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A link to my discord, Astraeus, for those of you who may find yourselves interested. We have an active community and regular conversations about all types of fanfiction and other media, as well as a recommendations channel for some good or great reads. I also do Q and A, as well as general discussion about my work, and you can sign up for alerts to update you when new chapters are posted. Hope to see you there.
Chapter Five
Thursday, November 27th, 1986
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
"Thank you for meeting with me, Albus," Lily said gratefully, feeling slightly nostalgic to be visiting her alma mater after nearly a decade. The office of the Headmaster hadn't truly changed much in her absence, and it was nearly like stepping back in time. "And allow me to apologise for my son and his friends last week. It was unacceptable, and will not be repeated."
It most certainly wouldn't, and Harry was now grounded from both the twins' company as well as flying and basically every other activity besides reading for the rest of his natural life (at least a month).
Dumbledore laughed quietly across from her. "My dear, there is simply nothing you or I could do to stop it should it be attempted," he claimed, slipping a small yellow candy into his mouth. "Lemon drop?"
Lily had accepted one out of an interest to be polite, once, and would never do so again. "No thank you," she answered. "Though your response has aroused my curiosity."
Dumbledore nodded, accepting of her denial as if he received it often. "Simply put, Hogwarts is a sanctuary for young children. While it is certainly a school, and quite a fine one at that, it was built from its very foundations with a single, unshakable resolve – to protect magical children who seek safety and security within its walls. There is nothing you or I could do to change that. Should an adult wizard have tried the same passage through the floo, they would not have been allowed to enter without the express permission of a member of the staff. A child, or three, who seek to enter will never be denied. Should I try to deny magical children access to these sacred halls, it is very likely that Hogwarts herself would turn against me."
"Clever, though I won't pretend to understand how that may work. The intent-based wards would also have to be taken into consideration, and yet if they're meant to allow children to pass…" Lily flushed, realising that she'd nearly gone on a tangent. "Apologies, Headmaster. I know your time is limited, and I'm currently wasting it."
"A waste of perfectly good time is, on occasion, a wondrous thing despite Nicholas' assertions otherwise," he responded with some amusement.
Lily smiled in spite of herself. "Quite," she agreed. "At least I know that there is another soul who's both suffered and flourished beneath my current Master, and that there is hope that it can be done."
"Indeed, he can be a demanding teacher," Albus admitted. "I find that he is far greater suited to those who've already completed their primary education, and are attempting to further their studies through a sense of personal advancement. Were he to be unleashed upon a classroom of children, his methods would become rather less effective."
Lily tried to imagine Nick teaching teenagers, and nearly snorted at the thought. "Well, in the interest of not wasting too much perfectly good time I'll come to my point, I suppose. I'd normally hesitate to bother you with any type of request, however I know that your dedication to the protection of children and seeing them live successful lives has been a staple of your career. For that reason, I thought that I might trouble you for a slight favour which would require your positions within the Ministry and the ICW."
The Headmaster stroked his beard thoughtfully, but didn't seem otherwise bothered by her statement. "I'm intrigued, though I do not see the connection between the two, I admit," Albus answered. "My positions within each entity are quite different, despite the seeming similarity of them. You say this is in regards to a child?"
"It is, and perhaps you're even slightly familiar with the situation. You would've known a Ravenclaw student named Elizabeth Burke, a few years older than myself, who would then go on to marry into the Greengrass family," Lily said, and she noticed the immediate recognition in his expression. She'd already done her research on Cyrus' wife, as that was to be her primary starting point for her work.
"Ah, I see," Dumbledore said, frowning slightly. "I believe she passed away some years ago, and at quite an early age. Baron Greengrass was given leave of the Wizengamot for several months while he mourned the loss of his young wife, as was her father Lord Vincent Burke. I recall that, while she was a student here, Miss Burke had a medical condition which required her to refrain from both flying and Quidditch, as well as spend several days each school term in the Hospital Wing, though the nature of that condition was not made apparent to me. Poppy would likely know more than I."
"Just so," Lily agreed. "I've recently been asked by Baron Greengrass to attend to his daughter, who was born with the same unfortunate condition. I've also been given leave to discuss that condition with those of trust who I may need to consult during my research."
