A/N: I put this little tidbit into a review so people can stop flaming the same old bullshit (it won't help) but this will be as brief as I can make it. Nick comes off as some sort of superwizard without reason. But there is one, technically, it just may not make the most cohesive sense.

Nick lived as a No-Maj (gotta keep the wording right, he IS American) until dying in what they're calling the First Cycle of this time looping business I've set up so far. He wakes up having the matured (more or less) magical ability of a seventeen year old wizard who had to rely on strictly memory to get used to the power which was a bit above average at that time. Then, when he dies about twenty years later during the Battle of Hogwarts against Voldemort (This has been explained in-story), that magical core isn't gone but it's instead made dormant inside Nick's soul you could say. Strangely so, it retains its matured size from that first cycle of living in the past until his then death. So, when Nick dies at the beginning of this story, starting a second cycle of events (technically I haven't figured out where the initial timeline break occurs, but we'll get there eventually) where he now has the matured magical core in addition to the new seventeen years of being a wizard in these past timelines. Therefore, now he has two lifetimes of his own magical power built up but only really a couple of months (before Start of Term) to get used to it again. So he fires spells off that are just lacking the precision control needed to not be overpowered. I will be stabilizing this soon, I promise.

There was also mentioning of Voldemort- and all wizarding folk- couldn't possibly have any idea who Hitler was. And that's in fact false because I remember reading or hearing in some form of OFFICIAL HP media that there was a great war in tandem with World War 2 that most wizards don't tend to talk about because it was very dark days. I've always attributed it to being the Grindelwald conflict, because I believe Dumbledore stopped him around the time WW2 was wrapping itself up. Even if Muggles and Wizards don't routinely interact with one another, that doesn't mean that absolutely no one magical knows actual facts or whatever about Muggles, whether that be historically or in a warfare sense. My headcanon also thinks that wizards know what guns are, but the counter to those dangers would simply be the shield charm. It's never been shown going up against bullets, but I have no doubt a wizard saw the deadly potential of weapons like guns and tweaked the charm in order to block such things. It isn't outside any realm of possibility, because wizards are always wary of Muggles and therefore would need some way to defend themselves when Muggles could get them by surprise and have them shot down before a wand can be drawn.

And one last thing. Sorry, but I feel like I need to address the issues people have rightly presented to me which I do have answers for even if not the greatest. Now, there's hate on how the families would even decide to trust this unknown kid at all or easily, even with the very prominently ancient family name. And you guys are right, I did overlook that shit at the time. By this current point in the story- and maybe I'll add it in just to have it be said- I've established that the original, older and technically broken-minded Bellatrix has been running around in the past, sending herself back after Trixie disappeared from 2022, and meddling in things to try and help the cause of Nick destroying Voldemort. She lied to the teens saying she came back the same day Trixie left the future and instead went back a bit further than Nick did, going around and speaking with those members of wizarding society such as her father Arcturus and Abraxas, using her intimate knowledge of what they wanted in order to bring an alliance with Nick or in Abraxas' case ask a very important and time-altering favor which is two fold already because Lucius is Lucina in this story. As for like the Wizengamot, I'd think they were more of a harder case, Bellatrix most likely never went to them directly. Instead she spoke to maybe one or two of the Wizengamot and when Nick came around and the things Bellatrix may have said were in fact the truth, then they believed him more and trusted him even with a cursed family name such as Gaunt.

As I said before, it's still not fully cohesive and sensical, but I think it's fun and an idea never done before, so everyone thinking I don't know what I'm doing can fuck off, because chances are I've been writing since some people who may pick this up on the site, app, wherever were still in kindergarten or grade school. I'm no Stephen King but people love this story and are eating it up, even with the nonsense. Good day everyone. Sorry it wound up longer than I intended but sometimes, you have to vent (Insert Among Us joke Here).

Chapter Sixteen

Fading Holidays

The Next Morning, Negron Household, East End, London..

"I'm back, mom!" Nick called out, holding the door open for Bellatrix as she entered the house first.

"We're in here, Nick!" Came Neela's voice from the kitchen, the two teenagers walking in to find Neela and Donna sitting at the table.

"What are you doing here, mom?" Asked Trixie as she moved to look at the mother she knew. "I thought you were going to go meddle some more with our lives? As if you haven't done that enough already."

