The Diary

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Chapter 17*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

~Great Hall~

The bustle or lack of students during the beginning of the lunch hour was sluggish to say the least. They lazily made their way to their appropriate tables. Their hair all askew and their clothes all disheveled, it was amazing that they knew what was going on! It was amazing that they got up before noon, but that is not the point. The point is that one young student on the Gryffindor table did not look scruffy but that wasn't unusual for someone of her pride and family.

Rhiannon Malfoy was fresh as a daisy and attentive while she ate lunch with Will. Her clothes were simple, just a skirt, sweater, knee-high socks and her shoes were clogs.

"Where do you think Thomas is?" he asked her. "His detention can't have lasted this long, right?"

"Could not have," Rhiannon corrected to which Will gave her a quizzical look, "the proper way to that sentence was 'His detention could not have lasted this long" and the answer to that question is that it could have lasted this long. Remember ours? Who knows what kind of punishment Covington gave Thomas. He was the ringleader after all."

"But, if his detention is still in progress, the professor would let him out for a lunch break when she came to eat. Correct?" he nodded towards the head table where a tired DADA professor sat. She was mindlessly pushing food around her plate instead of eating it, but if she's here where is Thomas?

~In the Car~

They had walked from Hogwarts to Hogsmeade and had taken the train back to London. The ride itself was uneventful, but it gave the last remaining Potters a chance to bond. They talk of school, pranks, quidditch, and a certain Potions Master that had a stick up his... but that isn't important. What is important is what thoughts were floating in the back of Thomas's mind. Was he really going to see his mum's grave after so long? Would he learn anything else? Would seeing it change anything? Would it change him? All these questions and more plagued his mind till he heard his father laugh.

Even now, Thomas wondered about his father. Here he was driving a muggle automobile and singing to muggle oldies that were playing on the radio. The car was some new model of some company in Japan... Toyota. Why on earth would a wizard, and one of the most powerful ones at that, need a car? Thomas was bold enough to question him once and his only reply was...

"Your mother liked to have one around. She always loved the muggle world. She'd always beg me to take her out on the town every weekend and of course we very well can't just apparate right in the middle of London some other unsuspecting muggle town. The Ministry would've had our heads! Though she did magic the cars to go a lot faster then they are suppose to which would've also sent the Ministry head-hunters after us," he'd say, "Of course I'd have liked to see one of the Ministry goons try to overpower your mum... she'd have had them crying back to their mothers before you could say 'Snape's a greasy git."

The music was the same way... "Your mother got me into it. I think she fancied it in America and decided to bring it back with her... No I will not turn it off." Or something like that.

Looking at his father, the man known as the Boy-who-Lived, Thomas could never understand him. Here he was tapping on the steer wheel to the beat of the sing playing on the radio and murdering it with his voice and he was the Wizarding world's hero? He was soooo normal. Growing up, Thomas knew that he was rich and well known. Thanks to the nosy Daily Prophet reporters. But, in general, he led a quiet childhood with two very best friends and a father who loved him. Harry always went to his son's after school activities, like junior quidditch leagues, always kept up to date with his schoolwork and everything else he could. He was still a busy man. Harry was always running from meeting to meeting, Auror meetings, parent-teacher conferences, and Hogwarts governors' meetings. He was even asked to be the new Minister of Magic once, after Cornelius Fudge gave into paranoia and stepped down, but he refused and the job went to none other than Percival Weasley. All in all, the Potters lived a happy normal life despite the fact that they were one of the most famous wizarding families in the world.

"Are we there yet?" asked Thomas.

"Almost," Harry replies with a sad smile.

~Godric's Hollow Cemetery~

The two Potters passed headstone after headstone till they reached one of the back corners of the cemetery, the Potter lot. There was another lot of the Potters but that was near the Potter Mansion but this small lot held more importance to Harry, Thomas, and the history books, because this lot held three graves belonging to legends, Lily, James and Kali Potter. There was a slight argument about Kali's placement in the lot but she finished it before she passed on...

"I was never a Kensington, I never knew my grandfather's family and, though I am a Lupin, my place is with you Harry. I want to be buried as a Potter in Godric's Hollow," she told everyone towards the end. Everyone respected her wishes and no one argued.

