10 April 1986: Maryland.
5 years. 5 years of pain and misery for the Marauders. 5 years since they lost everything they loved. Sirius is still waiting for his nightmare to be over. Remus is all alone on his own. Peter is stuck as a rat with a Weasley. James and Lily stuck on the other side as ghosts. Harry growing up without his family. Marlene dead. Alice and Frank in St. Mungo's, away from their son and far away from sanity. The war is over but everyone is still paying for the it.
Sirius is curled up in the corner of his cell. Dementors are swirling around him. His their new source of joy. But Sirius is not going to loose it. Focus on the good memories!! I'm home, everything's just fine. Josette is sitting by my side. We are enjoying our life. He played that in repeat in his head. He remembered the joys in his life. The tears did came down eventually but he's sane. He's alive. And he will leave this wretched place one day. For Josette and for Harry.
Remus moved into a new house in middle of the woods, working small jobs for living. He was so sure that he's cursed, everything around him seemed to get destroyed eventually. First Meredith and then James, Lily and Peter. He still thinks it's Sirius who betrayed them and he's never going to forgive him for that. And he's glad that Sirius is locked up in Azkaban. Somewhere in all this he still believed that one day Josette will return but lost that hope as well when months turned into years. And now he's all on his own.
Peter, even though stuck as a rat is rather enjoying his life. No more running from his friends or death eaters, receiving an Order of Merlin for his 'heroic confrontation' against Sirius Black and 'sacrificing' his life for the greater good. What else does a man need?? And he isn't even feeling a single shread of guilt for everything he did. I did what was best for me! That's who I am. He told himself.
Severus is broken. He did everything he could, turned to Voldemort to find out how's he planning to take down Josette but didn't find anything. Became a double agent for Dumbledore, told him everything about the Dark Lord's plans, that didn't get him anything either. Requested, begged to Voldemort to spare Lily's life but he failed that as well and now he's stuck teaching a bunch of 'insufferable misfits'.
Marlene is dead, her whole family is. It was before Voldemort was defeated. She appeared as ghost in front of Josette and she allowed her to the other side where she instantly found peace. What's even left here for her?? Her whole family is dead. No last wish, nothing. Just gone.
Alice and Frank lost everything, Neville, their life, their mind, everything. After Voldemort's defeat, Bellatrix and a group of death eaters set out to find him, they didn't believed that he was dead, that he was defeated by a toddler. They cornered Alice and Frank, as they are aurors plus working for the order, they will definitely know where Voldemort is kept captured. The couple was tortured for the information they never had. And it was taken so far that they lost their sanity. Healers are trying to bring back their memories, bring them back to 'life' but it's just not possible. Neville lives with his Grandmother now, missing his parents daily.
Harry is almost six years old now but he doesn't remember his mama, dada, pa-foot, Mo or Moony every memory of them is just gone after all he was just a year old when he had his whole family together but it's just his cruel anut and uncle and cousin. He was treated nicely when he was a baby but once he was old enough he started asking about his real mother and father which got out a bad behavior from Petunia and Vernon. And he already has glasses he's definitely taking after James.
And as for James and Lily, they watch him almost everyday after all there's nothing much to do when you are stuck as a ghost. The night the couple died, they woke up outside Rosewood Mansion in ghost form and once they found Josette they told her everything, how Voldemort killed them but Harry is safe, how Sirius is innocent and Peter isn't. It was hard for them to look at her in that state and not being able to do anything about it.
As Marc said, once he was done with Josette she was locked up in his basement and true to his words she never saw the sunlight for next five years. What he wanted?? Did he get it?? and what happened in those 5 years is a story for another time, let's just focus on the present now.
James and Lily check up on Harry, Remus, Elijah and Jenna and tell her back how everyone is. That's how she's survived so far. Marc is trying to find a way to resurrect his father from dead. This was planted by Voldemort in his head, 'There is a way to escape everything, even death.' They are experimenting with her blood and magic. She's like a living corpse. Body white and pale, tied up in the corner of a dark room. Eyes lost all the light it had, she barely speaks with James and Lily. She hasn't even sensed a single shread of magic for the last five years.
While James and Lily check up on everyone they can't go anywhere near Azkaban. The dementors affect humans so much imagine what will happen to pure souls if they are anywhere near them. So, they have no idea how Sirius is holding up, if he's even sane or not.
Elijah and Jenna too gave up and moved back to the States not wanting to stay in their old home any longer. It tortures him everyday that he lost another sister, he wasn't their for her when he should have been. But it's about to change now.