Trixie's mother frowned at him. "You know, you kids should be grateful I'm even here doing that shit. Haven't you wondered, Nick, why the older generation has been so readily alright with you and everything you've done whether it was for them or not? There was no reason anyone older than your friends should have trusted anything you said. But, I digress you have always been a bit of a leader in that regard so not all of the outside influences making you such a trusted individual, at your age especially, can be attributed to my meddling.

"You're just lucky, Nicky, that I can pull off the Seer act, otherwise I may have had to reveal myself to such as my father. And knowing him, he'd have had a heart attack from the shock of seeing an old lady calling herself his seventeen year old daughter. No, it's better you don't know what I'm up to, just know that as long as you stay the course you've been headed in you'll be just fine, as far as I can tell. There haven't been any shifts in my memories indicative of a new timeline yet, although that may not apply to me as it is. I seem to be even more an entity out of time than you, dear."

Nick's Bellatrix scowled. "You can't just meddle with us anymore, mother. We're both adults now, according to our new existence and that means you're not responsible for either of us to-"

Donna stood up and threw her hands onto the table with a resounding smack. "That's where you are wrong, young lady! I am the reason you even still somehow exist, much to your continued enjoyment. I know this is all new to you both, but this isn't the time to play." She sighed, sitting back down. "Right now, your total focus needs to be on making sure Voldemort can't wreak his havoc past this next year. Maybe someone will spring up again later, but when Voldemort has been killed and destroyed you can both go enjoy your lives. I know I did, bur I also knew to keep Nick on track."

"And I have never neglected that motive, Donna." The two halves of Belkateix had switched again. "Nick entrusted me with information he knew could break me in the worst ways, and because he trusted me with that I have been helping him. Yes, I'm young and we're in love, one that transcends time and even possibly dimensions at that. Nick always makes sure I'm alright and I do the same for him. Our children, however many there may be if things happened with us as they did to you, will grow and have their own kids, and I'll make sure that happens."

Donna smirked. "Of course I know you will. You're me, technically. That tenacity is infamously associated with my name, whatever surname I take."

"Then back off us a bit. We don't need you hovering. I had enough of that in the future as it is."

"I do have a possibly stupid question," Nick said. "Why is it that mom remembers all this cycle crap but I only know my life in the future and this one right now?"

Donna looked at him in surprise. "Wait, you didn't have any of the past memories from the first cycle?" Nick shook his head. "That.. doesn't make sense. If Neela does, then why don't you..? Or maybe you weren't supposed to remember, I mean the cycle begins with your death in 2022, so that might make enough sense, but it is still odd. And what's this about you showing Bellatrix her future?"

"Uh.. well.." Nick sighed. "I came back here with no memories of the past cycle but I did have the entire original continuity of the Harry Potter series memorized, both from the books and movies. Bellatrix was adamant about getting to know the mystery that was me during the summer and I finally relented and I.. may have shown her psycho Bella. And every relevant thing she did."

Donna looked at Bellatrix then, shocked. "And that didn't break you?!"

Bellatrix smirked. "We're tenacious, aren't we? Plus, even seeing myself kill Sirius.. I knew somehow that it wasn't me doing it, and I was right about that."

"Yes, I guess you were. Still, Nick, that was reckless and could have backfired in terrible ways."

"I know, that's why I was against doing it until Bella annoyed it out of me." He shrugged.

Neela cleared her throat. "Donna, may we get back to our conversation? I'd like to know what you did that created not just a younger sibling to Nick but an older one."

Donna looked at her for a moment, thinking. "Oh, you must mean Leon. Technically, he existed the last cycle. But, he was also living with you guys still that time, even started teaching alongside Nick then. Very strange you wouldn't remember him at all, but then again Nick has always been the most important child of yours, being the only one originally born from you."

"I've had to live through my son dying several times, Donna. Not a pattern I'd like to repeat again."

"That's fair. I'm sure your memories will jog back up to speed eventually, as I'm pretty sure Nick at least gained the seventeen years worth of them after first waking up here."

Nick shrugged. "There's still bits and pieces missing, to be fair. But, I will say it's odd how selective the memories I do have are. Like seriously, why do I remember my ex girlfriend, but not much else other than the fact I dated her?"

