Hey readers - here we are with the first fully rewritten chapter since I started my little reboot of this story : )
Although the concept is very similar, there were a lot of characters in the original version that really didn't need to be included. That was why I ultimately decided to just start it afresh, so I could streamline the entire chapter. Hopefully you guys like the new version : )
Beyond that, I just want to say a MASSIVE thank you for the support you guys showed by favouriting, following and reviewing this story. It is very much appreciated, so thank you : )
Please remember that Harry Potter is not mine, and I hope you enjoy this story : )
A Dangerous Idea
Lily was having a very difficult time processing the fact that less than an hour ago, she had been tucked up in bed beside her husband, lost in dreamland and without so much as a care in the world. Now it felt like it had all soured into an awful nightmare. One that she couldn't seem to awake from. And Voldemort scared her a hell of a lot more than anything she could ever dream up. Quite frankly it was terrifying, and Lily could scarcely believe the position in which she currently found herself.
After assuring themselves that the attack on Potter Manor was well and truly over, and that they were indeed the victors of this most recent skirmish with the dark side, Albus had called an emergency secret meeting. The wise old man had invited not only Lily and James to this meeting to discuss this latest development in the tides of the war, but also two other highly significant members of the Order of the Phoenix. The only two other people that were in the same horrible, horrible predicament in which Lily and James found themselves. Namely, the ones whose child was also being hunted down by the dark lord.
To that effect, Albus had invited Lily and James to his office at Hogwarts, where he would most graciously be hosting this emergency get together. Naturally James and Lily were a little reluctant to leave their safe haven at this troubling time, even in spite of the frightening events that had just unfolded there, but the prospect of seeing their tiny bundle of joy in a place that was virtually magically impenetrable was tempting enough to get them both to comply with the headmaster's wishes.
Much to their relief, they hadn't been kept waiting long for that most important reunion.
No sooner had James and Lily stepped through the floo into Albus' office at Hogwarts did the door abruptly open, and one Professor Minerva McGonagall came sweeping into the room with their adorable toddler in her arms. Lily had almost burst into tears of relief on the spot, immediately taking her child from the other woman and hugging him tightly to her chest, the perfect display of a mother's love. She kept thanking the Transfiguration teacher profusely, and even James was also uncharacteristically serious when expressing his deepest gratitude as well. The usually stern and stoic witch had given both of them a rare smile, telling them that watching Harry had been nothing short of a pleasure, but that she really had to get back to her Hogwarts duties now, especially considering that Albus was most likely going to be busy for the foreseeable. James and Lily hadn't been able to resist thanking her just one more time as she swept out of the room. This woman had stepped up to protect their son during their hour of need. For that, both the young parents would forever be grateful to her and were certainly in her debt.
And that was how Lily came to find herself in her current position, sitting in one of the chairs opposite Albus' in his office, her baby boy sitting in her lap while she hugged him tightly, almost overwhelmed with gratitude that they were both still alive for her to be able to do so.
In an attempt to steady her fraying nerves, the young wife and mother kept casting curious glances around the room. Ironically enough, Lily had never seen this particular room when she had been a student at Hogwarts herself, and had only ever been invited there as an adult once she had left, the first time being when Albus had recruited her, James and their friends to join the Order of the Phoenix in the battle between magical light and darkness.
One thing was certain, the room was certainly befitting a man of Albus' mystery and intrigue.
The headmaster's office at Hogwarts was a large and beautiful circular room, full of funny little noises. A number of curious silver instruments stood on spindle-legged tables, whirring and emitting little puffs of smoke. The walls were covered with portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses, all of whom were snoozing gently in their frames. There was also an enormous, claw-footed desk, and, sitting on a shelf behind it, a shabby, tainted wizard's hat - the Sorting Hat. Lily couldn't help but smile when she noticed it, fond memories of her sorting filling her mind.
The beautiful young mother's smile became somewhat wistful. That all felt like a lifetime ago now.
Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of the office though, and certainly the most resplendent if nothing else, what's the fact that it awful played the home of the beautiful and intelligent creature known as Fawkes, Albus' pet Phoenix. He really was the most gorgeous animal. Crimson feathers ran across his body, and his golden tail was as long as a peacock's. They had clearly caught him on a good day. The Phoenix was roughly the size of a swan, his claws and beak a gleaming gold, his eyes the colour of midnight. Harry in particular seemed especially enchanted by the most bedazzling specimen of a fine male Phoenix.