Lily just entered their house to see how the pair is. Elijah is in his room meditating in his Astral form, a little something he learned in Nepal. When Lily entered his room, she got scared seeing him like this and let out a scream. And surprisingly it was heard by Elijah and he opened his eyes. "Lily!! I knew this was going to work!!" He smiled and fist bumped the air. He floated towards the girl "I'm assuming you know where Josette is??"
"Yes, but how can you see me?? Are you.. are you dead??" Lily asked afraid to hear his answer.
"No, I'm not. I can go back into my body. I know Mor is still alive and I'm hoping you know where she is?" He asked. When he returned back after giving up to find Josette, he was really depressed, he lost his job, he barely ate anything and was angry all the time. That's when his friend introduced him to Ancient One and he found a whole new knowledge of magic. He got into Kamar Taj, learned how to control his anger and mind.
Once he was done learning everything he left, he didn't wanted to stayed tied to it, he wanted to start a fresh life. But one day as he was going over his skill to form a Astral projection, he saw a soul when he was out of his body but he was gone once Elijah was back in his body. That's when he reliazed that Josette's magic is still present, she's still alive.
And knowing her, she'll definitely have a soul look for him and Jenna but didn't expect it to Lily. Now she has found him and she can tell him were Josette is.
Lily was dumbfounded by this new information and was lost deep in thought.
"Do you??" He asked again. Lily nodded and a smile formed on his face.
~☆~
Josette stared into the darkness of the room. A few tears came down thinking about it. Marc just left from reminding how much of a 'monster' she is. James was with her all the time holding her hand.
"And then that son of a potato sat on my son, purposely." James brought her attention back to him "I swear, if I ever get a chance I'm going to strangle that kid."
Though she listened to everything he said her mind was too far to understand it. "Come on, say something. Don't you want to teach him a lesson??" Still no reply. "Mor." He sighed "Look at me." She didn't move so he got up and sat in front of her. He cupped her cheeks and spoke softly "Don't loose hope. You'll get out of here. I know you will."
"You said that yesterday and the day before that and the day before that. I'm done. I want to die." She sobbed.
"No. No. Don't say that. Please." He moved closer and hugged her tightly. "I-"
Just then the basement door blasted open and a shadow on man was seen. James stood up and protectively stood in front of Josette, like it was going to be of any help.
First time in 5 five years there was a smile on Josette's face after seeing Elijah standing in front of them. He quickly ran forward and crouched down to her. "Mortis... oh god!!" He was speechless, either by happiness of her seeing her or by shock to see her in this condition or anger for those who did this to her.
Josette tried to move her hands forward and fall into his arms but she was held back by the chain. "Ouch!!" She grunted as it hurted her wrists.
Elijah quickly broke them loose and caught her into a tight hug. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't come sooner. I'm so sorry."
"But you came.. I thought... I thought I would never see you again." Josette smiled through tears. "Let's go home."
"No. Marc isn't here yet. I will leave this house once I kill him." He gritted.
"No. No. Please, Let's go. I don't want to stay here anymore. Please." She cried.
"Listen to her. She's been through a lot." James said and then remembered that he can't be heard.
Noticing her distressed Elijah realized how bad it is for her to be here. He nodded and picked her up in his arms and left that wretched place for good. And left behind the dead bodies of the Ferðamenn for Marc to find.
~☆~
16 April: Maryland (Jenna's House)
"You can't rescue me from that basement just to lock me into another room!!" Josette glared at her brother "It's almost a week. I'm fine now I have to go back. I have to look after Harry, prove Sirius is innocent. I want to have my family back."
"I told you, you're not going back." Elijah sternly said.
"Why??"
"Because you are not well yet and Marc is still out there and so are the death eaters. They think you are dead and you have to keep it that way." He argued.
"So what?? I just forget my life??"
"Yes, that was your past. You've to start fresh."
"What about them?? Sirius is suffering for the crime he didn't commit. Harry has to live with Petunia, his cruel anut." She yelled angrily.
"And how are you going to prove his innocence by statement from two ghosts??" He asked referring to James and Lily "Petunia is Harry's family. And it's best for him that he is away from the wizarding world. He doesn't need you!!"
"I hate you." She ran into her room with tears in her eyes and slammed the door behind her.
Elijah sighed and plopped down on the couch. He didn't intended it to come out this way but he's just trying to do what's best for her. She clearly can't prove Sirius is innocent, unless she knows where Pettigrew is or if she has any other proof which she doesn't. Harry is not living in an orphanage, he is with his family and Josette doesn't needs to get involved. And Marc is still out there probably looking for her
"Don't be so harsh on her." Jenna said coming out from her hiding place from where she heard the entire conversation.
"She doesn't understand. She can't go back, even if she did not everything is going to jolly and happy. She has to let go." He stood his ground.