"You've become quite cautious, I see," Dumbledore said mirthfully. "You choose your words with care as if perhaps someone with ill-intent is listening, and make sure to enunciate and clarify that you have permission of the involved party on whose behalf you speak. Andromeda's influence, perhaps?"
Lily flushed slightly at being caught so easily, but nodded anyway. "I'm not in a position where I could withstand any type of scandal, especially not one of confidentiality regarding two families belonging to the Sacred Twenty-Eight. Forgive me, Albus, but for a witch of my blood-status to hold my current titles and certifications...any misstep could be disastrous."
"Understood, my dear. It was merely an observation," he reassured. "Please, continue."
Lily nodded, and quickly collected her thoughts once more. "The condition which Elizabeth Greengrass, formerly Burke, suffered from was a Blood Malediction of the most dangerous sort, and was the result of a Blood Curse placed upon one of her ancestors. It was degenerative, and eventually cost her life. I've been asked to, at the very least, try to find a solution which may save her daughter from the same fate."
"A heavy task, if you don't mind my saying so," Albus commented. "The Burkes and the Greengrass family would've suffered no shortage of contacts or gold to see a cure found already."
"It is," Lily agreed. "However, the reason for the secrecy is one of Burke's insistence, to this point. It apparently runs in their line, and sees a resurgence every few generations, specifically targeting women and young girls. You can understand why they were careful about the information. Baron Greengrass, however, has decided that as it is now an issue within his bloodline, he will step outside the lines of secrecy that the Burkes insisted upon."
"A dangerous prospect, but a worthy one I would say," Dumbledore said thoughtfully. "The Burkes would wish to keep their secrecy simply because if the condition can be passed on to any daughter of their line, it means their sons carry it as well. They would quickly find themselves without any alliances or any pureblood marriage prospects. Their line would either end, or else it would fall from their preferred standards of blood-purity."
"I'm afraid it's more repulsive than that, Headmaster," Lily said, and the thought made her sick to her stomach, "To the Burkes, it appears that so long as they have sons to continue the line, the...loss of their daughters is immaterial. While there is no physical proof or evidence I could find – and I refuse to look for any, as that is quite outside my expertise – there is a history if one is willing to seek it. The daughters of the Burke line who've shown signs of the affliction often disappear for 'treatment', and are never seen again. Elizabeth Burke was supposed to attend this 'treatment' as well, though her engagement to Baron Greengrass halted that decision."
Dumbledore stared at her over his spectacles for a moment in silence. Finally, he responded. "You are wise to not go looking for such evidence, as dreadful as that statement may seem. You will likely find none that would make any real difference, and instead would merely yourself become an...obstacle, shall we say."
"I understand, Headmaster," she affirmed. "That wasn't my intention when I asked for this meeting. My goal is to help Astoria Greengrass live a long and fulfilling life, and if I can break the curse, then it is possible that I may be able to ensure that future instances of this 'treatment' by the Burke family are unnecessary."
"Ah, yes. 'Keep to your own lane', as the muggles might say," he commented. "In breaking the curse, you would perhaps save the Burke line, as well as the young Miss Greengrass, even should nobody aside from the girl's father know who was responsible. Quite humble of you, If I may say."
"I don't need recognition for helping save a child, or even multiple children," Lily said, shaking her head. "My driving force in both Potions and Alchemy has seen me further by focusing on the work, rather than the reward."
Albus laughed heartily. "My dear, you are perhaps more alike to our shared teacher than one might see at first glance. It is, unfortunately, a character trait which I only attempted to adopt quite late in life. Are you quite certain you weren't here for a job interview, perhaps? I believe Hogwarts could afford to offer you a very lucrative contract, along with the very finest of accommodations."
"Flattering, Headmaster, but no," Lily responded, sharing his amusement. "I am still a student, as it turns out, and even once I'm not...it always seems as if magic has more in store. As if there is something new and groundbreaking to learn, or to create. I don't know if the life of a Professor could ever suit me while I have so much to learn myself."
"A shame, truly," he responded. "However, I believe you mentioned a request. Perhaps it is time we come to that, and see what aid I might be in your endeavour."