"What's that Harry?" the playful tone of Lily's husband was enough to pull the young woman out of her inner musings, and back to the here and now, "Is it a pretty birdie? Eh? Is it a pretty birdie Harry?"
The red haired young witch felt her heart warm as her baby giggled innocently up his father. He clearly didn't have a care in the world.
It shattered Lily to know the destiny that hung over him.
"You wouldn't believe that less than an hour ago, we all could have been killed" the soft whisper had slipped passed Lily's pursed lips before the young woman could even think about trying to hold back the words.
James, who had been entertaining their son by making funny faces much to the little boy's delight, felt his grin fade away.
"Lily, you mustn't think like that" James whispered soothingly, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder in an attempt to help ground his wife, "We're all still here. We're safe now. That's what matters".
Lily scoffed, her expression laced with anxiety.
"That's a lie, and we both know it, James" Lily shook her head and hugged her baby a little tighter, needing the physical closeness to help reassure her that he was still here with her, "That prophecy... it's a death sentence hanging over Harry's head".
Her emerald orbs welled up with unshed tears just thinking about it.
James swallowed hard, a look of worry crossing his own face now. He tried to summon up some of the famous Gryffindor courage. His wife and child needed him to remain strong, even if all he wanted to do was break down and cry over their son's precarious fate right now.
"We have to believe Dumbledore will find a way" the dark haired young man forced himself to sound more confident than he felt as he uttered the words, "He'll defeat Voldemort and keep Harry safe. We have to believe that Lily".
Despite James' best efforts and good intentions, Lily's eyes remained filled with doubt.
"Is that going to be enough though James?" the young mother and wife continued to fret, "We have to do something! We can't just sit here and wait!"
James sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He looked around the room helplessly.
"What more can we possibly do?" James asked with a hint of desperation, his tone and expression both mirroring Lily's frustration with their situation, "We're doing everything we can to protect our little boy".
Lily opened her mouth to respond, but before she had a chance to utter so much as a single syllable, the fireplace suddenly roared to life, and in a shower of emerald embers, out stepped the familiar figure of Albus Dumbledore, swiftly followed by Frank and Alice Longbottom.
Lily couldn't help but smile at the sight of them, feeling the tension in her shoulders easing ever so slight. These were some of the most talented witches and wizards that the Order of the Phoenix had to offer, and here they were, helping her and James to come up with a new plan. A plan that would hopefully allow them to live. A plan to keep her son safe.
For that, they would have her eternal gratitude.
James quickly stood up and Lily followed his example, still clutching Harry to her chest. They both smiled gratefully at their fellow order members. James greeted Frank with a warm handshake.
"Good to see you, Frank" he said to the older man kindly.
Whilst the Potters and the Longbottom weren't exactly friends per say, or at least not to the same degree that James and Lily were with the Marauders, they also had more than just a mere acquaintance going on with them. Born through their mutual following of the Order of the Phoenix, the beginnings of a working relationship had been forged. Of course, once fate had seen fit to throw them together, those relations had only become stronger.
Namely, the prophecy.
The prophecy that predicted Voldemort's eventual downfall. The same prophecy that they firmly believed applied to their young son Harry, could equally apply to the Heir to the House of Longbottom, Frank and Alice's young son Neville. They were also sharing in the nightmare that it was to have a murdering sociopath targeting their child. So yes, their relationship with the Longbottoms was complicated, but thankfully not unkind.
"It's a miracle to see the two of you, if what Albus just told us is true" Frank returned James' greeting, his tone and expression both grave.
At his side, Alice's usually cheerful features were just as concerned as her husband and fellow Auror's were.
"He just told us... he just attacked you at your home" the female Auror shook her head, disgusted by the fact that Voldemort was hunting down mere children so vehemently. As a mother herself now, nothing seemed quite so... appalling to Alice, "Are you all alright?"
Lily smiled at the pair of them reassuringly, but there was no denying the hint of fear still lingering in her eyes.
"Thankfully, we're all fine" she told the renowned pair of Aurors, before she added in a tone of voice that shook slightly, "But it was a bit too close for comfort to be honest".
It was at that point that Albus chimed into the conversation, gently Interrupting the pleasantries.
"And it is for that reason that I've called you all here today" the headmaster reminded the four of them, his tone indicating that he was keen to get down to the matter at hand. Time was always of the essence when it came to dealing with Voldemort after all.
The others all nodded seriously, each of them taking their seats as Albus took his own behind the desk.
A somewhat heavy atmosphere descended over them all.
