38 Lily

August 1971:

It's been 11 years since James was born, and he was finally going to Hogwarts now.

During this last decade, a lot of things had happened. First, was that the newer Muggleborn wizards, who had joined MIS, had managed to recognise me as the Paladin, but the contract meant that they couldn't tell anyone.

I had still continued having a few fighting lessons, both hand to hand, and magical. The first batch of MIS exchange program Agents, had managed to gain higher level posts in the Government agencies they'd infiltrated.

But, we'd gotten bored of playing spies. So, Helena dropped everything in the hands of Marius and Cassiopeia, and came back to stay at home full time. Darla still stayed in the MI5, keeping an eye on the muggles.

Overall, it was enjoyable. I went to Mungo's, led the Healers, dodged any fans that tried to ask personal questions, same for the reporters. Helena, Dorea, and I went out to roam a few times.

At least once a year, during the summers, we would select a country, and tour there. By now, my passive telepathy, that I used to make everyone not recognise me was always on. So, we were never disturbed. By now, we'd gone to Japan, India, America, Brazil, and almost every country in Europe.

Once in a while, Darla, Dorea, and Ana would go somewhere together, making a trip of it. We had portals, so no one was stopping us.

But, with good things, must come bad. In 1962, Bucky Barnes was kidnapped, with no trace of where he is. At first, I used muggle methods to try and find him, but when that came out empty, I used Scrying.

Thank God for Grindelwald's knowledge.

I found him in America itself, where a new Hydra group, being led by Arnim Zola, had had him kidnapped and already made a puppet of him. Realizing that this might be one of those fixed timeline things, I let him be, but did some changes to his mind.

As soon as Bucky comes face to face with Steve, or me, all his memories will unlock, and bring Bucky back. That was the most I could do at this moment, without being sure I'm not causing any other calamity.

He did leave a wife and son behind, whom my agent managed to extract and bring to the UK. I'd set them up with an identity in London itself, so they can live a peaceful life.

Peggy, Phillips, Stark, and a few others did found Shield, but I did not interfere there much, other than having my SSR Agents join Shield. Well, not my now. Cassiopeia's. She was the one leading MIS right now.

But I still had meetings with her, so she can tell me if anything important happens.

And now, I was in the Kitchen of my house, waiting for James to get ready, so I can take him for his shopping. Aunt Mia and Monty had gotten sick, with Dragon Pox, and hence, were admitted at St Mungo's. So, James was staying with me.

I'd retired a year ago, as Healing was getting a bit tedious for me. I was currently jobless, but I did have money incoming from my patents on the 4 Potions I'd made and published. Plus, I'd been elected the Chief Warlock last year, so I had that monthly job too.

Surprisingly, Dumbledore still got into the ICW, as a representative of UK.

Huh. All three of us are effectively Jobless right now, and I'm taking care of James along with that. Thankfully, I grow my own food, meaning my elves do, so I save costs there.

"Hurry up, James!" I shout, making a small portal to the corridor containing James's room.

"COMING!" James yells back, and runs down the stairs.

While James knows I can make portals to go anywhere, he also knows not to tell anyone about them. And I have had him training in mental exercises since he was 7, so no one was getting inside his head unless he allowed them entrance.

"Eat slow." I warn James, who was gulfing down his pancakes too fast.

James swallows and excitedly says, "But Uncle Mason! I'm getting my stuff for Hogwarts today!"

Chuckling, I say, "Sure, sure. But still, eat a bit slowly. We have hours to take care of our shopping. And don't forget, your parents are going to be discharged today."

Yeah, it was not a serious case of Dragon Pox, thanks to Mia being prepared already.

Once James is done eating, we take the floo to the Leaky Cauldron, and go towards the back. Shopping did not take us long, barely 2 hours. His wand, on the other hand, took half an hour alone. Garrick was the same as ever, only he had his eyes always silver now.

James got a Mahogany wand, 11 inches, with a Unicorn hair as the core. It was excellent for Transfiguration, or so James told me after he came out of Ollivander's.

---

1st September, 1971:

James had left my house, once his parents were discharged from St Mungo's, and stayed there playing with his wand. I did visit him once, to give him his Invisibility Cloak, and to wish him luck.

I told him that the cloak was a family artefact, and hence he had to take care not to show it to any of the teachers. Basically I gave him permission to use it for pranks, but keep it safe from the teacher's eyes.