"Of course," Lily agreed. "As a sitting member of the Wizengamot, you have access to a very particular Department within the Ministry, one which a private citizen such as myself does not. Also, as Supreme Mugwump of the ICW, you have open access to the International Archives, which even if I were to request access, my approval could take months, if it were given at all. I simply hoped that I could give you a list of symptoms and ailments, and ask that you peruse these locations at your own convenience. I'm looking for anything which could cause them, be it illness, poison or magical creatures. It would be something which predominantly affects women and young girls."
Dumbledore seemed to think for a moment, before nodding slowly. "That is not so unreasonable a request, though I wonder what you hope to learn from it. If it is a direct illness or curse, chances are it would've already been discovered by either your benefactor or the Burke family."
"Currently, I am operating under the small assumption that the curse which causes the Blood Malediction was performed either ritualistically, or through direct Alchemy upon the original victim," she answered, and she saw his eyebrows raise slightly. "If it's something born from Alchemy, then as you know it could be transformative enough to have gone unnoticed by all who have previously searched. Even if not, and it was performed via ritual, then it's possible that Alchemy could be used to reverse it, or perhaps make it harmless enough that it doesn't shorten the afflicted person's life-span."
Once more the Headmaster fell to silence, staring at his desk as if deep in thought. What possibilities were passing through his mind, Lily likely couldn't even fathom. He'd always been, to her mind at least, perhaps the most brilliant wizard she'd ever met. Albus Dumbledore was an icon across the length and breadth of the wizarding world. He was the only currently living Grand Sorcerer outside of an elderly man in Northern Africa, and his name was known to likely every witch and wizard the world over.
"I'd like to play the devil's advocate for a brief moment, if you don't mind," he said, and Lily felt a sinking feeling in her stomach as she realised he must think she was wrong. "Do you think, perhaps, that you are only seeing a path in Alchemy because that is the only place you are looking, or because it is your true belief?"
Having been used to dealing with her own Master, Lily took a moment to think before she responded in haste. Finally, she asked, "Are you asking if I think that Alchemy is the root cause of the Malediction, or if I believe the cure will be found there?"
His lips twitched behind his beard, but he said nothing.
"I cannot say with any degree of certainty if the curse was brought about by Alchemy," she finally answered, after she realised he had no intention of answering her own questions. "However, having said that, I do believe that a cure can be found in Alchemy. One thing I've learned from Master Flamel is that, with the proper knowledge and preparation, the proper research, Alchemy can be used to do nearly anything. It transforms, but does not rely on the Laws of Transfiguration, it produces elixirs which do not conform to the Laws of Potions, it can be used offensively and defensively, but does not follow the principles of traditional defensive magic. And so for that, I truly believe that Alchemy can cure the incurable."
"Cure the incurable…" he muttered, his blue eyes twinkling behind his spectacles. "Mrs. Potter...Lily, I'll send the request to the International Archives to gather the necessary information you desire. This will likely take a few weeks. The ICW will have one final session before the new year, during which I'll collect that information from Geneva. In the meantime, I suppose I do not have much in the way of plans for the weekend, and so a trip to the Department of Mysteries should allow me to stretch my legs. As a former student who graduated with distinction, I will also extend to you an invitation to peruse the Hogwarts Library in full."
"Thank you, Albus," she said quietly, truly grateful for his belief in her.
If the information was not somewhere in either of those places, then she honestly didn't know where it could be hidden. The International Archives in Geneva were the largest stores of magical knowledge in the world, contributed to by every single nation in the interest of preservation and consolidation. The Department of Mysteries held more obscure knowledge, and she had not a single clue what that could be. Finally, the Hogwarts library was the single greatest depository in Wizarding Britain.
She would have her answers, though whether they would be clear or not was the true question.
The smell of old books and parchment permeated the room, and it was one that Harry had become quite familiar with over the years. He spent five days each week in lessons with Aunt Romi, and he'd become so used to the library that he barely even noticed it anymore. The tall shelves which lined the walls and even some of them rose up from the floor along the back wall in neat rows, all of them containing books he never intended to read.
"Don't slouch," Andromeda corrected, though not harshly.