"Ah, this is just like old times this" James said lightly, an obvious attempt to ease the tension in the room, "Being summoned to the headmaster's office".
Smiling at his playful efforts, Lily playfully nudged her husband.
"I was never sent here" she informed him smugly, her green eyes twinkling.
"Nor I" Frank added with an amused grin.
"Me neither" Alice giggled.
James mockingly grumbled at how they were all ganging up on him. Still, his smile betrayed how glad he was to have achieved his goal at lightening the pressure.
"Just me then" the dark haired young man playfully pouted.
Behind his desk, Albus smiled fondly at James' attempt at humour, but it quickly faded. It brought back the seriousness of the moment in an instant.
"Unfortunately, I believe the prophecy has become even more unclear as to which of your children it may refer" the wise elderly wizard announced, his tone and expression both incredibly grave.
The mood fell harder than a lead balloon. The meeting for which they were all here had well and truly started.
"What do you mean?" Frank asked, working hard to suppress a groan. The prophecy had never exactly been clear to begin with. To hear that it was now going to be even harder to decipher was down heartening to say the least.
The headmaster sighed as he began to explain, his voice tinged with the immense gravity of the situation.
"As you all know, the prophecy states that the child destined to destroy Voldemort will be born to those who have thrice defied him" Albus reminded them, as if any of them could possibly have forgotten, "Before today, Frank and Alice were the only ones to have defied Voldemort three times. But as of this morning, James and Lily have now escaped him on three separate occasions as well".
Alice, her eyes suddenly glistening with a glimmer of hope, was the first to speak up.
"It might not be Neville then?" the female Auror asked earnestly. She suddenly looked horrified by her own words however, and she quickly covered her mouth with her hand, completely mortified, "I'm so sorry! I didn't... I didn't mean for that to sound like I wanted it to be Harry instead!"
Whilst the question might have been a little thoughtless, neither James nor Lily could fault Alice for it. They understood the nightmare she was facing as a parent only too well after all.
"It's alright, Alice. We know what you meant" Lily assured the other woman kindly. Brushing a strand of her bright red hair behind her ear, she glanced curiously between the two Longbottoms, "Where is Neville anyway? I thought you might have brought him with you".
The tense smiles on Alice and Frank's faces faded entirely.
"Neville has a slight cold" Frank was the one to inform them, his concern for his child palpable, "We thought it best to leave him at home with my mother".
"Augusta is a formidable witch" Alice added, looking as though she was trying to remind herself of that fact, "She'll protect Neville if necessary until we return to Longbottom Hall".
"That's a relief" James nodded kindly.
Albus looked as though he agreed, but his expression and tone both remained sombre.
"Sadly, the two boys' current state of safety probably won't last long" the headmaster's eyes were void of their usual trademark twinkle. In that moment, he looked old, "Voldemort is relentless and is likely planning his next attack already".
The four young parents exchanged troubled looks.
"Do you have any idea which of the boys he'll target next?" Frank, ever the pragmatic Auror, was the one who gave voice to their most dreaded question.
"It's impossible to know at this point" Albus responded to the inquiry regretfully.
That was the moment at which Lily's frustration with their current predicament finally boiled over.
"Well that's always the problem, isn't it?!" the red haired young woman muttered bitterly, trying to tame her brewing temper for the sake of her infant son, "We just don't know enough. It would have been helpful if that damn prophecy had been a little more specific!"
Across from her, it looked as though Alice wholeheartedly agreed.
"Would have made all of our lives a hell of a lot easier" the female Auror bemoaned, feeling the same pain that only a true mother could understand.
Suddenly, James' eyes widened, as if struck by a revelation.
"That's it!" the dark haired young man breath, his voice scarcely even a whisper, as an epiphany suddenly burst through his mind upon hearing his wife's words, "That's how we win this war".
Giddiness was rare in times like these, and so naturally, James' current state immediately attracted the attention of the others.
"What do you mean, James?" Frank wanted to know, surprised yet hopeful.
James, barely audible, whispered with newfound hope. It was as though the young father had become lost in a trace, he was so wrapped up in his own thoughts.
"That really could work..." he breathed, sounding awestruck.
He suddenly snapped out of his trance, a confident grin spreading across his face. He refocused his attention back on the others, his gaze falling on the headmaster in particular.
"Albus, how much do you actually know about the prophecy?" James asked breathlessly, almost quivering in his seat from the excitement coursing through him.
Not entirely sure where James was going with this, Albus shrugged but answered honestly.