He must mean Sameera, right? Unless he had another girlfriend before me in this specific timeline.. Oh, Meera, such a good girlfriend.. "It's of no real importance, Nick, I'm sure. Most likely it's just your teenage brain prioritizing the women in your life you consider important, even if they aren't at the forefront of your mind."

"Hello?" Came a new voice from the entrance as the four present in the kitchen looked towards the sound, hearing footsteps make their way towards the kitchen. "Ma? Nicky-boy? Angie? Jeez, where is everyone?" The voice said as it got closer, calling for each member of the Negron family.

Nick looked at Neela, who looked at Donna. Donna nodded as a young man in his early twenties entered the room, looking every bit like a young, male Neela. "Oh, there you two are! Where's my little sis? And who are these lovely ladies?" Leon Negron made a show of kissing both Donna and Bellatrix's hands, his eyes lingering on Bellatrix. "I know I'd have remembered if I had such a beautiful younger sister." Bellatrix blushed as Nick clicked his tongue.

"Nope, don't even think about it. Bella is mine, brother." He said, flashing the Gaunt ring as Bellatrix held the Black family ring up as well on her own hand, both rings shifting to have the two crests combined.

Leon put his hands up in surrender. "Alright, alright. I couldn't know, you haven't answered a single one of my letters since you all moved out here. I was under the impression you were still seeing that sexy Egyptian girl."

'Sameera and Nick haven't been together since well before we moved to London, Leon," Neela pointed out. "Bellatrix is a much better fit for our Nick, anyway. Even if they became betrothed rather quickly. Not to mention their adorable little pseudo-daughter."

The taller Negron son straightened up. "Betrothed? Daughter? You two?" Leon pointed between Nick and Bellatrix. "You've been here barely five months?!" He said, looking at Nick.

Bellatrix took control of the situation then. "She isn't ours, but we are adopting her. Merula has had a.. really dark life before we met her. We have a strict plan to get married before we have our own kid."

"That's all based on circumstance, love. If it happens, it happens. Don't, mom. Again, me and Trixie are legal adults now, we can technically do what we want. Not like we don't have a bedroom to break in down in Newport, anyway."

"Nick." Neela said warningly, making Nick mime zipping his lips up like a zipper. "Anyway, Leon, we weren't expecting you around. How is everything back home with you?"

"Oh, everything's fine. Well, mostly. Angelina isn't the only one contacted by Sameera, after all. Frankly, I still don't understand why you're so magnetic towards women, little brother."

Nick shrugged as Bellatrix but her lip. So it is the same here as it is in the future.. Good thing others there didn't give away their feelings..

And here you go with the doubts again. Nick chose you, no one else. So stop doubting us.

"I would have no idea. I know I can be pretty charismatic, but not on that level."

"Whatever you say, Nick. So how's Hogwarts treating you?"

"It was rough in the beginning, with all the would-be Death Eaters all over the school. But, these days the number of those students is much fewer."

"Death Eaters? You mean those guys who work for that Dark Lord guy? They were prominent at Hogwarts?"

"Oh, yeah. Most of the Pureblood families aligned with him at first, being the ones who don't really care for Muggles and Muggle-born students. And most of the children of those families followed suit. Then Nick showed up this year and, by the time we came back home for the holidays, most of that younger generation were now firmly in Nick's camp. There are a few outliers," Bellatrix meant Rabastan, primarily. "But if things come to blows, Voldemort won't know what hit him."

Nick nodded. "And then this Groundhog Day situation can be resolved."

Leon ignored the too-early reference as he hummed. "Well, I guess I didn't have to worry about you making friends then, at least. Not that you ever had much trouble in that department. Oh, I did have something to ask you, Nick, being the named heir of the family and whatnot. Who's Lucina?"

Nick nodded and explained what else Nick had been up to since he and Neela had moved to the UK.

~AWaH~

Merula giggled as Angelina tripped on the top step of the stoop. Opening the door, Angelina saw the houseguest and gasped as she almost jumped full over Merula to get inside. "Leo!" She giggled as she almost knocked her and Nick's older brother to the floor.