Harry stopped and whispered, "Here we are." Thomas looked down and read the inscription.

Here Lies

Kali Lillian Potter

May 31, 1980~October 31, 2005

Beloved Wife, Mother, Daughter,

Friend and Hero

And Forever

"I am going to see my parents, so you can have sometime to talk," Harry told him as he left.

Thomas stared at the tombstone in a sort of awe. Here was his mother. "Hi Mum, I hope you are doing well wherever you are," then he paused as if thinking, "I... I'm reading you diary and trying to understand you but it's so hard." He ended the conversation there and laid his hand atop the stone gravestone.

"Thomas? Why don't you say hello to you grandparents so I can have a moment with your mother," Harry said. Thomas nodded and walked over to where his dad once was. After Thomas had left, Harry knelt down beside the grave. "Allo Kali," he told her as his fingers caressed the inscription. "Thomas is a handful as always and... and I've kind of met someone. She reminds me of you sometimes, but she is no where near as wonderful as you were. God I miss you Lupin." He rested his forehead upon the cold stone letting a small tear trickle down his cheek.

"Dad?" Thomas asked as he looked at his father, "Are you alright?"

"Harry stood up and wiped the stray tear. "Yes, now how about we get some food? I'm starving!" Both men laughed a little as a cool breeze whipped about them and lifted the fallen leaves into the air.

~Godric's Hollow, Potter Residence~

After having dinner, Harry disappeared for a bit and left Thomas to watch television. When he returned he had two books with him.

"Thomas, here is a scrapbook your Godmother made. It has some photos of your mum and some news clippings," Harry said as he handed a brown leather book to his son, "and this is a journal I guess that your mum wanted to give you when the 'time was right' and I suppose now is a good time." He handed him the second book. It was rather thin and the cover looked worn with age. The book itself was deep emerald green with silver trim and markings that resembled a snake. Thomas opened the book up and found nothing inside but blank sheets of yellowed parchment. He knew instantly what this book was. It was the same book that his mum found in Flourish & Blotts. It had to be.

"Thanks Dad," he asked while attempting to contain his excitement. His dad smiled and ruffled his already messy hair

"Now I have to take you back to Hogwarts or else McGonagall will have my hide," Harry laughed. He walked over to the fireplace and retrieved a pot that was on top of the mantle.

"No, can't we take the train or something. Anything... Anything but but," Thomas said backing away.

"I know you hate Floo powder as much as I do, but it's the fastest way to get back to Hogwarts," he said. "So you first or I'll prevent your Granddads from sending you any packages filled with pranks."

Thomas grumbled as he crossed the room. He grabbed a pinch of powder and shouted, "Hogsmeade!"

After he was sure that Thomas was gone, he took a pinch of powder, returned the jar to the mantle and shouted, "Hogsmeade!"

~Back at Hogwarts~

The carriage ride back to Hogwarts was uneventful to say the least and after saying their goodbyes, Thomas returned to Gryffindor Tower. He laid on his bed and thought of the last thing his dad said to him...

"Now Thomas, I know that Kay... Professor Covington and you had a disagreement, but I think you should listen to her and do as she tells you. She is a professor and only wants to help you. I don't know what has been happening to you but do you really want to get expelled from Hogwarts?" he said.

*Maybe I should give her the book I mean... Book! I haven't even looked at the books Dad gave me!* he thought as he grabbed the books. He already knew what the green one was so he went on to the scrapbook. He opened the cover to see a note from his Godmother...

Dear Thomas,

How have you been? I wouldn't know since YOU HAVEN'T SENT YOUR POOR GODMOTHER ANYTHING! Luckily, Rhiannon has been kind enough to tell me how you are. Call this an early Christmas gift, if you will. I thought you'd like to have an album of pictures of you, your mum and dad. I also included so other things that I thought you might find interesting. And please send me an owl sometime soon.

