The Perplexities of Parenthood

A/N: This story is about the relationship between a parent and child, and the sacrifices both are willing to make for the other. Above all this story is about love. Also mega thanks to my beta Vessy.

Privet Drive, was, as it had always been. The moon did nothing else but sit lazily in the sky, and the stars did no more glittering then usual. It was a night that could have been seen any other summer, and be forgotten quite easily.

For Harry Potter, this night would be one of the most important in his life. The unimportance of the sky before him burned into his brain forever.

Harry watched as the man, whose hand was gripping Harry's, slowly shut his eyes and lay there dead. He just recalled the promise he had made to the man, but how was he going to keep it? He was fifteen, and only a week into his vacation from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He would have to start his sixth year soon, but all that came crashing down in his one promise to a dead man.

There was one thing he knew he had to do whenever he didn't know the answer to something; ask Hermione.

Now all he had to do was find out where she lived and get there.

* * *

Hermione woke to a tapping noise coming from her window. She got up and opened the window to see Hedwig hoot at her.

She slowly, due to both lack of sleep and caution, took the note from Hedwig's leg. With a small flutter of her feathers Hedwig flew to Hermione's study desk.

Hermione opened the note to find Harry's handwriting telling her to "open your window, all the way.''

Hermione did as the note said and looked over it again to see if there were more, but there wasn't. Just as she thought Harry had finally snapped someone flew through her open window.

She started to scream but Harry put his hand over her mouth. Harry was there in the middle of the night. She took his hand away from her mouth, "Harry, what are you doing here?"

"I have a slight problem," Harry said earnestly.

"You could have written. I mean longer than 'open my window,' you scared me to death Harry."

"I don't think writing would have helped."

She was about to say something else to berate Harry, but she heard crying; and she knew for a fact it wasn't Harry.

Harry took a bundle that was tied to himself and began to rock it. But it wasn't just a bundle, it was a baby.

"That's a baby Harry!"

"Shh. I know it's a baby," he said as the baby quieted.

Hermione felt a blush creep onto her cheeks. "Is it your baby?"

"Yes," he rocked the bundle in his arms from side to side.

Hermione began to pace the room and began to think it over, it was impossible. Harry had only kissed Cho last year... but that would mean...

Hermione tried with all her might not to blush anymore, "Harry... you do know it does take more than kissing to... make a baby, right?"

"No, really, Hermione? Why don't you show me?" he said as he placed the baby on her bed.

"Well... I think this would be easier coming from Ron... When a witch and wizard like each other very much-"

"They bonk each other's brains out. I was being sarcastic Hermione."

"Right! Shhh, you need to be quiet! My parents will wake up and-"

"Your father will kill me."

Hermione stepped closer to Harry, "Mother actually."

"I wasn't the one yelling. Look, I need help."

"You need Dumbledore," Hermione nodded.

"The last thing I need is Dumbledore." Harry ran his hand through his hair, trying, without success, to tame it.

Hermione looked at him as though he had, in that moment, just become mentally challenged.

"Sorry, but from my own experience of where he just happens to leave babies I don't think that would be the best thing for her."

Hermione smiled at the sleeping baby, "Her?"

"Emily Stokes."

Hermione's brow furrowed, "We don't know any girls named Stokes."

"I don't know who her mother was," Harry shrugged.

"But you said she was yours!" Hermione squeaked.

Harry shushed her and shook his head, "I meant NOW she is. Her father died tonight." Hermione interjected with an 'oh Harry,' then he continued, "I made a promise to him. He asked me to promise to take care of her, no matter what, and I did. I... I can't give her up, even to a good family, I made a promise."

"What killed him?"

"He was shot; he was just a muggle." Harry unconsciously rubbed the hand the man's grip had been on.

Hermione sighed, "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know." Harry sat on the floor next to the Emily.

"Dumbledore won't let you keep her. He'll do something to make you give her up; you have no right to her. Er- no legal right. And we have no idea about the wizarding laws when it comes to these things."

"Shit creek, no paddle, got it," Harry said as he touched the baby's soft black hair.

"She's not a puppy Harry, there are laws about these things," Hermione crossed her arms in front of her.

"I wasn't being sarcastic."

"Oh," Hermione paused. "I don't know what to do."

Harry yawned, "That's okay."

* * *

Hermione's father opened the door to his daughter's room and peeked inside. He saw his daughter lying on her bed with many layers of clothes on while a baby slept next to her head and a boy was sleeping on the floor.

His fifteen year old daughter had a boy in her room, the only fact that comforted him was the baby.... no, that wasn't actually comforting at all.

"Good morning." Dr. Granger cleared his throat, "I don't know who you are, but please get out of my fifteen year old daughter's bedroom."

The boy woke, looked around, then began apologizing.

"I'm so sorry, sir. I didn't realize I fell asleep-"

"Dad," Hermione yawned, "please don't scare my friends to death. Harry and I go to school together and well... he has a large problem that comes in a small package."

"Exactly the reason I don't think I like him in my daughter's bedroom." Dr. Granger looked at the baby.

"She's not Harry's-"

"Yes she is!" Harry said.

"Not biologically. I need to talk to you and Mum." Hermione got up from the bed.

"I think we all need to talk, including your friend." Dr. Granger motioned for the boy to follow them.

-->

A/N: I just want to thank everyone for their reviews, here's the next chapter.

"Albus!" Professor McGonagall came running in his office holding a piece of parchment. "Mrs. Figg!"

"Is it her birthday? Give her my condolences," Dumbledore said absentmindedly as he wrote.

"Albus! You.... She owled us about Potter!"

"His birthday isn't for another three weeks."

"Who cares? He's gone! He just disappeared! Those muggles have no idea why, or where he left to."

"Get someone to Grimmauld Place and search it from top to bottom. Owl the Grangers and the Weasleys, ask them if they've seen or heard from him." Albus Dumbledore's twinkle left his eyes.

* * *

There was a tapping at the kitchen window.

All four people turned to see what it could be, and saw a tawny owl at the window.

"That would be Dumbledore," Harry said.

"I... I don't know," Hermione's mother began to pace the room.

"I made a promise," Harry said simply.

He looked at Hermione's father and dared him to object to his decision.

Dr. Granger rubbed the bridge of his nose, "Janie, it was the father's dying wish."

She kept pacing for a while, wringing her hands then crossing them. She walked over to the counter, then wrote something down on a piece of paper and handed it to her husband. She went into the living room and could be heard making calls.

"What's that?" Harry asked pointing to the piece of paper.

"It's a shopping list for the baby. You better hope and pray she doesn't wake up before I get back." Dr. Granger grabbed his keys and left the house.

