The Covenant's Blood

Not Strong Enough

Harry!"

"Mione!"

A hug full of happiness and relief happens on platform 9 & ¾. It's always rough for them when they're separated. Which they are, a lot. They're both absolutely thrilled that Hogwarts is finally starting, a school that allows them to expand their potential and be together much more often.

James watches them with a little smile, holding Harry's baggage and waiting for him to notice. Lily walks to him, Mary at her side, who can't take her eyes off Hermione. She always was a little overprotective and letting her child go so far away for so long is making her anxious.

"They're cute, hum?" Lily laughs and James firmly nods. "I hate that they have to be separated so often."

"You needed to live far from here, I understand." James reassures her, grabbing her shoulder affectionately. Mary doesn't miss it.

When Lily moved to London, she was followed by Mary who wanted to get away from there just as much as her. Having suffered Voldemort's torture itself, it was understandable for Mary to have developed a hatred for the city she suffered the most in. They both became successful at their jobs and when Lily, as a social worker, met a mistreated little girl that definitely was a witch, she did everything in her power to adopt her. And now, years later, Harry and Hermione behave as if they were born twins.

"I'm getting emotional." Lily admits, tears in her eyes. "He's grown so much."

"He's going to have peaceful years at Hogwarts thanks to us." James reminded her. The whole point of time traveling was for their son to not have to fight a battle that wasn't his. Thanks to their hard work, he gets to experience his teenage years as a normal kid. Well, as normal as a Potter that survived the killing curse can live.

Molly Weasley arrives with her children not so long after. James has mixed feelings. He remembers clearly the words from Severus; his son would become best friends with Ron Weasley and date Ginny Weasley. Which is why he took it upon himself to make them meet earlier and thus, become childhood friends. And they are. They share a lot of common interests and are obviously close. James wonders if they're closer than in the first life.

But he also doesn't trust Dumbledore. And he knows the redheaded family trusts him more than anything. If Dumbledore were to do it all over, to once again raise his child like a lamb for slaughter, the Weasleys would be his allies, not enemies, and he can't tolerate that. Still, he can't blame people for things they haven't done yet.

He also knows for sure not everything will happen the same. Severus described Harry's scar as "tiny", which it is not in the slightest. Of course, that fateful night happened completely differently, so it explains the difference, but it means the future isn't set and their choices influence it, change it.

"Ron!" Harry runs to him but doesn't hug. Meh, boys. "That's my sister, Hermione!"

"Your sister...?"

Ron is confused for two reasons. One, Harry never mentioned a sister. Maybe once, but he didn't think he was serious. Two, he can clearly see they don't share the same ethnicity. He doubts his indian best friend has a black sister.