Love,

Ginny

*How could I have forgotten to send Ginny and Ron owls?* he berated himself, *It's because of the diary and you know it! Maybe Professor Covington is right. I have become obsessed with it.*

He shook his head free of thoughts and began to flip through the book. The first half seemed to be all photos. There was one when they were dancing at a ball during their Hogwarts years, the two from the trophy room, one of them kissing outside and another one of the group just after graduation. Then there were a few pictures of his mum with people he didn't recognize. Under the photos, in Ginny's impeccably neat handwriting, was scrawled their names and Boston. He didn't know why his mum was in Boston, but he was sure that he'd find out soon. After the photos in Boston were the pictures that concerned Thomas the most. They were pictures with his mum and him. There was one just after he was born. His dad looked so happy and his mum looked so tired but happy all the same. There were some more of his family but then, just shortly after his birthday, they just stopped... completely.

He flipped another few pages and found some news articles. There was one about her and his dad in the Teen Witch Weekly as one of the most talked about couples; 'Sorry Gals but the Boy-Who-Lived Found the Girl-He-Loves' or some other stupid title like it. Another one in the Daily Prophet about their wedding ('The Wedding of the Century') and his birth ('Potters Blessed with New Arrival'), but the last two disturbed him.

New Threat: Are You Safe?

February 7, 2005- St. Mungo's Hospital

Medi-Wizards and Witches have discovered a new threat to us in the war against You-Know-Who. They are calling it the Lupin-Potter disease after the first and only known victim, Kali [Lupin] Potter, the wife of the Boy-Who-Lived.

During an attack by Death Eaters, Mrs. Potter, an Auror, collapsed in the mist of dueling for no apparent reason. If not for the bravery of Draco Malfoy, her partner and fellow Auror, she would not have lived through the battle. She was rushed to St. Mungo's Hospital where doctors monitored her vitals for twenty-four hours.

"After much testing, it is still not clear whether the affliction that the patient [Potter] suffers from is a natural biological disease or a curse or hex of some kind," stated Dr. Susan Bones. "I've never seen anything like this before."

Kali Potter is now resting at home in her Godric's Hollow residence with her husband and son. It is unknown whether or not the disease is permanent or temporary.

"Nothing to worry about, I'll be up, and fighting the good fight, in no time," replied an optimistic Potter when questioned about her health.

Symptoms of the illness include fatigue, sluggishness and significant fluctuations in magical ability and energy. If you or anyone you know are suffering from these signs please go to your nearest Medi-Wizard or Witch immediately.

*Mum was sick? Why didn't anyone tell me?* he thought as he moved on to the next article.

Famous Auror Found Dead

November 1, 2005- Godric's Hollow

This morning the body of Kali Potter, age 25, was found atop a hill near her Godric's Hollow residence. Most will remember her as the 16 year old Tri-Wizard Dueling Champion, the 1998 Head Girl of Hogwarts or the lucky witch who won the heart of Harry Potter, but she has done much to help the world. She has served as an Auror for the American Department of Magic for two years and the British Ministry of Magic for the last five years. Her most notable achievements include; her part in defending Hogwarts in the attack of 1998, her assistance in the capture of Lucius Malfoy and the capture of Peter Pettigrew.

According to the Official Ministry report, it is believed that Mrs. Potter was attempting to capture a Death Eater who has been making persistent threats towards the Potter family. It is not known how she was killed, but Aurors assigned to the case speculate that it was a trap set by the Dark Lord himself. With her condition, it was unlikely that she could fend off any attack.

"She [Potter] was not only a remarkable Auror, but a loyal daughter, loving mother and wife and a great friend. I promise that the murderer will be captured and brought to justice," said Draco Malfoy; head Auror of the investigation and longtime friend.

"Mrs. Lupin-Potter was a fine Slytherin and an excellent student. Too bad she mixed with the wrong sort," Severus Snape, Potions Master at Hogwarts and Head of Slytherin House.

Kali will be missed by all witches and wizards throughout England. Our condolences go out to Harry Potter [husband, age 25], Thomas Potter [son, age 1], Remus Lupin [father, age 48], her friends and associates.

*But I thought she... I thought she died during the final battle,* he thought. *This took place months before the final battle.*

Too tired to think anymore, Thomas dressed for bed and fell asleep long before anyone else came up to the dormitory.