Harry thought about the small bundle that was asleep on Hermione's bed. For a second he wondered if everyone around him, including himself, had just gone nutters. He was a fifteen-year-old boy who knew nothing about raising anyone. He, of course, knew how to take care babies, thanks to the Dursley's first and last family reunion, where while the parents got sloshed, Harry had to take care of all the children. Feed, burp, change, and repeat when necessary. But there was more to being a parent, he just knew it, but he didn't understand what. He wanted to know, he wanted to take care of Emily, and not just because of his promise. When she looked at him... it was the way few did, it was just looking at HIM and not 'the boy who lived.' Babies weren't judgmental, all right they were, but she didn't judge him. She looked at him and he felt as if he would turn to mush, spoil her rotten, or hyperventilate because it was then he realized he had to take care of this small child, and not screw up.

Harry felt as if he were missing something. He let his mind wander for a moment and realized, for the first time in the past twelve hours, he had not thought about Sirius once. He was supposed to be feeling guilty, he was the reason his godfather was dead. He felt Hermione watching him and began to panic. He got up and started pacing the room.

She almost died.... it was all his fault... how could he take care of a baby when he couldn't even protect her...

"Harry," Hermione said cautiously. "Don't worry, everything will be okay. I can owl Ginny and ask her about custody and such. Harry, are you okay?"

Harry was now walking so fast around the room he was almost jogging, and he seemed to be hyperventilating, "You almost died, who am I trying to kid? You almost died and I was the one that put you in that situation... How am I supposed to take care of a child?"

"Harry, don't be such a prick. You act as though I didn't have a choice in the matter. Harry I went with you, I went with you because I-"

"I've made all the arrangements," Hermione's mother re-entered the room. "We're all going on a vacation. That way we can figure out what to do without everyone trying to convince you, rightfully so I might add, to give that baby to the proper authorities."

They both thanked her, and went upstairs to start packing. Harry seemed better than he was when he was pacing but he still seemed on edge.

* * *

Harry sat on Hermione's bed. He was carefully holding Emily in one arm, making sure he gave her head support, and held a bottle in the other. The bottle was up to Emily's lips and she was eating hungrily. Hermione was going from her closet to her suitcase at Harry's feet, trying to pack all of her things in a hurry.

Harry watched her for a moment and said, "We won't be safe you know."

Hermione stopped in-between her closet and her suitcase, clothes still in hand. "What are you talking about?"

"Death Eaters. I was safe enough at Privet Drive, but now... I'm sorry I'm putting you in danger again."

Hermione snorted and went back to packing, "Harry, really, they were after the prophecy. Now that it's broken, well, of course, they would like to see you gone, but they won't go out of their way-"

"Yes they will," Harry tried to say in a tone for her to understand the urgency of the situation. "Hermione, I think I need to tell you something."

* * *

Ginny looked down at her Potions essay and cringed. It wasn't anywhere near enough... she could always write 'Snape is a greasy git' over and over until it was the proper length. She heard a tapping at her window and thanked who ever it was for the break.

She opened the window to see Hedwig lifting her leg to Ginny. Ginny was sure she had the wrong room until she saw Hermione's handwriting staring at her.

She took the letter off Hedwig and Hedwig then flew off. Ginny opened the letter and read:

Ginny,

I don't have any time, but I have to write to you. Harry is coming with me and my parents on vacation. I swear to you if you breathe a word of this to ANYONE I will make last year's jinx look like beauty marks. I need you to look up some information for me, find anything you can on under-age parental rights. If you don't know where to look I suggest a PURE BLOOD like yourself look in the home of another PURE BLOOD. I think we have an understanding.

Remember, one word!

Hermione

Ginny swallowed. Hermione could be really scary at times. The first thing she did was burn the letter; she did not want to anger Hermione at this moment in time.

She went downstairs to find it looked like a circus. There were at least twenty people scattered around the bottom floor of the Burrow. Her mother was sitting down crying, every so often trying to make someone something to eat but was held down by Tonks.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Harry's missing," her mother said as she motioned for her to come forward. "Don't you worry dear, everything will be fine."

Apparently her mother needed to take her own advice. She immediately felt guilty, knowing Harry was safe and not able to comfort her mother. She wouldn't be able to take much more of this.

"Do you think someone should be at Grimmauld Place?" Ginny asked.

"We've already checked there, top to bottom," Tonks said.

"But if he decides to go there.... Shouldn't someone be there, just in case?"

Tonks seemed to think about it for a moment.

"I could do it," Ginny said, realizing at that moment that Voldemort would be easier than lying to her mother any longer.

Tonks smiled. Apparently she thought Ginny wanted to do anything to help.

"Do you want to be in that big house all alone?" her mother asked.

Think of something Ginevra Weasley, "Well I don't want him to be alone...."

She was too good for her own good. Her mother nodded because anything more and she was sure she would burst.

"Okay, I'll talk to the Order." Tonks left them and Ginny's mother promptly hugged her tightly.

* * *

"The Order will find us long before any Death Eaters do," Hermione said as she continued packing. "They're the only ones that know you're missing."

"What about the other thing?" Harry patted and rubbed Emily's back, and spit up went from Emily to the cloth on Harry's shoulder.

"Harry I.... It explains a lot." Hermione kneeled and began to straighten up the belongings she had thrown in her suitcase. "And I'm scared to death to be quite honest. But you... you have to be really stupid if you think that is going to stop me from being your friend. We've faced certain death so many times before I really don't see how this makes any difference. Harry, you don't have to take this prophecy as fact. Divination, especially when it comes from Trelawney, is unreliable. I mean part of it can't be true, the whole 'one cannot live while the other survives,' that's rubbish! How could both of you be alive today if that's true?"

Hermione zipped up her suitcase, "Time to go."

-->

ONE WEEK LATER

Hermione's parents had softened after the first day at the Ski lodge. They began to think that Harry, as young as he was, was making an excellent father.

She woke him up at all hours of the night and he hadn't complained once. She would cry for no reason, other than she could sense he was not there, and he was more than happy to accommodate her. He played with her, but with such gentleness that they never feared for her safety in his arms. After the first couple of awkward diaper changes he had become comfortable with changing, washing, and clothing her.

Of course, the thing that concerned them the most was their own daughter seemed more than happy to play with the baby. The look their daughter had whenever Harry was taking care of Emily also concerned them. But seeing how happy she looked when her friend was around made all their fears subside. They had not seen her smile like that since she was five, and the joy of seeing that look of utter happiness on their only child's face made them melt.

Harry tried to keep his laughter down, "Well the twins only kept some semblance of control because Dumbledore was Headmaster, and they respected him-"

"Especially after our fourth year." Hermione began to laugh, "Those beards!"

"So when he left they decided to just go crazy. It was great, Umbridge..." Harry tried to continue through his laughter. "That giant toad of a woman.... running everywhere with that.... matchstick of a wand..."

Between her laughter Hermione made galloping noises which seemed to make Harry go into hysterics. Emily was giggling from her cradle as if she understood all of this, and the Grangers would laugh at the sight of the two teens failing miserably to tell the story.

"I swear, I never want to make your daughter angry, ever. Because of her, Umbridge can't go anywhere near horses, or any hoofed animal for that matter."

