This is another AU and I completely ignore canon here. Harry is female again (quite a surprise, I know) and out of her time. She is born as the daughter of Charlus Potter and Dorea Black. I do not believe that Fleamont and Charlus are siblings but they are related to each other, seeing that they are both Potters. I have made them cousins in my story, so James and Iolanthe (my fem. Harry) are not too closely related. Because of the bullying and belittleling, Iolanthe will have some insecurities.

Fifteen was indeed a very trying and difficult age for young wizards and witches to be. But especially so for Iolanthe Potter, cousin of the famously handsome marauder James Potter, who was about a year older then her. Iolanthe was in her fifth year in Hogwarts, a Gryffindor, like all the Potters of her family, and the daughter of Charlus Potter and Dorea, nee Black. But, unlike her cousin James, she was not very well known and liked amongst her peers because, while all the other girls in her year and below looked like girls their age ought to look, Iolanthe looked more like a boy. Her hair was short, black and messy and her storm grey eyes, angular face and petite stature didn't make her more girly. She also had a very muscular body because of all the quidditch she played with her cousin during the holidays and, sadly, no womanly curves. Many students didn't notice her in the halls and if they did, they just thought her to be a little boy of about twelve or thirteen. During the first few years, Iolanthe hadn't cared at all, believing that she would mature in a few years, and instead put her thoughts and energy into her school work, unlike her cousin James who only had pranks in his head (and maybe a certain red head). But lately she was very unhappy with the lack of a womanly appearance, not only because of all the bullying she received but also because she believed she had started to fancy her other, very handsome cousin Sirius, James' best friend. But said wizard was as ignorant of her – despite them being cousins – as everyone else minus James and a few others.

Sighing, Iolanthe sat in the common room near the window and watched the group of friends who whispered about something or the other on the couches near the fireplace. It was very crowded inside because no one wanted to be outside at the moment. Snow was falling quite heavily and a coldness had seeped into the corridors and halls that chased nearly all of the the Gryffindors – as well as the other students – back into the warm folds of their cosy common rooms. The young Potter had just finished her homework in the company of her friend, Dorcas Meadowes – a girl in James' year and the only female friend she had – and was now reading a book for her Ancient Runes class. At the table next to her sat Lily Evans and her group of friends (bullys would be a better term). They - like nearly everyone else - were also studying but – whenever their eyes strayed to her table – looked at her with distaste. Iolanthe didn't like them very much despite James' constant claims that Lily was an angel but knowing that her cousin fancied the young muggleborn witch, she never dared to tell him that his dear Lily and her friends Alice Smith and Marlene McKinnon, Sirius Blacks latest contest, constantly bullied her. It wasn't only name-calling or hexing her back in the halls. No, at the beginning of her schooling, they also took her things and hid them around the school until Iolanthe researched wards and protected not only her trunk but also all of her clothes and private items. They also never bothered to learn her name and preferred to call her 'guy' or 'freak' because of her tomboyish looks. It had hurt but soon Dorcas had learned of it and defended her, becoming her only female friend in Gryffindor while teaching her neither to care about them nor her appearance. Lily, Alice and Marlene had soon broken ties with Dorcas and ignored her in their shared dormitory as much as it was possible. Iolanthe found her to be quite hypocritical because Lily Evans had openly declared her distaste for bullying and had defended her – former – friend Severus Snape against James and his gang time and again but – behind everyone's back – bullied her own house mate.

'Still thinking about your cousin?' Dorcas asked into her silence and sighed.

'Yes. There is a Hogsmeade weekend coming up and I am thinking about asking him out. Do you believe he would consider me as a date?'

'Probably not but you could try to ask him if you want to know for sure.' Iolanthe sighed and closed her eyes for a moment. No time like the present. She nodded to her friend and rose ere walking over to the fireplace. The four boys looked up. James had a questioning look in his eyes while Remus and Peter looked just confused. Sirius hadn't even noticed her yet. Behind her, she could hear Evans whisper something to her friends which made them snicker rather loudly. Iolanthe cleared her throat and Sirius finally looked up.

'How can I help you, kid?' He asked her with a bored smile on his face. Iolanthe flinched slightly but nonetheless continued with her plan.

