"In 1980, Sybil Trelawney made a prophecy about a child who would have the power to vanquish the dark lord. Two children were possibly the chosen one : Neville Longbottom and Harry Potter. Both families were under close survey and then went into hiding once the children were born. Harry was the one born closest to the end of the 7 month, Voldemort went for him." George was trying to be as delicate as possible. There were many ways this could go wrong, and telling someone they were going to die was awkward. Fred and George peered at Harry, his eyes were vague. James seemed to be focused on an imaginary point in front of him : Regulus' hands, for those who knew where to look. Lily was staring at George, bracing herself for what she was going to learn next.
"Your secret keeper betrayed you." Sirius went to speak, ready to defend himself, he couldn't betray his friend, not James. Mary touched his shoulder and beat him to it. "It wasn't you. James and you thought you would be an obvious choice. You went for someone else without telling anyone but the four of you. That's the memory you saw from our third year, with the time turner."
"So Lily and I weren't a couple, we lived together because we needed to hide Harry." James' voice was firmed. Regulus' snorted.
"I don't know. I have always thought you were. Lily's surname is Potter. We never had any official papers, but that's what everyone is calling her. Besides, Sirius and Remus thought you were together. They, at least, would know right?" Harry's voice was soft. He understood from James' apologies that James couldn't fathom a future where he and Lily were a thing. Refusing to antagonize James, Harry wanting to make the most of his time and befriend his parents, chose to qualify his answer.
Theodore, sensing the discomfort, decided to continue their story. "In 1981, on October 31, the Potters were attacked. James and Lily died. Harry survived the Avada kedavra because Lily sacrificed herself for him. We do know how or why, all that was left of the dark lord were ashes. Harry became The-boy-who-lived and was left to the Dursleys."
Harry had never liked being the center of attention. Having the Dursley's attention meant more tasks or punishment. Being a shadow was normal and safe. This part of their story gave him everyone's attention : how dreadful. Weirdly, the Slytherins almost looked impressed. He felt the blood rushed to his ears and was saved by Fred's voice.
"Then came the first year, Hagrid was sent to get Harry since none of the letters seemed to reached him. He learned about magic and his parents. Parents who he always thought died in a car crash because of his drunk dad. Harry became our seeker." George winked at an excited James. "There were rumors about You-Know-Who not being dead and trying to get back to power. So Hogwarts was the perfect hiding place for the Philosopher's stone. Those three..." Fred made a motion to design Hermione, Ron and Harry. "Though Snape was trying to steal it, and they went for it. Quirrel, another teacher, was the one trying to obtain it. He was sharing his head with You-know-who... don't know how to explain it... Harry killed him. You-know-who couldn't touch him, something to do with Lily's sacrifice." Fred was met with silence. "Is this too much or not enough info?"
Remus was hesitant to speak. He wanted to ask but that would mean revealing to the three Slytherins they were animagus. He didn't know yet about Rosier and Crouch but Regulus was on their side - according to the memories. And - Ron aside - the newcomers didn't seem weary of them. Mary had, after all, not complained, not even made a noise, when Rosier had sat next to her. "Is it Peter ? The traitor ? If Sirius wasn't the secret keeper, I was or Peter was. But in one of the memories, Harry was speaking of Sirius being innocent and of the guilty of a rat."
"I m going to..." Harry and Mary simultaneously moved to the center to grab Sirius, preventing him from going after Peter. "...kill him". Remus swallowed, he didn't need verbal confirmation, he knew he was right from the two reactions.
Regulus impatient voice and arrogant scowl lashed at his brother. "Sirius, behave yourself. I do not intend to spend my day with you lot. Let them continue without making a spectacle of yourself."
Sirius bit back a sarcastic reply "Do go on."
