wand out of pipes and branches. He looked over his shoulder at Hermione and nodded in satisfaction at their teamwork.

James was the first to see Dumbledore. "This side is clear," he called out, shot up blue sparks to notify Moody they had Death Eaters that needed to be picked up.

In the time it took for Albus to turn his attention away from James and back to Hermione she was already under the invisibility cloak. She was being responsible in her law breaking. That was something. He been worrying all week about her obsession with the memories. He knew enough not to confront her until it crossed over into an dangerously unhealthy obsession. All the memories were copied and preserved. He triple checked and put the most powerful protections on the bottles possible. There was a possibility that they'd need to stay in his care until she was back in 1998. That would be a task he would take just as seriously has he had watching over her. Finally rounding the back of the property, he noted that Alpha team beat him to Nelson and had apprehended another two loyalists. That brought the total number to eight witches and wizards, five werewolves, and more than twenty inferi. There were no trolls insight, and he guessed that would have made a secret ambush impossible. Still, that might account for only a third of the fighters Tom had assembled.

Suddenly the roof exploded violently, lighting up the night sky. Albus was quick to put up a shield over the aurors. Pieces of flaming shingles and wooden beams rained down on them. The sounds of disapparation signaled the breach of the enchantments. It was over. There would be time to tend to the injured and repair the damage to the muggle properties. It was a relief. Albus knew why that feeling didn't really settle over him. This was a warning shot from Tom. He was testing Voldemort's people and he was trying to find a weakness on their side.

Unfortunately for Tom, the biggest weakness Albus could see was the belief that Voldemort and his followers were no longer a threat. That would change after this night. Green sparks shot up all around the battle zone indicating the quadrants were cleared. Their work was just getting started, everyone was in for a long night.

~~/~~

Hermione was sore as she walked up to the walkway to the cottage in Godric's Hollow early the next morning. She had the dawning revelation that the Aurors wouldn't know her and she'd never get through the security alone. Mad-Eye wasn't there. The invisibility cloak might get her through the back. With a small sigh, she changed directions, pulled the cloak on, and walked around the small block. If this worked she'll have less confidence in the auror's ability to protect Lily and Harry. Walking along the tree line she noted how peaceful it was in the small village. As if no one knew how much danger was lurking in the shadows.

Stepping into the backyard she held her breath. Nothing happened. They were putting too much confidence in the fidelius charm. Crossing the small yard, she counted the ways she'd improve the protections. Opening the back door, the small house was quiet. Hermione slipped off the cloak and stood listening for any sound.

"Hello?" Lily's voice broke the silence.

She sounded distressed. Raising her wand up, Hermione feared the worst. She found Lily on her couch, rubbing her lower back. "What happened? Are you hurt?" she asked, scanning the lower floor for danger.

Lily shook her head. "Contraction."

"Oh," Hermione said, her brain catching up to the sudden change in the situation. "Oh! We need to get your midwife here." Hermione was willing to face Tom and Voldemort and any Death Eater that would try to hurt those she loved, but being the one to deliver a baby was terrifying.

Letting out a long breath, Lily waved her hand. "There's still time between contractions. Where's James?"

"He and Sirius went to check on Remus. They were going to come home when his transformation was over. I can go get them," Hermione offered. They had time. She thought so anyway. There was the possibility that all the stress had pushed her into labor early. Maybe Harry wouldn't be born on Thursday.

"It's better now. Just sit here with me. Help me take my mind off it all," Lily said, sitting back and leaning her head against the cushion behind her.

How would she help the pregnant witch take her mind off her impending labor, Hermione wondered. Still she sat as requested. "Can I get you some water? Some blankets?"

"No. No. I'm good now that the pain stopped. What happened tonight? Is everyone alright?"

"Some injuries on our side. No fatalities. We rounded up several Death Eaters. Tom wasn't there though," she explained, looking out the back door. She should be out looking for the wizard that destroyed her future. There were no leads and no obvious actions to take. She could help Harry's mother distract herself.

"That's good. It could have been terrible if you hadn't remembered… well if you hadn't realized what Tom would do," Lily said, still having trouble understanding exactly how Hermione was connected to everything.

Finally, Hermione sat, her body relaxing into the couch. She had been able to stop Tom from doing real damage. Twice. He'd be furious. They should prepare for his reaction. She needed Albus to talk to Snape. Find out what was happening on the inside. "We won this round. We need to anticipate his next move," she said.

The words elicited a small laugh from Lily, who immediately looked guilty. "I'm sorry. This is all so strange. You're from the future. It seems like we shouldn't have to guess what happens next. I understand it's all changed though. I do."

No one did. Really. No one really understood. Not even the tempus tome. Time was uncertain. Her past and Lily's future wasn't decided yet. Everything could change or hadn't. It wasn't decided.

"Tell me about Harry."

The request was unexpected. It took Hermione several seconds to process it. Then she smiled at the memories of Harry. Their friendship. "He's thoughtful and kind. And a little awkward. He didn't grow up with much affection, so it's hard for him sometimes…" she trailed up, realizing her words might make Lily feel guilty over something she had no control over.

"Why didn't he?" she asked. The defensiveness in her words. "Sirius would never neglect him."

"Oh. Well. Hell. Harry was brought to your sister."

"Petunia! Who thought that was a good idea? Impossible. We've already started a will. We would have had one. Sirius should have taken him. Did he refuse?"