As much as Harry liked to poke fun at her with Gred and Forge, she really was usually nice. She just didn't put up with any mischief at all. She claimed he was to be a 'young gentleman', and not of the Marauding type either. In her mind, young men were supposed to have excellent manners and always conduct themselves with proper etiquette.
It was boring, really, but he'd become good at it. Harry always poked fun at it when his friends were around because they didn't have to do any of it, and so he'd learned to joke about it along with them whenever possible. Aunt Romi knew that, too, which was why she was so hard on him around the twins. She didn't want him undoing all of the habits she'd forced him to learn.
"Learn to conduct yourself as a gentleman, even around rogues," she'd say.
Even lunch with her used to be brutal, but he'd eventually learned the proper way of things. How to place his napkin and which glassware or fork to use (from the outside, in), as well as general manners which his mum had always insisted on, but which got only stricter with Andromeda at the dinner table. She'd even force him into conversation, making him practise eating while not focusing on his food.
Then he'd have lunch at the Burrow, and realise that none of the Weasleys actually did any of that rubbish.
This had been explained as well, that it was expected of him because of his family on his dad's side. They were pretty important, in a way, and so he was expected to learn things that other wizards just didn't have to. It felt a little unfair, but after watching Ronnie eat chicken – a leg in each hand and a face full of grease – Harry sort of began to appreciate the lessons. He'd also, incidentally, lost his appetite at the time.
Lately, (though not since the Floo Incident of 1986 which saw him grounded for likely the next few months), Aunt Romi had started taking him out to lunch at posh places and making him wear formal robes. She'd show him all of the wizards who were using the same manners she taught him, and try to impress on him how necessary it all was. She claimed he'd want to use it all on dates with witches one day, but he thought she was likely lying about that.
"Well, let's see it," she said, approaching the table he was working at to look at his parchment. "Your quill work is getting much neater, though you still need to work on your letters which have loops. You're allowing too much ink to drip there, and it smudges them."
"How'd mum do this?" he wondered. "She wasn't even wizard-raised, and her quill-work is always tidy."
"Practice," Andromeda answered. "Your mum's a very dedicated witch, and while I didn't know her in school, I can't imagine she'd have let something like learning to use a quill slow her down an inch."
"I suppose," he agreed.
"I was talking to your granddad's portrait, and he seemed to think it was time to start teaching you some of the history about your family. According to him, anytime after their seventh birthday is when the Potter men begin their family training." she said, gathering some sheets of parchment and sitting next to him at the table. "We'll be going over this at least once a week until we move through it all and you can recite it to me from memory, understand?"
"Why didn't you ask my dad's portrait?" Harry asked, wondering why all of the family business seemed to still go through his granddad.
"Because, as good and noble of a man as your father was, he often didn't take these things very seriously. That's not a slight against him, before you get your back up, but it's just the truth. A portrait, as you know, is like a brief snapshot of the individual and doesn't possess all of their qualities." she said, carefully.
Harry only nodded, not responding. His dad was...he was a hero, and he wouldn't hear anyone say otherwise. He died in the war, like his granddad and great-granddad, though apparently there were two different wars. He didn't know how he died, as he'd only been three at the time and his mum wouldn't say, but he knew that he was a hero anyway. Harry couldn't really remember him much, except little things like he wore glasses and had hazel eyes, brighter than the ones in his portrait. He remembered that he laughed a lot, and that he liked to fly, but that was mostly all.
He knew a lot more about him, but it was all from stories and photos, not memories.
"We're going to start with your family's coat of arms, which is essential knowledge that every young man should know," she said, unknowing of his thoughts. "Now I want you to understand that I don't know everything, and everything that I do know is information I've either researched, or was directed to by the portraits."
In front of him, she placed a sheet of parchment with the large symbol he was very familiar with. It was displayed prominently throughout Ravenhill, and was even engraved into the floor in the Hall of Honor. It was bold and bright, and his granddad claimed it was the symbol of pride for their family.
"This is the Potter coat of arms. We'll start with the red portion, which is a red field. This is to symbolise several things. It's meant to convey strength, courage, magnanimity – which is a state of being generous and unselfish – and finally it denotes a warrior. Over top of that, the crossed wands indicate a willingness to fight when necessary. Taken together, then, these things indicate that the Potter family has courage and strength, is not taken by selfish desire, and is willing to fight for their ideals." she said.