Leon laughed as he hugged the fifteen year old back. "There's my little sis! Having fun staying with mom and Nick for the holidays?"

Angelina nodded, motioning for Merula to come forward, too. The little girl shyly approached Leon, who smiled down at her before kneeling. "Hey there. You're little Merula, aren't you?"

Merula blushed, nodding. "Yes, sir. That's me."

Leon chuckled. "She's adorable, Nick. No wonder you wanted to take her in."

Nick nodded before leaning close to Bellatrix's ear. "Yeah, she's adorable now because she's little. We'll see how far from the Merula in the mobile game she becomes with her new life going forward."

Bellatrix hummed. "Yes, she may still be just as big a brat as she was then. Only time, and our continued love, will truly tell, honey."

"Yeah.. Hey, come on, while they're distracted." Nick pulled Sameera away from everyone else standing around the living room, the two hurrying up the stairs with feather charms activated so they made little to no noise climbing the steps.

"Nicky, where are we going now?" She asked him as they reached the second floor landing. "If you really wanted us alone you could just send us back to our little seaside manor. I hear sex on the beach is heavenly."

Nick laughed. "Yeah, in this weather? We'd freeze even with warming charms. And we're not going to just run off to have sex. Jeez, Trixie."

"Can you really blame me? I'm currently working with a body that has thirty-four years of memories, and none of it is sex. So sue me for being a little horny."

"A little?" Nick asked her, amused as he opened the ceiling hatch that led to the attic. "Just don't let that distract you, alright? Mom mentioned something about a pixie nest up here."

"Wait, we're not being exterminators right now, are we? Nicky, it's the holidays! Leave them to your mother and let's go find somewhere to just.. chill out. We don't have to be prepping for Voldemort, the man should be taking the hint that he can't stop you from ending him."

Nick stopped, knowing she was right. "I know, but I have no doubt he isn't sitting around doing nothing, either. Not with the bad vibe I've had all vacation. That's why I wanted to go through the things up here, my dad's old stuff. But with the pixies possibly hanging around, who know what needs to be repaired or not. Plus, I like having alone time with you, we still have a couple years worth of time to catch up on, right?"

Trixie rolled her eyes. "Only because you wouldn't tell me your feelings before I had to watch you technically die in my arms."

"I guess that's true enough. I hope dad has something up here. I'd like to be able to say I learned more than just the tongue-tying curse over the break."

"When did you learn that one?"

"While you were sleeping this morning. Tested it on Sirius when he decided to barge into your room at almost five am."

"Why were you even awake so early?"

"Bad feeling." Was all Nick said as he started climbing up the ladder with Bellatrix behind him.

~AWaH~

Voldemort watched as his creation slept, grateful Nick had left a strand of his hair behind on Voldemort's cloak at King's Cross, otherwise he'd have had to try another method of the ritual he had performed. The body that lay on the table was peaceful, it's chest rising and falling as the false human slept, it's mind building itself still. Only another couple of days, and then his plans would fall into motion yet again. And this time, Nick wouldn't be able to stop him.

~AWaH~

Kazuya watched the half-giant Hogwarts groundskeeper as Hagrid went about his garden, tending to the ridiculously-sized pumpkins he grew there. Are those natural? Or is it something form of growing charm that allows the plants to keep their bigger size when spreading their seeds? He wondered from the window on the fourth floor of the castle, looking out over the grounds of the school. There were still a few days before the rest of the students would be returning to Hogwarts, but right now he was still on his mission of figuring out what the one other Slytherin present in the castle was up to, as Rabastan kept disappearing from everyone else's sight time and time again, several times in a single day.

In fact, it had been just fifteen minutes earlier that Kazuya had stuck to the shadows, following the obviously suspicious boy when the former Lestrange brother disappeared from his sight entirely. Kazuya had decided to stay where he was, hoping Rabastan would reappear where he had first gone missing. However, it was about to be time for lunch, and Kazuya could admit to himself that he was indeed hungry as he cursed before moving to reach the Great Hall.

Down in the Great Hall, Professor Slughorn approached the Chinese transfer student. "Ah, Mr. Long. I was hoping to run into you for a quick chat, if you have a moment? The headmaster has informed me of some information I'd like to discuss with you."