"Only what I've shared with all of you already" the wise elderly wizard admitted humbly, "I confess, a lot of what I'm working with is pure guesswork I'm afraid".
That didn't seem to dampen James' spirits. If anything, his eyes only seemed to brighten.
"And is it true that you weren't very talented at Divination?" the dark haired young man pressed on eagerly. Around him; Lily, Frank and Alice all seemed shocked by his bold bluntness.
"James!" Lily scolded her husband incredulously, "Don't be so rude!"
Albus wasn't offended by James' straightforward manner. In fact, he simply chuckled in fond amusement.
"The rumours are true" the great wizard confirmed with an abashed grin, "I was an appalling student when it came to the art of Divination".
James, energized by his idea, was positively fit to burst with excitement now.
"I figured as much!" the dark haired young man exclaimed, startling the others by how worked up he seemed to be getting, "But maybe that's where we're going wrong!"
The others all glanced at each other in bewilderment
"What are you thinking, James?" Lily turned to her husband, eager to understand his train of thought.
James smiled as articulated his idea with newfound clarity.
"We've been approaching this prophecy as if it's a riddle we have to solve" the young father explained, rather stating the obvious if the others were all being honest, "But what if we didn't?"
General outrage was the reaction his declaration was met with.
"Of course we have to figure it out James!" Alice cried, shocked and horrified by the idea that they just abandon their sons to fend for themselves, "Our children's lives are riding on the outcome here!"
James held up his hands to pacify her, before he began gently explaining his point.
"What I mean is, what if we specifically don't have to be the ones to figure it out?" James' grin was growing wider and wider across his face at the thunderstruck expressions gaping back at him, "What if we take it to someone more qualified than any of us?"
The realisation hit the others like a lightning bolt.
"You're talking about a real Seer" Frank was the one that put James' epiphany into actual, tangible words.
"I am" the younger man beamed in confirmation.
Lily, Frank and Alice all looked very intrigued by the concept behind James' idea. Albus on the other hand seemed very hesitant.
"I'm not sure that's a wise idea James" the wiser and older man gently cautioned, his aged features heavy with concern, "The prophecy regarding Voldemort's eventual downfall is probably the most sensitive information in the entire wizarding world at this moment. We can't just tell a complete stranger about it. If Voldemort were to discover the contents of the prophecy, the consequences could be... catastrophic".
Before James could protest about his idea being shot down so swiftly, Alice spoke up first, looking confused.
"I thought you said Voldemort already knows about the prophecy?" the female Auror eyed her old headmaster shrewdly. It was taking a lot of self-restraint to keep an air of suspicion from creeping into her tone.
"He knows of its existence, but in terms of its contents, I have it on good authority that he only knows the first two lines, and that's all" Albus was quick to clarify any confusion.
His words only gave the four young parents even more questions.
"And on whose authority is that?" ever the pragmatic Auror that was so talented at his job, Frank was the one that gave voice to the question now playing on all of their minds.
Judging by the suddenly much harder expression on his face, Albus was not about to answer the question directly.
"The spy I told you I have in Voldemort's inner circle. And that's all I'll say" the headmaster stated in a tone that silenced any protests the other four order members may have been about to make, "Revealing their identity would be incredibly reckless and irresponsible of me, not to mention downright ungrateful, considering the great peril this individual is constantly placing themselves in just to aid the side of light".
Needless to say, none of the four young parents were happy about being kept in the dark like that.
"Albus, I mean no disrespect..." Lily began slowly, not wanting to initiate an argument but also incredibly firm in her stance on this matter, "But I'm not exactly satisfied with my son's fate hinging on the words and actions of a complete stranger".
Albus opened his mouth, most likely about to start trying to pacify her, but unfortunately for him, Alice beat him to it.
"Neither am I" the female Auror said bluntly, her kindly face set in an unusually stern frown, "And quite frankly Albus, as the parents of the children this prophecy might refer to, we deserve to know who this mystery spy is! Especially if they know what the prophecy says!"
The headmaster looked so understanding it was almost painful. He kept his tone soothing but firm when he eventually responded.
"I understand your concern ladies, truly I do, but I can assure you that my spy only knows the first two lines of the prophecy and nothing more" Albus said in an attempt to calm both them and their husband, but the words were far from achieving the desired effect, "Only five people in the entire world know the whole prophecy, and they are all sitting in this room. Even the person who made the prophecy to me doesn't remember making it, and is unaware of its existence".
If Albus thought this assurance would have a calming effect on his audience, he was sorely disappointed.
