The Truth Behind the Veil ✔️

Memories

"Oh good," an elderly woman said with a smile, "you're finally awake. Your friends have been worried sick. Lucky girl you are to have them."

She checked a chart and hummed. "Still can't speak can you?"

Fawn opened her mouth and strained with everything she had but came up blank.

"I know Sadie said it's because of damage, which is, but you have also been severely traumatized. We can fix ripped vocal cords, we can't fix trauma though. You may be able to speak again eventually but it will take a while."

The healer grabbed a second chart and handed it to Fawn. "You can communicate through writing for now. Is there anything you need, any questions dear?"

It took every ounce of energy to put the quill to paper and created something somewhat legible but she did.

Can I see my friends?

The healer smiled. "Yes of course, I'll get them right now."

She left the room and Fawn's heart kept with excitement. It felt like it had been ages since she'd laughed with Ron over Snape's greasy hair or made intricate plans with Hermione to keep their boys alive. Merlin, she missed them. Hopefully they could tell her exactly what happened because she didn't know how she got in such a terrible condition.

"Hey, Fawn. How are you feeling?"

That was Harry but older, much older. Since when was his eyes hazel?

There was a young man beside him that looked nothing like Ron. He had long tangled hair, sad grey eyes, and tattoos peeking out from under his leather jacket. He looked like a younger Sirius Black but that didn't make sense because Sirius didn't have any kids, or living relatives for that matter besides Nymphadora Tonks and they looked nothing like that.

Panic was rising quickly. How long had she been out? Had they moved on, made new friends that Fawn didn't know about? Where was Hermione?

"Harry?" she wrote desperately.

The older Harry's lips tugged upwards. "He's fine, Fawn, misses his auntie like crazy though. Lily's with him, they'll come by later."

"You're not Harry?"

"No, obviously not," he laughed. "How long do you think you were out for love?"

Fawn's heart pounded harshly against her rib cage. This was not right. This was really not right. Everything was wrong. He wasn't Harry but he was and Harry called her auntie, and this was not alright! What was happening? How long had it been?

"Hey, hey, don't cry Fawnie, you're okay."

Fawn wiped her eyes quickly and sniffed. These people were strangers. She had asked for her friends, not these people. She was definitely not okay.

"Maybe we should give her a minute," a young man behind the other two spoke. A blonde guy next to him nodded.

"No," Harry said, "something is wrong."

"Who are you, if you're not Harry?" Fawn wrote.

Harry frowned and turned to his friends. "See, this is what I mean."

"Well," the tallest of the group said, "she's from the future and was friends with Harry in her original timeline. She's been through a lot and she's probably confused."

Harry sighed and messed up his hair. "I'm James, James Potter, Harry's dad." He pointed to black haired man, "That's Sirius, and that's," he motioned to the calmest, and tallest of the group, "Remus. That one there," he motioned to the blonde in the back, "is Peter."

The veil had swallowed Fawn up and spit her out in the same spot. She had befriended James Potter. She, Lily, Alice and Marlene were best friends. Hours had been spent in the library researching time travel. Her friendship that stemmed from her research with Regulus had been so meaningful. The horcrux hunt that had nearly killed her multiple times and had landed her in the dungeon of Grimmauld Place came flying back to Fawn Briggs all at once.

"Wait. What's the date?"

She desperately hoped it wasn't too late. Voldemort was still alive. Yes, he was mortal but was powerful nonetheless and the killing of the Potters in Godric's hollow could still very well happen.

"October 31st, why?" said Sirius.

Shit, shit, shit. That was not good. Here she was, stuck in a hospital bed, still severely weakened, and in a few short hours everything she had worked for could have been done in vain.

"You need to go to Godric's hollow. Voldemort's going to come for you guys tonight, James. Harry needs to be the one to destroy him. Everything I've done to help could be in vain if something goes wrong tonight. Don't forget your wands! Make sure you've got the invisibility cloak. Please, I can't let you and Lily die tonight."

James' face dropped. The room stilled. This was what it had all been leading to.

"And if we succeed?" Sirius asked.

Fawn scribbled down the answer they all were expecting.

"Then I go back to 1996 and you all live happy, peaceful lives."

"And if not?" wondered Remus.

"Then James and Lily will be killed and Voldemort will return eventually."

"We have to go," said James.

"What about Fawn?"

Remus rubbed his hands on his trousers. "I'll stay with her Pete."

Fawn waved her hand to get James' attention.

"Were you guys in hiding? Do you have a secret keeper?"

James shook his head. "No. We never went into hiding."

"Okay. Harry has to be the one to deliver the killing curse. It's the only way to end this once and for all."

"He's one!"

"It's the only option. Someone else can hold the wand with him but his hands had to be on it the whole time to destroy Voldemort."

Peter sighed shakily. "Here goes nothing."

"I trust you guys. You'll succeed. I know you will. We haven't gotten this far for nothing."

James offered up one last hesitant smile before he and Sirius and Peter left. There was a good chance it would be the last time Fawn ever saw them.

Now it was a waiting game she had opted in to play.