Chapter 1 - Circle of Life

As I was lying in my hospital bed, I thought to myself that I was lucky that it was comfortable. It was going to be the last bed I ever lay in, after all, so I was glad it was a comfortable one. My pillows were fluffy and comfy, and my comforter was warm and soft as well. I couldn't be in a more comfy place in my last moments on this Earth.

Even better, I was re-reading Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. I couldn't tell how many times I've read this book series, but it was definitively quite a few. I've been reading the Harry Potter books since I discovered the series when I was fifteen to now when I was thirty-two.

I wasn't a fanatical fan like some of the others who were obsessed with it to the point of being able to remember the Wiki and Wizarding World information from the top of their head and able to argue the lore, but I did like to read the information on Harry Potter lore and characters sometimes (and make lists). I didn't remember everything I ever read about, but I still remembered quite a lot – Harry Potter being my special interest after all.

I smiled as I remembered how hyped I was when I was one of the first million users that were allowed to join Wizarding World (when it was still Pottermore) – we had to answer all sorts of trivia questions! I loved the fact that I could say I was officially sorted by the Sorting Hat even if it wasn't real, or that a wand had chosen me, or what House I was sorted into when information about Ilvermorny came out. I didn't check on it every day to see what new information came out, but I did like to check about the information on my favourite characters if I remembered to.

However, in the last few months, I do have to admit that I took to reading and re-reading books and fanfictions a bit more. I was dying, after all, and I wanted my last days to be full of the things I loved. So I binge-watched my favourite TV shows, movies, and anime; listened to the music I always loved; and read my favourite books, mangas, webtoons, fanfictions, and all that jazz again for the last time.

I didn't have the energy to play video games or Dungeons and Dragons anymore, but I did watch others. I had a few favourite Twitch streamers or YouTube Let's Players that I liked to watch and, of course, the several Dungeons and Dragons streaming groups, like Critical Role for instance.

I listened to music to drown out the beeping of the machines that kept me as alive as possible with being in pain most of the time and not being able to breathe on my own. I was actually hoping it would be over soon to spare my family and friends further pain of having to come visit me at my deathbed every day.

I was also hoping that it would be over soon so that *I* wouldn't be in pain any longer.

I never felt comfortable with them coming to visit, especially my mother. All throughout my young adult life, I kept telling her that I didn't want to suffer if I ever got an incurable disease or if I was in constant pain like my grandmother was when she had cancer, but the moment I wasn't able to advocate for myself anymore, my mother ignored my wishes and kept trying to keep me alive longer.

I resented her for that.

I'm not sure what happened, to be honest. One moment I was falling asleep, or at least I thought I was falling asleep, and the next I was dreaming of being enveloped by warmth from all sides and hearing muffled voices speaking every now and again. I realized that I couldn't move, but for some reason, I didn't feel like panicking – I felt warm and safe, and I wasn't in pain – and I still thought that this was all a dream as well.

And then I was born.

I had to pause there and think for a moment when I realized what had happened. I was reborn. I was reincarnated. I was a baby again. I almost panicked and let out a wail of shock.

"Oh good," I heard a tired voice say from somewhere above me. "I was worried for a second there was something wrong with how quiet she was."

Excuse you! I was always a bit of a quiet person... unless you started me on my special interests and then you couldn't get me to shut up.

I tried to pout but my lips weren't quite working correctly yet. My eyes weren't working correctly yet either because I couldn't open them. Well, more like they couldn't open seeing as my baby body decided it needed a nap.

When I woke up next, I could think a bit more clearly. And see! I could open my eyes! I had eyes! Well, of course, I had eyes, I scolded myself for being silly. I slowly managed to open them and started blinking because they were crusty with sleep. It was only then that I realized that I wasn't lying on my stomach anymore but on my back. And I was being held by sturdy arms. They were warm as well and the chest I was cradled against was soft and flat – meaning I was being held by a man. Was it my new dad?

I managed to open my eyes enough to see the blurry outline of a man with short black hair that was looking at me closely. I almost cursed when I realized that I couldn't see without my glasses on, but realized after a moment that I didn't need glasses because I was a newlyborn baby and babies didn't have well-developed sight when they were born.