"Explain it to her instead of yelling, it might work." She gave him a warm smile and pointed towards Josette's room "Go."
Elijah groaned and stood up, following his mother's orders. He knocked on her door and slightly opened it to peak inside. Josette laid on her bed, staring at the ceiling "Go away." Came her blunt reply but he still entered and sat beside her. She turned around to face the other way.
"You know I love you, right??" She didn't respond "You have to understand Mor, this is for your own good." She held up her middle finger in front of his face. Elijah sighed and paused for a minute "Someday you had to let go of them, you know why?? Don't you??"
"Never thought living for thousands of years would be a curse." She mumbled.
"It isn't. Come on, tell me. What did you planned on doing after 70 years if everything goes the way you wanted??"
"I will take my last breath the same day my husband does." Josette turned around to face him.
"God!! You are so-" he groaned irritatingly. "You like it or not. You won't be going back."
"But why??" She whined and sat up.
"Because of this." He held up her wrists, she was still wearing 'Stille Magi' bracelets. "You are afraid yourself. You need to accept who you are. You've to think about yourself for once. Not Sirius, not Harry, not Remus." He got up "I can help you if you want. Tell me what you think by the end of the day. If you still want to go back, I won't stop you." And with that he left.
Josette hugged her knees and thought about everything he said.
"He's not wrong" Lily said. Josette rolled her eyes and buried her face into the pillow. "Why are you not taking those off??" She gestured towards her bracelets.
"It hurts." She grumbled.
"What hurts??" James asked, confused.
"Magic."
"Do you want to go back??" Lily asked.
"I have to, Harry's my responsibility and Si-"
"No, no, no." James interrupted her "Do you want to??"
Josette thought hard before replying but couldn't come down to an answer "I don't know."
"If you do, are you sure everything will go back to normal?? Will you be able to get Sirius out without any proof?? Will Harry willing go with you??" Lily asked.
"I don't know." She repeated.
"Do you want to take the risk??" James asked and he was sure he will receive another 'I don't no' but that wasn't the case.
"No..." she sobbed.
Lily smiled and sat down beside her, wrapping her hand around her shoulder "It's okay. It's okay."
They stayed like that as Josette shed few tears, that's what she's been doing ever since they got back. Playing everything in her that happened in the lost years, thrashing in sleep, waking up screaming and covered in sweat. She haven't removed the bracelets because her magic was suppressed for 5 years and she's just too weak now to handel them but it isn't good to wear them either.
Like Elijah said by the end of the day she decided what she wanted to do. She's not going back. Elijah's right she needs to regain her strength and magic. And for that he's going to take her to Kamar Taj, Ancient One can 'fix' her. Josette obviously didn't agree at first, going to someone she doesn't know and then she will have to tell her everything but then eventually gave in.
But of course she wants to see Harry with a own eyes for once. Josette promised Elijah she'll use polyjuice potion and won't go back again after that no matter how hard it will make it. And Elijah being the gracious older brother agreed to his little sister's request and this made her really happy after so many years that the smile never left her lips that night.
~☆~
18 April: Little Whinging.
5-year-old Harry Potter sat on the swing alone in one of the parks near their house. Dudley Dursley was playing with his friends a little away from him while his mother was busy chatting with other mothers. The boy rather looked sad for someone who came in the park to play, he just sat on the swing which was moving back and forth slowly.
Josette, disguised as Jenna Coleman, just came upto the park's gate and was very nervous to meet her Godson for the first time. She took a look around and instantly found him. Ohh! He's just like James!! She grinned and made her way towards him. How she wanted to hold him tight and apologize for not being there for him, take him with her, tell him about his parents and introduced him to the wizarding world but she made a promise to Elijah and she intends to keep it.
She sat on the empty swing beside him. She didn't how to talk or rather what to talk about. So she started with "Aren't you too young to wear glasses??" but didn't receive any reply.
A stranger comes to you and comments about your glasses what's he supposed say?? "You father too had glasses at a very young age." She added. Now that got his attention.
"You know him??" He asked and she nodded. Josette thought he would be excited to know more about James or atleast be curious but he just went into silence.
"Don't you want to know more about him??"
"My teacher says, strangers use your parents as an excuse to get closer to you and then kidnapp you and that we shouldn't talk with them." Harry replied.
Josette chuckled at his innocence. "Well I am not lying and I can prove that." She removed a photo from her jacket and showed him. It was Lily, James and her together on the couch while Sirius was the one who took it. "We were friends, we went to the same school."
Harry laughed "That's not you." He pointed at the photo. Then she remembered she looks nothing like herself.
"Well, of course it's me. Look closer." She waved her hand and her face was changed with Jenna's.
