Chapter 2
Lily Jasmine Evans loved to think she was a normal girl. She was a plain looking girl (in her opinion) with auburn red hair and bright green eyes. She was neither tall nor small. Her body was thin but not as curvy as her year-mates. She liked reading fiction books and loved going to charm class. She was rather reserved but was not shy – something some learned against their own perils in the past. She’d also had a normal life – at least as normal as a muggleborn witch does in an era where anti-muggleborn sentiments were widespread. She had a few friends and was chased after by one arrogant boy named James Potter who seemed crazy about her. Or, rather, she had been.
Lily looked up from the ground. She was currently patrolling the corridors with James Potter, looking for trouble-makers and other students who shouldn’t be out of their common room on curfew. The evening with James had been... weird.
From the beginning, Lily had been surprised that James would be the one to accompany her for her prefect patrols, replacing her fellow prefect Remus Lupin. She knew why Remus was not available – he wasn’t as good at hiding his condition as he believed – and the full moon had been the previous evening. This was nothing new and Remus had been unavailable for some prefect patrols the previous year too. Last year though, James Potter had never decided to take over Remus’ patrols when he was unavailable.
When she had first heard about the temporary switch, she had groaned, believing James was trying to use the opportunity to flirt with her or ask her out. It surprised her when James did not of that though. In fact, he didn’t even speak to her. The only times she had heard him speak that evening was when she had asked why he had decided to take over Remus’ patrol. “I’m helping Remus. He’s my friend.” he had answered simply.
James had turned out to be rather good at the job. His experience has a trouble-maker had paid off as he had found more than his fair share of wandering students. He had looked for them at spots and corners Lily hadn’t even thought of checking. He had been good, surprising Lily.
As they walked back toward the Gryffindor common room to finish their patrol, Lily began honestly believing that James was different from the James Potter she had known in the past fifth year. She was also more than happy that he had not once tried to ask her out.
As they sighted the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, James passed his hand through his hair, making it look messier. Lily sighed softly. The only times she saw him do it was when James was trying to impress people – or ask her out. She knew it had been too good to be true. James was going to act like a prat once again.
Glancing at him, she saw him open his mouth. The words that came out shocked her.
“I’m sorry.” he said. Lily blinked.
“What?”
“I’m sorry.” he repeated, not looking at her. “For how I’ve acted toward you since our first year. I knew deep down I was bothering you but... well, there’s no excuse for it – but I believed I could somehow manage to change your mind, which just made everything worse. So, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for bothering you, annoying you, angering you and generally acting like an arse around you. I promise I won’t be a bother anymore.” he said, closing his eyes. It looked like it had been painful for him to do so.
Lily was surprised. She had never heard James Potter apologize before but here he was doing it to her. For some strange reason, instead of feeling relief that James wouldn’t attempt to ask her out again – or generally be a prat around her – she instead felt a small pang in her heart.
“I... accept?” she hesitated, not knowing how to answer.
James opened his mouth to say something else but, before he could, both he and Lily witnessed a big flash of light coming from a nearby corridor, followed by the sound of something falling on the ground with a THUMP. James and Lily glanced at each other before they ran in the direction of the light.
“What the fu-” he exclaimed when they arrived at the source of the commotion.
“James, language!” chastised Lily, though she was not looking at him.
In front of them and laying on the floor was a small looking girl with long, dense black hair. In her opinion, the girl looked a lot like James. The reason James had swore though was because of the condition of the said girl. Her Gryffindor robes were torn off at some places. The girl was also injured, blood slowly leaking out of the multiple cuts she had on her arms and legs. Her cheeks were also tear-stained, showing she had recently cried. In her hands was an empty silver goblet and a brown pouch.
“Do you think she was attacked?” asked James, immediately throwing himself at the side of the girl. Lily followed him and looked at him as he brought two fingers to the girl’s throat, looking for her pulse. He let out a small relieved sigh before he raised back on his feet.
