Misguided Intentions

~~~~CHAPTER TWENTY: The Future Reborn~~~~

~~Daily Prophet, December 15th, 1997~~

It is with much excitement this reporter is able to bring you the exclusive events of what transpired on July 31st, this past summer at 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey in the Muggle world. It was surprising even that I was allowed to take this interview, for as some know I have been the cause of much speculations for the people in question over the years. I was soon to find out however, the reasons behind my appearance, and much more about the lives of the people I was sent to interview then I ever thought I would.

It was not more then a few days ago when I was called into a nice sized home in the town of Gravesend, the shared holiday residence of four of Hogwarts most well loved and admired professors - Potions Master Severus Snape, DADA professor Remus J. Lupin, Professor of Ancient Runes Dray Malloy, and Professor of Muggle Studies Harry Malloy.

Severus Snape is an enigma. He is somewhat handsome in features with his aquiline nose, long sleek black hair and eyes blacker then coals. He is proud and a bit aloof, the epitome of a true pureblooded Slytherin. He can be dark and broody at times according to his students, but he usually has a kind word, will favour no house over another, and is glad to give extra help when they need it. It was rumoured that he was a Deatheater , though when questioned he quickly changes the subject.

Remus J. Lupin is a complete contrast to the dark Severus Snape. Shoulder length golden brown hair with a streak of premature grey running through it, classical Grecian features, and a smile at almost any given time. He is soft spoken, mild mannered and easy to speak with which isn't surprising for a Gryffindor. He is fair to his students, and his knowledge of the dark arts is profound. It is amazing he was able to escape not being recruited by the dark lord when he was younger, but his answer to that was that it was 'a close call'.

Harry Malloy, the Muggle Studies professor is the third of this good looking quartet. His once black hair flecked with gold is now leaned more towards brown, showing signs of greying in a few places surprisingly, which he claims were results of 'undue stresses' early on in his life. Although he appears on the surface to be jovial and carefree, his brown eyes show a remarked sadness, and he's prone to become introverted on certain topics. Especially surrounding the deaths of his best friends James and Lily Potter. Even the mention of their son Harry seems to draw him further into himself, and he rarely joins in the conversation.

The last of the foursome is Dray Malloy. Highly good-looking with his strawberry blonde hair, tanned skin and deep blue eyes. Those eyes are deceiving though, for they will stare right into ones very soul, and you could almost swear he was seeing your innermost thoughts. He is a bit arrogant at times more like a Slytherin in nature then the Gryffindor he's said to have been. His students say he is a good Runes professor, though he can be strict when need be, but always fair.

At first I was hesitant, I wasn't sure why these four wished to speak with me since it's well known they do not like the press, especially me. They are also very protective of our hero Harry James Potter, who has declined to meet with anyone so far to date about that night. However, from what Remus Lupin told me when he contacted me, they felt the need to clear up a few matters in which the press has been gnawing at, and so here I was in their home.

Their home I can say is quite a contrast to the lifestyle of typical Hogwarts professors. It's surprising that four Hogwarts professors would live in the Muggle world, surrounded by Muggle friends, Muggle objects, but it quickly became clear they do actually enjoy this life. Muggle pictures are everywhere round their home, and it's clear that during their 'time off' from school, they leave the wizarding world behind them.

They appear to be fans of the Muggle sports 'football and 'ice hockey', several photographs of a 'football' team called 'Westham' and an 'ice hockey' team called 'the Streatham Chiefs' sit on the mantelpiece, some of them showing the four of them within the photos. They are supporters of the Muggle stage and cinema, and have framed portraits of several Muggle actors and actresses on their walls, most of them personally signed. The largest amount of Muggle photos are of some children, two boys and a girl, though I hadn't had time to really inspect them.

The sitting room in which I was brought was quaint, Harry saying it was a 'throwback' to when they were children and lived for a time in a house that was similar to 'old American ways' with natural furniture and wooden floors. A fire was lit for this cool time of year and the pleasant aroma of burning logs filled the lounge. The atmosphere was comfortable and cozy, so very much different then at Hogwarts school.

Their attire on their 'holidays' is as different as their home. Severus was dressed in a Muggle teeshirt and black denim jeans, a popular style amongst the Muggles in this day. Remus was a bit less casual in a nicely cut beige linen shirt with matching beige linen trousers. He says he enjoys being able to not have to wear tattered clothes whilst on holiday, for at school with all his creatures he has little choice or ruin a perfectly good wardrobe. Harry and Dray Malloy were dressed in similar fashion to Severus, with Muggle teeshirts and denim jeans, Harry in blue ones, Dray in black ones.