Kazuya nodded, picking up the sandwich from his plate. "Of course, Professor. Is everything alright?" Kazuya was thankful his home life had been highly bilingual, otherwise his accent might be too thick for others here to understand, so far from home.

"Yes, yes, quite. As I said, just a Head of House speaking to one of their students. Tell me, how are you finding Hogwarts so far?" Slughorn asked as the pair left the Great Hall and made their way down the corridor to an unused classroom.

Kazuya shrugged. "I have yet to experience classes here, but I will admit the atmosphere is very reminiscent of the Tao Lo Institute back home."

"Well, a good thing is nothing to ignore, is it? I'm sure you'll love classes once everyone has returned. Now, I'd like to start by apologizing, for while it is not directly my fault, I did play a small hand in your clan's deaths.." Kazuya looked at the professor with a hard stare. "When I was younger, we had a student here by the name of Tom Riddle. Extraordinary student, absolutely peerless during his tenure. But, the boy turned out to be a very bad seed. You see, he was born a half-blood, his unfortunate mother not surviving the birth and was soon placed into a Muggle orphanage. They knew nothing of how to care for a child with magic, since our secrecy statute denies any Muggle other than the Prime Minister such casual access to magical knowledge. And even then, the Prime Minister cannot ask things of our kind for the most part. But that's a bit off-topic.

"The Headmaster was the one who gave young Tom his Hogwarts acceptance letter and explained the magic in our world. And as I stated before, he was an exemplary student.. This next event I will explain to you is not something I share at all but only due to my shame at the consequences of such an act. I told young Tom about a very dark, despicable method to attain a form of immortality. After he graduated and left the school, the true plot began. He recruited his Death Eaters, created those foul magical artifacts and has since waged war from the shadows on our own kind. This man, Tom Riddle, is known now as none other than Voldemort, the very same man who destroyed your ancestral home and family archives."

Kazuya could feel his rage boiling, but his mother had always taught him to keep a calm, rational head. "Why tell me all this, professor?"

"Simply to tell you this man is no simple wizard you can duel. People have been killed by him for less. No, I am also urging you not to go on some revenge mission about it. I understand the honor-duty you may have towards it, but I assure you there's already someone well on the way to destroying Voldemort once and for all. Another student in our House, as it goes."

"Who? You mean to tell me a teenager is the only one who has been doing anything worthwhile in the grand scheme of stopping that madman?"

Slughorn nodded with a laugh. "Yes, indeed. I have no doubt he'll seek you out himself, since it seems he's in talks with Dumbledore and his own allies in their fight against Tom. You'll surely meet Nick Negron well before you expect as well, he was very quick in the first couple weeks of the term to gage where everyone stood. As it turns out, the boy you've been following is one of the few Death Eaters readily identified to still attend, the rest have all flocked to Nick for one reason or another. The boy can seem a bit odd or confusing, that's been shown time and time again, but he's also a voice of reason in the ideals of the two sides.

"Chances are, Nick and his wife-to-be will figure out not only what knowledge Voldemort stole from your family, but also a way to stop it. You have my word."

In the short time he'd been at Hogwarts already, it had become apparent that some of the staff were more approachable than others, as well as just seemingly more trustworthy. Apart from the slight suspicious nature of Dumbledore's trustworthiness, Slughorn, Hagrid and the little man, Fitwick, actually proved trust was well placed with them. But Kazuya could still be apprehensive due to learning a bit more about the man who killed his entire family. "I believe you, Professor, but don't blame me for being at all hesitant about it all."

Slughorn chuckled. "Not at all, my boy. Trust, and who we place it in, is important at any point in our lives, whatever the circumstances. Enjoy the rest of your day, Kazuya. And please, bring anything pertaining to young Rabastan to either myself or the headmaster. Or Nick once school starts back up, I'm sure you'll understand why if you ask around a bit."

Kazuya nodded. "Alright, professor. I'll see you around." Bowing, Kazuya ducked back out of the door and went back to the Great Hall, seeing Rabastan now back at the single long table still present until the rest of the students came back.

He sat down next to a girl from Ravenclaw, he believed her name was something along the lines of Pepper or something like that. "Hey, you're.. Pepper, right?"

"Yup, that's me, Pepper Tyme. And you're Kazuya, right? Everyone's been talking about you in the short time you've been with us."