“We need to bring her to the Hospital Wing.” said Lily.
“I know.” said James, using his wand to conjure a stretcher. Carefully, Lily levitated the injured girl on the stretcher. Then, they began walking rapidly toward the Hospital Wing. “Do you know her?” he asked.
Lily raised an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t I be asking you that? She look like a Potter!”
“I guess you are right.” he said, glancing at the face of the girl. “I never met her in my life, though, nor do I remember a Gryffindor girl looking like her. Do you? You’re a prefect – you might have seen or met her before.”
Lily shook her head. “Never met her either. I’m pretty sure she’s not a student here either.”
“Strange that she’s wearing Gryffindor robes, then.”
“Yes. It’s strange.” admitted Lily.
The girl on the stretcher suddenly let out a small whimper and James and Lily increased their pace. They reached the Hospital Wing in record time. Looking across the hall, Lily could see Remus sleeping in one of the beds. “Madam Pomfrey, Madam Pomfrey!” called James loudly.
The young healer walked out of her office at James’ call. She only needed to take one glance at the injured girl before she went in healer mode, ordering them around.
“Put her on the bed, Mr. Potter. Miss Evans, go grab a blood-replenishing potion in my cabinet.” she said very quickly. The two teens obeyed her and did as she asked. Their actions and talking caused a lot of noise, which woke Remus up.
“James?” he groaned, having noticed his best friend first. He rubbed his eyes. “What’s going on?”
“Someone who need healing.” said James as he continued to help the healer. Remus turned to see who was injured and was shocked.
“James... She look just like you – or like a female version of you would look like if you were smaller and younger.”
“I’m not the only one who think that, then?” asked Lily, returning with the potions.
“Is she a Potter?” asked Remus.
“I don’t know, mate.” said James. “I doubt it since my parents and I are supposed to be the last remaining Potters, but I could be wrong.”
“How did she end up here?”
“We don’t know.” answered Lily. “We were finishing the patrol when we saw a flash of light and hear something fall on the ground. When we went to the source of the light, we found her. We think she might have been attacked.”
“That’s a serious accusation.” said Madam Pomfrey. “But I believe you might be right. Her injuries were caused by spells. Someone did attack her. Miss Evans?”
“Yes?”
“Can you go to my office and Floo the Headmaster to come here? I believe he need to be here.”
Lily flushed. “Uh – I never used the Floo before.” he admitted. She knew how it worked in theory, having read about it, but she had no idea how to use it properly. She was scared she would make a mistake.
As if he could read her mind, James said “I’ll do it, don’t worry.” and walked toward toward the healer’s office.
Lily looked back in worry at the young girl. She already looked better, a lot of her injuries having been healed with the flick of a wand. However, a few of her injuries left scars behind.
Suddenly, without warning, Madam Pomfrey conjured a curtain around the bed, hiding them from view. “Can you help me undress her?” she asked.
“Me?” squeaked Lily.
“Better you than the boys.” said the healer, making Lily blush. “And yes, she’s injured on the stomach and I need access to the wound to see it. I also believe she would have a more comfortable rest if she was wearing less heavy clothes.
Tentatively, Lily helped Madam Pomfrey undress the young girl. Removing her robes and her shirt revealed a rather ugly cut on the girl’s flat stomach. “Damn.” exclaimed Lily.
Mrs. Pomfrey waved her wand over the injury, healing it. However, just like a few others, it left a scar behind. “Damn dark magic.” muttered Madam Pomfrey. Lily sent a questioning glance toward the healer. “Only dark magic will leave scars after an injury is healed with magic.” she explained simply.
“Oh.”
“Now, can you go bring me a pair of pyjamas while I finish healing her?
“Of course.” said Lily, passing through the curtain. She found James and Professor Dumbledore waiting on the other side. James’ face was full of concern while Dumbledore looked grave. “It shouldn’t take too long. We just need to dress her up.” she said. James raised an eyebrow but, thankfully for Lily, he didn’t say anything.