It was going to take some time to get used to this.

A soft sniffle brought my attention back to the man holding me, and I tried – and managed! – to focus on his face enough to see sparkly things in his eyes and that his lips were stretched in a gentle smile. Oh. I guess my new dad was pretty happy I was born. That was good to know.

"Hey there, princess," he whispered to me with a flash of smiley teeth. "Did you have a good sleep?"

As a matter of fact, I did. I couldn't tell him that though. I did try to respond as best I could and managed a small noise – like a puff of air but with sound.

"Oh, you did, did you?" my dad's smile stretched even further. I certainly hoped it was my dad – I couldn't know for sure until he either confirmed it or denied it.

"I hope you dreamt of something nice," he added as his arms brought me closer to his face, and I felt a warm kiss on my forehead. I squirmed a bit, unused to affection after such a long time without, but let him continue with his kisses. They were warm and affectionate after all, and I could never say no to those kinds of kisses.

"James?" I heard a muffled voice from somewhere behind my head and a bit further away. It sounded female and sleepy. Was that my mom's voice?

"Lily," the man called James responded with a happy sigh. "You're awake. Are you feeling better?"

I heard shuffling and Lily's voice replied, "Yes, a lot better. Madam Niamh sure knows how to treat mothers after birth. I thought it would take me longer to recover."

There was a small pause, and I heard a chuckle, "I love magic."

James replied with a soft chuckle of his own but I didn't hear his further reply as my brain stopped working for a few moments. Magic?

What?

I must have fallen asleep again because the next time I managed to open my eyes there was light filtering through what I supposed were windows, and I screwed them closed as my eyeballs hurt from light sensitivity. I let out a small whine and managed to flail with my hands a bit.

I could hear someone chuckle, and then the light dimmed to a more comfortable setting.

"She definitely sounds just like you in the mornings, James," a new male voice said as their footsteps shuffled closer to where I was lying on my back. I opened my eyes a bit again and felt happy that the light was now dim enough that it didn't hurt to open them. My eyesight was still blurry, but if I could be used to it in my previous life, I could be used to it here – and hey, I might even see better than I did in my previous life! Here's to hoping!

A finger touching my small hand startled me out of my thought and I instinctively closed my fist around it.

"Oh," the male huffed in surprise.

"She has a strong grip," he continued with a smile in his voice.

I tried to focus on his face like I did with James, but he was too far away for me to see it even remotely clearly. The only thing I managed to see was a black curtain on his head that reached down to his shoulders. Oh. It must be his hair. He wore it long whereas James wore it short. Both had black hair. Was this man James' brother? My uncle?

"All the better to wrap you around her finger then," James chuckled with Lily joining in. My eyes darted around trying to find them but got distracted from noticing that I was in a different environment than I was in previously. The room was lighter (and not just because it was day) but also because the walls were pastel yellow. Though to be honest I didn't take notice of the walls in the previous environment, I was sure that we weren't there anymore. Maybe it was my room? I did seem to be lying in a cradle.

"You're not lying there," the man whose finger I wrapped my fist around replied with a huff of acceptance.

"So, what's the name of my goddaughter then?" he asked as he wiggled his finger with my fist still around it. I wasn't letting it go anytime soon if I could help it.

There was a small pause, and I heard two sets of footsteps coming closer to the cradle and a feminine hand reached into my cradle and started brushing my head softly.

"Sirius, meet Anthea Bryony Potter. Anthea, meet your godfather, Sirius Black."

I mean, I know I can be a bit oblivious to things sometimes, but the fact that the name Sirius Black shocked me was an understatement. Then again, I kept falling asleep just as I had a world-breaking revelation spoken. Like previously when Lily mentioned the word magic.

I won't lie, it still took me a few moments to connect the dots here. Sirius Black. James. Lily. Magic. Anthea Bryony Potter.

Sirius Black.

James Potter.

Lily Potter née Evans.

Magic.

My baby self let out a wail as I started panicking.

Author's Note:

So. This took almost 10 years and I couldn't be more sorry. Not only to the fans of the story Dawn of a New Century, but to myself. Anyway, without further ado here's the first chapter. Enjoy reading and please leave a comment. :D