Obviously, I'd cast additional Enchantments on the cloak which made anyone who sees the cloak, ignore it. It even works on Helena, so you can bet it's strong.

---6 Years later: Summer 1977---

Finally, the War had officially begun. During the last 6 years, I'd stopped a lot of bills from being passed, that would have made Muggleborn lives a living hell, and introduced some bills that would make everything a bit more.. equal.

So, now, while the Muggleborns are still not the top of anyone's lists, it was illegal to reject a Muggleborn during an interview because they were a muggleborn. The new contracts even stated that the one taking the interview has to say a magical vow, stating that the reason the person was rejected was not their lack of heritage.

But, this sped up Tom's plans, and he began hunting Muggleborns early.

The first attack happened in Surrey, about 9 months ago, and a muggleborn witch's family was found dead, with the Dark Mark over the house, along with the neighbouring 7 houses burnt down. The witch in question was a Hogwarts student at the time, and had nowhere left to go.

Obviously, Cassiopeia swooped in to recruit her right out of Hogwarts.

Along with Muggleborns, Tom was killing Purebloods too, mostly the ones that were of his age, and might remember his real name. He'd gone after the Bones's, the Abbots, and he'd even killed Abraxas Malfoy, as soon as Lucius was 17.

It was after 6 months of such attacks on Muggleborns, that the Wizengamot finally came to a decision regarding naming the Death Eaters a terrorist organisation. And still, 17 people voted against it.

Sirius had begun living with James, since last year, and Dorea had really torn into Walburga for claiming she disinherited her son. Orion was already under Walburga's thumbs, so shouting at him was useless.

Sirius did speak with Arcturus, the Head of House Black, and was reassured that he was not disinherited from anything, except his mother's personal properties.

A lot of stuff I knew about still happened. Andromeda ran off a couple years ago, to marry a muggleborn named Ted Tonks. Dorea had accepted him warmly, and had me cast wards around their house recently, as Andy was pregnant.

Bellatrix was married off to Lestrange, just 3 years ago, and was a lost cause. She was raised by her parents to be as dark as they came, and was a bigot of the highest order.

Dumbledore had begun defending the attacked, using the Order of the Phoenix, while I was busy killing the Death Eaters. Obviously, I only used my wand, as using my swords would have been overkill.

But, the army of Death Eaters was not less in number. There were hundreds of Wizards and witches, from all over Europe, werewolves being led by Fenrir Greyback, vampires, and even Dementors. I brought out Patronus while killing those.

I was also being helped by Helena, Dorea, and the MIS. MIS, under Cassiopeia, had cast a ward all over UK that warned them of any Dark Magic cast in muggle locations. Ignoring the known Dark family houses of course.

Thankfully, I'd personally cast wards around St Mungo's, so there were no attacks there. I'd even joined St Mungo's again, as a part time healer, so I can take care of any Death Eaters that manage to come through the wards by subterfuge.

At any given time, either Helena, Dorea, or I were at St Mungo's, with a mental connection active, so we can go as soon as an attack starts. Other than that, I had personally saved 3 Muggleborn families, and 2 pureblood ones, from Death Eater attacks, but Voldemort himself had not appeared yet.

That brings us back to now, James was bringing his girlfriend to meet his parents, and obviously, Dorea and I were invited. Helena was too, but she had St Mungo's duty right now.

Monty was reading the newspaper, which spoke about another person gone missing, while I was simply reading a Compiled Tome. This one contained the entire Library of the Black Family, which Dorea had brought to us.

As I was reading about the theories the Black family had on Necromancy, I hear the crack of apparition, and we all perk up.

James had gotten to be the Head Boy this year, while not even being a Prefect before, which all of us recognised as a bribe by Dumbledore to join his Order. Thankfully, because I had a hand in raising him, James and Sirius, both knew to be wary of Dumbledore.

While he wasn't evil, he wasn't above sacrificing one wizard to take down 5 of the opposing ones. We all saw that example when Gideon and Fabian Prewett died, but Moody captured Evan Rosier and Rookwood instead, along with killing a Yaxley.

We all look at the door, but sigh, seeing it was only Sirius.

"Wow, what a warm welcome, I'm getting." A 17 year old Sirius snarks, sitting at the table and stealing an apple.