Though midmorning, tea was offered to me and scones which apparently Remus bakes himself, were passed round. They told me that they didn't have alot of time, they were due to leave for an 'ice hockey' match that afternoon with two of their Muggle neighbors (A married male couple that lived next door. From what I gathered the housing block they reside on is primarily gay couples and families).

At first little was mentioned of the reason why they had asked me to come to their home. Small chat was put forth, topics of the school, issues of what would be taught since Voldemort's demise, simple things. Finally after bout 20 minutes the conversation did turn to the real reason they wanted me to be there.

"We want the world to know what really happened, there's too much talk and idle speculations as to that night going round. We feel, and by that I mean we.." and Severus Snape points to the group, "and Harry Potter, feel it's time for the world to know the truths, not the chatter."

"You know the circumstances surrounding the betrayals of the night of Oct. 31st, 1981, how Peter handed them over to the dark lord, and what happened after that..." Remus said thoughtfully and I saw he glanced at Harry Malloy with concern. Of all of the people in the house at the moment it was clear that the Potter's death upset Harry Malloy most of all.

"What we want you to write is what happens now...what is happening, and the truth of how the night of July 31st really went." Dray Malloy said finishing out Remus's sentence.

"Peter Pettigrew...rather Peter Pettigrew Black...is not the person everyone thought he was. Yes, he was one who fell into the dark lord's clutches, but stronger men then him fell at the same time. Peter was always weaker sadly, and the truth was he had little choice." Remus Lupin said with a touch of bitter sadness.

"Surely you cant believe a Gryffindor would willingly agree to go over to the dark side Mr. Lupin?" I asked surprised.

He shook his head at me in disagreement. "I don't think anyone could understand what it's like to refuse the dark lord. Peter was weak, but he didn't want to die. He should have, he was a Gryffindor of course, supposed to be brave and courageous...but he wasn't. I don't fault him anymore for that."

"This is irrelevant Remus." Severus cuts in now with a scowl. "Just get on with what we planned, I don't want to miss the match." And with that he checks a Muggle wall clock that is reading 11:30. Apparently they're to leave for this Muggle thing shortly.

"Yes, well...Severus is right. What it comes down to is this. Peter saved Harry Potter's life that night, no one knows that of course. If it hadn't been for Peter stepping in at the last moment and taking the brunt of the paralysis hex that Voldemort threw at Harry, Harry would have died." Remus said.

"But it was Harry Potter who did defeat the dark lord wasn't it?" I said skeptically now.

"Oh yes, that's correct. Harry was able to get off the Avada Kedavra just in time, but he couldn't have if Peter hadn't distracted Voldemort for that split second. Voldemort was stunned that his 'servant' had stepped in right at that moment, giving Harry the opportunity of a lifetime. He took it."

"So...what you're saying is that Peter Pettigrew.." I say.

"Peter Pettigrew Black." Dray Malloy cuts in saying.

"Err yes...that..er..Mr. Black was the one who was the saved Harry's life? There were rumours of course..."

"Yes yes, we've all heard the rumours, not a whit of truth in them I assure you. And I know this because..." Severus began and a short nod passed between him and the other three adults just then. "Because I was there Ms. Skeeter. I was at Harry's house that night, as a servant of Voldemort. I saw the whole thing." he said with a deep breath.

Of course I was surprised. This was the first time Severus Snape had dared discuss this to anyone, and I was the one he was telling! "You Mr. Snape? But you assured us all you were not a Deatheater , or was that a coverup?" I said.

"I'm afraid I cannot go into all the details why I was acting as I was at that time. Call it 19 years of being someone I wasn't..." he said glancing quickly towards the Malloy's for some reason I have yet to figure out. "But I can say that I was working effortlessly over the past 19 years to do whatever I could to thwart the attempts of evil from spreading more then it did all these years. Albus Dumbledore will vouch that of me, as he has before."

"Mr. Snape, I find all this a bit much to understand. You're telling me that you were a spy?" I said.

"Call it what you will. I had my reasons for doing what I did, as Peter had his reasons. Which brings us back to the issue at hand. What no one but a few select people know is that Peter Black is still alive."

"Alive?" I said shocked. "You must be mistaken. Everyone knows Pettigrew..er..Black died as a traitor of the side of good."

"No, he would have died as a traitor to Voldemort, no one else. The paralysis hex did not kill him, but he is unresponsive to this date. His husband, Sirius Black, sits by his side day and night, hoping for a cure. Harry too comes to where Peter is and sits with him when he can."

"Sirius Black, he's the exconvict accused of killing Peter Pettigrew in the first place. You're trying to tell me that he was true married to Pettigrew?"

"Believe what you will but the marriage was legal. Albus Dumbledore himself presided the wedding, along with Remus, Harry, Dray, Lily and James. Sirius was the one who went after Peter that day in 1981, not the other way around. Sirius was convinced Peter wasn't acting on his own mind, that he was under some sort of curse. But then Sirius was a bit blinded because Peter was his husband."