"Ohh." Harry mumbled, his eyes were then fixed on his parents. He knows what the look like, Petunia had a photo of them which he accidentally got his hands on and instead of giving it to him, she burned it.
"You can keep it if you want." Josette said.
"Thank you." He mumbled, his eyes still scanning the photo. "What's your name??"
"Um... you can call me Mo." She smiled.
"That's a weird name." He laughed and that sound was music to her ears.
Well, you gave it to me. She smiled and added "My favourite person gave me that name."
"Your parents??"
She shook her head. "God no!!"
Harry again turned back to the photo "Uncle Vernon said, he was a criminal." He traced his finger over James's face "He left me at my anut's and they were running away but got into a car accident and died." Josette's blood began to boil, how could they say something like this about his parents to him. "But I don't believe him."
Now she was curious, he's just five years old and children at that age believe everything their adults say so, why doesn't he. "Why not??"
"I just don't." He shrugged "Was he??" He then asked for confirmation.
"No, he wasn't." Harry smiled in return. They both sat in silence, swinging back and forth slowly.
"Why are you not playing with your friends??" She asked and then looked at the group of boys in front of them.
"They are not my friends. I don't have friends." He mumbled.
"Why??" She furrowed her eyebrows.
"Dudley says I'm a freak. And they don't want to be friends with me."
"Why would he say that??"
"I was angry at him because he ate my pudding and then I turned his hair yellow." Harry explained why he's being called a 'freak'. Josette knew same thing was done with Lily by Petunia and she hates her so much for that.
"That's awesome. You can do magic." Josette beamed at the little boy.
"Uncle Vernon says, there's no such thing as magic." He looked at her with his emerald green eyes and she saw Lily in him.
"Yeah your uncle Vernon says a lot of things. One day I'm going to leave him that way, he won't be able to speak again." She rolled her eyes.
The boy either didn't understood what she said or didn't know that it was a threat. He looked at her with confusion. "Magic is real and there is school for young witches and wizards. You'll be able to go there once you turn eleven."
"You shouldn't lie."
Josette fake gasped "I'm not and I can prove that."
"How??"
Josette waved her hand and conjured up chocolate bar in her hands and gave it to him. "It's simple. Magicians have it hidden up there sleeves. It's not magic, it's a trick."
"Now, now aren't you a smart one." Josette ruffled his raven hair. Harry giggled and covered his head to stop her. He hates when someone touches his hair. Wonder where he gets that from!! (Sirius)
"I'll show you a real magic. Close your eyes and count to three and then open them." She instructed.
"Okay." He closed his eyes.
"One."
Josette had tears in her eyes, happy and sad both.
"Two."
She took in his every last detail. She had his face printed in her mind.
"Three."
And that was the last time they both saw eachother. Harry looked around, how could someone disappear so quickly. Can she really do magic?? He questioned himself. But whatever it was he wishes to meet the brunette again and maybe then they can talk more about his parents.
That day he left the park with smile on his face and a photo hidden in his shirt, which he always kept in his cupboard/room. Treasured it. He eishes his mom and dad 'Good Morning' before starting the day and 'Good Night' before ending it. Taking to them, telling them he loves them so much. And unknown to him they were listening.
~☆~
27 April: Kamar Taj.
"So, what's your real name?? Ancient One sounds a little freaky." Was the first sentence Josette said to the Master of the Mystic Arts.
"Mor!!" Elijah smacked her arm "Behave."
"Ow." Josette hit him back.
"Let her be. She's just curious." The old lady smiled and stepped forward "Aren't you Mortis??"
"Only my friends call me that. You can go with Josette." She said.
"Dumbledore is your Professor he calls you that." Josette had no idea how she knows about him, maybe Elijah told her or maybe it has to do something with being the 'Masters of the Mystic Arts'.
"Because I let him."
"And when will I get that privilege??"
"When I know I can trust you."
Elijah could clearly sense the tension in the room. It was awkward for him to just stand there and watch to women talk like this.
"How long will it take??"
"We met like two minutes ago, I hardly know anything about you." Josette rolled her eyes.
"Two minutes are enough for me to know your whole life story." Ancient One stepped forward.
Josette looked at Elijah who just shrugged in return. She turned back to the lady jn front of her. "Then what do you think about me??" She asked.
"You've temper, you are arrogant, careless." She started to circle around Josette "Powerless." She looked at the bracelets "Broken."
Josette eyes drifted off to her legs. "Can you... can you fix me??" She mumbled, feeling shameful for asking for help.
"I can help you but it's entirely in your hands how to shape yourself." Ancient One stood in front of her and placed her hands on her shoulder.
"Please. Help me." She looked up at her with unshed tears.
"Welcome to Mystic Arts."