"Really? What do the local rumor mills want to spout off, then?"

Pepper giggled. "The usual girl talk, obviously. All of us trying to figure out where you'll fit in once classes start back up. Or the few about why you suddenly transferred in during the term."

"Hmm. Figures. So, I was wondering something, right? Professor Slughorn just spoke with me, partially about why I was transferred from home to here, and he mentioned that if something seems suspicious with my housemate over there," Kazuya pointed towards Rabastan. "To tell him, Dumbledore or one of our fellow students?"

Pepper nodded. "You must mean Nick, Bella's betrothed. Yeah, he'd be the one to go to about Rabastan, really. Nick really knows how to deal with that bastard."

"And how does that work out? Shouldn't the teachers be enforcing things like that?"

"Oh, they do, but Nick is a special case. See, his power is ridiculous, but he doesn't always have full control over it. It's quite fun watching him perform spells perfectly yet still somehow almost manage to blow up the entire classroom. But, as for Rabastan.. Well.."

"How bad could it have been?"

"Oh, it was horrible just to hear it had almost happened. It was during the first few weeks of Term. Nick and Bella hadn't been talking the most for a few days and Rabastan decided to do something in the meantime, Bella having been previously been talked about being put into a marriage contract with Rab's brother Rudolphus. Ex-brother, actually, but I'll get to that. No, Rabastan and a couple of other Death Eater cronies cornered Bella up in the Astronomy Tower and tried raping her. Nick knew something was wrong and went after them. The end result was Rabastan being unable to walk right at all for weeks. Dude totally stomped Rabastan's nuts into a fine powder. Ever since, he's had Rudolphus on his side and more recently, Rabastan has been banished from his family, meaning he's here because he literally has nowhere else to go, meaning he'll be out in the world doing Merlin knows what after graduating. If he even does. I hear Rabastan has been flunking classes recently because of all his disappearing, and the staff ain't doing anything about him. That's why I suspect that Nick and Rabastan are going to square off before the end of term, and chances are Nick will come out on top either way."

"Why's this Nick guy so special, though? Other than overly full magic reserves he can't always control?" Now Kazuya was intrigued. It seemed this Nick guy was taking action where the teachers wouldn't and that was enough to make Kazuya want to know more.

Pepper shrugged. "No clue, really. Granted, he is the only considered member of the Ancient Gaunt House, which is a massive thing because of how powerful he is. Voldemort is also a Gaunt, but he was never seen as an Heir to the family so while it's a crusade of ethics for Nick to destroy everything Voldemort is and ever was, its also a kind of familial power struggle. Then there's all the stuff he's done outside of school. Like, he built an orphanage, man! The guy has done a lot more than even the government is willing to admit to, honestly, according to some of the more politically-inclined students."

"Hmm. Well, he does seem like the guy to know then, doesn't he?"

"Oh, for sure. He's fierce when he goes into protection mode. You should have seen what he did during the train ride to school back in September. Half the girls in school wanted him from that alone but it was also clear to see his eyes were on someone already."

Kazuya nodded as the students began filing back out of the Great Hall to resume their vacation plans. Pepper cheerily bid him farewell as she joined a couple of other girls from her house.

~AWaH~

Late That Night..

Bellatrix panted in fear as she looked around, watching students and staff alike fending off Death Eaters inside Hogwarts. She saw Pepper Tyme running from two of the masked fiends as they fired the telltale green of an Avada curse. Bellatrix tried to defend the girl but found her wand arm hung limply at her side, a huge bleeding gash present on her shoulder. She watched helplessly as the curse zoomed towards her Ravenclaw friend before the spell was stopped as it impacted with a conjured sheet of rock that shattered and fell to the stone floor of the castle.

As she sighed in relief, she realized Pepper's savior was unfamiliar to her, even though he looked to be about their age and in Sytherin colors. She saw the two embrace just as she felt herself pushed out of the way of another Avada, this one aimed at her from who could only be Rabastan as she heard him shouting after her being lucky someone pushed her. His words cut off suddenly though, however as Bellatrix turned and saw him frozen in place before falling to the floor with Nick right there, frowning before he stomped his foot into the other boy's back several times, eventually pleased with the amount of crunching sounds Bellatrix could hear as the boy laid there unable to retaliate. "I told you to stay the fuck away from her!" Bellatrix smiled hearing her betrothed defend her as he came over to her, healing the damage to her arm before rushing off again, the scene changing.