They both laughed at that, but after a few moments they stopped and looked at each other seriously.

"I should have listened to you," Harry hung his head.

"You weren't thinking clearly, I don't think anyone else wouldn't have done the same."

"You would have," Harry said.

Hermione looked to her dad for a moment and looked back at Harry, "I don't think I would."

"What do you two think about going out for lunch?" Mrs. Granger asked trying to break up the seriousness of the conversation.

The group agreed and went their separate ways.

They all got ready for their day out, and Harry began to bundle up Emily, a process that would take at least ten minutes. Before they even tried to get to the door a snowy owl tapped on the sliding glass door. Hermione took Hedwig and gave her some water as she took the note from her leg.

"It's from Ginny."

Everyone looked up and waited with bated breath for Hermione; even Emily seemed to stop trying to get her foot away from Harry.

"Ginny says even in the newest editions of wizarding laws no underage wizard can adopt a child, and the only way for them to keep custody of their biological child is to get married, thereby emancipating themselves." Hermione put the letter down on the table.

"You didn't expect that someone who was legally a child could adopt, did you?" Dr. Granger asked.

"No, but I hoped there was some kind of loophole," Hermione rubbed her forehead

Everyone turned their attention to Harry, who took Emily and went into his room.

* * *

That night Harry laid in bed, with Emily in her cradle at his side. He was beginning to think of her as his and now... it seemed hopeless. Any other teenager would be relieved by the news that, even though they tried to kept a promise, there was no physical way for them to, thereby getting rid of any guilt they might feel.

But Harry felt as if it was about more, it was more than that promise; it was about Emily and....

He heard someone open his door and watched as Hermione closed it quietly behind her.

"You shouldn't be in here," Harry whispered.

Hermione paid no attention to what he said. Instead she stood over Emily and gently ran her fingers through her tiny wisps of black waves.

"You can see the family resemblance," she said simply.

"Family resemblance?" Harry asked.

"She has my eyes. Of course, she has your dark hair...."

"Hermione, have you gone completely mad?"

Hermione finally looked at Harry, and put a hand on his shoulder.

"It's the only way you can keep her, and I'm not letting them take her away from you." Tears began to form in Hermione's eyes, "You've been so happy... I can't let them steal that away. If we say she's ours then you can keep her."

"Hermione, you read Ginny's letter, it's not that simple, I can't let you sacrifice this...."

"But you'll sacrifice everything for us, won't you? This isn't a sacrifice..."

"We'd be the only two married people in Hogwarts," Harry said.

"I've never been one to be normal. Harry, I've said it before; she's not a puppy. There are certain things that have to be done in order to keep her... and I'm ready."

"I thought this was about me keeping her?"

"Don't try and start being selfish now," Hermione smiled.

Harry knew he was fighting a loosing battle. In fact, he didn't know why he was fighting it.

"Your parents won't approve," Harry said as a last half-hearted effort to change her mind.

"They'll know it's not a real marriage, I think they'll be hard to convince at first, but in the end they'll know what the right thing to do is."

* * *

Ginny was going to hyperventilate. Her second letter from Hermione asked her about gestation periods for female witches. She did not dare want to think about WHY it was so important for Hermione to know these things. But that also meant trying to get back to Grimmauld Place without her mother suspecting anything. She was not about to ask her mother about witch pregnancies, so it was back to that massive unorganized library.

She would give the excuse she just wanted to see if Harry would show again, and if he did she would strangle him.

Of course, no one found it weird that Hermione and her family decided to vacation the very day after Harry disappeared. Ron got a post card from Hermione saying 'skiing was great, wish you were here, and I'm lying out of my ass.' Of course, you'd have to read between the lines to read the real message.

Ginny went downstairs ready to face her mother, ready to lie to her face... she really hated Hermione.

* * *

FOUR DAYS LATER

Ginny was just about to fall asleep on her Potions essay, for the fifth time, when she heard her mother shriek downstairs. Ginny didn't even think about it, she was joining her other siblings downstairs as her father, and for a first, Fred were trying to calm her down.

"What's wrong?" Ginny asked to no one in particular.

"He's fine!" her mother sobbed.

"Am I missing something?" Ginny asked.

A magazine was handed over to Ginny. She looked at the cover and watched as a picture of Harry holding a bundle as he ate with the Grangers was plastered over the cover. Of course, the line underneath the picture read:

AND BABY MAKES THREE: Harry Potter is off the market!

Ginny fanatically went to the page with the full article.

One of our reporters, who was out covering vacation hot spots for the witch or wizard who wants to act like a muggle for a week (article on page 38) found this in one of the ski resorts in Switzerland. Harry Potter, the boy who lived, was holding a baby while dining out. Further pictures proved, (which can be seen on left) that he and long time friend Hermione Granger were both wearing rings on their left hands, which is a muggle symbol for marriage! No word officially from the happy couple, but the new baby seems to confirm that Harry Potter, who is still attending Hogwarts school, has settled down. Congratulations Harry!

"I... I..." Ginny was absolutely flabbergasted.

"Did he think he couldn't have talked to us... about this? Why didn't she tell us he was okay? I've been up all day and night and they're on HOLIDAY!" Mrs. Weasley said.

Ron looked very pale, but didn't seem to be too surprised. Ginny grabbed him and practically threw him upstairs.

"What do you know?" she asked.

"What are you talking about?" he tried to look as innocent as possible, which was not working at all.

"I wasn't the only one that got a letter from them, what do you know?"

"I'm... I can't say! Harry said when they came back they'd explain the truth to us, but for now we just have to not know." His hands were up and he waited for her to calm down before he got up.

Ginny shook her head, they did it this time, they were in some major trouble.

* * *

Dumbledore was now talking to Hermione's parents as Harry and Hermione waited in the living room, and watched as Lupin paced in front of them. He would stop like he was going to talk to one of them but then he would look at Emily sleeping and would continue pacing.

Lupin finally asked, "How?"

But at Harry's raised eyebrow he waved it off.

"You know Dumbledore won't like this... He'll do something..." Lupin tried to look forceful but failed miserably.

He exhaled deeply, giving up, "What's her name?"

"Emily," Harry said.

"She's beautiful," he said as he sat down next to them.

"Thank you," Hermione smiled.

Dumbledore and Hermione's parents exited the room, and Dumbledore headed straight for Emily.

Harry, as if out of reflex, stood up over her.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, "Harry, you mustn't worry, I just wanted to see her. May I?"

Harry saw a picture of himself being dropped off by Dumbledore at the Dursleys, he tried to shake the thought from his mind, and nodded cautiously.

Dumbledore took the baby in his arms, which made her drool, but that was one of the only things she did. She then grabbed a few whiskers of his beard which made Dumbledore laugh.

"I think you must feel lucky that Hogwarts was made quite a while ago," Dumbledore bounced the baby in his arms a bit which caused her to gurgle/giggle.

"Sorry?" Harry asked.

