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❁ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴏɢꜱ ʜᴇᴀᴅ ᴘᴀʀᴛ 2❁
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A/N just to clear up any confusion, this chapter is basically the same as the last chapter but in the perspective of the marauders
The marauders and co made their way through the all-too-familiar streets of Hogsmeade. It was a feeling they couldn't describe, the Wizarding village was exactly how they remembered it, yet so far from reality at the same time. All the familiar shops were exactly where they were supposed to be, however instead of the usual crowd they were used to, the streets were packed with strangers.
It was almost as if they were in a dream, they felt so out of place, yet so at home at the same time. It felt like they were trying to fit into the wrong piece of the puzzle – it was truly a strange feeling, walking through the streets they had been countless times whilst feeling like they were lost. They looked as they walked through the busy streets, and noticed how the shops exteriors where the tiniest bit different, and the posters that were placed in the windows where advertising completely different things than what they were in their time.
Another thing that Olivia noticed to be different, was the atmosphere. No-one appeared to be so obviously on edge, keeping their wand close to hand in case of a surprise attack. No one was acting as if they were in the brewing of a war because they weren't. She had to stop herself from scolding a group of third years for not being prepared when she noticed how care-free they were.
Sure, there where the rumors that the Dark Lod had returned, and a second war was brewing, but that's all they were to most people - rumors. Of course, the group of teens knew the truth, and trusted their instincts and believed Harry when he said that you-know-who was back, but unfortunately not everyone was like them. With no real threat, most people just carried on with their normal lives, ignoring whatever chaos was happening elsewhere.
They continued through the main part of Hogsmeade, and adventured down to the shabby, run-down inn at the far-end of the village. Stopping, outside the old wooden door, James looked up as saw the rusty sign, which letter spelt out 'THE HOGS HEAD'
"Lovely place" Sirius said sarcastically as he stared at the rotting wooden door of the inn.
The door creaked as James slightly pushed it open, and for a split second he was scared that it was going to fall right off of its rusty hinges. They all hesitantly stepped into the inn, to see the inside just as bad as the outside. Hay was messily strewn across the floor, and just was Remus was about to question it, an old, gray goat slowly shuffled passed them.
"Don't even ask" Olivia said once she saw Sirius turn to James and open his mouth, knowing full well he was about to ask the Potter boy if they could to buy a goat.
The inn was quite considerably small, and not in a comforting kind of way, no the small was just so claustrophobic it made everyone extremely uncomfortable. In the far corner of the room, Lily and Olivia saw this older man creepily staring at them, looking at them up and down with a weird smile on his face. As if on instinct, both girls shuffled closer to the boys and once Sirius noticed the creep in the corner of the room, he protectively put his arm around Olivia's waist, hugging her to him.
James being James of course, he tried to do the same to Lily. However, he was met with a slap on the wrist as the girl moved over to Remus.
They spotted Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ophelia in the furthest corner of the room and began making their way over to them.
Remus took the liberty of going and ordering a few butterbeers, even though James was almost certain they were about to be poisoned, whilst the rest of them made their way over to the other Hogwarts students.
It was quite awkward to say the least as the group weren't really friends with anyone else rather than Harry and his friends, of course they talked to other people in their classes and house, but they kept their circle rather small like Dumbledore had advised.
They joined the Weasley twins towards the back of the room, and waited for Remus to return with their drinks before awkwardly waiting for someone to speak up.
"Right so erm hi, thank you for all coming, as you all know we are here because we need a teacher...a proper teacher one who's had experience with the dark arts. We need to defend ourselves, properly I mean. Not how we are being taught by Umbridge" Hermione said, finally breaking the awkward silence that had fallen over the room.
"You only want to do this so you don't fail your OWLs, you don't really care do you?" A random boy from the back of the room near the marauders said.
Olivia glared at the blonde-boy when Hermione shot back at him, quickly shutting him down.
"No actually, I want to be prepared for..for Lord Voldemort" she stuttered.