"Okay, so second year ?" Started Ron. He met Crouch's intense glare and flinched. Nobody objected, and he continued. "Dobby, a house elve, tried to prevent Harry from going to school. Harry was, according to Dobby, in great danger. A few weeks into school, Harry met Mary. You saw the memory, the one where she asked about Quidditch. Bloody inseparable now." Unfortunately, Ron was a very expressive person, he was able to hide his grimace. It was no secret amongst them that Ron and Mary couldn't bear each other. However, this fact was ignored, as Mary was like an extension of Harry. "Harry started to hear voices inside the walls. Hermione and I thought he was going crazy. Bloody messages were written on the wall about the Chamber of secrets being opened. Hermione was petrified. A lot of muggleborn were petrified. We discovered in class that Harry is a parselmouth. Mary understood the creature was some kind of snake, a basilic. A piece of Voldemort, in a journal unknowingly given to my sister by Malfoy, was controlling her to do those things. Harry and I went into the Chamber, long story short, Harry killed the basilic and a piece of Voldemort."
There aren't a lot of people outside, probably because it's still a bit chilly in March, still noises are coming closer. Regulus waited for the voices to disappear and looked around a few times, making sure that it was just them. "The journal, it was a Horcrux ?" Mary simply nodded. He was quick to analyze, and she liked it. Evan pushed a hand through his short black hair. "Reg, do you know what a Horcrux is?" Regulus looked at Evan, puzzled. No he didn't, not yet. They hope to know what it was by the end of this conversation. Then, and only then, they would decide on which side they would fight. They were not related to any of those kids and therefore had no obligation to help or to protect them.
"We will explain after." Was Flint reply. "Now, the third year."
Hermione, who had been pretty silent, decided it was her turn. Harry didn't like attention and was counting on the others to explain most of their school years. "Harry ran away because he blew up one of his aunts during a family dinner." Bartemious and Evan snickered and looked at Harry, pleased. "Sirius, who has been imprisoned in Azkaban for 12th years as a faithful supporter of You-know-Who escaped. He had been muttering all summer in his cell -He is at Hogwarts-. So, Dementors were sent by the Ministry to patrol the school's grounds. We had Remus as a teacher against the dark arts." They all looked at Remus pleased, even Nott, Flint and Greengrass. Remus was surprised but happily deduced that he had been a good teacher. "The Dementors took a liking to Harry. Harry learned how to cast a Patronus while studying with Remus outside of class. Harry during a visit to Hogsmead learned that three, I mean fourth, if you were friends. And that, Sirius had been and was his godfather but betrayed his parents and killed Peter. He was mental after that, angry after Sirius." Hermione took her time to think about which information was worth giving. They didn't need too much or they would be lost. "We were coming from Hagrid's when Ron's rat fled toward the Whomping Willow. A big dog appeared out of nowhere and bit Ron's leg to drag him, and the rat, into the shrinking shack. In the shack, we understood you were an animagus, and after Harry strangling you, with Remus' aid you explained what had really happened. You were creepy. You weren't after Harry but after Ron's rat, who was Peter in his animagus form. In the memory, you saw that Peter managed to escape because it was a full moon and Remus' transformation wasn't anticipated. Then, Mary and Harry used the time-turner. Sirius, you were still a wanted convict, with the Order's protection, you hide in Grimmauld place and have been taking care of Harry since then."
"Am I good at it ? Being a godfather ?" Sirius shyly asked. He had never imagined himself having a child and raising them. He was traumatized by his own upbringing and afraid to messed up. The Potter were good to him, but two years with them were not going to erase fifteen years with the Black.
Harry looked baffled "Yes" his voice was strong, leaving no room for argument. "You are the best !" James grinned at his best friend and embraced him by the shoulders, patting him on the back. "We are well taken care of, we have fun and sometimes - when we deserve it - we are scolded. Gently scold." Sirius felt his shoulders instantly relax. He met his brother's unreadable glare and felt sadness invade him. His younger brother was dead, and from what they gathered, he probably died young. His brother was a soft idiot, following their parents's orders to avoid punishment and eager to please them, hoping they would love him. Despise his wobbly morale, he didn't deserve to die. Regulus had been a sweet and quiet child, Kreatur's favorite. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Rosier lift his left eyebrow at him and viciously grin. Stop staring was the message.