"You mean Miss Gra- excuse me, force of habit you know, Mrs. Potter.... You don't mind if I call you Hermione, do you?" Hermione shook her head and Dumbledore continued, "Hermione hasn't told you the accommodations for married students? As you could imagine, in the eleven hundreds especially, marrying at quite a young age was popular. The founders had already foreseen this complication and built the castle accordingly."

"I thought that over the years they would have just converted them into dorm rooms," Hermione said.

"Quite a few of them were, except for a few. It certainly isn't as popular as it was, but as I think we all can see, there still is a need for them."

"Oh," was Harry's only response.

"You didn't think we would make you leave school, did you?"

Harry nodded.

"Of course not. You'll just have to find a house elf to baby sit while you're in class, do you think you can handle that?"

"Absolutely," Harry said quickly, then added, "Aren't you upset?"

Dumbledore handed Emily over to Harry and she latched onto his jumper.

"Harry, in the past I chose to treat you like a child and, well let's just say 'bad' things happened. You have faced the Darkest wizard in a hundred years, I should know, more times than anyone else... even me. I may not agree with your actions, but I too have made poor judgments. Who am I to say which is worse? I hope you drop by the Burrow before you go to school, I'm sure there are people there who are... eager to see the new addition."

Harry's heart dropped into his stomach, that was one thing he was not looking forward to doing.

-->

The Grangers pulled up to the Burrow, then turned off the engine.

"If it makes it any easier we could always tell them the truth," Mrs. Granger said.

"We can't," Harry said, "it's better this way."

Harry and Hermione stepped out of the car, then went to unbuckle Emily from the car seat. Hermione took her in her arms and they headed over to the house. Dr. Granger knocked, and what must have been the longest fifteen seconds of their lives passed before Mr. Weasley opened the door.

"Hello!" He seemed rather happy, but that might have been because muggles drove to his house.

"Hello Mr. Weasley," Harry and Hermione said.

He smiled at them, this was good, and looked down to the little girl in Hermione's arms who was gripping tightly to the front of her shirt.

"And who's this?" he asked.

"Emily," Hermione smiled.

"Well come on in," he stepped aside and let them all through the threshold.

They were greeted by every Weasley, save Percy, even Bill and Charlie. Bill slapped Harry's back and winked, which made Harry that much more uncomfortable.

Mrs. Weasley looked at them as if she were ready to attack.

"You know, I expect this from my own children, but Harry!"

"Excuse me ma'am," Dr. Granger interjected, "It wasn't his fault. We made him promise not to say anything..."

"Well, of course. But you see I was just so worried sick, he could have been lying dead somewhere and we wouldn't have known."

The vision of his dead body, or the bogart in his dead form, attacked his mind.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Weasley," was the only response Harry could think of.

It apparently worked because she hugged him, then went to Hermione and took Emily in her arms.

"Are you breast feeding dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked Hermione.

Hermione turned pink and looked over to see everyone watching the conversation.

"You know it is the best way to feed them, I'm sure your mum's told you that."

Hermione opened and closed her mouth, akin to a fish on dry land.

"Molly, why don't we have a little girl talk, just you and me." Hermione's mum said as she led Mrs. Weasley away from her daughter.

The twins were trying not to laugh out loud, while Charlie's eyes kept roaming down to Hermione's chest then shook himself out of it.

"Hey Ron," Harry tried to say casually even though he too was blushing, "Why don't we go talk."

Harry and Ron were not even gone five seconds when he heard Fred say, "I'm sure Harry's breast feeding; maybe there isn't enough for poor Emily."

That made most of the men laugh, minus two, of course.

"Fred!" he could hear Mr. Weasley scold.

"Sorry, Dr. Granger," was the last thing he heard before he closed the door to Ron's room.

"What's going on!?" Ron asked.

"Shhhh. Look I have to tell you something."

Harry went on to tell Ron all the details of what happened with Emily. Ron nodded, then promised he wouldn't breathe a word to anyone. When they exited the room they were met by Hermione and Ginny leaving her room. Hermione nodded to Harry and Ginny headed down the stairs. Ron headed after her, which left Harry and Hermione alone.

"I'm sorry about all of this... It's all my fault," Harry said.

Hermione rolled her eyes and took Harry by the hand into Ginny's bedroom.

"I'm just as much to blame as you," Hermione said, "Harry, Dumbledore planned for us to spend the rest of the summer holiday at Grimmauld Place. The Weasley's are going to ask my parents today if we can go."

Harry felt numb, he turned to her, "I don't want to go there."

Hermione gave him a sad look, then hugged him tightly, "I know," she said against his ear.

He hugged her back, repeating to himself as if it were a mantra, she's alive, I'll never see Sirius again, but she'll be okay.

Mrs. Weasley's cough broke them apart, as she stood in the doorway with Emily in her arms. Emily was reaching out towards Harry, fussing a bit. Harry stepped forward and took her in his arms as she let out a sigh.

"She wouldn't stop fussing, she just wanted her daddy," Mrs. Weasley smiled painfully.

Hermione approached Harry and ran her hands through Emily's hair. Emily's eyelids started to droop and she let out a small yawn.

"She's such a daddy's girl," Hermione sighed.

Harry smiled, proud, then looked over to Mrs. Weasley who now had tears in her eyes.

"Are you all right?" Harry asked.

She swatted at air, "I'm fine dear." She turned and headed down the stairs.

They could hear her yell, "Charlie! Bill! When am I going to be a grandmother?"

"That's it! I'm leaving now!" Bill said.

"Why?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"When the grandchildren guilt starts, that's my cue to leave," He said.

"It's not guilt!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed, "I'm just going to die never knowing what it's like to hold a grandchild in my arms."

"Thanks a lot Harry!" Bill said.

* * *

Hermione's parents insisted that Harry, Hermione, and Emily stay at their place until the end of the summer. They wanted to spend time with their daughter, which they hadn't been able to do so many summers before, and keep an eye on Harry and how he took care of Emily. The time seemed to fly by, and by the time they had to leave them at Kings Cross, they were a little less worried about leaving a baby in Harry's care.

Harry and Hermione had no choice but to take the train a day early. Harry was not ready to try to fight through the thousand students with an infant in his arms. He definitely didn't want to be on the train with Emily while Draco Malfoy was lurking nearby.

Not a soul could be seen on the train, save Harry, Hermione, and Emily. Harry sat on the floor of the compartment with Emily, trying to teach her how to crawl. Hermione sat with her feet up, trying to read one of her new schoolbooks, but failing miserably as she watched Emily fail miserably.

By the time they arrived at Hogwarts Hermione was sitting on the floor of the compartment trying to help Emily learn to crawl while Harry sat back and tried to encourage Emily.

They made their way to the lone carriage, Harry watched as the small girl in his arms eye's flutter shut. He sighed as his heart filled with warmth.

They reached the castle in what seemed like no time at all. Harry felt his heart quicken, this was going to be his life. He was going to go to school, take care of a baby, and lie to everyone, saying that this marriage was real and Hermione was the mother of his child. Hermione didn't seem to think about it, she just smiled at him, then smiled to the bundle in his arms.