"Was he then? Under a curse?"

"No. Sadly no. However as I said, denying Voldemort was the end of his life, and for the love he held for Sirius, and for originally someone else...at first...he didn't want to die. Both Sirius and Harry Potter have forgiven him though, for in the end Peter showed his true Gryffindor colours. Unlike a Muggle marriage, a wizarding one lasts forever...even if they cant always be together at first...the bond is there..." Severus said quietly.

"How is do you think Sirius Black survived that so called curse that killed 13 people back then Ms. Skeeter? Because of their bond, strong enough that even though he wasn't under a curse, Peter couldn't kill his own husband. The curse couldn't touch Sirius, that's why he was laughing, because he knew Voldemort never would true have Peter. That Voldemort would never win as long as Peter was alive." Remus said.

"What is it you want the wizarding world to know then?" I asked of them all.

"That Peter was a hero, as much as Harry was. Harry is boy, all he wants now is to 'be' a boy. To finish his schooling, and to have his friends at his side. To just 'be' Harry...not the Boy Who Lived, not the 'Saviour'. We want the press to leave him alone. To let us all get on with our lives, and to start rebuilding the world as it should be, so the likes of Voldemort can never take hold again." Harry Malloy said with a quiet yet deep conviction. This was the first time he had spoken since this conversation had began.

"That's it? That's all you want?" I asked a bit surprised.

"Isn't that enough? We thought if you, the most widely known and read reporter were to ask people to leave us all alone, we hoped they would listen. That's why we specifically asked for you. People listen to you Ms. Skeeter, and we wanted to be heard. We're professors and we want nothing more then for our students to know they are safe and happy." Remus said.

"I think I can understand that Mr. Lupin, and I assure you that I will take great pains to let my readers know this is what you want. I'm honoured you would consider me for this even, considering I know our pasts haven't always been on par with each other."

"Thank you. Now if you don't mind, we have a Chiefs match to get ready for." Severus said standing up and escorting me to the door. "Goodbye." he said and the door shut behind me before I'd even realized the interview was over.

I stood there for a little while off to the side, observing the area in which I found myself again. This was a quiet neighborhood, toys buried in the snow on the front gardens of some of the homes, Muggle automobiles parked in their spots. Including what the Muggles call a 'minivan' in the space in front of the home of which I had just left.

As I watched for a bit longer, allowing my quill to take final notes, another facet of the home life of these diverse people emerged. Two men came from next door, calling jovially to the people inside the shared home, and 7 people now joined them from inside the house. The four adults I had spoken with, and 3 children, 2 boys and a girl. The same 3 children I had seen in the photographs inside the home. As I watched, all 9 people fit into this 'minivan' and they drove away, however a woman from the house opposite the one I had just left saw me and inquired what I was doing there.

"I'm a reporter actually. I was doing an article on the people who live in that house over there. Do you know anything about them?" I asked of the woman.

"Oh the Snapes and Malloys? Of course! Lovely people, quite lovely. They only live here summers and hols of course, they teach at a public school up in Scotland somewheres I think. They're quite involved in local issues, always mindful of the children. Orion and James are on the local summer football league, and Lily takes ballet with my daughter. You did say you were a reporter right?" the woman, a Ms. Stein asked.

"Er yes..the ahh..Malloy's and Snapes? And who are Orion, James and Lily?" I asked somewhat abruptly. I knew I could not reveal who I really was to this Muggle woman, but I did want to know about this interesting revelation.

"Oh, you don't know? Bit odd for a reporter not to know but...well Orion the smaller black haired lad, he just stays with them. Apparently his father is ill, and his other father stays with him all the time. Somewhere north I think, maybe Manchester, don't rightly know. James, that would have been the blonde one with the brown eyes, he's the Malloy's son. And Lily is the Snape's daughter, she's the one with the black eyes and black hair with the grey streak, just like her father or course. From what I understand she's inherited some sort of medical condition from Remus that gave her the grey hair, poor lass. Wonderful ballet dancer though, she's in the same class as my daughter, did I say that?" Ms. Stein said.

"Er, yes, you did. How old are they?"

"Oh, they're all the same age, all born on the same day even, July 31st. They're 17. Their births are all truly amazing. They were the first children born from some type of test tubes, well according to their fathers that is. They said it was very experimental at the time, and never did get approved. Something about combining the genes from both fathers and the ability to keep the infants in specially made chambers instead of the natural way of birthing. Remarkable if you ask me. Shame it never did get allowed, would have saved me a lot of trouble!" Ms. Stein said with a chuckle at some hidden joke.

