The Stranger in Diagon Alley
Chapter Two
The Stranger in Diagon Alley
Three months later, in the beginning of March found Lily Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew in Diagon Alley. Lily walking nervously through the nearly empty streets (only essential shoppinh was done nowadays) with one hand on her wand. James was at home with Harry today whilst Lily went shopping.
They never brought Harry out into the Wizarding World.
Just in case.
It would probably be the case even if there weren’t rumours of a potential prophecy surrounding Harry because there had been a few attacks in Diagon Alley over the last decade. After, Harry was born James had quit his job as an Auror apparently so he could be the primary carer whilst Lily studied for her Mastery in Charms. But really it was because they didn’t want to risk painting a bigger target on their heads. James and Lily had backed away from the Order, not going to meetings anymore nor being involved in counter-offences. Lily felt a little guilty for abandoning her people in their time of need.
But her son was more important.
They hoped if they stayed out of it, kept their heads down, then their son would be safe. Of course, that was likely a fool’s hope as everyone was in danger. That doing nothing didn’t mean you were safe.
But what else could they do?
They couldn’t continue fighting and risking their lives for the cause. Not with a baby dependent on them at home. Lily and James wanted their son to grow up happy and healthy. They had even discussed moving abroad after Lily completed her master in four years’ time if things hadn’t calmed by then.
And before if things got any worse.
They had considered moving already but Healer Summers was here, and they needed answers about Harry. Healer Summers had been more knowledgeable about potential species but apparently Harry was not a known species. Healer Summers had been able to narrow down that he was mammalian – due to the fact he was happily drinking formula with no problem and his temperature wasn’t impacted by his environment. But, aside from that they had no idea nor did any of her colleagues.
It meant that they just had to play it by ear which was nerve wracking because it meant that they were guessing and all the baby books they had bought couldn’t be trusted. Currently, Harry at about seven months old was the size and weight of a six-week-old baby.
He didn’t seem interested in anything but formula, but he did seem to be communicating more both verbally and telepathically. He hadn’t said anything yet, but he had begun sending images to them and making sounds like he wanted to speak which was early for a seven-month-old human. But again, they didn’t know if that was normal.
Still, it was coming up for James’ twenty-first birthday and Lily and the Marauders were out shopping for presents for him. They were currently surveying the latest line of brooms at Quality Quidditch Supplies.
‘We should get him a new broom,’ Sirius was saying. ‘He’s still flying his school broom.’
‘We left school less than three years ago,’ pointed out Remus. ‘And a new broom is quite an expense.’
‘James doesn’t fly as much as he used to,’ Lily added. ‘Not since Harry came into our lives.’
‘How is he?’ asked Peter, his voice high pitched.
‘Happy, healthy,’ Lily smiled. ‘Communicating more and more with us.’
‘Have your Healers been able to identify what he is yet?’ asked Sirius.
‘Not so loud,’ hissed Remus. ‘You know wizards don’t treat kindly to those who are not human.’
‘No,’ Lily said softly. ‘But he’s happy and healthy … we think … so we just have to go with the flow. We have monthly meetings with Healer Summers to make sure everything is going as it’s supposed to … or as much as we can tell anyway and see if there are any further clues on his heritage. Anyway, James doesn’t need a new broomstick, but he would love the newly released England kit for next year’s World Cup.’
‘Oh, that’s a good idea,’ grinned Sirius.
Sirius bought him the kit and Remus bought the flag that went alongside it which was much cheaper. They left the shop with the first set of presents bought. Now it was just Lily and Peter to buy for him. Lily wanted to go into the enchantments shop to see if there was any new cloaks or objects that James would like.
But as they exited the shop a young man came darting out of a pop-up stand that Lily was sure hadn’t been there when they went in. Although, this was magic so it could have been assembled whilst they were in the shop. But, why would Quality Quidditch Supplies decide they needed a pop-up stand just outside their shop.
The young man was tall with a curly mop of black hair, hazel eyes very like James’ and a freckled face. He was wearing bright green skinny jeans, clashing with the orange leather jacket (dragonhide possibly), over a shimmery silvery shirt and turquoise sneakers. Completing the ensemble was a red fez perched jauntily on his head. He looked to be in his early twenties or late teens, probably about Lily’s own age.
He must be pure-blood trying to blend in with the Muggle world Lily decided.
Robes would be more inconspicuous.
He darted out and ran face first into Lily and managed to bring them both crashing to the floor. Luckily, Lily hadn’t bought anything yet so the fact that they both fell the floor wasn’t a big deal. But I did knock the wind out of her, and she could here Sirius laughing at her misfortune.
‘Oh, I’m so sorry,’ the young man spoke with a London accent. ‘All feet that’s me. Too much like my Dad, Granny used to say, does say, will say. Urgh tenses are so hard, aren’t they?’
