A good defence.
Nia's read the terribly titled book on Fae four times over in the last four days. Along with every other fairytale she can find but there's nothing conclusive. No studies or sightings. There's more concrete information on Nargles than there is Fae.
Nia brushes the thought aside, trading it for her Christmas timeline. They should have a month in the past. That's the calculations the portkey was given to spend December with the Potters. Harry staying occupied while Nia goes on a Horcrux hunt with a young Wolfstar and if all goes well, Regulus Black.
Harry hasn't said anything about it. She knows he's regrouping. Trying to understand what exactly Nia was offering. Sirius, who stayed in Hogsmeade for his birthday, is equally silent. Remus sees him more than Nia does these days.
She's sitting in her office trying to figure out how to cover the Petunia issue when Remus storms in half wild. Angry werewolf the day before the Full moon. How brilliant.
"Professor Lupin, shouldn’t you be resting?" She tries to say in a soothing voice, it's not working too well.
"How stupid are you?" He yells and she purses her lips. So Sirius told him. It's good their reconnecting though she would have appreciated it being done in a way that doesn't include being screamed at by an angry yet sexy werewolf. She can feel Petunia's judgment on the second half of that though but brushes it off. Petunia made them have a dream about Severus last night she can't judge.
"I'm actually exceptionally bright, if a bit radical. I have a plan." She responds brushing her hormones back into the part of her brain she keeps the rest of her twenty year old Virgin personality.
"I know your plan, Hope. It was stupid then, and it's stupid now. Don't do it." He practically grows then curses himself out for the slip up. Hold up, Hope. Sirius would never betray her trust and even if he did he doesn't call her that. So if Remus does that means.
She did it. Whatever the final ingredient is she'll get it because Remus remembers it. Why doesn't Sirius?
"That's not how time works. If you know me from seventy-nine then to seventy-nine I must go." She responds and goes back to the plan with the new information. He growls and tosses her papers across the room with magic. She'd just organised those.
"I have spent the last four days trying to console a weepy Sirius Black. Why tell him if you're not letting him go."
"Because One. I try not to keep things from my family unless it's necessary and even when I do I try to give good reasons, Two. Sirius was already in Seventy Nine if he came it would break time." Nia answers and Remus looks ready to tear out his hair.
"You understand how insane you sound? Regulus has been dead for fourteen years! You cannot go back and change someone's death." Oh so he knows the whole plan then.
"Technically he was presumed dead fourteen years ago. No one knows what happened to Regulus, not Voldemort or Dumbledore or his parents. I do. I know exactly what happened and how to stop it without disturbing the timeline. This is what I do Remus, quite literally what I was born for and I don't remember asking for permission." She responds calmly resting her head in her palms as Moony's eyes flash gold. "You're quite sexy when you're mad Moony." He looks ready to rip her throat out before abruptly giving in and slumping into the chair. The book says her suggestion doesn't work on other higher magical beings like Werewolves and Houselves so hopefully that means she actually won the argument.
"Can I at least convince you to leave Harry at home?" He tries instead looking incredibly tired.
"And deny him the chance to meet his parents. That's cruel." She responds and he shakes his head.
"Forcing him to say goodbye all over again isn't? Your plan isn't foolproof. Padfoot says Harry has one Voldemort free year. Let him keep it." Remus argues and she pauses.
"Next year Voldemort is coming back and Harry's childhood ends whether we like it or not. This isn't a whim just to prove I can. I know that once Voldemort rises it'll be too dangerous to take Harry to Godric's Hollow on Halloween and it's not saying goodby again. He never got to know them the first time Remus. I need Regulus's help and I am going to get it while Harry spends Christmas with his parents. You can help me or you can stay out of my way." She says simply and Remus sighs in exhaustion.
"Can I ask one favour then?"
"You can certainly ask."
"My Nineteen year old self, don't hold what he says or does against me," Nia laughs the tension of their argument dissipates with the sound.
"I'll do my best, though I'm more worried about Sirius. Were you two together back then because we have a tendency to flirt. There's nothing to it but I don't want a jealous Moony on my hands."
