To Dwell on Dreams

Mr. and Mrs. Potter were in the kitchen, fixing breakfast. Lily was humming the upper part of Bach's Invention in F Major while mixing the pancake batter. She missed their piano back in Godric's Hollow. "James, I wish you'd learn the lower part to this piece," she implored, turning to her husband. James looked up at her and shook his head. To top it off, he began to whistle "Accio My Darling," that ridiculous tune he knew she detested. Well, there was no use in humming glorious Bach anymore, not while James insisted on whistling that. She scowled and went back to mixing batter. James, however, kept gazing at her earnestly.

After a few seconds, Lily felt his eyes on her and looked up. Resisting the urge to grin, she looked at the stove and gasped, "The sausages!" James jumped and snapped his attention back to the frying pan in front of him. The sausages were fine, but Lily chose that moment to kiss him on the cheek. James froze; then he slowly turned to the ceiling and flapped his hands like little wings. Lily giggled. Nothing had changed since fifteen years ago...nothing except for, well, trivial things.

For example, James knew not to expect the sausages to "brown" in the literal sense; he simply waited till the sausages darkened to a healthy shade of grey. And Lily's Muggleupbringing came in handy, because magic didn't work here. Their house was smaller and simpler than Godric's Hollow, with few decorations and absolutely no wizarding equipment...they had lost their jobs long ago...the list went on.

An uninformed onlooker might wonder how Lily and James could face eternity under these conditions. But if there was one important change in their lives, it was the disappearance of true fear. Without fear, the Potters didn't need wands, or stereo players, or portraits hanging in the hallways, to be content. Even if boredom had ever been a possibility, Sirius's arrival in the neighborhood had removed it beyond a doubt. Now, the only thing Lily and James had to worry about was Harry.

"Hermione Granger really is a dear," said Lily, cutting her pancakes methodically into small squares. "Now I see why Edgar Bagman was so enthusiastic about that Oliver Wood boy. He's right, it's like meeting your best friend a few years too late. I wish I had more than five afternoons to get to know her." She paused, frowning. "Actually, it's more like four if you don't count the first afternoon, which was a complete waste."

"It wasn't your fault," James reminded her. "How were you supposed to know she would meet 'Jane Smith' while you were busy rereading that silly Muggle novel?"

"I should have thought about it more! When Sirius arrived and brought all that news, I should have immediately remembered Jane, I should have let her know! It was ridiculous, she even had to ask Hermione what year it was and everything!"

James snorted. "That is rather hilarious..."

Lily narrowed her eyes at him. "No, it isn't. Just you wait till it's your turn, and you're not on your guard.... You have no idea how horrible it feels to finish reading Pride and Prejudice, lean back, sigh with satisfaction and then suddenly realize you've just missed something very important..."

"Oh, you never told me - how are your meetings, now that you're actually consciously talking to the girl? What's her name again? I never manage to get it."

"She's Her-mi-o-ne, and she's sixteen, which means Jane looks sixteen and should act accordingly. Rather good fun, I must admit, acting sixteen again and getting away with it..."

James swallowed what he was eating and gaped in mock horror. "You, as your sixteen-year-old self? God forbid you ever act sixteen to me again - I'm not sure I could handle you always telling me exactly what you think of me."

"Oh, nonsense, I married you, didn't I? .... You know, ever since Sirius came, I've been wondering something. He should be almost fifteen years older than us now. Do you think he has to act younger when he's around us, to - I don't know, to fit in?"

"Well, the poor bloke was in Azkaban for most of that time, if you recall. It might have taken away a good number of his, er, maturing years. I'd guess that if anything, he'd have to act more cheerful to us, what with having hung around Dementorsfor so long.... I could ask him, if you're really that curious."

Lily's face lit up. "Yes, why don't you, but how about we invite him over here for a change? I haven't seen him for a while. Jane will be meeting Hermione again this afternoon - I could give you two a live report of what she says - and I'm sure Sirius is dying to hear any news of Harry. Of course we'd all like to hear it, but Sirius - well, you know Sirius."

