Reliving the Past, Present, and Future

Chapter 5

"Keeper of Keys," repeated Hermione curiously looking at the bottle. "Why does that sound familiar?"

Charlie noticed that Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling, and watched with amusement as Hermione still pondered the meaning of the bottle. He cleared his throat quietly and couldn't hold back a small grin when her face turned rosy in embarrassment.

"It's Keys that have a Keeper," said Ron, rolling his eyes. "Who cares?"

She gave him a dirty look before putting her head in the basin.

As soon as the whirl of colors came to a halt everyone jumped as the booming from the door continued where they had left off in the last memory.

"I'm armed!" roared Harry's uncle, his aunt hiding behind the more robust frame of her husband. 

"What is that strange contraption?" asked Bill, studying what the uncle was carrying.

"A rifle," Hermione explained, pursing her lips in distaste. 

"A – what – ?" inquired Bill, confused. 

There was an eerie silence until a loud CRASH caused the door to be knocked off it's hinges. Everyone remained on edge until:

"HAGRID!" was the most common response being cheered from the younger witches and wizards. The twins were whistling between their fingers before a sharp look was received from a tempered Mrs. Weasley.

Almost everyone laughed as Hagrid came into the shack and casually asked for a cuppa.

The younger Harry eyed Hagrid warily. "Las' time I saw you, you was only a baby," said the grounds keeper. "Yer got your mother's eyes." he continued with an adorned smile, eyes crinkling with warmth.  

Snape's hands curled into a fist inside his cloak. He couldn't help but forget the fact that Potter did have Lily in him. He remembered when he first saw those haunting green eyes at Hogwarts during the Sorting... but of course that hadn't been the first time...

A week before the Potter's untimely death, his Lily had come to his parent's house in tears. He'd been alarmed and surprised, having not seen her in years though he thought about her every day. He rarely remembered times when Lily Evans cried. 

In her arms held a miniature sleeping James Potter and he couldn't conceal his contempt for it. She seemed to be desperate for she wanted him to take Harry. He had refused. What would the Dark Lord do if he found out? What would he, Severus, do? He didn't want the burden or the responsibility. He had never seen Lily looked so defeated... this had scared him. When she'd turned, thanked him for listening, and used his nickname (Sev) before walking away, he had to fight the strongest urge to call her back. Before he closed the door, the miniature James was looking over Lily's shoulder.

He never forgot those green eyes – the exact shade and shape of Lily Evan's eyes.

"Anyway - Harry," Hagrid said. "Got summat fer yeh here."

Everyone shook their heads, their lips lifting in a smile as Hagrid brought out a slighty squashed box from his black overcoat revealing a large, sticky cake with Happy Birthday written in green icing.

Everyone could see the younger Harry was fighting back tears at the simple gesture. 

Ginny realized this must be the first time his birthday was ever celebrated. 

"The name is Rubeus Hagrid, fergot ter say, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts." 

"Oh!" said Hermione aloud, disappointed in herself for not remembering such a finite detail.