"We were but it was the seventies, you don't need to be worried about that." He says something close to embarrassment on his face. "I should go, Harry has a Patronus lesson soon." Fleeing as quickly as he stormed in Nia wonders what goes down in the seventies to cause that but ignores it. She'll find out soon enough instead thinkingabout how It's a good thing that Harry's working on his Patronus already especially with the quidditch match coming up. Though they only just started so maybe a backup plan is required.
Nia goes to find Snape who has fifth year Slytherpuffs right now. He doesn't look pleased at his lesson being interrupted but softens his gaze slightly when he sees it's her.
"Need something Evans?"
"Someone. Can I borrow Diggory for a few minutes?" Goldilocks looks confused but Snape allows it and the golden haired Golden boy meets her in the Hallway.
"Am I in trouble Professor?" Cedric looks like he can't think of why he would be but can't think of any other reason Nia would ask to speak to him. Which is fair enough she supposes.
"No, and it's just Evans you know that. I need to ask a favour." She answers and he rolls his eyes at her argument against the title.
"From me? Aren't the twins your usual partners in crime?" True and she supposes she could ask them as well but they'll be busy with the actual game. Not that Cedric won't but Seekers are only focussed on the snitch and spend most of the game watching each other anyway.
"Usually but they aren't Seekers. You know Harry has a tendency to get attacked in the first game of the season?" She asks and he nods. "Well this year dementors will attack him and he falls from his broom which is destroyed by the Whomping Willow. I know it's a competition but you're a good kid so I was hoping you'd be willing to keep an eye out and maybe catch him before he falls a hundred feet?"
"I'll do my best. Ever think he's better off not playing Quidditch?"Cedric suggests and Nia gives a soft chuckle.
"All the time but he loves it and I can't say no to those puppy dog eyes." This time Cedric laughs and it honestly sounds like bells ringing. How is this kid perfect? What sorcery did his awkward father work to make sure of it?
"It is pretty cute, it's like his eyes get greener when he's sad." Cedric agrees and Nia gives him an eyebrow. While she'd always like the idea of Harry and Cedric, three years is a rather major gap when they're this young.
"His mother had the same thing." She smiles and clears her throat. "I'll let you get back to class but thank you Goldielocks." Cedric nods and walks back into potions.
Nia has second years next and sets the same bloodline assignment Harry had much to Ginny's satisfaction, she groups with Luna and a muggle born Ravenclaw that lives in Glasgow. The permission forms will be sent out to parents tonight after dinner.
Harry comes in after class ends looking like a ghost himself. Ginny looks worried but Nia shakes her head and the redhead follows Luna out.
"Hey Hero. Do you want some chocolate?" His normally golden brown skin turns from grey to green.
"No thank you." She can't help but laugh as he sinks into his chair half asleep already.
"How are you feeling?"
"Dementors suck," Harry states simply rubbing his temple before looking up with a half arsed smile he definitely learnt from Nia. "Pun intended."
"How's Patronus practice going?"
"Uncle Moony says I'm better than he expected. It's not corporeal yet, but It's enough to keep the Boggart away. I just need a stronger memory if I want to stop a real Dementor."
"That's always the goal." Nia smiles and Harry looks calculating. "You got a question, Hero?"
"What are you up to? I mean it's not like they used time travel in the Original timeline since you had to have the twins figure it out. Why risk it, I mean it can't just be for me."
"Everything I do is for you. But you're right I have another reason. You know how Professor Snape used to be a death eater, but when Voldemort went after your mum he had a change of heart?"
"Yeah, funny that it took his best friend being targeted to realise he was on the wrong side." Harry mutters but Nia ignores it.
"Voldemort disappeared before he figured out Snape defected so Original Timeline. There's nothing to stop Snape slipping back into double agent mode." She continues and Harry gives her his full attention. "When I dragged him into being a better person I made it clear to the Death Eaters he's not one of them anymore, losing Dumbledore a spy in Voldemort's ranks. Thankfully there's another defected Death Eater that Voldemort never knew defected because he died and no one knows what happened to him,"
"Except you." Harry safely assumes and Nia grins
"Except me. You're going to spend Christmas with your family and I'm going to save Regulus Black, it's a double family reunion."