"Well yes, I can imagine that. They don't go to schooling here?"

"Oh no, they go to the same school as their fathers, or at least I think they do. Never asked, just assumed. I'm good at that." Ms. Stein said with another chuckle. "Well, I'm sorry but I do have to jot off, have to pick up my daughter and my wife. Was nice chatting with you." she said and climbed into a Muggle car and drove off.

So as you can see, this reporter has had quite a few shocks on this day. It's clear to me that the wizarding world was never told of any wedding between Severus Snape and Remus Lupin, however here is valid proof that they are much more then just co-workers. Be that as it may, I will ask my readers to respect the privacy that these people have asked for, only because I feel it is no longer necessary for the wizarding world to intrude on their lives.

Harry Potter will live in our history books for centuries to come, and perhaps now so should all of the men who fought to destroy the evils of Voldemort. Men like Severus Snape, Remus Lupin, Harry and Dray Malloy...and now even Sirius and Peter Pettigrew Black.

This reporter now concedes her quill, and wishes the best to all of her readers.

~~Rita Skeeter, Reporter of the Daily Prophet~~

"Well? What did you think?" Remus said as his husband finally finished reading the article that had appeared in today's Daily Prophet.

"I think Milly needs to stop talking to strangers." Severus said with a scowl.

Remus chuckled. "Oh come now, you know Milly, always does love to talk that woman. So what do we do bout it? Now the entire wizarding world knows bout us...and them." he said a bit concerned.

"And this is a problem Moony?" Draco's sleep-filled voice said from the doorway of the kitchen. He walked to the refrigerator and poured himself a glass of pumpkin juice. "They'll be graduating this year same as everyone else. I think they're old enough to handle themselves don't you? And do you really care if the whole world knows you're married? Bout time they did if you ask me" he said sitting down at the kitchen dinette.

"I agree with Dray...." Harry said padding into the kitchen now and poured himself a glass of juice as well, then sat down at the dinette looking over the article. "Hmph, why did we get Skeeter again?"

"Because people read her Harry. Please." Draco said stifling a yawn. "We agreed to do that damnable thing, so hopefully they'll leave us alone now."

"If one more reporter from the other papers from round the wizarding world come up to us again in either world, I'll personally hex them into next week." Severus said with a growl. "Honestly, we cant go bloody well anywhere, not even a sports match without being interrogated!" he said scowling deeply now.

"At least the Chiefs won yesterday, and the kids had a good time." Remus said sitting down at the table next to his husband.

Harry snorted as he got to a particular section of the article. "Merlin forbid Milly ever finds out the truth as to how the kids got born...gods help us all!" he said with a grin.

"Oi, don't even go there Flyer. Trying to kill off my morning allready?" Draco said with a groan. "Anyway, what's the plans for today?" he said.

"Oi stop that, give it back! Daaaa! Da tell James to give it back!" Lily Lupin-Snape said in a scream as she got to the kitchen doorway and sped over to Remus.

"Here now, what's going on? James? James Michael Malloy get in here!" Draco yelled wearily. He loved the holidays, but after a while the children could get on his nerves as all children cooped up in winters can at times.

"Yeah father?" James said walking into the kitchen now.

"Whatever you just did or took from Lily give it back. Now." Draco said giving his son a glare.

His son was bout to refuse but Harry stepped in. "James, enough. Just stop it all right? Now give it back and both of you tell Orion to pack up, we're going to the park." Harry said keeping an eye on his son. "Well? Go on...get ready!" he said and both James and Lily scooted off.

"Where does he get it? I swear to the gods I don't know where he gets that side of him. It's not me, or Dray..." Harry said sitting down wearily.

Remus gave a chuckle. "Where do you think Flyer eh? The very person you named him for...remember? You and Dray didn't see James in his true heyday, but I assure you, your son is the epitome of James Potter. Make no mistake." he said with a grin.

Harry eyes misted over a moment, in that one respect Rita Skeeter had been on par with Harry Malloy, his eyes seemed to hold a deep sadness. "I suppose your right Moony, and I wouldn't want him any other way." he said grinning slightly.

"I just hope they find that damn cure for Peter soon. The three of them in one house is getting to be more then a match. Sev? Any luck yet in the potion you're concocting?" Remus said now turning to his husband.

"I think we've got something, but we wont know for a few more days. Honestly Remy we can use your help. I plan on going to St. Mungo's tomorrow actually, do any of you want to come?" he asked.

"Yeah, we'll all go. We can leave the kids with Brandon and Nico for the day. They'll take them to the stables or something, you know they love that. It's a pity the wizarding world is so strict on medical ways in the Muggle world, those two deserve to have children." Harry said sadly.