Now she stood alongside Nick, the two facing the one who was causing the mayhem all around them, the bodies of several younger students lying dead around the courtyard as she and Nick began firing spells off at Voldemort rapidly. Time seemed to stop, however, as Bellatrix saw the green flash push Nick forward, and her sight tinted red as a heartbreaking scream erupted from her throat..

Bellatrix shot up in bed, looking over at Nick and smiling once she knew he was still breathing. These dreams.. visions.. nightmares have got to stop. Nick isn't dying this time.

Damn straight he's not. Came Trixie, who had actually been sleeping while Bellatrix had wrested control of their body to sleep. That's the first nightmare in a good while, though.. This has bad vibes written all fucking over it.

Bellatrix physically nodded. When you're right.. We tell him in the morning?

Yeah, let him sleep. He's always looked so cute, even though he's goofy as hell when he sleeps. Trixie giggled.

Still cute, though. And he hasn't been that goofy with me. I was surprised at how much of a cuddle he was.

True.. Vacation was going so well, too.

It'll be fine. We have Nick, and we know something is up. After he knows, he'll have everyone on high alert across the castle, making sure nothing bad could happen.

You're right. Give him a kiss and go back to bed. Before I was brought into that nightmare, I was having such a pleasant dream.

Bullshit, Bellatrix thought as she laid down again, Nick automatically pulling her to him. Night, Trix.

Night, Bella.

Nick hummed. "Everything alright, girls?" Bellatrix hadn't told him, yet, but she personally loved that he never forgot there were technically two minds swirling around in her head.

"Yeah, Nicky. Everything's fine. We'll tell you in the morning."

Nick nodded against his pillow as Bellatrix snuggled deeper into his arms, sleep quickly taking back over.

Grimmauld Place..

Marlene kissed Sirius with passion, holding the sides of his face until she had to pull away, gasping lightly for air as her and Sirius stared into each other's eyes. "Are you sure you're ready to do this, Marly?" Sirius asked her, threading his hand through her red-brown hair.

Marlene nodded as she took another look at the elegant ring now adorning her right hand. "Of course I'm ready for it. I wasn't expecting my other gift to be a proposal so soon, that's all. Won't the others think you're rushing things?"

Sirius chuckled. "What? Of course not. Lily will be over the moon for you, Bella is already married if you ask me, the way her and Nick act together half the time. My Andromeda is having a baby and Narcissa is possibly.. probably dating Snape and I don't really know how to feel about that one, still. What I know is that I want you by my side until the final curtain. I have a bad feeling about the upcoming term up at Hogwarts and.. I don't know it's a bit of a rush but we don't have to go get hitched right away. No girl really likes that idea."

Marlene giggled. "You're right about that. Fine, not like I was going to reject a proposal I already agreed to, anyway." With a toothy grin, the brunette kissed her now fiancé again.

~AWaH~

Meanwhile, in the bedroom of the youngest Black sister, Severus sat up in Narcissa's bed, the blonde already fast asleep next to him. Severus frowned as he thought about the year so far. He had never expected such events like Nick showing up, or rallying so many of the students- especially ones groomed to be Death Eaters their whole lives- to his cause of destroying Voldemort instead. Severus would never have thought to see Rudolphus Lestrange sitting and being friendly with anyone outside of Slytherin house. Of course, he'd be hypocritical then, seeing as how he could say he had his old friendship with Lily back, and that in turn had led him to his current situation. He wanted the world to be better, wanted to help make it better all for the adorable blonde sleeping soundly next to him.

Then, the boy thought of the exiled Lestrange brother. Rabastan would no doubt be doing something against the rest of the students now opposing Voldemort. And judging by the fact Rabastan would be outnumbered by a lot if he did something by himself, that couldn't bode well for any of them come the final half of classes. With a sigh, he laid himself down and wrapped an arm around Narcissa, who snuggled her head into her pillow for a moment before practically ramming it into the crook of Severus' neck, the boy chuckling silently as he closed his eyes.

