A Harry Potter what if

12 Years later

The warm summer breeze filtered through the open window of the Potter household, carrying with it the scent of blooming flowers and the sounds of a peaceful countryside. Harry sat at the kitchen table, absentmindedly tracing circles on the surface as he waited for the daily arrival of the post. He knew what was coming—it was almost time for the Hogwarts letters, and with them, his long-awaited permission slip for Hogsmeade.

Across from him, Rose sat cross-legged on the chair, fiddling with her quill. Her eyes kept darting to the window, as if she could will the letters to arrive faster. “Do you think they’ll come today?” she asked, excitement bubbling in her voice.

Harry shrugged, but a grin tugged at his lips. “Any day now. You’ll be back for your second year before you know it."

Just then, the familiar flutter of wings signaled the arrival of the family owl, which swooped gracefully through the window and landed on the table, two letters tied neatly to its leg. Harry’s heart leapt as he recognized the seal.

“Finally!” Rose exclaimed, reaching for her letter, her fingers nearly trembling with excitement.

Harry opened his, and as expected, inside was his Hogwarts letter, detailing the required books and supplies for his third year. But tucked alongside it was something else. His Hogsmeade permission slip.

He stared at it for a moment, his mind flashing forward to the thought of wandering freely through the village with Ron and Hermione. Grinning, he stood up and made his way to the living room, where his mother was reading by the window.

“Mum?” Harry called, holding out the parchment. Lily looked up from her book, her green eyes warm as she smiled at him.

“Ah, is that your permission slip for Hogsmeade?” she asked

Harry handed it to her, his grin widening. “So… you’ll sign it?”

Lily took the parchment from his hand, her eyes scanning it briefly. “Of course. You’ve earned it.” She reached for a quill, signing her name with a flourish before handing it back to him. “Just promise me you’ll stay out of trouble.”

“I always do,” Harry said, though his cheeky grin made it clear he knew trouble wasn’t far behind when it came to him.

Rose appeared behind Harry, her Hogwarts letter already opened, and she slid into the seat beside her mother. Her tone shifted as she asked, "Mum, are they still looking for Peter Pettigrew?"

Lily stiffened slightly, but only for a moment. She looked at Rose with a mixture of sadness and reassurance. “The Ministry? No… they haven’t been searching actively for years now. He probably left the country after everything that happened.” Her voice was steady, but there was a flicker of old pain in her eyes.

Rose frowned. “But he betrayed Dad and—”

“I know, Rose,” Lily interrupted gently. “But it’s been 12 years. If he were still in Britain, they’d have found him by now.”

Harry, listening from the side, felt the familiar weight in his chest. Though they rarely talked about it, the loss of James still lingered in the air, even all these years later. He exchanged a glance with his sister, knowing they both carried their father’s memory in different ways.

Lily reached out, placing a hand on Rose’s shoulder. “We can’t let him take up space in our lives. Your dad wouldn’t want that.”

Rose nodded quietly, though the unease didn’t quite leave her face. Harry, slipping his permission slip into his pocket, spoke up, trying to lighten the mood. “Well, at least I’ll be able to get you something cool from Hogsmeade when I go.”