"Fourth year. Barty is teaching us pretending to be Alastor. There is the Wizard Tournament with Beauxbâtons and Dumstrang. Barty put my name in the goblet and despise being underage, and with each school having a champion, my name is selected. I did succeed in the various tasks, thanks to Neville, Mary and Nott..." Harry stopped and looked at Ron, growling. "... and Ron's coded message." Ron scowled while muttering something about dragons under his breath.
"Just admit you were an idiot." Mary scolded him condescendingly, her left eyebrow raised. Ron, who had been seated next to her since the Slytherins came, made a motion for his wand but decided to just shrink away, closer to Hermione. Harry sighed, rubbing his eyes with one hand beneath his glasses.
"Right. So, a lot of stress, many tasks, and people hating on him because they thought I willingly put my name in the Goblet. Come the last task, we had to retrieve a Portkey in a maze. Cedric and I were attacked by the others champions, who were under the Imperious curse. Cedric and I took the Portkey but instead of landing at Hogwarts we landed in a cemetery. Courtesy of crazy Barty. Peter was brewing a ritual to reconstitute Voldemort's body. Cedric was killed. Voldemort called his followers, made a great speech, and I was forced to duel. Long story short I escaped and tried to convince the Ministry He was back, but it didn't work. A few days later, Azkaban was attacked and many death eaters' escaped."
This brought everyone still, looking daggers at each others. The twins, Nott and Flint were watching and waiting, ready to catch the first one making a move at Bartemius. "We think something happened to you. You were a really weird teacher. Sometimes you were abrupt, sometimes attentive, and you even defended us a few times. It was like you couldn't control your moods. Not that we know you, but right now you seem sane, sticky but sensible."
"Should I go through this year before someone cries bloody murder ?" Mary casually said. "The Ministry appointed Dolores Umbridge as a teacher against the dark arts. They do not believe Voldie is back, and do not trust Dumbie. She is a vicious teacher and does not let us practice - awful. In November, seeing the Ministry was not on his side, Dumbie went to some cave with Harry where they retrieved the fake Horcrux. We read the note and looked everywhere for information on Horcrux, we couldn't find anything. Until Christmas break."
"Harry and Voldie, they have a connection. Harry started to have those dreams, we didn't really focus on them until he dreamt about Mister Weasley being attacked by Nagini. But it wasn't a dream. Mister Weasley was taken care of. This led us to a trap at the Ministry. Our Sirius died." Mary felt shivers down her back at the memory. She saw Harry clenched his fists. Inhale. Exhale. She thought.
"A few weeks into school, we had decided to form a defense club, since we couldn't practice with Umbridge. The Ministry and Umbridge discovered it and weren't pleased. They went for Dumbie, thinking he was raising his own army and gaining power over them. Dumbie left Hogwarts and disappeared. A few days later, death eaters and Umbridge invaded the school, and here we are." She finished throwing up her hands in despair.
There was an intense silence. Lily was scrambling some notes in a little notebook. Sirius was lost in thought; still trying to process his own death and the fact that he was clearly a good surrogate parent. James was petrified ; what the hell happened to his kid ? What was Dumbledore bloody doing !? James remembered his sixth, soon to be seven years, at Hogwarts : the ups and downs. All those pranks they planned on everyone, the times they got in trouble, the times they got detentions, the mischief they caused, and all the memories they made; his kid never had that.
A second passes, and then another.
"What is a Horcrux ?" Regulus asked as he forced his face into a void, slightly bored expression.
"A Horcrux is a piece of one's soul. If a witch or wizard creates a Horcrux, then they can never truly die until said Horcrux is destroyed as well. A person's physical body can be destroyed, but their soul can live on." Theodore stated, and it feels like he's talking about something completely different.