"I have to admit I envy Padfoot, even if he was the one locked up for an age. He got to do a bit of fathering I wish I hadn't missed."

"Just have to have it all, don't you?" scolded Lily. "You never hear me make a jealous comment about Molly Weasley!"

"Well, my dear, don't expect everyone to be as noble-hearted as yourself," James said, by way of an apology. Lily scoffed, but looked pleased all the same. He continued: "Is it all settled, then? We are having Padfoot over for lunch?"

"It would have to be either a late lunch or an early tea."

"Let's make that an early tea. We could even have an early lunch to make up for it..."

"James!"

"Sorry, sorry, thought it wouldn't hurt to ask. So roundabouts when should I disturb Padfoot from his racing adventures?"

"How about somewhere close to two o'clock?"

At 2:05 James walked out of the house and strode across the courtyard to Sirius's cabin. He knocked sharply on the front door, but he suspected that the rumbling and cheering noises coming from inside had drowned him out. He knocked again, harder.

"Come in! Bloody git, can't he get out of the way..."

James lifted the latch on the door and let himself in. A familiar scene met his eyes: the grey pinewood interior; to the right, an unmade bed; closed blinds all around; and Sirius with his back to James, staring at a black-and-white Muggle TV set and furiously beating a video game controller with his thumbs.

"Move, move!" he shouted at his motorcycle, which refused to speed up.

"Er, Padfoot? PADFOOT!"

Sirius pressed a button on his controller. The screen froze; the shouts and engine growls issuing from the TV ceased. He turned to look at James, his face looking younger than it had when he was alive. "Prongs! I was wondering when you'd come visit me, I would have barged into your house if I weren't afraid of what Lily might say..."

"This is what Lily says: Would you like to have tea with us? Right now?"

"Right now?! But I'm in the middle - I mean - of course I'd love to. Keep forgetting that I've got all the time I'll ever need to play these Muggle games," he explained sheepishly.

"Yes, but tea and scones will only stay warm for so long. Lily looked rather proud of them, too. And you know how she is about these things..."

"I'm coming, I'm coming," Sirius muttered testily, shooting a longing look at the TV screen before shutting off the game.

"But she especially wanted you to come," James continued, "because she's meeting a girl called Hermione Granger and -"

"WHAT? Hermione, Harry's friend? She's not - dead?"

"No, no, far from it."

"But then how is it possible? Wait. Prongs. You don't mean to say that Hermione's her - her -"

"Precisely my point," James said, grinning at Sirius's shocked expression. "We thought you'd know her."

Having tired of piano practice for the day, Jane occupied herself by dusting the porcelain miniatures arrayed over the fireplace. A soft thump in the next room informed her that Hermione was back with her otter. Quick as a flash, Jane threw some powder into the fireplace. Bright yellow flames rose from the ashes. She didn't need them, but Hermione was still a mortal.

"Okay, you two," said Lily to James and Sirius. "I'll need most of my concentration for being Jane, but I'll try to repeat everything she and Hermione say."

James propped his elbows on the tea-table and rested his chin on one hand. Sirius leaned forward expectantly.

Something large and furry suddenly threw itself against Jane. "Well, hello again, mister!" she greeted the otter. "Or missus, but I don't want to look too closely. Glad to see me?" She patted the giant silvery creature and walked over to the couch. Hermione's head peeped in through the doorway.

"May I come in?"

"Certainly not!"

"Abuse of privileges!" objected James. "Only a sixteen-year-old could get away with a stupid reply like that..."

Hermione walked in anyways. "My otter can come in. Why my otter, but not me?"

"Because your otter is clever and doesn't ask for permission," Jane retorted. Hermione grinned and flopped onto the couch. Close to, however, Jane noticed that she looked frail and tired.

"What happened to you? You don't look too well."

Sirius snorted. "Isn't it obvious? She's like you, she must have overworked herself again..."

"Oh, I'm all right really," said Hermione with a bright smile and an oddly high-pitched voice. "Just tired. Long day. Ended well enough, though. I apologized to Harry!"