"Another person you won't tell us about" Lily bit back, her voice sharp with all the frustration she felt now pooling to the surface.
"It's for the best that you don't know, Lily" Albus said gently in that infuriatingly mysterious manner of his that he seemed to project almost all of the time. Then, in a much more down to earth way, he added, "I am merely trying to keep as many people as safe as I can, Harry and Neville included. I can assure you of that".
Lily and Alice both scowled, but were unable to argue with the logic. In times of war, the need for secrecy was paramount.
"Speaking of the boys, can we please discuss our other potential options?" Frank addressed the whole room, sensing that his wife was tempted to continue pushing the matter despite them all knowing it would do them no good, "I'm not discounting the idea of seeking out a real Seer, but Albus does have a point about it being dangerous to bring an outsider in on this".
"It's dangerous no matter what we do" Lily retorted bluntly, her voice filled with dread and concern, "We all know the depths to which Voldemort will stoop to win this war. We could all move to Australia to try and ensure the boys' safety, and it still wouldn't be far enough. He'll hunt Harry and Neville down, and kill anyone that gets in his way".
The harsh, cold reminder sat heavily upon all of their shoulders.
"I agree" James eventually broke the somewhat tense atmosphere that had descended, agreeing with that wife's bleak assessment of the situation, "That's why I really think that a Seer is our best option".
Albus was still very reluctant to agree with him.
"Well, it wouldn't hurt to explore other avenues first" the headmaster said stubbornly, ignoring the flash of annoyance that blossomed across James' handsome features, "Perhaps the Fidelius Charm?"
Frank spoke up in agreement, holding that particular enchantment in the same high regard that Albus and even Lily both did.
"It has worked wonders at Longbottom Hall" the renowned Auror was forced to admit, flashing the other concerned young parents in the room a reassuring and hopeful smile, "We haven't seen hide nor hair of Voldemort since we cast it".
Lily started to look hopeful, but James was already shaking his head.
"We've been through this before" the dark haired young man's tone was heavy with frustration. It was true after all. As soon as Albus had revealed the existence of the prophecy to them, back when Lily and Alice were both still pregnant, he had offered to cast the Fidelius Charm for them. James had a feeling that this conversation was likely to go the same way, "The wards surrounding Potter Manor are much older, and frankly, much stronger than the ones around Longbottom Hall. There's no way we could successfully cast the Fidelius Charm over the manor without the existing magic simply swallowing it and rendering the charm obsolete".
Always determined to help others where she could, Alice was quick to offer another suggestion.
"Perhaps you could all move in with us at Longbottom Hall temporarily?" the female Auror kindly offered the other young couple in the room. At her side, Frank nodded enthusiastically in agreement.
"We'd be happy to offer your family shelter until the danger passes" he told them earnestly.
Surprisingly, this time it was Albus who made his protests known.
"I'd strongly advise against that" the headmaster said grimly, and when he took notice of the four quizzical expressions being aimed his way, the wise old wizard quickly elaborated, "We still don't know which of your boys the prophecy might refer to. Having both Harry and Neville at the same location would just make it easier for Voldemort to eliminate them both, should he ever manage to find a way past the Fidelius Charm".
This time all four of the adults in the room looked at him with dread.
"Can he really pull off something like that?" Frank asked in a resigned tone. The Auror in him was sceptical of such a claim, the father in him terrified.
The look on Albus' face was not encouraging.
"If anybody can manage it, I'd wager it would be Voldemort" Albus said softly, his tone and expression both troubled.
An air of defeat settled over them all.
"So we're no further forward then" Lily whispered hopelessly. She pressed a gentle kiss against her baby's soft hair, unable to help but feel as though she was failing him in some way. Why couldn't he just be safe? It wasn't fair!
Albus, refusing to give up just yet, was quick to provide an alternative solution.
"Not necessarily" he announced to the room, and its other occupants all perked up a little, "Just because the Fidelius Charm cannot be cast over Potter Manor doesn't mean the idea is obsolete. It's my understanding that the Potter Family owns several estates and properties across the country. Perhaps we can use one of those instead?"
Once again, Lily looked very tempted. It was well known how much faith she had in that charm after all. This time, even James appeared to be considering it.
"I suppose the old cottage in Godric's Hollow could be suitable" the dark haired young man muttered under his breath to himself, running a hand through his hair thoughtfully, "It's wards are nowhere near as strong as the manor's. I still don't like it, though".
"Why not?" Lily asked her husband, concerned.