'Do you want to be my date for the next Hogsmeade weekend?' She said awkwardly, fidgeting with her hands behind her back.

'Your date? Are you serious?' He laughed. 'Just for your information: I like girls! Handsome girls with loads of womanly assets.' He made some gestures in front of his chest. Everyone but James, Dorcas and some others laughed now. 'Not little thirteen-year-old boys like you.'

'I am a girl.' She said quietly. He laughed again, harder now.

'Oh, dear Merlin. Are you indeed? I would have never guessed.' He chuckled. 'Grow up, kiddo, maybe I will consider you then!' He looked her up and down. 'On another note, even grown up you will probably never be handsome enough to tempt me to date you!' He laughed again and many – especially Evans and her friends – fell in and joined him making fun of her misfortune. Iolanthe had known that he would reject and probably humiliate her but that he would be that cruel? Tears threatened to spill onto her face but ere they could, she had turned around and stormed out of the common room, Dorcas was only a few seconds behind her.

During all of it, James stared wordlessly at his friend and Lily Evans, who were both too happy about his dearest cousin's misfortune. He hadn't expected it of either, well, maybe he had known that Sirius could be cruel but Lily? Never! Suddenly, Sirius looked at James dark face and sobered up.

'Hey, don't worry about that kid, Prongs. She will get over it.' He patted James' knee good-humouredly and leaned back but James couldn't bring himself to smile.

'Black is right, Potter, that kid has some growing up to do before anyone can consider her a girl. You shouldn't care at all.' Evans chirped loudly and many started laughing again. 'She is not worth your time.' But James had enough.

'Oh, isn't she? How silly of me to care at all!' He got up, still angry, while Evans was nodding vigorously, believing him to be jesting. 'I expected as much from Sirius but you, Evans?' His friend looked offended, as did the young, pretty witch. 'You are always telling anyone who cares to listens that you hate bullies and you have defended that bat Snape more times than I will ever be able to count. But here you are, laughing at MY BELOVED COUSIN'S misfortune only because her looks don't please you.' Everyone gasped. A look of horror appeared on Evans' face.

'That was Dorea's daughter?' Sirius asked surprised, making James look at him instead.

'Yes. That was Iolanthe Potter and if you had cared to join your parents for our annual family meetings, you could have met her long ago.'

'I would have never guessed. She hasn't inherited anything from her mother's line. All the Black women are quite handsome - just look at Bella or Cissa. And even you Potters are blessed with good looks. She has been mighty unlucky.' Sirius exclaimed.

'All you care for is how she looks. You even try to justify your words. Am I the only one who is appalled about your behaviour towards her? A simple 'No I don't want to go to Hogsmeade with you!' would have sufficed.' James shook his head in anger. 'But you know what, at least now she is cured from ever falling in love with cads like you!' Many gasps were heard, the loudest came from Sirius and Evans but James didn't care. 'I assure you that you will regret your words one day!' He turned around and followed his cousin out of the common room.

James found Iolanthe in their secret courtyard. She was currently clinging to her friend Dorcas Meadowes and crying her eyes out. The snowfall had lessened and flakes were softly falling from the dark sky, setteling in her short, unruly hair. James quickly walked over to them and nodded to his classmate, who released her hold on Iolanthe and left to go back into the warm lion's den. James pulled her into his arms and leaned his back against a sole stone column.

'Oh James, I know that I am an ugly duckling but I would have never thought him to be that cruel.' She sniffed into his shoulder. He placed his hand into her hair, softly caressing her wild tresses.

'He is an insensitive, shallow idiot! Please don't heed his words and take them to heart, Io.'

'But he spoke the truth, James. I AM not womanly or handsome enough for anyone.'

'You are for me! Besides he doesn't know you.' He pulled her even closer. 'Very few do or they wouldn't judge you like this.' He closed his eyes and placed his chin unto her hair, not saying anything for the next few minutes.

'You were right to dislike Lily Evans.' Iolanthe pulled back and looked in his face, disappointment was in his eyes.

'Oh James, don't say that. Her laughing about me doesn't mean that she isn't a good and kind person to those she likes.'

'But I believed her to be a good and kind person to everyone, not only to those she likes. And I have been wrong.' His fingers pushed some stray hair from her forehead. 'Has she always been like this or is it only a recent development of hers?' Iolanthe bit her lip and looked away. She wouldn't tell him.