Harry nodded his understanding, taking a deep breath through his nose feeling a small swelling of the pride his granddad always talked about like a tiny pressure in his chest. The Potters who came before him had fought and died in the wars, and that meant that the symbol was true, so far as he was concerned. They were brave and strong, and they'd fought for what they believed in.
He saw Aunt Romi smiling at him briefly, but when he glanced at her she'd already turned away to continue. "The next part is the Holly branch at the top laying horizontal. Holly is an evergreen tree, and it also symbolises several things. It shows strength and longevity through colder weather, which is meant to symbolise an inner strength necessary to make it through difficulties in life. It is also used in druidism to ward against evil spirits. In the most specific case like this, placed so prominently within a coat of arms, or Heraldry, it simply means truth, or to be true. So, taken together, the Holly branch would show strength through difficult times, a ward against evil in the Potter family, and the ability to be true to both yourself and to your ideals, even against adversity."
Strong, brave, true and a willingness to fight for those things...again Harry felt the same stirring in his chest at the explanation, though he didn't understand it fully. Still, aside from his mum, he was the last Potter. These things, this coat of arms was his. The words Aunt Romi was speaking were for him.
"The last portion," she continued, "are the twin ravens perched on the Holly branch. This is something I had to consult your granddad about, but in essence, the raven has a few meanings. The first, is that in ancient times the raven was seen as a bird of prophecy, or future events. It also symbolises a deep connection to magic, and to the supernatural forces of the world. Finally, it represents death, or loss. Taken together with the rest of the imagery, it would mean that the Potters hold a deep connection to their magic and allow it to guide them toward their destined future. It would also mean, given the symbolism of the courageous warrior, that they are willing to meet death itself for their beliefs. This is doubly true, given the family motto on the banner at the bottom. Novissima Inimica Destruetur Mors – which is Latin, and in English would mean 'The last enemy to be destroyed is Death'."
The same words which were marked on his dad's gravestone.
It was like every word she was speaking was just for him, like it was all meant with Harry in mind. Maybe he was just like the rest of the Potters, he supposed, and that's why it felt so personal, but…
"Do you understand everything we've gone over?" Andromeda asked seriously.
"I do," he answered, still staring at the parchment, the bright red seeming to nearly glow through his glasses.
"This symbolism, Harry, is something that a young man should feel proud to represent," she said. "It is the legacy of every Potter who came before you, and all those who may come after. It's really quite noble, and perhaps one of the few remaining in Wizarding Britain which stand for something truly good and courageous. I don't want to take anything away from your mother, but she wasn't raised beneath these ideals, and so it's sometimes difficult for her to understand. This, right here, is a symbol which helped shape the very fabric of our nation, all the way back to when Hogwarts was little more than a pile of stones and the Ministry didn't even exist. More than a thousand years of history."
Harry did feel proud, and for perhaps the first time he wasn't bored during his lessons. This was important, he could feel it, and he still felt that pressure in his chest which sort-of felt like a balloon expanding.
"If you understand this, if you genuinely feel the weight of it, then it is my honour to give you this," she said solemnly. She placed a single, small wooden box with the same coat of arms printed on the lid in front of him. "It belonged to your father, and to your grandfather, and to his father. Wear it with pride, and with dignity."
Harry reached forward to open it, but as he did so the box opened on its own to reveal a small silver ring. Where the gemstone might be, there was simply the Potter coat of arms in a deep, rich red colour which gleamed beneath the candlelit chandelier overhead.
"It is the ring of the heir to the family, and on the day you become an adult and take the ring of headship, it is to be returned to this box to await the next heir," she explained. "Your father wore this through school, through his wedding to your mother, and all the way until the day your grandfather died and he took over for the family."
"How...how'd you get it," Harry asked, though he hadn't taken his eyes off it.
"Your grandfather allowed me access to the main office, where it was kept." she said. "Normally your mother would be the one to present it to you in place of your father. However, this is something of a ceremonious moment. It's only meant to be given to you once you understand its meaning, and presented by someone who also understands its meaning. This is not done lightly, and I specifically asked your mother for the permission as well as the opportunity to do so, and she agreed. Take it."