James took a moment to look between his wife, then Albus, then back again. The usually fun-loving marauder looked uncharacteristically serious
"Well... as you've both pointed out, Voldemort is ruthless, cunning, and determined" James began slowly, his handsome features twisted into a heavy frown, "And if Albus really believes that Voldemort's clever enough to break past the Fidelius Charm, then the whole idea is dead in the water anyway".
Albus opened his mouth to protest, but James quickly pressed on before he could utter so much as a single syllable.
"Plus..."the dark haired young man said pointedly, as if to emphasize that he wasn't finished yet, "For the Charm to work, we'd need to magically implant the secret in a person. Not only would all of our lives depend on this person's trustworthiness, but they would also be in terrible danger as well!"
Unsurprisingly, Albus was the first to offer a solution to that potential little snag.
"I would be happy to be your Secret Keeper if you do decide to go down the Fidelius route, James" Albus offered with such genuine sincerity that James really was tempted to give in, "I would guard your safety with my life".
Despite wholeheartedly believing the elder wizard on that, sadly James still had one reservation.
"Whilst that really does mean a lot to me, Albus, I don't think that'll work either" the dark haired young man said with a sad smile. His words were enough to draw a few strange looks from the others.
"Why not?" Lily was the one who was most surprised by her husband's declaration.
"I would never betray you or your wife and child, James" Albus whispered softly, sounding very hurt by the implication. Mortified that the man he looked up to so much had so badly misconstrued what he meant, James was quick to assure him that his thoughts had not strayed in that horrible direction.
"That's not what I meant" James said hastily, looking relieved when Albus looked a little less hurt, "But... but let's face it, Albus. You're not exactly one to shy away from the frontlines and let others fight in your place. I know it's unlikely, but you're not immortal, which means that Voldemort or even some random Death Eater might get lucky one day and actually kill you. If you were the Secret Keeper and that were to happen, then everyone who knew the secret would be able to speak it freely. That would only serve to put us in more danger".
By the time that he was done reasoning, the entire mood of the conversation had shifted from hurt to alarmed.
"I admit I hadn't considered that possibility..." Albus confessed, clearly now contemplating the unforeseen consequence.
"So we're back to square one then" Lily was the one to utter those most dreaded words again.
A heavy silence fell over the five order members once more.
"Perhaps..." Alice was the one who eventually broke it, speaking tentatively as she addressed the elephant in the room, "James' idea about getting a qualified Seer to review the prophecy makes the most sense then".
"I would strongly advise against this" Albus urged the younger witches and wizards to listen, practically pleading with them now. Albus wasn't sure why, but he had a terrible feeling that this would only lead to more pain and suffering. He had to try and talk them out of it. He just had to.
Unfortunately for Albus however, the two young couples in front of him seemed past the point of reason.
"With all due respect, Albus, you are neither Harry nor Neville's parent, so this really isn't your decision" Lily put it in the bluntest yet somehow still politest manner that she could muster, "I'm sorry, but I think James right. I think we need to seek out a proper Seer. Alice?"
The female Auror looked a little flustered at being put on the spot like that. She gently cleared her throat, buying herself a few extra seconds to contemplate her answer.
"Well…" Alice began slowly, quickly weighing up all the pros and cons as she made up her mind in which way to cast her vote, "I suppose we don't have any better ideas. And like you said, Neville and Harry are in terrible danger no matter what we do. Yes, I think I agree with you both. Frank?"
This time it was the male Longbottom who felt as though he was being put in the hot-seat.
"It's risky" the pragmatic Auror wasn't about to dismiss his concerns so easily, but sadly he still couldn't see any alternative that made genuine sense available to them. And if they could get some information that would help them to protect Neville and Harry better... It was therefore with a resigned sigh that Frank threw in his lot with the other "But no more so than any other option we've discussed. I'm in".
The look of genuine horror that flashed across Albus' face at the final agreement was perhaps more terrifying than the knowledge that Voldemort was hunting down their children to kill them.
"I implore you all to rethink this" the headmaster desperately tried one more time to to dissuade them. No good would come of this dangerous action.
"Sorry, Albus" James spoke up, his voice and expression both firm and unwavering, "But it's our children on the line here, not yours. Our minds are made up".
The last ounce of fight seemed to drain out of the headmaster. He seemed to sag back in his chair.
"And nothing I can say now will sway you from this dangerous path?" he asked one more time, his tone flat and hopeless. It was as though he knew it was a pointless question, and yet he still couldn't bring himself not to ask it.
