Incognito

✑ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟓.𝟔

𝙰𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗'𝚜 𝚁𝚘𝚘𝚖
𝟷𝟶:𝟺𝟾 𝚙.𝚖. I

"Share your discovery," James ordered upon entering the room. He was the last one in, so the trio didn't have to worry about repeating the story more than once.

"Well, at first, we thought we should be looking for clues in Poet's room. We haven't searched in Arson's room, so that's what we started to do," Mary MacDonald explained. "When finding nothing, a thought came to me. Why look for clues when we can look for something missing? We know Arson's room well because we've been here lately. So, instead of what she left behind, what did she take with her?"

"She's still holding onto the identity of Ophelia Montgomery," Peter added. "Or, at least we hope so. Don't think she'd want to tread back to the past and be Evelyn King again."

"I honestly mostly sat on this couch watching my son," Frank said, his son now sleeping on his chest. "If you're looking for credit, it goes to Mega and Wormtail. Also, I thank you for not being too loud. Nobody likes to deal with a fussy baby."

"Even if he's adorably cute," Alice sat beside her husband, watching her son's breathing pattern. In and out, just like any other baby.

Looking at them, Lily was glad that they are not in her place. She wouldn't dream of anyone being in her place at the moment. But she couldn't help that little tiny pang of jealousy that hit her. She shoved that back down quickly.

"What's missing then?" asked Remus, inspecting the room as if he'd find the answer immediately. "What has Ophelia left in Arson's room that we should have been seeing instead?"

"Other than a few books, her map of the London Underground is missing," Mary pointed out to the shelf where the Map should have been nestled in. "That map is supposed to be there. She used to always brag about how lucky she was to have such a helpful piece. Now, why would she have taken the helpful piece if she didn't need it?"

"Also, her dolly is gone," Peter added, watching as Mary pointed to a lower shelf where a doll should have been in. "Mary thinks that's important."

"Didn't you tell me she let Harry play with her dolly? The very same one that if we even dared to touch it, she would threaten to cut not only one, but both arms?"

"You think she took it to entertain Harry?"

"Other than taking our son away, Ophelia/Evelyn still had a glint of her past self. The one that died long ago, but nobody was ever found. No blood was ever split on the ground."

"Is it worthy?"

"Everything is worthy of a try," Sirius spoke. "We'll make search teams go to the London Underground. We will find my godson!"

"And all that can be done in the morning," Dorcas reminded. "We all need some sleep to be on our highest senses."

"Early morning it is!"

"Wake up early in the morning and then you'll get to talk, Padfoot."

"Moony!" Sirius gasped dramatically.

Everyone laughed, something they haven't done in a while.

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𝙷𝚘𝚐𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚜 𝙷𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢
𝟷:𝟶𝟻 𝚊.𝚖. I

She didn't know why she was wandering around at night instead of going to bed, but she was doing it. She knew James was asleep in their bed because that was what he was doing when she sneaked out five minutes ago.

"Lily?"

"Tuney?" the redhead looked at her sister in the dark.

"What are you doing?"

"I don't know."

"You're scared," Petunia read her sister like a book, something she had always been able to do.

"What if we never find Ophelia?" Lily shared her thoughts with her sister. "What if we... I don't know... never see Harry again?"

"Oh, come in," Petunia opened her door and lead her sister instead.

She sat Lily down on the couch and went to get two teas ready. Wine, in any form, wasn't really an option for this very early morning.
"Now, don't you dare even think about saying you're a bad mother because you aren't!"

"But-"

"No buts and listen to the story that your fabulous sister is about to tell," Petunia handed her a cup of tea just as she sat down, her legs folded under her. "Now, your worrying sounds a lot like Mom when we lost you."

"You lost me?"

"Technically, your crazy six-year-old self ran away, but that's not the story," Petunia waved her hand in dismissal. "Well, it is, but... oh, forget it! From the top! Anywho, we were in a park playing and everything was fine. I asked Mum if I could go sit with a friend and she said it was fine as long as I don't tread far. Mum and Dad started talking while you played in front of them and the next minute... poof! You weren't there anymore. Mum was freaking out of her mind and Dad tried to remind her to breathe, that everything would be okay. It probably was another three hours and a half before we found you. Thankfully, you weren't kidnapped, but we did find you hidden in the bushes with a squirrel and a pigeon keeping you company."

Lily laughed at the story, "No way?!"

"Yes way," her sister joined in the laughter. "A week after that, Dad kept reminding Mum that she wasn't a bad mother. Every time she'd say it, he'd claim that he was a bad father then because he didn't notice as well. That would just lead to them defending one another in crazy ways that should have honestly been filmed. Moral of the story: people make mistakes, Lily, but what matters is that you try and not make that mistake again."

"History repeats itself."

"History," Petunia pointed out. "As in same mistakes done by different people. What I mean is that when you make a mistake, you try your hardest not to make it again. And, no, losing Harry isn't a mistake. That's a problem in the process of being solved, and we will solve it. Just like we found you eventually, we'll find Harry as well. As his aunt, I just know it."

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