"Harry you know that information is restricted, even in the wizarding world. It took a great deal of pleading and begging the Ministry to allow us even to have our children, and we all worked on the research. It still amazes me that they allowed Remus and I to do it though considering..." Severus said thoughtfully.

"We had a 50/50 chance Sev...we knew the risks, we took them. Atleast Lily didn't have to suffer like I did at first. If it wasn't that James and Orion finally learned how to transform..." Remus said softly.

"I never doubted they would once they found out we were animagus as well." Dray said with a chuckle. "Still, it does help, just as having Sirius, Peter and James helped you back at school Remy."

"I dare say should anyone ever find out that during the full moons we have a zoo at home here, we'd be in for the questions of our lives." Remus said chuckling.

"Personally I enjoy my wolf form." Severus said with a teasing grin at his husband.

"Amazing how the potion seems to reflect who we are eh? Orion's also a dog, though a smaller brown one thankfully, no mistaking him for a Grim eh?" Remus said with a chuckle. "James happens to make a lovely little raccoon, so much like the prankster he is..." Remus began.

"And I can say Harry makes a spot on deer." Dray said with a grin. "How I ended up being a lion is beyond me though. I swore I'd end up as a snake." he said shaking his head.

"Maybe because in the end Dray...you were much more a Gryffindor than ever you were a Slytherin. But I'd have loved you none less if you had been a snake." Harry said leaning over to give his husband a kiss on the lips.

"Ugg gross you're at it again!" a voice said from the doorway. "I thought you said we're going to the park, not staying home to shag!" James said rolling his eyes at his parents, though he really did love them dearly it was always so embarrassing when they acted so lovingly towards each other. After all, they were his parents for christsakes!

"Oh grow up Jamesie." Lily said with a grin. "Oi father?"

"Yes poppet?" Severus said putting away the glasses from the table now.

"Well, on the way, can we stop at the market? I need some makeup before school starts. I promised Lavender and Hermione I would...if Ron doesn't notice 'Mione this year I swear I'll have to kill him!" she said dropping a light kiss on Severus's cheek to butter him up.

"Yeah and I need a new pair of trousers, I"m tired of the old ones, they're not spiffy enough. That way all the girls will be after me!" James said with a grin.

"Bah, you mean all the boys don't you? Fess up, I know you're dying to date Harry Potter aren't you!" Orion said with a laugh and had to duck behind the table as James came after him.

"And you want to date Lavender Brown, I saw you two in the library Orion...fess up!" James said halfway catching up to Orion.

"Boys enough! Cripes! We'll stop at the market and you can get your makeup, your trousers, and anything else you want. Now are you ready?" Remus said sternly.

"Yeah, we're ready Da...Besides, everyone knows that Draco Malfoy fancies Harry...he passes those weird looks at him all the time..." Lily said over her shoulder as she headed out towards the van.

"He does not! don't even say that Lils! Besides..." James's voice faded out as he headed outside, Orion right behind him.

Harry and Draco looked at each other a bit surprised. Something from the past, a nagging, distant memory came floating back to them, but neither of them knew what it was. "Was it real Dray? Was it all real?" Harry asked suddenly.

"I hope it was Harry, I really hope so." Draco said softly and turned to Remus and Severus. "You were there...what do you remember?"

Remus looked at Draco and Harry and gave a sigh. "I remember the day you told us that you really came from the future. That things were going to happen that you couldn't stop. I remember..."

"The photograph. The one thing that made us all believe that we had to do what we had to do...but...we never did ask you both...was it all worth it? Did anything really change in the end?" Severus said quietly.

Harry shook his head, trying to dig up memories that somehow were no longer there. "I don't know Sev. All I do know is that something happened that day we went through the mirror. I remember our 7th year with all of you...everything we did during that year...I remember the day Dray and I and you and Remus got married...and that's far as it goes. Everything before we arrived becomes a blank slate...it's as if everything we 'did' know erased itself the day we all got married...other then we knew 'who' we had been once..." he said.

"Remember though when we got married Harry? What Albus said? 'This is a situation in the time line in which a crossroads has been reached. To go down one path leads to one opportunities you already know at this point, whilst the other path will result in something unexpected. Who's to say what might or could happen once you would place the rings upon your fingers'..." Draco said quietly.

"So...we took the unexpected road then....of course. When we got married it changed everything...that's why our memories faded away...because we no longer were the people we were...Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy ceased to exist for another 2 years...only Harry and Dray Malloy existed...that's why..." Harry said thoughtfully.

"Why what?" Remus asked.

"Why we couldn't save James and Lily...and spare Sirius from Peter. Because we didn't remember anymore. We were so caught up in being in the 'past' that we didn't even notice we forgot what the 'future' held. We forgot that they were going to die. We forgot what Peter was going to do...we couldn't save them after all..." Harry said with a sigh.