James looked back over his shoulder towards his wife and son. His family. His whole world. It was more than enough to affirm his resolve.
"There isn't" James shook his head sadly, his tone firm but not unkind. He certainly wasn't enjoying this, going against the man who he respected so much, but for his child... James was willing to do anything to ensure he lived, "We'll do this with or without your help, Albus. For our children".
It appeared that those last three words were the final nail in the coffin.
"Very well" Albus said softly, accepting their decision with a heavy sigh, "If this is your final decision, I shall, of course, assist you. I cannot strongly reiterate enough just how dangerous this might be though. If Voldemort ever finds out the full extent of the prophecy..."
The wise elderly wizard trailed off with a small shudder.
Taking notice of the headmaster's genuine fear, James glanced over his shoulder at his wife and fellow comrades. His hazel eyes began searching their faces for any reflection of doubt. When he found each of their resolves to be as steely and unyielding as his own, James turned his attention back to Albus and mustered up a strained smile.
"We understand the risks, Albus..." the dark haired young man affirmed, "But we believe this to be our children's best chance of survival".
Another sigh slipped past the aged headmaster's lips.
"Well, I cannot go against an argument as powerful as that" Albus relented, knowing when he was fighting a losing battle. Still, there was one point of the matter that he absolutely refused to yield. It was too important, and too many lives were at stake. As such, Albus slowly said, "Very well, I shall help, but I have conditions".
"Name them" James smiled earnestly, happy that at long last, they had reached an agreement, however begrudging it may be.
"When the time comes to approach whatever Seer we decide to seek out, I want to be there to hear what they have to say first-hand" the wise elderly wizard said firmly, both his tone and expression inviting no argument, "I will also insist that the Seer agrees to let us place some powerful silencing charms on them, or that they even take an Unbreakable Vow. It's vital that we keep the contents of the prophecy as secure as possible".
"Done" James beamed and nodded.
They had an accord.
"I just hope we're not making a grave mistake" Albus sighed for what felt like the millionth time that day. He wasn't sure why, but it felt as though the future may have just taken a very drastic turn.
"Well, if that's decided, what do we need to do first?" Lily asked, keen to move the conversation along now that they had all settled on a course of action.
Across from her, Alice nodded eagerly as well.
"Yes, how exactly do we go about contacting a legitimate Seer, a trustworthy one at that?" the talented female Auror asked curiously, knowing that that would be only the first obstacle they'd have to face.
"All known Seers are registered by the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic" her husband was the one to offer the answer.
James couldn't help it when a derisive scoff escaped his lips before he could stop it.
"Good luck getting a list of names from the people that work there" the dark haired young man frowned, already knowing that going down the official route was practically a non-starter. Seers were rare after all, and the Ministry did so love to keep information like that out of the public eye, "Too secretive for their own good, those Unspeakables".
Judging by the expression now lining his aged face, it looked as though Albus was of the same opinion.
"Sadly, I agree" the headmaster said, unknowingly confirming James' thought. The wise elderly wizard placed his elbows on his desk, pressed the tips of his fingers together, and rested his chin on them, "I doubt this will be as easy as that".
"So, what do we do?" Alice was the one who asked the most obvious question.
Albus was silent as he took a moment to ponder that.
"Give me two days" the wise aged wizard eventually responded, although when he noticed the less-than-thrilled expressions looking back at him, Albus quickly elaborated on his reasoning for the delay, "I'll start researching any proven Seers as soon as you leave, and I'll alert you all at once if I find a suitable candidate".
The soft assurance was enough to somewhat mollify the four young parents.
"Lily and I can help with that" James was quick to offer, never the type to sit still when he could be proactive instead, "The library at Potter Manor is very extensive. You never know, we might find something useful"
"We can start as soon as we get home" Lily added, nodding her head in agreement. With her baby's life on the line, anything would be better than just sitting around waiting for Albus to come through for them.
Alice was quick to offer the Longbottoms' services as well.
"Me and Frank will do the same" the female Auror decided, her husband nodding from his position at her side, "The library at Longbottom Hall might not be as impressive or as large as those of Hogwarts or Potter Manor, but we might as well pool every resource we have to avoid missing anything".
"Yes, that's a wise idea" Albus agreed with her solid logic.
"Is there anything else you think we should be doing in the meanwhile?" Frank leaned forward in his seat, his expression both serious and concerned. Albus offered the younger man a strained smile.
"Just keep doing what you're doing and what we've discussed today" was the simple response the headmaster gave.
Both of the Longbottoms nodded their understanding.
