Prologue
Everyone knows the story of Harry Potter, the boy who lived. But a select few know of Athena Potter, the girl who went missing. Born to Fleamont and Euphemia Potter in 1958, Athena was the perfect child. She was bloody brilliant, quick as a whip, and even more generous than your average Hufflepuff. The Potters loved their baby girl, however, things became more- chaotic- to say the least two years later when they had Athena’s younger brother- James Potter.
Athena adored her younger brother. And he loved her back just as much. There wasn’t a day in the Potter residence where the siblings were arguing but every day entailed laughter. Because Athena was older, she went to Hogwarts three years before James did. James was absolutely heartbroken every time the family went to the train station to drop her off. The scene normally played out with James hugging Athena tightly around the waist with his head buried in her stomach, not caring he was bending his glasses every time. Luckily for James, he soon turned 11 and they were able to go to Hogwarts together. James decided to sit with his sister and her friend Alice For the first half of the ride and would journey out within the second half. Here, James sat with his sister while he worked out all of his nerves, within the first hour he was ready, he left Athena and found a compartment with three other first years: a tired-looking brown-haired boy named Remus, and a lanky, cheeky looking boy named Sirius, and a heavier set, short boy named Peter. It was the beginning of a new era for the boys. James had made some lifelong friends, unknown to him at the time, and had even spotted a pretty red-headed girl walking down the corridor.
As the school years went on, the professors were baffled by the differences between James and Athena. Athena would also raise her hand for questions and James, well James would raise his hand to his mouth to stop himself from laughing at his own doings. For the most part, Athena kept James and his little friends in line, however, once Athena graduated, that small reign Athena had over the Marauders vanished, and in came an influx of pranks, mischiefs, and the bullying of a certain Slytherin. James was going into his fifth year when Athen graduated. For as long as she could remember, Athena wanted to be a healer. Whenever James was hurt as a child, Athena would also clean the wound and dress it until their mother or father could properly heal him. When she found out about Remus' furry little problem, she would always care for him the following days. When Athena was three years into her training, with one year left until she was a fully trained healer, she received a very concerning Patronus from her father to come quickly to the Potter Manor. When she got there, she saw a very injured Sirius laying on the couch in the main room. She rushed over and healed him, he was unconscious from the pain. When she was done, she demanded to know what had happened. Over the years, Athena had come to see the three additional boys as brothers. Once she had figured out Remus’s secret, she was thereafter every full moon, she had planned her job around it actually. With Peter, he was shyer than the others, but she would always greet him the same and treat him the same. Sirius was different. Athena had the softest spot for the oldest Black. She knew how terrible his home life was, and had offered multiple times to take him in instead. He had refused every time, however, this time was different. He decided to take her old room in the Potter Manor since she had moved out on her own. Life only went up from there for the trio. James was slowly winning over Lily, the pretty red-head from the first year that wants absolutely nothing to do with James. Sirius finally has a family to call his own. And Athena had just been promoted at work. When in training, Athena realized she had a knack for pediatrics, she focused on toddlers mainly, but sometimes she would assist in the delivery rooms. This is where the story takes a bit of a twist.
Sometimes after one graduate, they lose contact with their school friends as they transition into adult life, it is inevitable. For Molly and Athena, it was made even more possible because of the age gap between the two women. When Molly graduated, she went right into the marriage life, having Bill when she was twenty, and then Charlie two years later. It wasn't until her third pregnancy- another boy- did the two cross paths again. Molly was actually Athena's first-ever patient on the delivery floor when she was training. Arthur had to work, so Molly was seven months pregnant at a checkup with two boys under five, so she had a bit on her hands. Athena was finishing her last set of rounds when she was told about the situation, no names were said, just sympathies were shared among the healers. Athena took it upon herself to help the poor mum, going around the floor to find her to offer her time to babysit the two toddlers. Athena drifted into the waiting room looking around when she was knocked back a bit after something small ran right into her. She wrapped her arms around the small child so that neither of them went tumbling down. She had glanced down and seen a mess of red hair hiding brown eyes that looked up at her wide. “Uh oh,” the child had muttered. “WILLIAM!” following the muttering, the child looked like deer caught in the headlights as he quickly moved behind the amused witch to hide from, who she assumed, his mother. When Athena looked up, she was met with a familiar face, maybe it was a bit redder due to embarrassment. A wide smile graced Athena's face as she recognized the mother. Her close friend from Hogwarts, Molly Weasley.