Sirius, who had been living with Monty for a couple years now, had bought his own flat, in muggle London. He had taken jobs here and there, during the summers, and added it to the inheritance he got from his uncle Alphard.

Nice guy, Alphard. I liked him the most amongst the Blacks. Of course, after Dorea. He had died a year ago, and left about G300,000 for Sirius, along with his home. But, since he was Sirius, he wanted to buy a flat for himself.

Smacking him on the head, Dorea says, "Feet off the table. And we were expecting Jamie to bring his girlfriend home."

"Oh, Evans is coming home today, right? I'd forgotten about it." Sirius, says, dutifully putting his legs down, and munching on the apple.

Shaking my head, I ask, "What can you tell us about her? Jamie hasn't told us anything, other than 'Evans is the most beautiful girl there is and I love her.' And that was when he was 12."

We all chuckle at those memories. He had been smitten with her ever since he'd seen her. But whenever anyone asked how she looked, he would go into a trance, and just say she was beautiful.

Don't worry, it was not a love potion. I'd checked as soon as I'd seen him go into Dreamland. He was just too much in love with her.

Sirius swallows the bite, waves his hair behind his head, and says, "Well.. she's smart. In every subject. She's the best in our year in Potions, Charms, and Runes, but ties with Remus in Arithmancy. Obviously, James and I are better in Transfiguration, but she's not too far behind."

Obviously, is an understatement. Sirius and James had become Animagus in their 5th year itself. While we did succeed in our 5th year too, I am a genius, and the others had help from me and Cassiopeia.

But, since I knew Peter Pettigrew was going to be doing it too, I did not offer the other method. He had even stopped coming to the Potter's house while I was there. I did mention it to James and Sirius, but calling a friend of theirs Traitor, was not something I was going to do.

"It's the same Evans, is it?" Dorea asks, her eyes fixed on the door.

Sirius nods, and smirks widely. He says, "Yup. He finally mellowed her down. I still say it was better when she didn't like him. Watching him try to woo her, and fail was hilarious." And he chuckles.

"Are you seriously saying that?" Dorea asks, and immediately groans, in unison with us.

"Of course, I'm Sirius. I'm never not Sirius." Sirius says, grinning at our faces.

Sighing, I say, "Sirius. I will make you live a whole month as a dog, if you make that silly joke in front of me again."

It had gotten boring for us, in the 2 years he'd been making the joke in front of us. And he's been using the joke for 9 years. I should never have introduced him to puns.

Another crack of Apparation sounds, making us all look at the door, waiting. About a minute later, James comes in, pulling a redheaded green eyed girl behind him. Lily Evans.

"Mum, Dad, this is my girlfriend. Lily, those are my parents." James says, introducing her to his parents first.

She was a shy little thing, at least in front of us. Looking around the room, she greets Monty and Mia, scowls at the chuckling Sirius, and then turns to us.

"Lily, that's my Godfather, Uncle Mason, and his wife, Dorea. She's Sirius's great aunt." James says, moving her towards us.

Lily, however had her eyes wide, and was looking at me. "It's you!" she whispers.

"Umm.. excuse me?" I ask.

Shaking her head, Lily smiles widely, and coming forward, shakes my hand vigorously. She says, "You're the Paladin, aren't you? I'm a huge fan of yours. I wondered where you'd disappeared to, but now I know! You were a wizard!"

Oh, crap. Of course she would recognise me. I did not change my pictures in any of the worlds. And only the adults had their minds changed to ignore my resemblance to the Paladin. Lily wasn't even born then.

Sighing, I say, "Mason Aves, pleased to meet you, Ms Evans."

"Call me Lily." Turning to James, she whispers, "You didn't tell me your Godfather was the Paladin!"

"How the bloody hell was I supposed to tell you when I don't even know what the Paladin is?!" James shrieks out, taking a step back.

Chuckling, I say, "It's not his fault, Lily. I never told the kids about my Army days. And they're too dumb to actually read up on the old news."

"Hey!" James and Sirius shout in unison, and Sirius adds, "I just read yesterday's paper. I read old news."

As Mia smacks him on the head, I say, "At the rate you're going, you'll reach my Army days by the time James's kids have kids."

James blushes, along with Lily, and stammers out, "We- uh- shut up, Uncle Mason!"