"Very well, we'll speak again in two days unless any of us finds anything sooner" Alice said before checking her watch anxiously, and deciding that she'd been away from her sick son for long enough, she made the decision that it was time to leave, "Come on, Frank, we should be getting back to Neville".
Frank nodded. The talented Aurors both bid their fellow order members farewell, before Frank and Alice both stepped into the fireplace. One shout and a few moments later, and they vanished through the Floo.
The second they were gone, James quickly turned his attention back to Albus.
"Albus... I'm sorry if you feel like I'm disregarding your judgement..." James began slowly, feeling bad for all but leading a mutiny against the man he held the deepest level of respect for, "But with Harry's life on the line..."
The headmaster simply held up his hand to stop him. The expression on his face was very kind.
"You don't need to apologise for not agreeing with every opinion I happen to make, dear boy" when Albus spoke, in was in a voice that spoke with pure and unadulterated understanding, "As you pointed out, I am not a parent, and it isn't my child's fate that hangs in the balance".
James winced, knowing they could have phrased that particular argument a bit kinder.
"We didn't mean anything nasty by that, Albus" Lily gently chimed in, both to ease her husband's obvious discomfort and because she was feeling a little bad herself now for how blunt they had been, "We just meant..."
Once again, Albus gently cut the pleading explanations off.
"I know, Lily. I know" he assured the young witch sitting across from him with a kind smile, "I just want you both to know that any reservations I might have about this plan stem purely from the burning desire I hold close to my heart to keep Harry and Neville safe. I promise there is no other reason".
"We know that" Lily returned the sentiment.
A gentle yet also somehow overwhelming silence descended over them. Before the situation had a chance to become awkward however, James was quick to speak up again. Now that they had the outline of a plan, he wanted to get down to business.
"Well, unless there's anything else, we should all really start hitting the books" the dark haired young man suggested, although the prospect of reading over direct action wasn't very appealing to him. Still, if it helped keep his precious little boy safe, James would read every book in the whole world if that's what it took, "This Seer won't find themselves after all".
Albus and Lily both nodded in agreement.
"You're right" the wise elderly wizard said as he prepared to bid them farewell, "I promise I will be in contact should I learn anything useful".
"We'll do the same" the dark haired young wizard was quick to make the same promise, "Goodbye, Albus. Hopefully we'll speak again very soon".
And with that, James quickly clambered back to his feet and stepped into the Floo. Moments later, he disappeared in a flash of crackling embers. Lily, with Harry still in her arms, made to follow her husband. Before she could bring herself to leave however, she still had something she wanted to say to Albus. As such, Lily found herself hanging back a moment longer.
"We both appreciate everything you're doing for us, Albus... especially this" the red haired young woman said with such genuine sincerity that Albus couldn't help but believe her, "I know this is going against your better judgement. So... thank you. I'll never forget this"
And without giving the kind elderly headmaster a chance to respond, she stepped into the Floo after her husband and disappeared.
Once she was gone and he was the only person left in his office, Albus sighed deeply and slumped back in his chair. Already he was feeling the weight of the day, and there was still so much work to be done before he got the sweet release of sleep. Shaking his head in an attempt to brush aside the moment of mental exhaustion, Albus then turn to address the beautiful Phoenix sitting on his perch, his ever faithful companion.
"For better or for worse, this is a path there is no turning back from" he addressed the crimson and golden bird solemnly, his expression troubled.
Fawkes crowed back softly.
"I just hope we are all strong enough to weather the storm that is to come, Fawkes..." Albus gently stroked the majestic creature's plumage, still fretting about the plan they had just set in motion, "I fear it is to be one of unparalleled magnitude now".
Even he had no conception of just how true that statement would eventually prove to be...
And that marks the end of chapter three : D
Ooh! Mutiny in the ranks! Honestly, there was nothing shady intended on Albus' part there, since I know a lot of writers out there write him as quite a manipulate character. I just wanted to show right from the offset that just because they're all on the same side, that doesn't mean that Albus will necessarily agree with the Potters, or the Longbottoms for that matter, on every single thing. He is going to come around to their way of thinking very quickly... I.e., next chapter kind of quickly ; ) But that's enough spoilers for now : D
And on that note, I think that's just about everything from me for this week, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please leave a review telling me your thoughts and opinions. Also, if you have any suggestions of what you'd like to see further on as this new timeline unfolds, be that characters or events you'd like to see, please feel free to leave them in a review as well, and I'll give them due consideration : )
Until the next time, keep on reading : )