"Good for you! Wait, what about Ron?"

Hermione kept smiling, looking ever so slightly manic. "Well, he didn't really want to talk to me, you know? But Harry was really nice...he offered to bring me food from the kitchens, 'cause the house-elves hate me...." Her smile faded. "Come to think of it, he never came back...and I never went to bed. I must have fallen asleep in the common room! How silly of me." She laughed nervously, and Jane raised her eyebrows.

"Hermione. What were you doing all day?"

"Oh, nothing much, besides classes...just a lot of work..."

"And why on earth did you need Harry to sneak out for food?" Jane examined Hermione's figure. She had definitely lost weight since yesterday.

"Well, I woke up late this morning, so I didn't get to breakfast in time...then I forgot dinner because I was in the library..."

"What did you eat for lunch?"

Hermione looked puzzled for a moment. "I don't remember, though I know I did eat something. But that's enough about my life! I'm sure your life was a lot more interesting."

"I think she's been trying to find out who Jane is," muttered Lily darkly.

"Do something to throw her off!"

"Ask her about Harry!"

"Ask her about You-Know-Who!"

"Shut up, both of you!" snapped Lily. "I need to think!"

"Well, I'm sure my life was terribly boring," said Jane, "so let's just talk about something completely different. Er, what's the news been saying lately?"

Hermione waved her hand carelessly. "It's all about the war, how many Death Eaters have died, how many Aurors- oh, did you know Hogsmeade is under siege? Half the students went mad when they found out..."

"They put Hogsmeade under siege?!" yelled Sirius in disbelief. "But how - how could they do that, how can they stop people from Disapparating, or other things?"

"Does anybody know about the secret passage in that statue of the one-eyed witch?" wondered James.

"That lot would know, Hermione and Harry and Ron," Sirius told him, "theyhave our Marauder's Map..."

"Oh good! So it's become an heirloom, of sorts!"

"Don't be so thick," said Lily, "what if the Death Eaters find out about that passage into Hogwarts? There might not be another heir at all!"

"How about you?" Jane asked Hermione politely. "What do you think of the siege?"

"It doesn't bother me," Hermione said, beaming madly. "Oh - no - I don't mean it doesn't bother me that the inhabitants are in such danger - of course I feel very bad for them - but most people are just shocked because they don't know if they'll ever see Zonko'sor Honeyduke's again."

James muttered, "Well, that certainly puts me to shame." Then he looked at Sirius and both men grinned. Lily gave them a severe look.

Jane cleared her throat. "Ahem, er...has the passage in the statue of the one-eyed witch been blocked yet?"

Hermione's grin froze. "W-what passage?"

"You know! The one that goes straight into Hogsmeade."

"I didn't know there was one..." Hermione insisted, looking extremely confused. "That could be dangerous, couldn't it?"

"What is she playing at?" snarled Sirius. "She knows perfectly well what you're talking about!"

Jane looked at Hermione with furrowed eyebrows. "You know there's one...you had the map, the map with all of Hogwarts on it..."

Hermione looked around the room wildly. Then she leaped to her feet and stumbled away from the couch, staring at Jane with a horrified expression. She fumbled with her robes and whipped out her wand -

"Expelliarmus!"

Jane's wand flew out from the right pocket of her knitted cardigan. Hermione caught it with a shaking hand, her eyes still boring into Jane's. She scuttled even further backwards.

"Hey!" yelled Jane indignantly, rising from the couch in a flash. "What are you trying to do, kill me?!"

"Of course not, I can't! But I - I don't want YOU to - to - I know who you are!" she finally blurted out.

"What's the matter with you?" Jane shouted. "If you knew who I was, you wouldn't have just stolen my wand!"

"I know what just happened," whispered James with a kind of horrified fascination. "She thinks you're You-Know-Who..."

"I am not the Dark Lord!" Jane added forcefully.

"Then who are you?" Hermione shrieked, jabbing the air with her wand.

"I'm - I'm Jane Smith!"

"No you're not!"