"May I?" she asked.

She brought the bundle into her arms and she woke the little girl. Harry winced at that, but when Emily didn't cry he sighed in relief.

"Emily, this is Hogwarts. It's going to be our home for quite some time, don't you like it?" Hermione said, allowing the infant to look at the large doors that separated them from the inside of the castle.

Emily stared at Hermione and made some gurgling sounds.

"I knew you would," Hermione said.

Harry didn't know what to do, whether to knock or to just step inside, but was soon answered by the door opening and McGonagall appearing on the other side. Her glare was one that usually sent chills down his spine, and at that instant it was not an exception.

"Potter."

"Yes?" Harry noticed as he answered her, Hermione did too.

"Both of you need to get situated. Your room is next to Gryffindor tower, the password is Salamandar. You'll know the place, your belongings will be outside the room. As you know Miss Gr- Mrs. Potter, the house elves aren't allowed to go inside without permission from the occupants. Run along now."

McGonagall walked away, without looking back, leaving Harry and Hermione in the doorway.

They walked up the many flights of stairs, careful to not go too fast with Emily, and found on the left side of the entrance way to Gryffindor tower was a door and next to that door were all of their belongings.

Harry said the password and brought their belongings inside. There was a small hallway that lead to a large door. Hermione opened it to show a medium sized room with a large bed in the middle, and another door on the right wall. Hermione opened it to show a smaller room that had a crib, dressing table, and toy chest.

"So," Harry asked as he brought their belongings in the appropriate rooms, "Why aren't house elves allowed to come and go as they please?"

"Harry, these rooms were for married couples..."Hermione blushed.

"Oh, right," the room grew silent for a moment. "So, I think I can sleep on the floor in Emily's room, or I could transfigure a couch in there..."

"I don't really know about that, I mean you're usually the one taking care of Emily, it isn't very fair if you have to take care of her and sleep in an uncomfortable place. I'll find a few pillows I can transfigure into a mattress, that should do me nicely," Hermione said as she got redder by the second.

"Well, if you transfigure a bed, just make it small enough to fit in Emily's room and I'll sleep on it. That way if she wakes up I'll be right there. And I don't need an entire room, I've lived in more compact places..."

Hermione nodded, but did not look at him, and went to work on making a mattress in Emily's room.

Emily began to cry, and Harry went to her, and after twenty minutes of trying to find out what was wrong she fell asleep on Hermione's bed.

Hermione came out of Emily's room, "You know we'll have to change it back every day, this has to look like a normal marriage."

"Yeah, you know this is getting a little..."

"Weird, I know. Lying before was just in small doses, now it's going to have to be constant."

They both sat on the bed shoulder to shoulder.

"What will they expect of us? I mean what do normal married couples look like every day?"

Hermione looked a little oddly at Harry, but seemed to realize something and searched the ceiling for the answer.

"Like Mr. and Mrs. Weasley I suppose..." she said keeping her eyes on the ceiling.

"All married couples don't act like that, do they?" Harry asked.

"Well, no. Look at my parents, they're always sitting together, just looking comfortable with each other..."

"You mean like..."

Hermione, noticed their position, and that her side was touching his, they both slowly scooted away from each other.

"Well I don't think we'll have to do anything out of the ordinary for us. The conception was supposed to be last year, so if nothing changed then..."

"Wait, I thought it was a one time thing and we were trying to go back to our friendship, then you learned about your pregnancy, hid it from both your parents and me, but then they found out and told you to tell me, then after a particularly hard letter you had to write told me that you were pregnant with my child which caused me to run away to you."

"This is hopeless if we can't even remember our lie properly," Hermione rubbed her temples.

"Did I get it wrong?"

"I can't remember." They were silent for a moment, then she said, "I guess people are going to be expecting PDAs."

"What?"

"Like kissing, or holding hands..."

"I don't want to kiss my best friend..." Harry said nervously.

Hermione tried to breathe calmly, but also tried to understand what he meant by that.

Harry looked at her and once he realized what she was thinking he shook his head, "Not like that, it's just that you're my friend, it would just be weird."

Hermione smiled a bit, then after a few moments of silence said, "I think if we just kissed each other on the cheek that would be enough. Like when one of us leaves the room, I've seen some muggles do that."

Harry smiled, which caused Hermione's smile to grow, then they both looked away.

"Is there anything else we need to do?" Harry asked.

Hermione shrugged her shoulders and they both sat there in silence.

After a few minutes there was a knock at the door. Harry, a little curious as to who it could be, got up and went to the door. It opened to reveal one house elf.

"Harry Potter sir!" Dobby exclaimed joyfully. "Harry Potter wishes to see Dobby?"

Harry smiled, "Yes. I need a favor to ask you."

Harry moved and showed Dobby inside which caused some sobs from Dobby, but he was able to control himself.

"When school starts we need someone to look after Emily, you wouldn't happen to know any house elves that would be quite good at taking care of babies, would you?"

Dobby started to jump up and down, "Dobby does know! Winky and Dobby is those house elves sir!"

Dobby was quickly shushed by Harry and Hermione, and he himself put both hands over his mouth.

"She's asleep right now, would you like to see her?" Hermione motioned for Dobby to come over to the bed. He did, and with his hands still over his mouth looked at the sleeping infant.

Harry went to Hermione's side and waited for some sort of reaction from Dobby. After about a minute Dobby's attention was turned back to them.

"Dobby will do his best."

"Thank you Dobby." Hermione said.

Dobby became teary eyed again, then looked from Harry to Hermione, "Dobby will leave the Potters alone now..."

He quickly exited and once the door shut Harry and Hermione began to laugh.

"I think he thought we wanted him gone so we could snog or something," Harry said.

"That's what married couples do Harry, I'm sure he believes we are just a regular married couple... which means we've fooled Dobby."

"Now all we have to do is fool everyone else."

* * *

-->

Harry and Hermione, after getting Emily ready, went down to lunch in the Great Hall. Just as Harry had finally gotten Emily to take her bottle and start to drink, rather than hitting it and giggling, the doors to the great hall opened and four people made their way through.

"Of course it's real." Ginny said her arm around Luna looking as if she were comforting her.

"What are you guys doing here?" Hermione asked fork still midway to her mouth.

"We don't have any bleeding clue, Dumbledore sent us." Ron said stealing something from Harry's untouched plate.

"Hands off!"

"There is something I think we need to talk about." Ginny said sitting next to Hermione.

"What's that?" Harry asked as he kicked Ron for trying to steal his food again.

"Well there needs to be a re-naming of course." Ginny said fervently.

"Re-naming?" Harry looked to Hermione who shrugged her shoulders.

"Well it can't be the trio anymore can it?"

"What ARE you talking about?" Hermione asked.