"We weren't supposed to Harry. We never were." Draco said shaking his head. "If you had remembered you would have stopped it, despite everything, I know you would have tried. It's time to put those memories back where they belong...in the past. Let the Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy of the 'now' be who they are....they have our memories now...and I say good riddance. I don't want them back...do you?" Draco said walking over to his husband now and facing him.

Harry smiled then, a smile that touched even his eyes for the first time in a long time. "You're right Dray. This is who we are now...and have been for 19 years. Our home, our friends, James and our jobs. This is the reality...this is where we belong..." he said and for the first time in 19 years, Harry Malloy let himself just be himself.

"Will you guys hurry up all ready? We're bloody bored out here and it's cold!" James's voice came floating in from outside ending the conversation.

"Coming children!" Remus yelled back, and grabbed up any last minute items they needed, and they all headed outside to join their children.

Only Harry for just a second stopped on the way out and glanced at something on the mantelpiece. Though to Muggle eyes it was hidden, to Harry, Draco, Remus and Severus it was a reminder. Of a time in which sacrifices had to made, lives destroyed, yet from it all..so much had been gained. Families were created, and happiness and peace became a reality.

As Harry locked up the home he shared with his extended family, the sadness would no longer be in his eyes. He'd finally realized this is what he'd always wanted from his life. Being a husband. A father. A professor. And as he and his 'family' headed off to the park, nothing could have been more right in the world then it was just then.

The Mirror of Wrongdoings had been relocated only a day after the 'doubles' of Harry and Draco returned. Albus never told his two professors that he moved it, it was a reminder of a time he thought didn't need to be remembered. He would remember though, that fateful day in which a young Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy would come into his office and claim to be from 19 years into the future. And though he never asked what the 'future' held, he had a feeling everything had happened in just the way it should have.

Harry had been the cause of his own naming actually. It was only a joke that he even had suggested it when Lily got pregnant, but in the end it stuck. Ironically it had been Severus who had ended up naming Draco, suggesting it to Narcissa when she was pregnant, and hence that name came into being. After 'Draco Malfoy' was born, 'Draco Malloy' simply became 'Dray Malloy', and for Draco's part he preferred it that way. Just one more way to cut off ties to a person he no longer was.

The 'Harry' and 'Draco' that came out of the mirror never remembered what had happened to them, nor were they aware that in the time they had been gone changes had taken place. They continued on with their lives, never realizing that they weren't the 'real' Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy. no one had even known they had been missing, for the mirror had returned the counterparts to almost the exact same time in which they left.

In the years that followed the article of Rita Skeeter much would happen in the wizarding world. Peter Pettigrew Black would finally come out of the paralysis that he would be under, thanks to a combination potion and dark arts spell created by Severus Snape and Remus Lupin-Snape, who openly used his married name now. His husband Sirius would forgive him, and the wizarding world touted him a hero at the request of Harry Potter. They would be reunited with their son Orion, and their lives would finally be free.

Ron and Hermione would finally get married and have a set of twin boys. Orion Black did indeed marry Lavender Brown in the end. Lily Lupin-Snape followed after her father, becoming a Potions Master, although she decided to go to an American Wizarding school in New York City somewhere to teach. She owled often, and at the time was dating an american girl, a fellow professor who taught the DADA classes.

James Malloy married as well, though to someone no one had expected. After realizing that Harry Potter really wasn't obtainable, he transferred his affections to another boy in his year, Neville Longbottom. Neville had come a long way from the chubby, forgetful boy he had been his first six years. Somehow during that same yule season of seventh year, he slimmed down, started taking memory helping tablets, grew his hair in and had become quite good looking.

It hadn't taken James long to see the new Neville, and though he had quite the competition from the others, in end it was he who had won. On June 20th 1999 Neville Longbottom became Neville Malloy, to the broken hearts of both males and females. Thanks to some major breakthroughs, the wizarding world finally released the potions and spelled needed to have children with a partner of the same gender. Because of that they had two lovely children who thankfully were neither forgetful nor troublemakers.

The biggest shock of the wizarding world was yet to come. Two days after the wedding of James and Neville, Harry Potter, seeker of the Chudley Cannons announced his engagement to the wizarding world. To one Draco Lucius Malfoy. no one knew how those two had ended up together, many weren't sure they wanted to know either. Some found it positively unbelievable that Harry Potter, the famous Boy Who Lived would take the son of a known Deatheater (even though Lucius Malfoy had been killed by Alistair "Mad-Eye" Moody himself not soon after Voldemort's demise) as his husband.