'Recent…' She uttered softly.

'Be truthful!' His hand turned her face back but she still averted her eyes. 'Iolanthe, please!'

'But you fancy her. You always have and I don't want you to stop liking her only because she has been – '

'Has been what?'

'Nothing…'

'Io, please. Even if I fancy her, I could never date nor wed a woman who bullied you.'

'Well, she did bully me. Still does.' Tears were streaming down her face again. 'Every day Evans and her stupid friends call me names and try to hex me whenever my back is turned. When I was younger, they would take and hide my things all over the school. I had to look for days to get them back. Sometimes I didn't even have shoes to walk in. I got detention for it and lost many points until I asked mum for a book about wards. That Snape boy even helped her hide my things in the Slytherin common room. I had to bribe Bella into retrieving them for me or giving me their password so that I could break into their common room at night and steal them back! It was no fun at all. I learned all kind of charms and hexes to protect me and fight back if necessary and was quite lucky to have Dorcas as my friend. My only friend in Gryffindor besides you.'

'Why did you never tell me? I would have helped you!'

'You were rather busy making mischief, playing pranks on everyone and becoming an Animagus next to studying for school.'

'But I will always make time for you, Io. And I would have helped you in a heartbeat!'

'I know but I have to learn to do things on my own. You won't always be there for me, James.'

'That's ridiculous!'

'No, it's not.'

'Iolanthe, you are more important to me than my friends will ever be, so of course I will be there for you! Always!'

'But you will have a family one day, James.' A strange look flickered across his face while he watched her trying to tell him about her own insignificance. 'A wife. Children. You should be there for them first. I will grow up, live my life and find my way, somehow. Maybe even visit you once or twice a month, spoiling your children rotten, depending on –' He didn't let her finish her thought and instead cut her off with his lips on hers. She gasped in surprise and gave him the opportunity to deepen the kiss. When they both ran out of air, they parted with James leaning his forehead against hers.

'You are my family, Io, and you always will be! I am sorry that I was too blind to notice. Please give me a chance to show you and to woo you as you deserve! ' She smiled softly and closed her eyes while his arms pulled her into another tight embrace.

Lily Evans had graduated Hogwarts with 9 NETW's and was now working these past eighteen months as a secretary of the Head of the Department of International Magical Co-operation. She knew that James Potter had joined the Auror Academy and was training to be a Hit Wizard for the DMLE. During her last year at school she had secretly hoped that he would ask her out on a date and maybe become her boyfriend but her hopes had been dashed. James Potter had – from one moment to the next – stopped hitting on her and Lily was very confused as to his reasons. She had tried to signal that she was interested but it went completely unnoticed. She had then hoped that he would notice her at the Ministry and ask her to lunch but again, she had been disappointed. She had had enough of waiting and - one day - asked him to dinner but he had politely declined her invitation without any explanation. She had tried again every few weeks but he never accepted. And now, only a few days before Christmas Eve, she was in Diagon Alley, hoping to meet James Potter 'accidentally' after eavesdropping on a conversation between him and Sirius.

'Hey Evans, what a surprise to see you!' Lily spun around and came face to face with Sirius Black.

'Black, what brings you to the Alley so close to Christmas?'

'Ah, I need some more presents for certain members of my family and I wanted to meet with James and his wife.' Lily froze.

'His wife? I didn't know that he was married.'

'They got married just this summer, so you can still call them newlyweds.' He chuckled.

'Oh really. I didn't even know that he had a girlfriend.'

'I didn't, too, until after graduation. But he wasn't sneaky enough to hide it forever. I was rather surprised at the beginning because I always believed that he fancied you but I was quite wrong on that account. As soon as she finished school, James offered for her and they got married in June. It was such a beautiful wedding, Evans.'

'Oh, was it? But whoever did he wed?'

'Oh, my cousin of course.'

'Bellatrix? I always thought that she was engaged to Rodolphus Lestrange.'

'She was but she took after my other cousin, Andromeda, and broke the betrothal. Bella had so many plans and dreams and a marriage to him would have just hindered her. Her parents have been rather angry but Bella has never been happier. She was one of my cousin's two bridesmaids.'