"That sounds dangerous, and If Regulus doesn't die won't that mess up the timeline. He's Harper's Bio Dad right?"
"Oh extremely dangerous. Yes he is and it would change things if we just left it at that but we're going to take Reg home with us. He still disappears and we get a secret spy."
"That's incredibly convoluted." Harry says simply and then yawns.
"You don't know the half of it." She responds and he blinks slowly, eyes drooping closer to closing every second."You need to go to bed, I'll have Sookie or Dobby bring you some dinner, don't worry about me. I have it all under control." She promises and his shoulders noticeably loosen. Fuck this suggestion and all the ethical issues it brings.
"You don't have to feel bad. I know you can't control it," Harry yawns, apparently reading Nia's face. "Uncle Moony promised to teach me to recognise Suggestion as well." Harry explains and Nia smiles sadly.
"I'll find a way to control my powers, I promise but just in case, did you read what Fae's weaknesses are?" She asks and he looks worried.
"Iron, and um, names. If someone uses your true name they can control you which is why you don't use it even at home,"
"Exactly, if I go too far I need you to promise you'll stop me." Shae asks, feeling guilty for the added pressure but knowing he was the only one she could trust completely.
"Aunt Nia you won't,"
"Just in case. Everything I do is for you but the road to hell is paved with good intentions. You're the Hero and I'm here to serve you, so if I get too big for my boots it's gotta be you that stops me." Tears are welling in her eyes and Harry looks worried. "I'm about three years late but, hi Harry I'm Amelia Rosalie Hope." She offers a hand to shake and he rolls his eyes but takes it.
"Amelia Rosalie? You do not look like an Amelia Rosalie."
"Yeah well, that's the name my mother gave me. She had high expectations, I think she wanted me to marry Rich and save our family from poverty." Nia answers and Harry smirks.
"Well maybe not marrying rich but you adopted a kid with a trust fund and a mansion so I suppose you succeeded." Nia laughs and he stands up to hug her.
"Thank you by the way for figuring it out. Once again you're my Hero" She returns the hug and kisses his hair. "Now go to bed."
The day of the Full moon Nia brings Remus breakfast in bed only to walk in on something she most definitely wasn't meant to see. At first she didn't notice, Remus was sat on the bed with his back to her, a nice back decorated with years of faded scars. They weren't ugly, especially knowing where they most likely came from, it isn't until he makes a low wordless noise does Nia notice the silky black hair bobbing in front of him
She doesn't look away nearly as quickly as she should, almost Hypnotised as she watches Sirius move until she remembers herself. She turns around and knocks loudly trying not to blush at the sound of Padfoot disengaging from previous activities. At least they're getting along again.
"Nia, what a pleasant surprise, enjoy the show?" Sirius asks and she can hear the amusement in his voice as Remus Shuffles back into his pants.
"I was under the impression Moony would be quite weak today and brought him breakfast, I should have known you'd be taking care of him." She mutters trying to will her blush to fade. "You guys know this is a school right, if I were seven years younger that would have traumatised me."
"You're safe to turn around now Hope." Moony's voice says with far more embarrassment than his partner, at least she's not alone in it. She places the tray of chocolate chip pancakes on his cluttered desk and goes to see herself out but Sirius takes her hand to stop her.
"Padfoot, I'm not sure what devil's three-way fantasy you've got going on in your head but I'm not that kind of girl." She quips and Moony laughs while Sirius looks puzzled.
"Devil's three-way?" The pureblood questions and she remembers how little they know of Muggle religion. Noting that for a later lesson Nia just rolls her eyes.
"Two guys, one girl, It's a muggle term
And a joke before you get any ideas."
"Noted,and the ideas were already formed Love. That was not the purpose of stopping you though. We wanted to talk to you about Christmas. Or rather what comes after."
"New years?" She plays dumb with a smile and Moony shakes his head.
"You say you want to save Regulus so he can be a spy but what's the endgame? Are you saving my little brother just to throw him into the Snake pit?" Sirius asks and Nia purses her lips.