"Well, maybe not under that exact name! But I am most certainly not - You-Know-Who!"

"How about a Death Eater, then?"

"Don't be ridiculous! Of course not!"

"How can I know? And why are you in color now?! Harry told me all about Tom Riddle, how Tom Riddle's image became clearer as he sapped the life from Ginny!"

Jane was struck dumb for a few moments.

"'...as he sapped the life from Ginny.'" Lily rounded on Sirius. "What, exactly what, is she talking about?" Sirius seemed to know the most about Harry and his friends these days.

"I - I don't know - what, has something happened to Ginny Weasley?" Sirius stammered. "But why 'Tom Riddle' instead of 'Voldemort'?"

"Listen, Hermione," said Jane weakly. "I don't know why you think I'm evil all of a sudden...though I suppose, as Mad-Eye used to say, "Constant vigilance!"...but please, trust me, I'm not trying to hurt you. I'm your friend, remember? Now, I do want to hear about Ginny. Has something happened to her?"

Hermione stood stock-still, her wand trembling in her hand. Neither girl moved for a minute. Then Hermione lowered the wand and collapsed onto the couch.

"I'm not giving you your wand back yet," she muttered. "But I'll tell you. It has to do with Salazar Slytherin and the purification of the wizarding race..."

"'...and then Fawkes carried them out of the Chamber, and they went into the staff room and cleared everything up. At least that's what they told me.'" Lily closed her eyes when she had finished repeating Hermione's tale. All three adults were silent.

"H-Harry did all that?" Jane asked in a small voice. "When he was twelve?"

Hermione nodded, apparently preoccupied with other thoughts.

"Look, Hermione, I - I think I need to be alone for a while. You don't mind, do you? Oh - right - you still - well -"

"I don't think you're Voldemort anymore," interrupted Hermione, looking a bit shamefaced.

"Yes - well - that's terrific. Er, do you think you'll be needing any of that Sleeping Sand today? You know, the stuff I put in your teacup last time."

Hermione snorted. "After my splendid performance tonight? I'm tired enough without it. Here's your wand, by the way. I'm really sorry."

"Don't worry about it. Hey mister," said Jane, turning around, "take her back to Hogwarts now, will you? Thank you for everything, Hermione..."

The giant otter bounded up to Hermione, who seated herself gingerly on its back. It padded towards the doorway. Hermione's eyelids were now drooping, but she had enough energy to lift a hand and give Jane a feeble wave as the otter carried her away.

"Wow," breathed James. "So that's my son."

"That's my son," agreed Lily.

"That's my godson," said Sirius, looking away from the Potters. "Do you know, Dumbledore told us about that incident once, while he was giving the new Order of the Phoenixsome background info on Harry...I'd almost forgotten it, or I would have told you...but Dumbledore never made it clear how - how brave Harry was about it. Or maybe he tried to, but I certainly didn't get it then.... Sometimes, I wonder if Harry ever really needed me, or if it was just wishful thinking on my part..."

"Sirius," said Lily gently, "Hermione says he never stops talking about you. He misses you terribly. I'll bet he needs you more than he needs us." She looked at James, who made the faintest of nods.

Sirius smiled sadly. "Thanks, but that's rubbish. Remember the Mirror of Erised? That's how Harry first saw his parents, you know."

Under the tea-table, James took Lily's hand and held it tight.

Outside the Potters' bedroom window, the only light came from the stars. Lily stared at them for a while, lost in thought. Somewhere, very far away, Harry was going to his classes like any other boy...and Hermione was with him.

She rolled onto her other side and tapped James's shoulder.

"Mmm?"

"James, I just remembered something. Hermione was the one who figured out that the monster in the Chamber of Secrets was a snake. If she hadn't been holding that page in her hand, Harry and Ron wouldn't have known what to do."

James turned to face his wife sleepily. "What are you getting at?"

"Well, she's perfect, isn't she?"

Her husband smiled. "Yes, I suppose the Ministry around here does its job properly. Now go to sleep!"

He buried his face back into his pillow.