Harry took it, slowly, and held it in his palm for a brief moment.
"It's meant to be worn on your right-third finger, in the opposite position to what you might one day wear a wedding band. You wear it on your right hand, so that when you shake hands with another man of station, it symbolises either a joining of ideals for allies, or even a clashing of ideals for enemies. It's also worn on that hand because it's often the wand-hand as well, and it means that you carry your family's ideals alongside your wand, in peace and in war." Aunt Romi explained.
Harry slipped it on, the cool metal chilling his skin as it naturally fit into place. There was magic in it, as it shouldn't have fit quite so perfectly on his thin fingers. A sizing charm then, similar to some of his mum's jewellery.
"Now," Andromeda said, in a brighter, less heavy voice. "I understand that was a lot to take in for the day, so I'm going to dismiss you from lessons. You won't be able to focus on anything else anyway, so I won't bother trying. You still have your normal lessons tomorrow, and then next week we'll be going over more of your family history, specifically your family tree, and how it connects to other well-known families including my own."
He already knew their relation through his gran, who was Aunt Romi's great-aunt. Technically that made her like a distant cousin to Harry, or something, but calling her his aunt felt more natural to them both. If she was his 'aunt', then that made Dora his cousin, and that suited them both just fine.
Still, despite her general change in demeanour to something lighter and cheerier, Harry was still feeling the sort-of heaviness of their earlier conversation. The ring on his finger was still a new sensation and he just wanted to go somewhere and think.
"Think I'm gonna' go talk to dad for a bit," he told her, as she began picking up their parchment from the day.
As Harry left, however, his feet didn't take him to the Hall of Honor, but instead out onto the back patio and down the path to the cemetery. The portrait wasn't really his dad, even if he called it that. That was just a tiny piece of the man, and he'd always known where his dad really was. His granddad was there too, and all the rest of the Potters who'd died while wearing the family symbol. Maybe he'd take some time to see them too, instead of ignoring them like he usually did.
That evening after dinner, Lily and Andromeda lounged together in the main parlour, sharing a bottle of wine and relaxing for once. Ted was out at the Leaky with his mates from work – a rarity – and with Dora in school, Lily knew that her friend was fully enjoying herself without worrying about anyone else for a change. The woman was raised by her family with the intent of being a trophy wife, and had instead become a doting wife, mother and homemaker, as well as an excellent friend and a tutor for Lily's own boy. She deserved a break.
Lily couldn't deny the small twinge of jealousy at the time Romi got to spend with Harry while she busied herself with her own career and studies, but she made sure to make up for it on the weekends and she always had breakfast with just the two of them. When he wasn't in trouble, she'd often take him to Quidditch games and in the summer they'd go have ice-cream in the Alley. He was old enough now that she'd begun taking short trips into the muggle world with him as well.
All in all, she just wished she had a little more time with him, as he'd soon be off to school. Three years wasn't so long, really, and then he'd spend the bulk of the next seven in Scotland growing up. She knew from experience that those seven years would pass in the blink of an eye. When he left there, he'd be a man, and making his own way in the world…
Eyeing her wine glass critically and realising she was starting to get emotional, Lily snorted in what was quite an unladylike fashion. She'd probably had enough. "Bloody wine's going to my head, I think," she muttered, drawing a brief laugh from Andromeda as well.
"That's the proper place for it," came the response. "It tastes quite fine, sits well after dinner, but the best part is when it goes to your head."
"I'm a lousy drunk, I'll have you know," Lily said. "I start crying and blubbering and carrying on. No need for that on such a pleasant night. Think I'll switch to water."
"Suit yourself, I'll finish the bottle," Andromeda said, lounging comfortably on the chaise. "I love Ted'n Dora both, but every now and again I need a night without either of them, even if I never left work."
Lily snorted again. "Must be a pain visiting me when you already spend your days here with Harry."
"Hmm, less than you think, actually," Romi said, allowing her head to fall back against the cushion. "I joke about it, but...this could've been my life, once upon a time. If I hadn't met Ted, I likely would've been married off to some sorry excuse for a wizard, true, but I'd have lived a comfortable life. Sometimes it's like I'm living the best of both worlds. I spend my days here, in a large and lovely manor, and at night I get to go home to Ted. We can act silly and playful in a way I probably never would've been able to if I lived somewhere like this."
