Back in Place

Three days later, an unfamiliar owl flew to Lily's house and dropped off a letter. It promptly took over her snowy owl's food bowl, and only after eating every last grain did it fix its bright eyes on her and demand more. Well, she had a pretty good idea who owned this owl. She added more feed and unfolded the letter. Skipping James Potter's usual long-winded, rambling nonsense, she went straight to the point: Harry was at his house. This was very strange. Heaven had played another joke on her.

The rules of traveling through time and space remained a mystery. The most pressing problem now was how to send Harry back to 1992, where he belonged. The First Wizarding War was still in its early stages in her time, and the situation was far more dangerous than it would be later. She absolutely could not let Harry stay here.

She could only write back to James and say she would find a way to come over. The next day, she told Mr Evans that she was going to inspect the shop in Godric's Hollow and would stay at a classmate's house for a few days while she was there. Mr Evans readily agreed, but Petunia looked at Lily suspiciously. "Which classmate's house? I don't remember anyone in your dormitory living in Godric's Hollow."

"A classmate from the dormitory next door," Lily said vaguely.

"All right. Stay safe while you're away." Petunia didn't press further. Everyone had things they didn't want to discuss in detail, and she didn't want to pry.

Lily stood at the gates of Potter Manor with her suitcase. The family's house-elf came forward to greet her immediately. "Miss, whom would you like to visit?"

James suddenly poked his head out from the second floor and shouted excitedly, "Lily, you got here so fast!"

For a moment, it sounded as though the stairs had been struck hard. With a bang, James kicked the door open. Lily was speechless. Did he always come downstairs like that? Harry hurried out right behind him, calling loudly, "Mum!"

James reached for Lily's hand, but she instinctively stepped aside. Since when were they close enough for him to hold her hand the moment they met? She turned and moved to Harry's other side, taking his hand. "Damn it."

Euphemia quietly watched the three people in the courtyard, all of whom appeared to be about the same age: her son, her future grandson, and her future daughter-in-law. No matter how she looked at it, the scene was strange.

A magical camera appeared in midair and kept snapping away with a series of clicks and bangs. Harry was pleased. This time, both Mum and Dad were at his side, and the three of them were captured together in the photographs.

For the time being, Lily couldn't find a way to send Harry back, so she had no choice but to stay at Potter Manor. Wherever James was, there was always a lively commotion. She didn't dislike the liveliness of everyday life, but as she waited day after day for another disruption in time, the summer holidays here were drawing to a close, and Harry still showed no sign of returning. Lily had even prepared herself for the possibility that he wouldn't be able to go back for the time being.

Then, on an ordinary morning at the end of August, Harry sat at the manor's dining table as the outline of his body slowly became transparent and faded. He knew he was about to return to his own world. Though their time together had been brief, he had stayed here for so long. He hated to leave Lily, James, and this place, but he had to go. Their parting was unavoidable.

"Harry, we'll miss you very much."

Under Lily and James's gaze, Harry's figure vanished completely.

"He went back, didn't he?" James spoke with certainty. It was not a question, but a statement.

"At the rate these journeys happen, we'll see him many more times in the future." Lily gazed somewhat absently at Harry's unfinished breakfast on the table. The warm chair told her that he really had been sitting there just moments ago, but now he was gone.

"Lily, I like you. Will you be with me?"

The confession was like a pebble dropped into a lake, sending ripples across its surface. Without those encounters across time and space, Lily would have rolled her eyes at him without hesitation. But after witnessing the future with her own eyes and meeting their child, she couldn't help wavering.

"I'll think about it, but I won't say yes just because of Harry."

With that, Lily turned to say goodbye to the Potters in the courtyard. Harry had left, and she had no reason to stay any longer. James watched her walk away, clenched his fist, and shouted, "I, James Potter, will win Lily Evans over!"

Please, I'm not deaf yet. Couldn't you wait until I was a little farther away before shouting? She closed her eyes for a moment and pretended not to see the Potters watching with teasing expressions, enjoying the spectacle.

Lily had thought her trip to Godric's Hollow would be a short stay. She hadn't expected to spend two whole weeks there.

During that time, Petunia had sent a long letter by owl. Having learned that Lily had been staying at James's house, she wrote at great length, but the gist was simply: You've finally come to your senses and stopped spending all day with a Slytherin. Potter may be stupid and arrogant, but at least he washes his hair. When Lily finished reading, she didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

When she got home that afternoon, Petunia was sitting upright in the living room, waiting for her. "Hi, Petunia. I've been gone for so many days. Did you miss me?"

Lily hoped to bluff her way upstairs. "Sit down."

Lily sat down across from her on the sofa, feeling guilty. Wait, what did she have to feel guilty about? Nothing was going on between her and James.

"Tell me the truth. Are you and Potter together?"

What do I do if my little sister goes away for two weeks and I find out she's dating already? Nothing, because how could that possibly be true?

She paused, then added, "But I'm glad you're not with Snape."

"But you're only twelve. It's much too early." Petunia went on and on. "All right, now explain everything properly."

Lily straightened her back and defended herself earnestly. "I swear, Potter and I aren't together. I only went to Potter Manor to discuss whether I could work with Mr Potter to sell shampoo."

The Potter family's hair-care products were indeed well known in the wizarding world, and Petunia had heard a little about them. She stared at Lily, studying her closely, and only when she saw her open expression and no trace of a lie did she reluctantly relent. "All right, I'll believe you for now."

Lily let out a long sigh of relief. The fewer people who knew about this, the better.