'Well, if it weren't Bellatrix or Andromeda, there is just Narcissa left. And last I heard, she was engaged and wedded to Lucius Malfoy and is now expecting a child.'

'That's not quite correct. I have another cousin. Iolanthe.'

'James Potter married Iolanthe? The tomboy?' She shrieked. 'That's quite disgusting. Are they not closely related?'

'No, Charlus and Fleamont are just cousins, making them cousins twice removed. I am a closer relation to Iolanthe because Dorea was my mother's aunt and thus, Iolanthe is my mother's cousin.'

'How can she be your mother's cousin? Wasn't your mother born in 1925 AD.'

'Our family is very complicated. Aunt Dorea was born in 1920 AD and was only 8 years my grandfather's junior, who sired my mother with only twelve years.'

'That's sick.'

'Yes, it is. I always thought so, too. But Dorea at least chose a family that wasn't closely related to ours and therefore, Iolanthe had been born a healthy child.'

'And ugly.' Lily murmured.

'Don't say that, Evans. She was the handsomest bride I have ever seen.'

'You probably haven't seen many brides, then, or someone put a glamour on her.' She said. 'And I always thought Potter had better taste than that. I imagined that he would marry a refined, sophisticated young woman.'

'Like you?' He added.

'Yes, like me!'

'Someone sounds quite jealous.' A new voice added and Lily spun around. A handsome young woman of a petite stature, with black hair bound in a high ponytail and grey, stormy eyes was leaning against the nearest wall. Lily was instantly reminded of the Black sisters who looked just the same.

'Io, how is my favourite cousin?' Lily gasped. The tomboy had grown into quite a woman. She would have never expected this.

'I always thought James was your favourite.' She teased.

'You know I have some favourites!' He grinned happily.

'Yes, yes. Always the charmer. Wait till I tell Bella!' Sirius groaned.

'Oh, don't tell Bella, please!' Iolanthe chuckled.

'I will think about it.' She looked at Lily once more. 'How are you, Evans?'

'Fine but quite surprised to hear that you wed James.'

'Many are but cousin Walburga seemed to be very pleased that there was at least one of the younger Black women who married to her family's and her own satisfaction and expectations. But I believe that she will be quite delighted to hear that you and Cas finally get somewhere. She may hope for you to wed soon, she wants grandchildren, Siri.' He groaned again.

'Cas? As in Dorcas Meadowes?'

'Yapp. We announced our engagement last week and my mother has been over the moon. Her rogue son finally settled. And with a nice, halfblooded witch. It is a miracle that she hasn't protested against the match because Cas isn't pureblood.'

'I had a word with her, Siri. She even reconciled herself with Andy and was rather pleased with Dora, who is the first Metamorphmagus for many generations. She expects her grandchildren to be one, too.'

'I should have known. Thanks, Io.' He grinned. 'But where is James?'

'Already waiting for us at Gringotts. He sent me to pick you up.'

'Very well.' He offered her his arm like a gentleman would ere turning to Lily. 'Have a nice day, Evans, and a very happy Yuletide!' Iolanthe Potter just nodded her head and together, they walked to Gringotts. Lily stared after them, not knowing what to think. So many things had happened in the past thirty or so minutes. James Potter was married. To the tomboy who had grown into a very handsome, young woman. Sirius Black, the playboy, was engaged to be married to Dorcas Meadowes, Iolanthe's best friend and soon to be cousin. And all her hopes and dreams where shattered. Now she had to start anew and find someone to spent her life with.

On the first November of the year of our Lord 1981, a very pregnant Lily Cresswell, nee Evans, was reading the Special Edition of the Daily Prophet. It announced the war to be over and the Potter's son a hero. Iolanthe and James Potter, who had been in hiding, had been betrayed by their friend Peter Pettigrew and – after a gruesome battle – were killed by You-Know-Who's hand. James was said to have died first while his wife, Iolanthe was able to fall back into her son's nursery, where she was killed next, protecting her beloved son. And somehow this son managed to survive the killing curse and defeated the Dark Lord, who wasn't seen after that. The little Potter boy was now living with both his godfather Sirius Black – and his wife and son – and his godmother Bellatrix Black. Lily had to read the newspaper twice because she couldn't believe a word. It could have been her in another life.