"Well I, for one, am glad you did meet Ted," said Lily. "The pair of you are perfect together, and if you hadn't I would've likely never known either of you."
"Oh me as well," the woman confirmed. "I wouldn't trade him for ten of these homes, lovely as they are. It was just a rather large shock, culturally I suppose and financially to go from the way I was raised to something completely different."
"I know the feeling," Lily said agreeably. "I grew up in poverty in Cokeworth, to muggles who were hard-workers but didn't have a pound to spare. I married James, and suddenly it's like I'm living an entirely new life. The culture is different, the social circles, even the money which I never really asked for or wanted."
Andromeda chuckled. "Funny, that," she said quietly. "Look at the pair of us, living a piece of each other's lives, even if only a little."
They were quiet for several moments, each lost in their own thoughts. Of possibilities and what-if's, of the twists and turns each of their lives had taken. For Lily it'd been like a muggle theme park ride, with all the ups and downs, and she figured Romi was likely the same.
"Harry's going to have questions, soon, as we dig into his family history," Romi said quietly. "Forgive me, but I love that boy like he's my own. I can't tell him the truth, about Bella and all…"
Lily nodded slowly, her own eyes trained just above the mantle. "I know, and I'd never ask you to," she answered. "That discussion...he's not old enough to understand any of that right now. If we have to get into it so soon, then no names. None. I've already forbidden Dobby from telling him anything."
Andromeda scoffed. "Bloody hell, I'd forgotten the little elf was there. He saw it all, didn't he?"
Again, Lily nodded. "He did. We told him to hide if anything ever happened, but yeah. He was there."
Romi sighed, sitting up and putting her wineglass down on the table. "Can't hide that truth forever. Someone's gonna tell him eventually, and before that day it'd better be one of us. Not yet maybe, but eventually."
"Before he goes to Hogwarts," Lily agreed. "Can't take the risk that someone there would know and vicious as children can be, that isn't the place for him to learn it. I'll tell him, when the time's right, and I'll make certain he understands everything. Just not yet."
"Aye, let him be a kid for a while," Andromeda agreed. "Speaking of kids, how's your search going? I know you can't tell me everything. Believe me, I understand the secrecy in something like this. Old pureblood families are tricky business."
The change of subject was welcome to both of them, and Lily settled a little more comfortably into the sofa. "So far I don't have anything. I have Albus doing me a favour to see about some information, and I still haven't brought the case to Master Flamel, but I'll have to soon. He's going to have a say one way or the other regarding the Alchemy."
"Ha!" Romi laughed. "Don't have anything yet, she says. You have your own brilliant mind, as well as both Albus Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel on the case in a single week. One way or the other, that kid's gonna be just fine."
"I truly hope so," Lily said, smiling briefly. Andromeda's support had never wavered for a moment over the years. "I haven't met her yet, but I've seen her mother's files. I can't really say more than that, but...I hope I can help her avoid that same fate."
"Planning to have this as a contribution for your Mastery, already?" Andromeda joked, once more sipping her wine.
"No, that would be far too public for this specific case, and I'm nowhere near Mastery level yet. That's years away. I have a sort-of plan for that, but it's...big. It's enormous and likely to fail, and I've not even begun my true research on it yet. It'll take several years to line that out anyway, unlikely as it is to work." she said.
Romi was laughing quietly, though Lily couldn't understand why. "You don't even realise what it is you say sometimes, I don't think," the woman claimed boldly. "You've just told me that you have a plan, however unlikely, to contribute to the field of Alchemy for a Mastery only two and a bit years into your studies. That's...it isn't done, ever."
"I also said it'll probably fail, and will take years to even get that far," Lily clarified. "It's not...I can't really talk about it yet, but it isn't something that is likely to even be possible."
"Neither was a Philosopher's Stone, which was Master Flamel's contribution, secretive as it was. Simply the fact that he could prove it existed was enough to grant him life-long status. Dumbledore contributed the twelve uses of Dragon's Blood, several of which are used in Alchemy and one of which was used in the creation of the Wolfsbane potion." said Andromeda. "I know my history well."