Lily found a good set of white pyjamas in the wardrobe near the potion cabinet and brought her back to the healer, helping her put it on the girl. Once they were done, Madam Pomfrey vanished the curtains, revealing the previously injured girl to the men. “She will be fine.” she said. James noticeably let out a loud sigh of relief. “Her injuries however were rather disturbing.” said Madam Pomfrey before she began explaining everything she had found. At the end, Dumbledore looked even more grave.
“Do you know who she is, Headmaster?” asked Lily. “James and I don’t – yet she was wearing Gryffindor robes.”
“I have no idea who this might be, Miss Evans.” said the headmaster. “In truth, it concerns me that someone we never heard about could suddenly be found in the castle.”
“Is there a way to know?” asked James. He was likely very curious about her identity as Lily and Remus had both mentioned how she looked like a member of his family.
“There is Legilimency, but it’s not exactly ethical. I do not like visiting the minds of others, especially not that of children.” he said with hesitation.
“But... wouldn’t it be better if we knew? Maybe she’s working for the Death Eaters or maybe she’s a victim of them who somehow ended-up here. Either way, we would need to know who she is.” said James.
Dumbledore sighed. Looking like it had been the hardest decision he had ever taken, the headmaster took out his wand and pointed it at the girl. “Legilimens.” he whispered.
Dumbledore had no way of knowing he would be getting more than he bargained for. When the headmaster had used the spell on the girl, he had only wanted to know a few, basic things: ‘What was her name?’‘How old was she?’ ‘Who were her parents?’ and ‘What is she doing in Hogwarts?’. However, the mental state of the girl who had seemingly lost everything was so chaotic that it made Dumbledore see things he had not wanted to see, like flashes of the girl’s life or entire memories. He even saw what had led the girl to travel to Hogwarts – including the battle taking place in the castle, her friends death, learning of his own death and an older version of sixth year Slytherin student Severus Snape leading the girl to the quarters of the Hogwarts Potion Master, giving her a potion that would send her back in time, sacrificing himself along the way to give her time.
With a gasp, Dumbledore withdrew from the girl’s mind and conjured himself a chair. It was a mark of how shocked he was that the chair he had conjured was a simple wooden one rather than his usual plushy purple chairs. Looking up, James and Lily noticed how much older the headmaster looked. Looking at them, Dumbledore said “Congratulations Mr. Potter, Miss Evans, you have a daughter.”
“WHAT!?” exclaimed the two teenagers at the same time. “What do you mean?” asked James.
“The girl is named Ariana Lily Potter. She was born in 1980. Her parents are James and Lily Potter – you. She joined Hogwarts in 1991. At the end of the 1995-1996 School Year, Voldemort attacked Hogwarts. Many of Ariana’s friends died, including her mentor who sacrificed his life to send her to the past. There is more to her life but it’s not my story to tell. Just – be warned that her life is tragic. She lost everyone close to her. Her mental state is not great. She will need help and support to put herself back together.”
“She... she really is our daughter?” asked Lily. Dumbledore nodded.
“I wouldn’t make a joke out of it, Miss Evans.” he said.
“Bloody hell.” whispered James, walking toward the girl. Conjuring a chair of his own, he sat at her bedside and took her hand. Lily was shocked to see the love and affection reflected in James’ eyes. He then conjured a second chair and looked at her, sending her a questioning glance. Lily could see the question behind his eyes. ‘Are you going to be here for her?’
It wasn’t a hard decision to take. It didn’t take her long to reach the chair and sit on it. If Dumbledore was right – and she began to believe it more and more despite how ridiculous it sounded – then yes, she would be here for her daughter. Her fifteen-year-old daughter not yet born. A daughter she would have with James Potter, of all people.
For some strange reason, it should disgust her to learn she would have a relationship with James. But, it didn’t. Not at all. It almost felt... right...