~AWaH~

Across London, Lucina sat next to Solaris on the balcony outside his bedroom. "You're sure you want to join this fight, Solaris? You don't have to do anything at Durmstrang. Just keep your head down and-"

"Luce, darling, there's no way I'm leaving you unprotected in all this. I know that brother of yours is a piece of work, but he's got the right idea and people are listening. Maybe you shouldn't give him such a hard time so often?"

Lucina frowned, looking away. "Oh, he told you about that.."

"Nick and I spoke about quite a bit, actually, but only some of it was spoken outright. He's just looking out for you, like any brother would. Like Sirius does for Bellatrix. Plus, having spoken to him and gotten a feel for the guy, I can honestly say you're in the best place in your life right now. You still control your family seat in the Wizengamot even though you need a proxy due to being considered underage having not graduated. That's a heavy power, and not one many our age share. Nick and Bellatrix, I guess but that's fairly obvious. Although it is freaky how Nick always seems to know just what to do, you know?"

"Oh, that's something that still frustrates me to this day. Sol, he literally showed up out of the blue and was almost instantly turning the tide of this war. And he's reported several Death Eater raids to the Aurors. Before any of them occurred. He's a mystery, alright, but I can admit he does seem to have everyone's best interest at heart. And for a teenager? That's a hefty enough statement."

"Too right you are, love. But, you told me once Bellatrix has Seers in her family line, right? It's quite possible that connection has much more merit than anyone tends to think when it comes to Nick. Maybe he knows and has taught her a way to summon visions on her own, his strangely vast knowledge of magic could indeed make that fact. Either way, I expect you to stay close to him. And to try just a little harder at being a sister. I haven't personally met his family, but I can tell he would kill anyone who dares try to harm them. And that includes you, although I wouldn't know if he could have proven it to you personally. Now, come on, love. Time for bed. We only have a couple more days before we're separated yet again."

Lucina pursed her lips in a sly smile. "Oh, I guess we shouldn't let time go to waste then, shall we?" She stood up, taking Solaris' hand and together they went to his bed, the Durmstrang boy waving his hand to close the balcony doors.

~AWaH~

Potter Manor..

James yawned as he walked into the kitchen to get some water, his drowsiness making him forget he could just use a spell to do so from his bed. It was then he saw his mother, her face tilted down into the steaming cup of tea held in her hands. "Mum? What're you doing up so late?"

Euphemia, who had been up for the last hour trying to make sense of the bad feeling she had, looked up at her son and smiled. "Oh, it's nothing, James. Just a spot of trouble sleeping, that's all. You should head back to sleep," She said as James turned the tap on to fill the cup he had just grabbed from the cabinet. "Lily won't like waking up with you gone, especially in the middle of the night."

James chuckled as he gulped down his water, rinsing the cup a few times before placing it in the dish rack next to the sink. "No, you're right, mum. Don't stay up too late yourself. Night."

"Goodnight, dear. Sleep tight." Euphemia smiled as James left the room, a frown replacing it just as quickly. Things are not looking good for Hogwarts, but this does seem to be a much easier and lighter outcome then the battle Nick and Bellatrix led the first time this loop occurred..

A/N: Alright, finally got this one done. Honestly, I got stuck in several places while also writing up a new Dragonball Z story as well as updating a couple others I had waiting in the wings to start posting. Updates will get a bit slower now that my work nights are busier (fucking overnight cashier jobs) but I'll still be working hard ro bring this story to you all, the fans who do enjoy this story and have stuck around through my absolutely batshit machinations so far.

So, we have a cute little chapter with family being the main theme as if this story didn't have enough of that sentiment lmao. Another couple of new OCs, only some of the total number will actually be relevant come the end of this school year (and subsequently the pre-HP Stop Voldemort arc. Afterward, I'm going to be moving through a year or two of Merula's years at Hogwarts (not in entirety) before fully diving into the true next plot arc: the HP Era where a new big bad shall rise. Or is it really someone new? Even I don't know, that's still a ways away at the moment lmfao. Hopefully soon I can get back to somewhat longer chapters, because honestly I hate writing something and, while being happy with it, the total word count is lower than my usual preferred 9-11k+. This Authors Note is the only reason the chapter even went past 7k lol.