"There's four of us now, and trio doesn't really describe it, does it? And a Quartet is just too weird to have to say, 'the quartet' it doesn't really have a ring to-"

"Excuse me but there are six of us, seven if you include little Emily." Luna added and Neville nodded in agreement.

"Hey! When did they get invited into the group?" Ron asked.

"We all chose to go to the department of mysteries..." Neville said.

"I helped you two all this summer-" Ginny added.

"Admit it, you're stuck with us, like a bad case of the Narflaps." Luna said smiling.

Hermione's cheeks grew red and before she could blow up at Luna for naming something that didn't exist Harry gave her a pleading look. Hermione took a deep breath and continued to listen to the conversation.

"We didn't exactly name ourselves, it's just what stuck-" Ron said.

"The Marauders named themselves, what's so wrong if we name ourselves?" Ginny asked.

"Well the Marauders were egotistical and trouble makers. We're neither of those."

Everyone stopped and looked at Harry in silence.

"They were immature, doesn't mean they didn't get over it." Harry shrugged.

Everyone seemed to find this acceptable and continued their conversation.

"I think we should just stick with Dumbledore's Army." Neville said.

Everyone became silent for a moment again, only to break out in 'NO!!'s and 'Are you crazy?'

"What about the D.O.H.s? Defenders of Hogwarts?" Ginny said.

Harry and Hermione tried to stifle a laugh, "No, definitely not." Hermione finally said.

"Besides acronyms are passé, we should just have a cool name." Luna said.

"I got it, the sentinels, meaning the guardians." Neville said.

"The Seven Sentinels?" Harry asked.

"Right." Neville said.

"Worth considering I guess-"

"Maybe-"

"Not the best but it might do-"

"Right, tomorrow we'll ask Dumbledore to make an announcement to tell all the students to now call us 'the seven sentinels.'" Hermione snorted.

An hourglass was smashed in the middle of the table, and Bellatrix LeStrange appeared from underneath an invisibility cloak.

She kept muttering something in Latin, and before anyone could do anything to stop her. a cloud covered them and started to circle them like a tornado.

In a swirl of lights and dust Harry tried to keep an eye on Bellatrix, but she ran and hid before the dust could settle. Once it did Harry saw a jet of light heading towards them, he turned over the nearest table so they could hide behind it. He looked over the table to see not what he thought he would.

There were students in the Great Hall, and he knew none of them. He tried to find a face he knew among the crowd of people, and did. Dumbledore was ushering people out of the Great Hall. This in and of itself was expected, but his beard was shorter by at least a foot, and he looked years younger.

Harry exchanged a look with Hermione.

"Oh no..." Hermione shook her head.

"Bellatrix has brought us back in time." Harry said to everyone that was hiding with him.

Harry looked over to Luna, "Take Emily, get the hell out of here, get somewhere safe."

Luna nodded, and when someone started to fire on Bellatrix she took her chance and ran out onto the grounds.

"Figured it out yet?" Bellatrix cackled loudly.

"We all ready knew! No one can keep hold of Boardwalk _and_ Park Place!"

They all looked questioningly to Harry who sighed, "Fine, you come up with clever quips while being fired at, let's see how you do."

"What do we do now?" Ginny asked as she ducked back down while Ron fired some hexes over at Bellatrix.

"We could get killed by Bellatrix, that's option one."

"I don't like it, what's option two," She asked.

"Dumbledore sees us as a threat and _he_ kills us." Hermione said.

"I think I liked the first option better."

It was then that the were fired on by an entirely different source. Ginny looked over, then quickly ducked back down again.

"It's the Marauders!"

Harry tried to look over the table but was pulled down by Ginny and Hermione.

It was at that moment Neville took the chance and Crucio-ed Bellatrix.

Ron held him down as Ginny took his wand and Harry fired on Bellatrix while Hermione fired binding spells on the Marauders.

"Letting Neville fire on the woman who put his parents in St. Mungo was a bad idea Ron." Ginny scolded.

"I wasn't bloody thinking, I was too busy being hexed from every direction!"

"Nevy Wevy has some powers, but not good enough I'm afraid!" Bellatrix yelled.

"Be thankful we aren't letting him go! So Bella, become the sacrificial lamb? Not in your Dark Lords good graces are you?"

"My Master honors me!!" Bellatrix yelled, "He's given me a chance to kill you!"

"Sorry, only one person gets that privilege. He's going to have to come and clean up his own mess!" Ron yelled over the table.

"Ron," Harry said, "Could we please refrain from calling me a 'mess?'"

"There's no way out Bellatrix!" Hermione then threw a couple of hexes her way.

"ENOUGH!" A loud and powerful voice shook the entire Great Hall.

Bellatrix was firmly bound by one spell from Dumbledore.

"You, all of you over there, explain who you are _now_."

"We... It's difficult to explain." Ginny said.

"I don't care."

"Look, we're from the future. Bellatrix LeStrange over there... well think of a time turner gone completely bonkers. We're students here, you know us- or rather will know us." Harry searched for something that would make Dumbledore not want to kill them all, "The password to your office is always the name to some kind of candy, you haven't eaten Bertie Botts since once when you were a kid you ate a vomit flavored one..."

"You have a really pretty phoenix named Fawks." Ginny said.

"Throw all of your wands towards me."

They complied and waited for further instruction on what to do.

"Now I want you to one by one stand up, say your name, and step away from the table." Dumbledore said calmly but still rather harsh.

Ron let go of Neville and let him stand up.

"Neville Longbottom." He said rather sheepishly for someone who moments ago preformed the cruciatus.

He stepped over the others and over to the other side of the table.

"Ron Weasley." Ron said as he stood and moved from the others over to Neville.

"Ginny Weasley." Ginny said after she got up and joined her brother.

A small silence passed, Hermione squeezed Harry's hand before releasing it and joining the others, "Hermione Potter."

Harry took three deep breaths and got up, went to Hermione's side and said, "Harry Potter."

Harry watched as what looked almost to be his mirror image almost collapsed from what seemed was shock.

"The five of you, go up to my office and wait for me there. The password is Razzles." Dumbledore said, still quite severe.

They obeyed, quite happily, and ran up to his office.

"At least he didn't kill us." Ron said as they waited.

"That of course doesn't guarantee he wont." Hermione said.

Harry looked out onto the forbidden forest, where Emily and Luna were sure to be. Hermione came over, gave him a small hug, then sat next to Ginny.

Fawks flew from his perch to Harry who held out an arm for him to rest on.

"You shouldn't be able to remember me," He said as he petted Fawks' plumage.

"He does become friendly to anyone who stays true to Dumbledore, he could probably sense it," Hermione said.

The door to Dumbledore's office opened and everyone inside stood up a bit taller.

Harry motioned for Fawks to return to his perch, then stood next to the others.

"The first question I have of you, you cannot answer, so I shall go onto the second, how was the spell preformed?"

"Bellatrix threw an hourglass onto the table, smashing it, then she kept saying some Latin words. The dust picked up and went into a tornado like thing, then we ended up here." Harry recalled.