He helped Lily up off her feet.
‘I really am dreadfully sorry-‘the young man was saying.
And then the world around them exploded into fire and silver masked witches and wizards appeared. Lily felt her heart hammer in her chest as their nice shopping trip turned into hell. As the murderous witches and wizards began to curse random passersby.
‘DEATH EATERS!’ screamed people around it.
‘Damn it,’ the man beside her cussed. ‘I was aiming for 2006. Hermione is going to kill me if I miss Rosie’s christening.’
Lily had already thought he was odd (even for a wizard). But now she wondered if he was already brain addled, or the explosion had knocked the sense out of him or if he was the victim of a befuddlement charm.
‘What year is it?’ asked the man. ‘If this is a Death Eater attack then it must be the 1970s to early 1980s or mid to late 1990s and that would be bad. Unless, it is the Neo Death Eaters of the 2020s. Or even the Death Eater Revival Movement of the forty-second century. I mean to say, what year is it?’
Lily still wondered if he was insane.
‘19th of March 1981,’ Lily said sharply.
The man’s eyes suddenly sharpened as she spoke as something seemed to make him tense up. Not an untypical reaction in a battle but Lily could tell the battle wasn’t really what was bothering this strange man.
It was her.
‘Lily Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin,’ smiled the man. ‘And… Peter Pettigrew,’ his lips curled slightly.
Suddenly Lily was being hugged by this stranger, ‘thank you,’ he whispered, ‘and I’m sorry.’
‘Yes,’ Lily said sharply. ‘Do we know you?’
‘Well, yes, well, no, well yes, well not yet, well sort of,’ the man said.
‘Glad that clears up everything,’ Sirius chuckled. ‘Are you an Unspeakable? I … well I heard rumours that the Unspeakables were working on Time Travel. And you didn’t know the date ….’
The man chuckled, ‘ten points to Gryffindor. Always, knew you were smarter than you looked.’
Sirius grinned, ‘thank-hey!’
The man laughed, ‘it’s nice to see you, to meet you, well something.’
‘You too,’ laughed Sirius.
‘So, who are you?’ asked Lily feeling ill at ease with this man who obviously knew them, but she didn’t know him.
Thank you.
I’m sorry.
What did that mean?’
Why did it sound so ominous?
‘Call me Tyler,’ the man said.
‘That’s not your name,’ Lily said.
‘No,’ “Tyler” admitted. ‘But we will know each other so it is best not to say too much. Timey wimey. We don’t want to risk changing the future, my past. Things become … complicated when you mess with your own time too much.’
Lily blinked not knowing what to say to that.
Luckily for her Bellatrix Lestrange’s cackle meant that they didn’t have to speak too much. The woman had always hated her. Lily knew why, of course, in the mad witch’s eyes she was a “Mudblood trollop” who had seduced a fine upstanding pureblood by her whiles.
‘Ah, the mudblood whore who has brought the Potter family down to its knees but couldn’t even provide an heir,’ cackled Bellatrix.
‘Shut your mouth,’ Lily snapped.
She knew what the pure-bloods thought of her, but she wasn’t going to say that it was James who was the problem not her. That was not any of her or anyone else’s business but theirs. She was sure the other Marauders knew, and Mary, Marlene and Alice knew but that was only their closest friends.
Bellatrix cackled.
Lily flushed; she shouldn’t have taken the bait. Bellatrix just wanted to get a rise out of her.
‘The beast,’ continued Bellatrix.
Remus flinched.
‘And the blood traitor,’ Bellatrix scowled. ‘You continue to bring shame on our family for associating with filth.’
Sirius grinned, ‘nah, you do that all by yourself for following a madman.’
Bellatrix snarled, ‘YOU ARE NOT FIT TO SO MUCH AS UTTER MY LORD’S NAME!’
‘I do,’ Sirius said grinning.
‘Crucio,’ Bellatrix said.
Sirius darted out of her way as they drew their wands. Lily’s eyes were drawn to the bronze device that looked like a wand except it was made out of metal and had what looked like a diamond embedded in its head.
‘Protego,’ “Tyler” cast the diamond glowing bright red as he did so.
It shouldn’t have repelled a crucio but somehow it did.
‘How did you do that?’ demanded Lily.
‘I’m a Time Lord,’ “Tyler” said as though that made any sense. ‘Incendio,’ shouted the man his diamond glowing orange this time around.
It must be affected, by the type of spell he was using.
Bellatrix waved away the fire spell like it was an annoying insect.
‘Serpens Sorcia,’ shouted Bellatrix.
“Tyler” hissed sending the snakes away.
‘You can speak to snakes?’ Remus said surprised.