Draco Malfoy refuted all claims to the dark lord, saying that he was innocent of all charges against him. That he never had been part of the death eaters, and he had secretly been in love with Harry, even dating him, since their 7th year at Hogwarts. As the wedding approached, and article upon article were published of the two of them together, the wizarding world finally did admit they were the perfect couple, and in the end Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy were given their peace to begin their lives.

Harry and Dray Malloy smiled when they found out the news of the boys wedding. Of everyone in the wizarding world, somehow they alone suspected this was going to happen, even giving Harry and Draco their full support of their union. It seemed no matter what the circumstances, no matter what the intentions, certain people with intertwining fates were always meant to be together.

And now it comes to the present in the wizarding world. Harry, Dray, Remus and Severus are now retired from Hogwarts. They live full time in their house in Gravesend, enjoying all the benefits of being retired. They take in as many sports games as they can handle in any season, and in the summers they take off for two weeks and travel together...so far they'd seen over half the world while taking Muggle cruises and the like. The rest of the holidays they stay at home with their grandchildren, having snowball fights, building snowforts, going to the beaches in the summers, and whatever else they choose to do.

Lily had finally gotten married years ago to the DADA professor Sarah, and she had returned with her wife and their young daughter Mika when her parents retired. Lily took over as Potions professor, and Sarah as the DADA professor. They kept Mika at Hogwarts where she was fawned over by the entire staff. Mika thankfully was not a werewolf.

Minerva McGonagall finally had taken over as Headmaster of Hogwarts. Albus had retired a few years ago, and along with Dobby the house-elf, together they went on a search for what they termed 'the perfect pair of socks'. The last place they were spotted was in Tibet, apparently taking residence for the moment with an old Buddhist monk, who according to sources could knit quite well.

Harry Potter still plays seeker for the Chudley Cannons, Draco Potter currently works in the Ministry, he's the second in command for Ron Weasley the newly appointed Minister of Magic. They have no children to date, never apparently finding time to raise them, but they are happy by all accounts. They never lived in Malfoy Manor, instead they rebuilt a home in Godric's Hollow, where they still live today. They are still firm friends with Ron and Hermione Weasley, and are godfathers to their twins.

And the photograph that started the whole chain of events still sits on the mantelpiece in the home in Gravesend. Though none of the four remember any longer why it holds such importance to them, they did know at some point long long ago, it had been important, so that's why it remains in it's place. Years ago they found a duplicate of the photo somewhere in the attic of the house, which was highly unusual as wizard photos are never duplicated, and no one remembered how or why a second copy could have been made.

The photo's date was July 31st, 1996. It had been taken by Colin Creevy right in the garden of the very house in which the photo resided. It was a very special year for four very special children. All their Hogwarts friends, and half the professors were invited for this event. As long as they promised to come dressed like Muggles that was, since it would be in a Muggle area they were having this party. No magic of course was allowable during the event, and sadly a few Muggle friends of the family did end up having to be obliterated afterwards.

The photo started on a banner that read "Happy 16th Birthday Harry, Orion, Lily and James!" and below it stood the very children in which the banner spoke of. Harry Potter, Orion Black, Lily Lupin-Snape and James Malloy. Behind Lily stood her parents, Severus and Remus, who were waving at the camera proudly, while looking down at their daughter. Harry and Dray Malloy were standing behind their son as well, also waving at the camera and portraying the proud parents that they were.

Sirius Black was behind his son, though his face held a sadness in it that was painfully clear. He wasn't waving or anything else he just sat there with a glass of Muggle alcohol in one hand, the other hand twirling what appeared to be a gold wedding ring. Then his son turned round and whispered something into his ear and he did smile a little, hugging his son tightly and nodding at the finally noticed camera.

Harry Potter's parents of course were painfully absent, however an expression on his face seemed peaceful, as if somehow his parents not being there was all right. Ron and Hermione, his two best friends were standing with him, one on each side, and the two of them were waving at the camera smiling, glasses of pumpkin juice raised in toast. They were shortly joined by Orion, Lily and James and with huge smiles they pretended to pose for the camera.

Molly and Arthur Weasley were there of course, as was Hagrid, Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall. A huge chocolate cake had been set up on the garden table, and calling everyone over Molly lit 17 candles in all. Harry, Orion, Lily and James blew out the candles, and with a final wave and a thrown group kiss towards the camera, together the four of them cut the cake and the scene went dark, to be replayed over whenever it was needed.

The only thing odd bout the whole photo was that anyone looking hard at the space behind Harry Potter when he was standing next to Ron and Hermione, would swear that there actually were two people behind him. And if they did look hard enough, they would have seen a woman with red hair and green eyes, and a man with short black hair and brown eyes with glasses glancing at someone out of the camera's range, and then turning to gaze lovingly at the boy in front of them, smiles on their faces. The two people faded away as Harry, Ron and Hermione were joined by their friends, and somehow the boy in the picture did seem to sense that he would never be alone, and that in the end, he would have everything he ever wanted.