"Is that everyone's recount of the situation?" Dumbledore asked.

Everyone nodded.

"Why did she do it to you? Why you specifically?"

"We'll she's a Death Eater!" Ron said, "And Harry, he's"

Harry coughed heavily and Hermione tried to inconspicuously kick Ron.

"A great Quidditch player. Yup, no one can beat him." Ron said.

"I don't appreciate being lied to." Dumbledore said.

"You said it yourself, when meddling with time, if something goes wrong, the future could be changed in catastrophic proportions." Hermione said.

Dumbledore turned his attention to her, and after being silent for a moment said, "When did I tell you that?"

"My third year, when you had McGonagall give me the time turner, so I could go to all of my classes."

Dumbledore sighed and looked as if he were thinking about something for a moment.

"I don't know what to do with you now. If Bellatrix LeStrange is a Death Eater as you've said it will be hard to try to get any information from her. You might be here until we can find something to get you back where you belong, which might be a while to say the least."

Harry looked out to the grounds and felt a panic rise, "Couldn't someone from the Order try something, anything, to get the information from her?"

Dumbledore looked pensive, "How do you know about the Order?"

"Can't say really." Harry said.

"We can't force her to tell, and being a Death Eater she wont be likely to talk, even if she were tortured," Dumbledore paused, then said "This is still a school, and you still have to do your studies, I've decided that while you're here you need some seventh year students to watch over you. You may at least know one of them Mr. Potter..."

Harry looked at Dumbledore hurt, and Dumbledore seemed to catch it. Dumbledore had always called him Harry, since his first year, 'Mr. Potter' seemed as if he were disappointed in Harry, or indifferent to him, which hurt.

"Are you all right?"

Harry nodded, but looked back out into the forest.

"And of course Miss Potter, your father. And some of his friends, they do have the highest marks in the school."

Hermione tried several times to interject, but Dumbledore hadn't given her the chance. The door to his office swung open and Hermione went directly to Harry's side, grasping his hand and his arm, to keep him back so he wouldn't kill Wormtail, and to comfort him at the site of his father and Sirius.

"Will you look at em? I'm sure she looks like her mother, cause she looks nothing like me, but he... it's a spitting image isn't it. I didn't notice how handsome I was until I got this view of it. I'm a rather remarkable specimen, wouldn't you say Lil?"

Lily walked in after all the marauders were inside the door and rolled her eyes.

Hermione grabbed tighter on Harry's arm. She was sure that she was hurting him, but he didn't seem to mind, or move.

"Rather close for brother and sister... Who holds their sister's hand?" Sirius asked.

Ron and Ginny quickly tried to hold hands, but they didn't get it at first, and in contact for more than two seconds made them both detach and rub the ickyness off their hands.

They five of them became fish out of water, trying to answer and not knowing exactly what to say.

"I... I don't, I mean... I, I'm not." Harry said.

"Talkative, are you sure he's yours?" Remus asked then continued, "You are. If you look down at your hand you'll see it's right next to hers, so close they are touching in various places. It's what we enlightened people call 'holding hands.' You're holding hands with your sister."

"No, we- He isn't." Hermione said.

"You mated with a seamonkey Potter. That's the only thing that can attain for their intellect." Lily said.

"What we've been trying to say is we aren't brother and sister." Harry said quickly.

"I guess Potter is a pretty popular last name..." James said.

"And they're supposed to be the brightest of their year?" Ron snorted.

"You see," Harry said, "The thing is, that... We're married. Hermione and I."

"Married?" Lily asked.

"Huh?" Remus said.

"Wow!" Peter said.

"Why?" both Sirius and James asked.

Hermione blushed, still holding tightly to his hand she took her left one off his upper arm and showed the simple band on her finger to the marauders plus one.

"We got married about two months ago," Harry said.

"If I may ask... Why?" Dumbledore said from behind them.

Hermione and Harry looked at each other, trying to come up with any reason they could tell.

Hermione opened her mouth and said, "I'm pregnant."

Harry looked to her, wide eyed, and she just tightened her grip on his hand for a moment.

Remus and Sirius both patted James on the back, while Peter and Lily just looked shocked. Dumbledore looked at both of them for a long moment, then nodded.

"You students should get going, go down to the study room I set up for you, Professor McGonagall will be there shortly." Dumbledore said, effectively shooing them out of the room.

The ten students walked out silently and the five students from the future were a couple of steps behind the others.

"Hermione..." Harry whispered in a scolding tone.

"I know," She whispered back, "but it's the only way. Dumbledore would never accept it if we told him we were in love, and if we told the truth... It's much safer to keep the reasons for our marrige a secret."

"We need to get away from the marauders. We need to make our way into the forbidden forest." Ginny whispered forcefully.

"We're here!" James yelled from the front of the group.

He opened the classroom and went in, while everyone followed. Once inside the room filled with a complete and utter silence. Everyone felt rather uncomfortable, and Harry's emotions changed from pure hatred for Wormtail, and wanting so badly to go hug his mother.

"So, how did you all meet?" Lupin asked.

All four of them looked to Hermione who shrugged, then after rolling her eyes nodded that they could continue.

"Harry and I met on the train... our first year. Then we met Hermione who we didn't like at first, but after the mountain troll..."

"And I was in the same house, just a bit accident prone..." Neville said.

Ginny snorted, "That's like saying Harry looks a little like his father."

"And Ginny's my sister so... Er- how did you meet?" Ron asked.

"You already know that." Sirius said.

The five laughed nervously, then the silence filled the room again.

"I guess we should move onto the studies then. We can start with Defence Against the Dark Arts-"

"We've got that covered." Neville said.

Ginny nodded emphatically, while the others tried everything to not show any emotion.

"I'm hungry." Hermione said before any of the marauders could respond to Neville's statement.

"We should go down to the kitchens." Harry said to her.

"We should all go," Ginny said, "But you guys neednt bother, we can make it down there by ourselves."

"You all need to go when one of you is hungry?" Lupin asked.

"Empathy eating." Hermione said, "You know, because I'm pregnant."

They all quickly exited the room and once they were down a darkened passageway Harry leaned against a wall, then sat on the floor. Hermione kneeled down next to him, and the others circled.

"Harry, if you kill Wormtail then you may never be born." Ron said.

"Or worse," Ginny added, "You could change it so Neville's the one with the prophecy."

Neville looked wide eyed at everyone, "Oh please, please, please Harry-"

"Don't worry, I'm trying my best when it comes to him."

Everyone was silent for a while seeming to wonder what could be troubling Harry.

Hermione hugged Harry tightly and said an 'Oh Harry.'

The trouble Harry was having had little to do with Wormtail, it mostly had to do with his own parents. He wanted to be able to do something, anything. Ask them if they were proud of him, ask them if he could play Quidditch as well as his father, ask his mother if he had retained any quality about her besides her eyes. He wanted to know what their favorite subjects were, what their favorite candy was, what were their favorite colors, and if getting in trouble had ever been like it had been for him, trying to protect the school. And he wanted to tell them everything too. He wanted to tell them about all the adventures he had every year. From the philosopher's stone to the department of Mysteries. He wanted to tell them his patronus was a stag, and that Lupin had become the best Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher he ever had. He wanted to tell them that he missed them, and thought about them every day, even though he didn't really know them at all.