‘ONLY MY LORD CAN SPEAK SALAZAR’S NOBLE TONGUE!’ bellowed Bella.
‘You’re a parseltongue?’ asked Sirius looking betrayed.
‘Did you learn or were you born?’ asked Lily without being able to help herself.
‘Remus, yes, I can speak to snakes,’ “Tyler” said. ‘Parseltongue may be a rare gift especially in this country, but Tom Riddle is hardly the only one to be able to speak it especially when you go to Greece, Turkey and Asia. I’m sure there are others especially immigrants who speak Parseltongue in Britain but between the Ministry’s classification of it as a Dark Art and your master’s possessiveness over it I’m sure anyone with sense will keep it on the downlow.
‘And, no Sirius I’m not a Parselmouth. I’m an omni-tongue. I can speak all languages human and otherwise. It’s a gift … well from my father. And Lily that’s very complicated and you wouldn’t understand it anyway.’
‘Your father,’ Bellatrix seemed to latch onto that word. ‘Is my Lord your father?’
“Tyler” snorted, ‘I don’t think your Lord has the ability to father children with how he’s messed himself up with experimental Black magic. So, no I am not his son!’
He seemed very annoyed at that.
He’s heard it before.
Bellatrix frowned and seemed torn between continuing to fight even if it was possible that she was fighting her Lord’s son.
‘Sanguis ostende te ipsum,’
Bellatrix cast an illegal parentage revealing charm (well at least illegal using it against an involuntary person outside of very specific legal and custodial cases). James and Lily had used it on Harry to confirm there was no wizarding parents to make blood adoption illegal without their consent. No, wizards were listed but strange circular images had appeared above his head.
The same that were glowing gold above “Tyler’s” head.
And underneath in purple were the names James Fleamont Potter and Lily Elizabeth Potter.
Harry.
Suddenly, everything made sense.
Why he knew them.
Who he was.
Why he refused to tell them his real name.
Why he was very careful about everything he said.
‘Harry,’ whispered Lily.
‘That’s impossible,’ Bellatrix gasped.
‘Not with time travel,’ grinned Harry.
‘He’s an Unspeakable,’ laughed Sirius.
‘Avada Kedavra,’ hissed Bellatrix.
‘Vita inversa,’ Harry said and his strange wand (maybe it was common in the future) glowed bright gold.
‘Bella,’ Sirius whispered.
Bella was surrounded by the same bright golden light that was emitting from Harry’s wand. Lily had to shield her eyes from the sight. And when she returned to look the golden light was gone but so was Bella and in its place was a newborn baby with curly black hair sitting naked in a pile of Bella’s clothes screaming out her distress.
‘Bella,’ whispered Sirius shocked.
Lily picked up the baby and bundled her in her own robes using them as a swaddling cloth and cradling the baby in her arms. It may be Bellatrix Lestrange, Sirius’ deranged Death Eater cousin who tortured people for fun but currently it was just a baby.
‘I shouldn’t have done that,’ muttered Harry.
‘What did you do?’ asked Sirius sounding angry.
Lily knew that Sirius’ feelings to his family were exceedingly complicated. They had spoken about it when Lily and Petunia had had their final falling out. But the point was Sirius hated everything his family did, all their values, all their hate, all the darkness, but with some of them (not his parents) but his cousins and definitely Regulus he did love them deep under all that anger.
‘I reversed her personal time until she was a baby,’ Harry said tiredly. ‘I really shouldn’t have done that.’
‘But how?’ asked Sirius.
Harry sighed and looked around, ‘muffalato. I know you have figured out I am not human by the end of 1980.’
Lily nodded.
‘I’m from a species called Time Lords,’ explained Harry. ‘We’re time sensitive and can manipulate time in some ways. But then you blood adopted me giving me not just Time powers, but magic and they blended so I can do things that most Time Lords cannot. Well not without technology and bioengineering.’
‘Like reversing their personal time,’ Lily understood.
‘And travelling in time,’ Sirius chuckled. ‘You’re not really an Unspeakable, are you?’
‘I have assisted with them here and there over the years,’ Harry explained. ‘I think I am officially listed as a consultant.’
‘How long could it have been?’ asked Sirius. ‘You’re what no older than twenty-five.’
Harry chuckled again.
‘You age slower,’ Lily said.
Harry nodded, ‘at twenty-five I was equivalent of a five-year-old human.’
Lily blinked working out the maths in an instant. That meant Harry was aging at a fifth of the rate of a human. It meant that by the time Harry would be eighty-five-years-old when he was the same emotional level as an of-age wizard. It meant he would be fifty-five when he was ready to go to Hogwarts. It meant that Lily and James would be seventy-five-years-old when he was at that age which was not ancient for witches and wizards, but it was still old.