"How do you destroy it ?" James asked frowning deeply.
"We do not know yet." Harry swallowed, his throat suddenly dry.
"Dumbledore said the journal was one and you destroyed it with a basilisk's fang."
"Yes, there is the basilisk. We were looking for more simple ways. I haven't finished those books you lend me." Mary added desperately.
"Well, can you lend them again, Nott ?" Ron asked impatiently.
"What a brilliant idea, Weasley..." Came Flint sarcastic reply turning his head left toward Ron. "Those books are from the Nott's personal collection. It would mean contacting Théophile Nott and explaining the situation, or at least part of it. Besides, I am fairly certain Dumbledore's spell prevents us from discussing our situation outside Hogwarts." Ron narrowed his eyes at Flint's arrogant and patronizing tone. Ron gritted his teeth and looked ready to launch and strangle Flint.
Remus decided it was his cue to cut in. "I suppose you did but I'm asking anyway. Did you go to the restricted section of the library?" Clearly, some things hadn't totally changed : Gryffindor and Slytherin animosity were still existent.
Greengrass shook her head."Yes, Mary looked through every book in Hogwarts and through the Black's collection before asking us."
"Back to the beginning, then. We need a basilisk's fang." Evan says.
"The chamber of secrets it is." The twins breathed out and the newcomers all looked at one another.
"Three rounds ?" Harry asked Mary. She nodded and moved to face Harry. The twins gave them both a very disapproving look.
The purebloods all looked at Mary and Harry strangely when each put their right hand behind their backs before saying "rock-paper-scissors". Lily made an oh sound and took it upon herself to explain the muggle game. Mary lost the first round : Harry crushed the scissors. She, however, won the two others with, paper against rock, and rock against scissors. Harry gave a small growl and closed his fist on Mary's hand. She gave a little pat on his hand in return while chuckling.
Barty sprawled back on the grass, took off his shoes and closed his eyes. "How do you get a basilisk's fang ?"
"We open the Chamber of secrets and awaken Salazar's basilisk. Harry lost, so he is going to open the chamber." Mary joyfully winking at Harry. Both of them knew the only thing he was really going to be doing alone was using Parselmouth. Mary had been terrified in her second year when she had learned Ron and him went inside the Chamber without warning a teacher. She had hugged him, so hard that he couldn't move or breathe, and then, scolded him, so much that he was ashamed. She wasn't letting him retrieve the fang alone.
Mary had never really had friends before Hogwarts. At the orphanage, there had been children but forming friendships was an impossible task. Individuality was reaching its maximum depending on who was the mother superior, the ultimate matron. In her thirteen years at the orphan, Mary had known only one matron shy about punishments. This had been a blessed time, but it didn't last long enough for friendship to form. It didn't even help that when she was seven, she blew up some of the orphanage's windows. Reaching out to the Matron for a vengeance she didn't yet know how to enact. Harry was her first friend, and it had happened fast. Everything had just clicked during the Quidditch's explanation. And Harry had made sure that it stayed that way.
"How do we help ?" James who had been looking at Harry and Mary with amusement during their little game, was now deadly serious. Sure, he hadn't thought about having children yet. And despite his friendship with Lily, she was definitely not his genre, she didn't have the right parts and was too feminine. Nevertheless, Harry was there and it was clearly his own flesh and blood. He would help his son to a better life and to save the wizardly world. And he would later, elude how Harry came to be. There must be an explanation. He was not ready to lose the love of his life. Even if said love was utterly mad at him and now convinced he was cheating on him with Lily.
"None of this was planned, so we don't really have a plan. We thought you might help us gather the Horcruxes. Or at least how many they are and where they are. Better something happens to one of us than one of you if we want to exist in a few years." Came George's hesitant reply. In truth, they were all excited about the possibility of changing everything. But none of them knew what they could and couldn't change or where the limit was. Was there really a risk if the past students were to forget them as soon as they were back in their time ?