"You guys should go down to the kitchens and get some milk," Hermione said, "For Emily. I'll stay here with Harry."

"Are you sure?" Ginny asked as the other two boys started to make their way out of the passageway.

Hermione nodded, "It'll only upset me if I go down there and see all of those house elves. We'll meet just beyond Hagrid's hut, in twenty minutes."

Ginny nodded back and went after the other boys as Hermione tried to comfort Harry.

* * *

-->

"Something's not right with that lot." James said as they waited for what seemed like hours.

"What do you mean? The part about your son getting a girl pregnant when they've just turned sixteen. I mean, way to go, but one would think you'd keep a tighter leash." Sirius said.

Lily sighed and took the small braid out of her fiery hair, "Did you notice how they were all covered in scars? Even more than Moony..."

"They said they didn't need any help with Defence Against the Dark Arts," Wormtail added nervously, "What if they use the dark arts?"

The quarter moon lighted Remus' face as he watched out the window of the room. He was always near a window when he was inside, he always felt like a caged animal trapped.

He watched as five figures made their way from the entrance of Hogwarts castle to the Forbidden Forrest.

"Look what we have here." He said motioning for them all to come to the window, "They're all going to the forbidden forest."

"Do they have a death wish!" Lily said getting in front of everyone else.

"Maybe we should go in after them..." James said looking over her shoulder.

"Maybe you'd like to go in there alone. We should go to Dumbledore."

"And tell him that within minutes of having them in our care not only did they run away, but to the highly dangerous death trap that is the forbidden forest? Good luck with that." Sirius said backing away from the window and plopping himself in a chair.

"And what do you suppose we do?" Her arms were crossed in front of her.

"Wait it out. If they don't come back before sunrise, then we'll tell the old coot. If they come back, we interrogate them." He put his feet up on another seat and sat back relaxing.

* * *

Just as the clock struck two, the five future students walked into the classroom.

The Marauders were strewn across the room, some lying on multiple chairs and some were on the floor.

"You must have been hungry." Lily sat up and looked to the group who seemed to be too clean to becoming from that forest.

"Starving really." Hermione said touching her stomach.

"Do you eat forest life?" Remus asked.

The five future students stopped dead in their tracks. As inconspicuous as they had been to everyone else in the castle, apparently they forgot which direction these windows faced.

"Why do you ask?" Hermione said.

"It must have been something very important to make you go into the Forbidden forest." Sirius said.

"That's none of your concern." Harry said.

His voice was not like anyone else's. While everyone else spoke seriously there was a playful quality behind it that lurked there, something that must have developed when becoming a marauder, but Harry's voice was nothing but serious and everyone could hear it.

"It is our concern, who do you think you are? We're here to take care of you. How are we supposed to do that when you go running off?"

"That's where you're wrong." Harry's voice was harsh now and none of the other future students did anything to try to calm him down, they just stood by, looking no one in the eyes, not even each other.

"You aren't here to protect us," Harry continued, "You're glorified babysitters. Dumbledore doesn't trust us, so he told you to watch us. He knows how much you hate the dark arts, and if we showed any signs that we delved in it, in front of you, you'd be telling him in a heartbeat what was going on; then he'd know to kill us. Actually, he already knows they aren't into the dark arts, it's just me he's worried about."

"So he *was* trying a form of Legilimens in his office." Hermione said.

"I blocked him from my mind... because he wasn't doing the proper Legilimens it was easy." Harry shrugged.

"And now he's worried because he thinks someone dark must have taught you." Ron shook his head.

Ginny snorted, "He's almost there, someone dark did, just under his orders."

"Someone in the dark arts... Under Dumbledore's orders, taught you something as advanced as Legilimens?" Remus asked.

"Well he's not in the dark arts anymore... he's still quite scary though..." Neville said meekly.

"Why?" Remus asked.

"We can't-"

"You know this bloody we're from the future so we can't tell you anything important crap is getting old very quickly." Sirius said.

"Deal with it." Harry said shortly.

"How about you show us to our rooms?" Hermione said trying to be the peacemaker, "It's too late to talk, and I need my rest."

The marauders mumbled compliance, then showed them to a room on the opposite side of Harry and Hermione's room in the future. It was much larger and had a large window to the outside, as well as three rooms. The first room had some robes on the bed that were Ginny's size, the second had the long robes needed for Ron and the wider ones needed for Neville, and the third room had Harry and Hermione's robes on the bed.

The marauders talked very little to them, then went on their way.

"Harry, what was up with you?" Ron asked.

Harry put his head in his hand, "I couldn't help it, I was just furious that I couldn't say what I really wanted to... it just sort of came out."

"I'd hate to sound like a right bitch," Ginny paused, "You know what, I don't actually, but that's not the point. The point is if Harry acts like a prat to them, then isn't that better than letting his true feelings show?"

"It is the lesser of two evils." Hermione said.

"So... how are we going to do the sleeping arrangements." Ron asked.

"Uhh I think they've already been made up for us..." Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Well, it's not as if Harry and Hermione are a real married couple, you don't really expect them to share a bed, do you?" Ron said.

"Yeah, what about the Marauder's map?" Ginny asked him.

"I don't know, I'm just saying they'll want it to be changed around." Ron said.

"Ron, we'll be fine." Hermione said.

Ron looked at her surprised, "Really?"

"Really."

Ron seemed to be processing this, looking from Harry to Hermione, then just shrugging and mumbling an "All right," under his breath.

* * *

Neville entered Harry and Hermione's room and let the sun in behind him, on the bed the only person he saw sleeping was Hermione.

"Er- where's Harry?" Neville asked.

"Right here." Harry said as he got up from underneath the bed fully dressed.

Harry and Neville left the room and met up with the others, they all were speaking of how they could not sleep at all last night.

"Luna's all alone in the forbidden forest, she's too crazy to survive out there like that!" Ron said.

"Well Hermione's lie might get us into deep trouble, what if they have Madame Pomphrey give her 'help' then she learns she's not really pregnant?" Ginny said.

"What if Dumbledore already knows she's not?" Neville was trying to stand still at that moment, but was failing.

"We have a bigger problem than all of that," said Harry, "Why did Bella bring us back here, to this time? She was obviously sent by Voldemort, so why does he want us here?"

"To get us out of the way?" Ginny said.

"No, if we figure out how to get back, we'll get back the second we left." Harry said.

"So Bella could try and kill your parents, now before anything happens." Ron jumped in.

"That would still leave Neville, and Bella's not trying to escape." Hermione said as she joined the group.

"Than what is the answer?" Neville asked.

Hermione and Harry both shook their heads.

* * *

-->