"Where's the proof that you have that You-Know-Who is actually back" Lee Jordan curiously questioned from the back, causing everyone to turn around and face him.
"Dumbledore" Ron muttered.
"So, he says" this time the comment was made by Zacharias Smith, as he motioned his head towards Harry.
"So, Dumbledore said" Hermione interrupted.
"So, Dumbledore says because he says, point is where's the proof?" The boy argued back.
"Right well, that's not the reason we are here right now is it, we're here to-" Ophelia said.
"But if potter could tell us more about how Diggory was killed" Zach said cutting off Ophelia.
"I'm not here to talk about Cedric so if that's why your here you might as well clear off now" Harry said standing up and turning to Hermione.
"Come on Mione, they all obviously think I'm a freak"
"No one thinks that Harry"
"Is it true that you can produce a Patronus?" Luna Lovegood asked after yet again, another awkward silence.
"Yes, me and Lia have seen it" Hermione spoke up.
"Blimey I didn't know you could do that" Neville exclaimed.
The boys' eyes widened as they stared at Harry, who was now slightly blushing from the unwanted attention. They knew how hard it was to produce a patronus – it had been a requirement for them to produce one whilst they were becoming animagus'.
"And he killed the basilisk with the sword of Gryffindor" Ron said.
"Basilisk?" Olivia whispered to Lily, as the red-head shrugged.
"It's true" Ginny piped in.
"And he's fought off a hundred dementors" Hermione added.
"And last year he really did fight off you-know-who" Ophelia finished.
"Look it all sounds amazing when you put it like that but most of it was out of pure luck, I mean half of the time I didn't know what I was doing. But when you're out there watching a friend die in front of your eyes if your a second away from dying... you don't know what that's like" Harry said sitting back down again.
"Well if I didn't think the kid was impressive before, I certainly do now" Olivia whispered, only loud enough for her friends to hear her.
"Your right, we don't. But you do, and if we really have a chance of beating...Voldemort we need to be prepared" she stated.
"He's really back?" Colin Creevy spoke up earning sad nods from the four at the front.
The marauders and co. Where some of the first people to sign their names up to Harry's classes, wanting to be there to support the boy every step of the way.
James suddenly felt this warm feeling inside of his chest as he watched people sign their names up onto the piece of parchment, ready to be taught by the young boy. He was aware that there was a massive chance this was his future son, and if he was – well then James was proud that this boy was his son.
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"It all feels weirdly familiar, doesn't it?" Olivia said as she joined Sirius outside once all of the main buzz had died down from the meeting. She saw her boyfriend slip outside whilst they waited on Harry and Hermione to finish up inside, and instantly knew that he had something on his mind.
"Preparing for the war?" Sirius replied.
"Yeah, it feels exactly as it does back home. I mean, I thought that coming into the future, we would get a break from it all, but we've just seemed to end up right where we were"
"I just don't get why there's not more panic, if this has already happened, then why aren't people being extra precautious" the boy said.
"I suppose people don't want to admit that it is happening again" she replied. "Hell I know I'd rather not accept the fact that there's another war brewing right in front of our eyes but -"
"But we know from experience that not accepting the truth of it just causes more problems in the future" Sirius said as he cut her off. "You're right, it feels like some weird déjà vu shit" he added after a short moment of silence.
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"First things first, we need to find somewhere to practice" Harry said as he walked down the old wooden bridge outside of Hogwarts with his friends.
"The forbidden forest?" Ginny suggested
"No bloody likely" Ron scoffed.
"Shrieking shack?" Hermione said.
"To small" Ophelia said.
"Harry, mate what will happen if Umbridge finds out?" James asked.
"Who cares! It's kind of exciting isn't it, breaking the rules?" Hermione exclaimed skipping ahead making the group look at her weirdly.
"Who you are you and what have you done with Hermione Granger" Ron said causing Ophelia to laugh.
"Right so each of us had to come up with a couple of possible places over the next few weeks" Harry said as he lead the group back to the Gryffindor common room.