Chuckling at him, we all sit down, and talk a bit. Dorea suddenly asks, "Did you take the inheritance test, Lily?"

"Um.. no. I'm a muggleborn." Lily says, being careful to say muggleborn, and getting a bit blindsided by the question.

Shaking her head, she says, "Oh, I know. But some muggleborns are actually descendants of Wizards, don't you know? It's just.. your eyes are really similar to Mason's."

Widening my own eyes, I look at Dorea and say, "Dorea I swear to God, I did not cheat on you."

Lily has her own eyes wide, and looks at me pleading to Dorea, she says, "No, my mum wouldn't do it either. She loves my Dad!"

Dorea vanishes the mess Sirius had made by spitting out water, and says, "I trust you, and I know you wouldn't do it." Pausing a bit, she looks to Lily, and says, "I don't mean you're his daughter, Lily. I mean it's possible you're related in some way."

Sighing, in relief, I add, "I know my eyes come from the Evanshade family. So judging by your surname, it's possible that you're a descendant of the same family."

As Lily thinks on it, James asks, "Is there any way to confirm it?"

Pausing, I shrug and turn to Lily. I ask, ~~Can you understand me, Lily?~~

Frowning in confusion, Lily replies, ~~Of course I understand you. Why wouldn't I?~~

Smiling at the wide eyed James and Sirius, I say, "Well, confirmed. She's an Evanshade."

"What? How was just speaking to you confirming me being an Evanshade?" Lily asks, confused.

James taps her hand, and whispers, "You were speaking Parseltongue, Lily. Not English."

James and Sirius already knew about my Slytherin heritage, as I couldn't possibly keep it a secret from these two. Thankfully, I'd taken vows from both of them before telling them. So did Monty and Mia, whom I'd told after they made me the Godfather to James.

"Well, this just means you were already part of the Family. Even if you leave this lump of dumbness beside you." Dorea says, patting Lily's hands, bringing her out of her thinking.

Lily snorts, and says, "He is a bit dumb, isn't he?"

James was just sulking, and says, "When did this become Pick on James Day?"

"When you decided to bring her home, Jasmine." I answer without hesitation.

"You promised you'd never call me that!" James yells, looking betrayed.

I simply wink at him, and reply, "I was crossing my fingers, Jamie."

The rest of our lunch was had in peace, with a few laughs here and there, mostly in the expense of James, or Sirius.

Lily Evans. James Potter. Sirius Black. Once, they were just characters in a book for me. But now, they're family.

---

"What's wrong?" Helena asks, as we're sitting on our Balcony together, while Dorea was at St Mungo's.

Sighing, I say, "You know about my visions of the future?"

Visions is how I'd explained my mostly useless inaction against Voldemort. I'd told her how I'd seen James Barnes fall to his death, get tortured and mindwashed, saved him, and inadvertently caused the death of Gabe. She also knew that Bucky was kidnapped in the end, and that I'd decided not to rescue him.

Helena nods, and asks, "What did you see?"

With tears in my eyes, I answer, "James and Lily will die in 5 years. I want to save them, but I can't guarantee that something worse won't happen to them."

Clutching my hand tightly, Helena says, "Do you actually want to save them?"

"Of course!" I answer, insulted she even asked that.

Nodding, Helena answers, "Then the answer is clear. You save them. We will deal with whatever happens later."

Glaring at me, she adds, "If you think, for even a minute, that I will let you let Jamie die, simply because you think it will mess up your visions, and cause something bad to happen, you're completely mistaken. You will help them stay safe. You will protect them, and you will continue protecting them, until their time actually comes. Get it?"

I nod, smiling widely, and say, "Get it. I won't let my visions get in the way of my family."

"Good. Now-" Helena begins, but stops, both of us jumping up and apparating immediately.

St Mungo's was under attack.

A/N: I made up my mind. There's no way in hell, preserving the timeline or not, that Mason would sacrifice his family to ensure Voldemort does not win. And James, Sirius and Lily are Family.

So, Harry Potter won't go to the Dursleys! And he won't be a puppet to Dumbledore.

I haven't made my mind up on the weasleys, as Ron was actually a pretty good friend, despite his jealousy during 4th year. But, there won't be Harry/Ginny. No offense, but that pairing did not make sense to me.

It'll either be Hermione, Luna, or.. someone else.

Tata!