"Is there a surface of this room safe to sit on?" She asks and Sirius grins wolfishly in a way that makes her think the answer is no. "Cleaning charm on the Ottoman then please," Remus grabs his wand from the bedside table and does as instructed. Nia hands Remus the tray of food and takes a seat before turning to the two half naked men.
She tries not to stare but holy shit they're both unfairly hot and she's only human. Sirius grins at her when she doesn't respond with her usual witty speed.
"See something you like Hope? I thought you weren't that kind of girl." He teases taking a bashful Remus's fork and stealing some pancakes.
"Just put a shirt on you whore," He laughs a brilliant uninhibited laugh and Nia can't help but grin at Remus. Just being here with Sirius has brightened him, even with their issues. She's glad they have that with what's coming.
"Severus was Dumbledore's pawn, I know you have issues with him and that's for you to figure out but Because of Dumbledore's game he ends up dead. I can't promise Regulus will survive the war coming just like I can't promise the rest of you will. I can only promise to do my absolute best to bring your baby brother home safely." Nia says as earnestly as she can.
"Why do you even need a spy? Can't you see everything?" Remus asks leaning forward while eating his pancakes.
"Time isn't unchangeable, the two of you and what I just walked in on proves it, I know one timeline. But Voldemort knows what I am and that makes him unpredictable. That is why I need Regulus."
"You really think you can outsmart Dumbledore and Voldemort?" The werewolf says incredulously and she shrugs.
"They're playing a game of chess using all of you as pawns, but while the kings run the game the Queen holds the most power." She grins and they both roll their eyes. "Besides. I'm dying to meet Lily and James, anyway I have third year Ravenpuffs to teach. You two can go back to what you were doing."
She heads off quickly but not quickly enough to miss Sirius's reply of, "Well she did insist," and the sound of a zipper being undone just before the door closes. Bloody hell Padfoot.
Class is uneventful the students question exactly why they'd need to fine the length of a hypotenuse and Nia answers it'll be on the Owl and moves swiftly along. Much like her teachers did seven years ago. The circle of life.
Harry's class is tense. Draco has ditched more often than not but chose this lesson to show up though based on his posture he plans to spend most of it reading in the back.
Without him and Hermione leading the in class discussions things are clunky, Neville does his best to step up and fill the void and Blaize tries to convince Draco to pay attention but it isn't the same. The bell rings on an unproductive lesson again and Hermione walks in crying.
"Hermione we're going to be late for Divination," Ron starts to say until he notices the waterworks and backs off immediately.
"I'll see you there." Hermione sniffles and Nia shares a look with Harry. When the room clears Hermione wordlessly locks the door with no effort at all and slams her time turner into the desk.
"You just came from divination didn't you?" Nia asks softly and Hermione bursts into tears again and Nia hugs her till she calms down.
"I quit, she said I was small minded and talentless. Unable to see anything that isn't directly in front of me." Nia cringes, she knows Hermione probably pushed Trelawny but she's hard this argument with Sev a million times, being the Adult means acting like one.
"You have no use for Divination. Let me worry about the future while you work on keeping those boys from getting themselves killed, or worse expelled," Hermione laughs at her own line repeated back to her.
"Why do you want the time turner?" Nia knows she never directly asked for it but it's not a surprise Hermione suspected she does.
"An experiment. If it works you'll know and I'll tell you how I did it." Nia says hoping Hermione would take the nonanswer. She does and Nia wonders if that was a suggestion? Why are there not more books on the Fair Folk? Fairytales are all well and good but if she's manipulating the people she cares about she needs to know how to turn it off.
"Do you have a class to get to now?" Nia asks and Hermione looks guilty as she stares at the time turner on the desk. Right, she's already been to both classes but used it again to come back and have this conversation with Nia. "Why don't you hang out in my rooms till your next one, you can go through my books or take a nap. I highly suggest the latter."
"Thank you Professor." Hermione says as the next muggle Studies class file in. Fourth year Gryffinpuffs. The bushy haired teenager flees into Nia's room as the teacher clears her throat.
"Let's discuss the theory evolution,"