After a quick scolding to William who gave his mother a look and muttered something about being called Bill, Molly had a small smile on her face as the two reconnected. When Molly was called back for her appointment, Athena offered to keep the boy's company in the room so that Molly could focus on her bump, Percy, she was told. She let the boys play with her stethoscope, listening to one another's heartbeats, and then when they were about to listen to hers, the appointment had ended already. The two old friends decided to keep in touch, Athena offering to babysit the two trouble makers (if she only knew), whenever Molly and Arthur are overwhelmed with three children or just need a break. They surely took her up on her offer, who would turn that down? However, it didn't stop there. It seems as though at least once a month the eldest Potter would make her way down to the Burrow, most of the time it was more like two or three times a month. The children absolutely loved her. The three children quickly grew into five with the news of Molly being pregnant with twins, two boys. Apparently, twins run in the family as Molly has twin older brothers - Fabian and Gideon- who Athena quickly got along with. It was one particular night at the Burrow that really changed everything for Athena.
It was just after an early dinner, Molly had cooked a wonderful dinner- like always. However, going on six months with twins, she looked a bit peckish, so Athena offered to clean the kitchen for her.
It was the least she could do for the young mom. Molly sat at the kitchen table and watched the women work. The boys were outside with their uncles who had joined them for dinner playing around in the grass, wrestling, playing with their uncle's wands. No doubt getting absolutely caked in dirt and grime and mud. She had just finished washing off the counters when she started on the dishes. The first dish she had picked up was a glass serving dish, while she began to wash it by hand when she heard the pitter-patter of little feet on the hardwood. She had heard Molly yell at the child to strip by the door before coming into the house. She heard some rustling before the little sound of walking was picked up again. With the glass bowl in her hand, she turned around to say something when the words stopped in the back of her throat. She couldn't breathe. There stood Charles Weasley, at a measly six years old, with a familiar marking on his chest as hers. She dropped the bowl in shock. She heard a yelp from Molly and Charlie but all she could do was place her hand on her own mark and contemplate life itself. She needed to leave now. She muttered an apology and rushed out. Using the flow system back to her own apartment. She threw herself onto the couch and started to sob. She needed her brother, he was the only one who knew about her mark, but he was at Hogwarts right now, so she was all alone to deal with her thoughts.
An hour had passed and Athena had not moved one inch. She knew she needed to, but she just couldn't get up. Then the last thing she wanted happening. Molly had used the Flow to get into her apartment, and she cursed herself for not blocking it. She didn't want to see anyone right now, especially her friend who she felt she has betrayed in some awful way. Molly sat next to her on the couch and tried to give her a hug but Athena pushed her away. Claiming she wouldn't want to touch her after she had told her what's wrong. Molly, seriously worried now, urged Athena to talk. Not finding the right words, Athena simply shifted her scrub top, which she had forgotten she was even still wearing, to the left to show Molly the same mark that she has seen every day for the last six years on her son. She started at it for a minute before bringing Athena into a hug as she sobbed mumbling “I'm sorry” over and over again to the older women. Once Athena had calmed down, she looked up at Molly, like a child ready to be scolded. Molly took pity on the young girl, bringing her into another hug, Molly said, “Sweetie it's okay. It’s not like you chose this either. Please don't cry, well get it all figured out in due time.” Athan nodded but kept in the embrace of the Weasley. However, things never truly worked out, because, within a year or two, a war was coming, and Athena Potter was smack dab in the middle of it.