The mention of the potion caused Lily to twitch, briefly, and immediately brought her thoughts to the old friend she hadn't seen for more than five years. She'd continued brewing the potion, once a month, and having it sent to the property in Kielder Forest, hopeful that Mooney was still getting it. While she'd certainly felt somewhat abandoned by him, he was in some ways one of her only ties to her school days.
If he ever showed up, however, he'd have some explaining to do for why he left Harry without so much as a goodbye. Whatever he was dealing with, he owed James that much.
Turning her thoughts back to the conversation, however, Lily simply shrugged. "I don't know if my idea will work, and maybe I'll get really lucky. It's just so far off that I feel like I should focus on what's in front of me. Learning, practising my craft, and spending time with Harry before he's gone off to school."
"Not a bad outlook to have, all things considered," said the other woman. "You take your eyes off that boy for a second and he's all the way in Scotland."
Lily scoffed, but it turned into a brief laugh. "Merlin, he's so much trouble. Him and Molly's two are right terrifying when they get together. Their little plans and schemes always seem so childish, and before you realise it they've gone and done something mental."
Andromeda drained her glass, and then raised an eyebrow at Lily. "D'you ever have that conversation with the portrait?" she asked.
Lily nodded. "I did. That isn't really James, I know that, and I know Harry does too, but...he can't keep doing that. Encouraging Harry to break the rules when he isn't even alive to help deal with the fallout. Even in death it's like everything's a stupid prank. Very little of the maturity James learned later in life made it into the portrait, and he's making it harder for me, when it's plenty hard enough already. And when I shout at a bloody painting it feels like I'm arguing with a ghost."
"I know, luv," Andromeda said quietly.
"I told him...it...that if it happens again, I'm putting it back in stasis. I can't have Harry live alongside that kind of confusion, a pull in both directions as his living mother tells him to follow the rules and his dead father tells him to break them. It isn't fair to me, or to Harry. Charlus agreed with me, and when I left the Hall, it sounded as if he were giving him a good thrashing."
"I know you don't want to hear this, but that's why it's typical that we don't hang portraits until the following generation. In my opinion, James' portrait should've never been allowed to interact with that boy at all. Not until Harry's old and grey and nearly ready to have one of his own hung on the wall." said Romi. "It's not normal, despite what the Potters may have believed."
"I know that now, but I just...in some ways I still view the world like a muggle, I suppose, and sometimes I don't know what's normal and what isn't. James left that letter in his will, saying that I should take the portrait down, and Albus even offered to do so. I should've done it, and yet if I do it now it feels as if I'm taking it away from Harry," Lily vented.
Andromeda sighed, saying, "Unfortunate as it is, it's there now and there really isn't any point taking it down. Harry's already seen it, spoken to it. However, if you ever want it put back into stasis and have trouble doing it yourself, just let me know. I'll do it in a second, and I'll renew the charm every year so that it stays put as long as you like."
Lily saw the woman pick up her wand, casting the Tempus charm only to let out a laugh. "Nearly half-eleven," she said. "Ted'll already be home and passed out with half a sandwich in his mouth. Man always eats when he's been drinking but can never finish the job. Story of my life, I suppose."
Lily nearly choked on her own laugh at the normally polite woman's vulgarity, realising that the wine was probably getting to her as well. "We'd better call it. I still have to be up early to hop over to France and get Harry up besides."
Lily made sure to grab them both a potion to sober them up and saw her to the floo – making certain that she said the correct address before stepping into the fire. She also hoped she was steady enough to not get tossed out on the other end. Afterward, she took her own potion and wandered upstairs to bed, taking a brief moment to check on Harry and make sure he hadn't slipped out. He hadn't done so in years, but she was still cautious of it.
Her bed was heavenly, even if it still felt empty after so long, and she was asleep within what seemed to be seconds.
Author's Note:
Story recently went through an editing process to fix some grammatical errors and condense the story slightly. This only applies for Chapters 1-5, so I will be posting this note on them for those who may be re-reading and notice the difference. The overall story content is the same, just doing some work on it to clean it up a bit.