Turning Time (A Harry Potter Fanfic)

The Stronger One, pt. 2

After getting his supplies for third year and sleeping in his temporary home, Harry renewed his disguise charms. He eased up on the age factor so that he seemed about thirteen years old.

Harry was one of the first to board the train, so he passed the time by jotting down notes on his plan for the year. Thirty minutes went by before he spoke to anyone.

“Hey, Jacob.” Remus leaned partway into the compartment. His hair was shorter and messier than the year before, and his bangs no longer hid the long scars across his face.

Harry put down his journal and smiled. “Hey, Remus. How was your summer?”

“Good. Yours?” 

“Fine. I’m sorry for not sending any mail—I, er, went to Wales for the summer with my family, and I couldn’t bring my owl.” 

“Oh, it’s okay, James and Sirius sent me a bunch of stuff, they visited me once, actually, and Raven wrote me.” 

“She did?” 

Remus wasn’t embarrassed at mentioning Raven, as he had been with Lily. Harry guessed that meant Remus didn’t fancy her. “Yeah, I was surprised, too…anyway, I have my Hogsmeade permission slip—I nearly forgot it, till my mum found it in her things.” The parchment was folded in his right hand.

Harry had forgotten. He would have to forge the signature, though he guessed there was some sort of charm on the slip to protect it against forgery.

“Well, see you ’round.” 

“See you.” If he had his dad sign it, would it pass McGonagall’s inspection?

The others gradually joined Harry, all sporting some change that was more obvious to Harry since he’d seen them barely two days before, according to the hours on his watch. 

Raven had swapped her curly, long hair for a cut that grazed her shoulders. She’d grown a good two inches and seemed happier, though the excitement around the first day of school did that to nearly every Hogwarts student. 

Lily was only a bit taller, her hair slightly shorter and now wavier. 

Severus had grown as much as Remus; out of the group, they were the tallest. Raven and Sirius were in the middle compared to other third-years, and Peter, Lily, James, and Harry were among the shortest.

Lily and Severus seemed to be getting along a lot better than before. Something, however, was different between them from first year. Lily didn’t nudge him playfully, tug at his sleeve, or make eye contact for very long. Their childhood innocence was fading. Still, the two seemed to be on much better terms than the end of second year. 

Halfway through the journey, when Severus got up to use the bathroom, Lily filled Harry and Raven in on what had happened over the summer. “Sev’s father is sick. Did you notice that he doesn’t have any bruises? His dad mostly lies in bed and drinks nowadays. His mum is out working most of the time. Severus doesn’t know where she goes for sure, but he thinks it’s in a pub in Nocturne Alley.” 

Raven leaned forward, voiced lowered. “So is that a good thing or bad thing?” 

“Depends. His family’s never been good, so it’s either equally horrible or slightly less horrible. Sev’s still the same, if that’s what you mean.” 

If Severus is the same as he’d been when Lily and him weren’t getting along, then it must be Lily who’s changed. 

The students traveled by carriage to the school. After studying Severus, Harry realized the boy could see the Thestrals. His eyes were wide, dark, shocked; but his eyes were the only giveaway. Had he seen someone die? Is so, when and whom?