How were they going to raise their baby?
Lily had a bad feeling.
Harry hadn’t recognised her at first. Surely, he should but then again, she was twenty. If he wouldn’t be of the mental age of a five-year-old until he was twenty-five, then she would be in her mid-forties at that time. It was quite possible that it just took him a second to recognise her at this age.
But she didn’t think that was it.
‘We didn’t raise you, did we,’ Lily said quietly.
Remus and Sirius stilled.
Harry smiled sadly, ‘I’m sorry, Lily, I can’t tell you details pertinent to your personal future. I wish I could.’
He sounded very sad.
‘But you were happy, weren’t you, growing up,’ Lily said desperately.
This time Harry smiled, ‘yes, yes, I was.’
‘Is there anything I should know about you,’ Lily said.
Harry mulled it over, ‘I age at the fifth of the rate of a human as long as I’m on the same trajectory as a human at a fifth of the rate of a human I’ll be fine. My telepathy and my mind will grow quicker than my body. We’re a very intelligent race. I am sensitive to the flow of time so I may cry at key moments. But I wouldn’t worry too much about it – I’ll be fine, and I don’t want to say too much about the future it could break the casual nexus and change the future which will change the past which is a paradox which trust me is really bad. I saw one when I was a kid…’ Harry shuddered, ‘… and it was horrific…’
Harry stared off into space trauma written on his face.
Lily wondered what had happened.
Lily wanted to comfort her son but the next second those emotions were gone from his face.
Harry nodded, ‘anyway, you should take her home. She’ll have no memories of her former life. She has a fresh start. Maybe, if she is raised right, she’ll be different. Anyway, I have to be off; my best friends have just had a baby and I have to get her christening or Hermione will kill me. Goodbye, good luck and be wonderful.’
‘Where are you going?’ asked Sirius.
Harry grinned manically, ‘into time and space.’
Harry returned to the stall that he seemed to appear from behind and opened the window which should be the hatch that buyers would sell. But instead lights every colour of the rainbow shone out of it. The entrance widened until it was a door Harry stepped into it. There was the sound of wheezing and groaning and the stall was gone.
‘Well, that was…’ Remus tried to find the right words.
‘Insane,’ Sirius suggested.
‘Well at least we know what Harry is,’ Lily said. ‘That takes some weight off.’
‘And what he will become,’ Sirius said.
‘What are you going to do with her?’ asked Remus pointing at the baby.
The next minute Dumbledore was there making his way over to them looking old and tired and dirty from the fight.
‘How are you three?’ asked Dumbledore.
‘Fine,’ the three of them chorused.
At that point baby Bellatrix began to cry.
Dumbledore blinked, ‘is this Harry?’
‘No,’ Lily said. ‘No, I mean we decided to adopt a girl as well. I was just out shopping for things for her.’
‘Well, congratulations,’ Dumbledore said. ‘What is her name?’
‘Violet,’ Lily said without thinking. ‘To keep up with my family’s tradition of floral names.’
‘A lovely name,’ smiled Dumbledore. ‘I’ll be there when you want to blood adopt her.’
‘Thank you,’ Lily said.
********************************
Lily walked in the door and James threw his arm around her (only one because Harry was in the other one). James had had the wireless on when the news of the attack at Diagon Alley had been broadcast.
Lily was there.
Oh, Merlin, Lily was there.
He had wanted to go charging down to Diagon Alley, but he couldn’t because of Harry. He just had to wait, pace, listen to the wireless, pace, hope and pace. Harry who was usually quite quiet had begun crying. James thought it was probably his stress and fear effecting Harry through their telepathic bond.
He had tried to calm down.
He couldn’t.
James had paced.
Harry had cried.
And Lily wasn’t there.
So, when Lily had walked in the door James had flung his arms around her. Didn’t even realise she was holding another infant until he did so. James pulled back looking at the child with locks of curly hair and piercing grey eyes.
She looked familiar.
‘Who is this?’ asked James.
‘Our daughter,’ Lily said.
‘I’m pretty sure we don’t have a daughter,’ James said slowly.
‘Well, we do now,’ Lily said.
Then Lily began to tell her story.
It was crazy.
Harry.
Time travel.
Permanent de-aging.
But Lily believed it and Lily was no fool.
‘I … I don’t think we get to raise Harry for very long,’ Lily said softly. ‘He didn’t say as such … but it was a feeling I got.’
James hugged Lily, ‘we can’t know the future. He’s ours now and we will love and support him as much as we can as we will Bella.’
‘Violet,’ Lily admitted. ‘Dumbledore asked her name. I could hardly say Bellatrix now could I. Violet was the first name that came to mind.’
James nodded, ‘it will be okay, Lily.’
‘You can’t know that,’ Lily said softly.