Hermione was waving her hands. This was going terribly. "It's not his fault. It all happens so fast. And he has no say in the matter. "

"Petunia and Vernon Dursley. Honestly. Could there be a couple more ill suited to take on a baby at all? Let alone a magical one. Their son is already a nightmare and he's barely a month old."

"He doesn't grow up with much, but that makes him appreciate the things that matter," Hermione tried to ease Lily's concerns. The way Harry was treated was inexcusable. Albus had been adamant that there were protections afforded Harry by living with Lily's sister. It might be the safest place for him if history repeated itself. Just not the healthiest.

"What happens to Sirius?" Lily asked. "I see how you are with him. He means something to you. You know him. He'd never willingly abandon Harry to those muggles."

She'd already hinted to Sirius about his future. Maybe even enough to change those choices. "He goes after Peter and Peter sets him up. He's sentenced to Azkaban with no opportunity to defend himself. It's not until our third year that he escapes. His name is never completely cleared."

"Peter," Lily breathed out the name. She didn't sound entirely surprised. "He's so desperate to be liked, to fit in, it can make him do things that go against his nature. For good and not so good. And his instincts for self preservation can override his desire to do the right thing. Whenever they got caught breaking the rules at school, he'd let others take the fall for him. But I never doubted how much he care for James, Sirius, and Remus. He even went through the…"

"The ritual to become an animagus," Hermione supplied when Lily realized she had nearly divulged their marauders' secret.

"For Remus. It's a serious commitment and a difficult process. He did it for his friends." The two women sat in silence. Neither one really understood the motivations of the wizard who was guilty of such betrayal. "Why didn't Remus take him?"

Hermione couldn't tell if she was fishing for information on Lupin. She already said more than she should have, and Remus' story wasn't awful. Just sad. "I think you know the answer to that question."

"A werewolf isn't a suitable father. Rubbish. Does he really think my sister and her self-absorbed husband would be better parents to his best friend's son?"

Not just Harry, but Teddy too, Hermione thought. His struggles with his relationship with Tonks were ones she understood. Hell, she'd done the same to Harry as he had tried to do to Tonks. He said as much. "It takes him some time to realize that's not true. But not in time to stand up for Harry."

"Petunia and Vernon," Lily whispered, rubbing her stomach protectively.

"At the time, Albus was concerned how Harry would be treated in the wizarding world. He thought there was a benefit in letting him grow up with an anonymity. In his defense, I'm not sure if he understood how… selfish they were."

"Why would Harry be treated badly? It wasn't his fault," Lily objected and then groaned. She breathed through the contraction.

Hermione felt helpless. There wasn't a clear action she could take aside from getting her midwife or husband. She trusted Lily to know what she needed. The pause gave her some time to formulate her words. The topic they were broaching was a serious one. Hermione had yet to understand just how much of Harry's life would change. Once the contraction was over, Hermione finally answered her, "He wasn't blamed. He became known as the boy who lived. The first person known to survive the killing curse. And he had a very visible scar that announced to anyone in the wizarding world who he was. There was a concern the infamy might… change him."

Lily considered the assessment. "Do you think he's this thoughtful and kind man because of his experience?"

Hermione understood the fear. Nature verses nurture. That if the future changed, he would change. There was one thing Hermione knew better than anything else, and that was Harry Potter. "He had plenty of opportunities when he rejoined the wizarding world to embrace the persona that had been created for him. He rejected it every time. He's a thoughtful and kind man because that's who he is. If he gets the chance to grow up in a home of safety and love, the only thing that will change is that he won't feel alone or unwanted."

At the moment, the front door opened and the Marauders entered mid conversation.

"—and then James took all three of them with one spell," Sirius said animatedly.

Remus looked exhausted and a little dejected that he had missed the action.

James was the first to pick up on the tension in the living room. The smile on his face faded immediately. "What's wrong?"

"Nothings wrong," Lily answered quickly. "I'm having contractions."

"Really? Right now?" he asked, looking her over.

"Well, no. Not right this second."

James ran a hand through his hair. He looked terrified.

Having had more time to get used to what was happening, Hermione stood. "We need to get the midwife."

"Right. Right," James agreed. Still he didn't move from his spot.

"What's her name? How do we contact her?" Hermione asked, patiently.

"Oh! Oh, right," James caught on and chuckled. "Harriet Wainscott. Her floo address is on the hearth. But someone will need to go get her. We didn't get a chance to get her an exception to the fidelius charm. We'll need Albus too."

Finally. Something obvious to do. "I'll go get Albus. Sirius, meet us outside with Harriet," she directed and everyone sprung to action.

Sirius clapped his hands together. "We're having a baby, people. Look alive."

To Lupin's credit, he brushed off his physical exhaustion and took a turn to tend to Lily. Hermione and Sirius looked up the address at the book by the fireplace. She couldn't help but study the joy of his countenance.

"What?" he asked her.

"Nothing. You just… look happy. It's nice."

He gently patted her back and then rested it on her shoulder. He was beginning to understand the weight of his future if he didn't try to listen to her. "We're having a baby," he whispered, squeezed her shoulder and then picked up some floo powder, stepped in and was gone in a flash of green.

Noting the time, Hermione hoped he would try to announce himself before appearing in the healer's living quarters after midnight. It was too late to worry about that. She put the invisibility cloak on and turned on the spot, apparating back to the Death Eater house. They were having a baby.