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Well that's it all....sorry if it was a bit disappointing :sigh: I fell a bit ill the last day or so and with all the medicines me brain just wasn't functioning correctly. I know you're going to say 'but what was the 'original' photo of?' ...so let me clear it up now :chuckles: Consider this the author's 'final words' eh?

It was pretty much the same scene...a birthday party. It had to be something in which Harry would have wanted to carry round, but also something changeable. The 'original' party of course didn't include the people above. It showed only Harry, Ron and Hermione at the Burrow with the Weasley's. But it was a special day for Harry, hence why he carried the birthday photo with him, it was the only time he'd ever had a true birthday party.

The 2nd version of the photo, the one in which Harry showed everyone on the train was similar to the one above. The house was the same, the garden the same...but it was a family party only. The banner only read "Happy 16th birthday James and Lily" and only Severus and Remus with their daughter, and Harry and Draco with their son were present, and of course the anonymous camera person (which in me mind was Sirius actually and since he was on the run still he wouldn't want to be photographed). Harry Potter, Orion Black, and the rest of the people of the party weren't there. Orion wasn't even existent at the time because there had been no wedding between Sirius and Peter in that history.

The clincher in that, the one thing that was Harry's proof was...since it was July, Severus was wearing a teeshirt in the photo, the dark mark was clearly visible on his left arm. Remember, Voldemort wasn't destroyed at that time yet, not for another year. The other thing that convinced them was the fact that it was obvious that it was their children, and that Harry and Draco still looked the same in the 'future', as they had at that moment in the past.

The third change when the wedding ended was the scene above. It puts into place everything that transpired after the four of them got married. Peter eloped with Sirius 2 months after Lily and James married, which was why no one had known they were married because they resided in the Muggle world where Sirius did work in that Muggle shop.

Remus did go to Islington, and secretly saw Severus whenever he could. When Severus told him of the research he'd found regarding how to have the children, Remus told the others, but never revealed how he had found out, nor who the father of his child was.

When they did the research as mentioned above, Severus was only there as the potions expert, no one even suspected anything different. James, Lily, Sirius nor Peter ever were told of the truth behind Sev's help on the project. Sirius never did learn the truth until he broke out of Azkaban, Peter of course not until he woke up from his paralysis.

Severus never became the cold-hearted, greasy haired git of the future because of Remus and their daughter, though he did have to pretend to lead his double life. As co-workers he was civil to Harry and Draco at school, but not much else. Only in the flat in London where they could all meet in secret with the children could they truly be the friends they were.

That was until the night of Oct 31st, 1981. The sudden departure of Voldemort at that time finally freed Remus and Severus, though not in the way they had hoped. Harry, Draco and Remus were now all that was left of the "Hogwarts dream team". Lily and James were dead, Peter supposedly dead, Sirius in Azkaban for his murder. However for Remus and Severus, life did get somewhat better.

It was Severus's idea for the four of them to buy the house in Gravesend, and Remus raised all three children there, away from prying eyes. Sev, Harry and Draco came home weekends and holidays, and every full moon to help of course. When the children were old enough to attend Hogwarts, Remus finally returned. In this universe Remus was always the DADA teacher from day one, not just from 3rd year.

Remus was still skeptical of Voldemort's demise, and the fact Sev could be recalled at any time, so he enrolled Lily as simply Lily Lupin. Sev actually was relieved she became a Gryffindor. While at the school Remus and Severus did not share the same bed, and they kept up the facade with each other of being co-workers and nothing more, reserving the rest for the time of the holidays at home.

Fourth year happened as it was. Severus did go back to Voldemort, which is why he was at Harry's house that night Voldemort attacked, because he was going to kill Voldemort if Harry couldn't. no one had expected Peter to do what he did though, and Sirius broke down in tears when he found out that his husband finally had come to his senses. Sirius had broken out of Azkaban back in third year as well, and until the day Peter actually helped bring down Voldemort, Sirius had still been on the run.

With Peter's paralyzed body in evidence however, Sirius Black was cleared of all charges. And until the article no one did know he was Peter's husband but the few select people at St. Mungo's, and of course Sev, Remus, Harry, Dray and Albus. Currently Sirius and Peter Black reside near Harry and Draco Potter in Godric's Hollow, Orion and Lavender spend half their time when they can with them, half with Remus and the others.

The rest of the story is as you read it...the final demise of Voldemort exonerated everyone, and they were finally free to move on with their lives...and they still do. You'll still find them in the little town of Gravesend, older, wiser, and very very happy with how everything did turn out all right in the end. :)

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