"That was wholesome," Hestia Jones smiled, "I hope it doesn't get too dark after this."
"Morning Sirius," Lydia poked Sirius's cheek, "time to arise from your slumber."
"Whaaaa-" Sirius groans as he awakens, "why do I feel so different?"
"Take a look in the mirror," Lydia smiles, "that'd explain it all." Sirius walks to the mirror, and lo and behold, his face was very reminiscent of Fleamont Potter. He had Euphemia's neat, dark hair, short stature, and stunning blue-green eyes. Everything else, however, was nearly identical to Fleamont.
"I look like Monty," Sirius examined himself in awe, "and Effie."
"Don't forget me," Lydia draped herself onto Sirius, "you look like my brother."
"I am your brother," Sirius said grinning, "brother to an absolute genius."
"Oh yeah!" Lydia and Sirius high five.
"That I am," Lydia flips her hair, "let's go down for breakfast. Mum's having a tailor come and fit you for clothing. Said your old measurements probably wouldn't fit."
"Why don't we just go to a store?" Sirius asked, "that'd probably be easier."
"Cause you look like a Potter," Lydia responded bluntly.
"And?" Sirius waited for Lydia to elaborate.
"The Potters are known for having one child," Augusta huffed at Sirius, "use your brain boy. They'd think you were Monty's illegitimate child or that you were using dark magic to impersonate someone. Until things are worked out at the ministry, it makes sense they're leaving you indoors."
"Oh," Sirius rubbed his neck, "I probably should have thought of that."
"There's only one Potter child," Lydia skipped down the stairs, "wouldn't want people to deny you your identity. Daddy went to get you registered. Said he'd call once the potion was registered and ask if you wanted to change your name on the records."
"What would I change it to?" Sirius wondered aloud.
"Daddy said you might want to drop any presence of the Blacks," Lydia turned to face Sirius, face remarkably serious, "so he thought you might want to replace your middle name, Orion."
"I'd love to," Sirius says, "wonder what I'll change it to."
"Oh," Sirius said softly, "what would I change it to?"
"Anything you want," Euphemia cut into the conversation, "now come and have breakfast."
"I mean," Lydia said as she chewed, "if you want to pick from our family, there are a few options. There's Henry, after my Grandad Potter, Caius, after Grandfather Moon, Ignotus is a good option also. I've met the man. He's very down to earth, and always shouts at Morgana."
"Charlus is also a lovely idea," Euphemia was far more dignified than her daughter, "if you wanted to maintain the slightest connection to your family. Your former great-aunt Dorea married my brother-in-law Charlus. I would also like to mention that Fleamont is an option. Monty would be honored if you did choose that."
"You don't need a middle name," Lydia reassured him, "it's just a tradition. We're all about busting tradition these days."
"Oh my little heart," Fleamont chuckled, "never change."
"What about Balinor?" Sirius suggests, "I saw that name on the family tree in the lab. It stuck with me since."
"Random," Andromeda muttered to husband, "if I could change my name, it'd be to something a lot more significant."
"Balinor Peverell," Euphemia recites, "last male descendant of the Peverell line. Excellent choice. You call your father and tell him Lydia dear."
The scene switches, and Lydia Potter is seen getting ready for her date. "What am I going to do Pads?" she whines to Sirius, "I'm going to end up messing this up.."
"Seems itty bitty Lydia is nervous," Lyetta jumps on the admission, "how time flies. Why I remember when you were just a wee li-"
"Zip it," Lydia hissed, "or I'll tell Uncle Newt what happened to his favorite niffler."
"Shutting up," Lyetta paled, and shut up.
"You've been pining since second year," Sirius said dully, "and been rejected over one hundred times. You think you're going to mess this up? If anyone is going to mess it up, its Fenwick. And if he does, I'll be there to hex the living daylights out of him."
"I'm suddenly terrified," Benjy said. Lydia still hadn't returned to sitting next to him, so he was in extreme vicinity to Lydia's overprotective family members.
"You shouldn't be," Lydia tells him, "you marry me in the future. Clearly it goes well."
"I agree with Sirius," Peter hands her a hair tie, "and I'm sure Remus will have a creative spell or two. So don't worry."
"Thanks Pete," Lydia smiles, and leaves the room.
"Oi Fenwick," Lydia calls as she reaches the Hogsmeade gates, "I'm here."
"Good to see you," Benjy smiled, "where should we head first?"
"I'd like to go to Stitches and Draughts," Lydia smiled.
"Where's that?" Benjy asks curiously.
"Near Tomes and Scrolls," Sirius answers, "Lydia and I frequent those two shops. We get a lot of good material."
"Stitches and what?" Benjy asks.
"They sell random things," Lydia explains, "And always have leftover materials for me to use. In fact, Sirius and I get our gunpowder from there."
"I'm not sure whether I should be frightened by that information," Benjy professes.
"We use it in our fireworks," Lydia explains as they walk, "and also in our special portable fires."
"Portable fires?" Benjy questions curiously, "I've never heard of those."
"Way to keep a secret Lyds," Sirius scolded, "falling in love clearly loosens your tongue."
"Sorry Siri," Lydia unleashes her puppy dog eyes, "forgiven?"
"Always," Sirius sighs.
"Oops," Lydia covers her mouth, "I should not have told you that. Siri's going to be so sad. Oh well, cat's out of the bag. They're little containers that have forever burning fire in them. We use them during the winter."
"Then why the gunpowder?" Benjy asks.
"In case of emergencies," Lydia shrugs, "it, alongside other stuff, causes the fire to make a huge, extremely hard to put out explosion."
"I'm starting to develop a real fear of you and Sirius," the seventh year shudders, "you two are quite a pair."
"He's my older brother," Lydia's voice is soft and fond, "there's nothing he wouldn't do for me, and there's nothing I wouldn't do for him in return."
"Awwww," Sirius cooed, "come get some love Lyds." Sirius walks over to Lydia, and drags her into a huge hug. He then kidnaps her, and brings her back to him and Monty.
"You know," Benjy admits, "I was definitely one of those people who thought you and Sirius were dating."
"I assumed so," Lydia responds, "I've been flirting and asking you out for 4 years and you never responded. When I found out that people thought we were dating, I realized that you probably thought so too."
The two arrive at the store, and Lydia buys a bunch of extremely concerning materials. "And now I have to pick up my book order," Lydia smiles, "it's a few books on hexes and runes. After we'll go somewhere you want."
The date continues, and Lydia is still smiling by the time Benjy drops her off at the gryffindor common room. "See you tomorrow," Lydia calls, and rushes in.
"How was?" Peter was the first to ask when she entered their dorm.
"They're so casual about her being in their dorm," Nico laughed, "only our Dia could end up dorming with the boys."
"So well," Lydia sighs happily, "although I'm pretty sure I terrified him at one point. I hope I didn't scare him off."
"If he wasn't scared before the date," Remus says from his bed, "then he's probably not all that scared. You've done crazier things in public before."
"Fair," Lydia sits on her bed, "I just feel it might be overwhelming to go on a date with me. So many people kept trying to talk to me. Everyone wants to hear all about my potion, and it could have been disconcerting."
"The paparazzi doesn't scare you?" Peter asked.
"A very famous newspaper has publicly called me hex-happy," Lydia deadpanned, "you think anyone's messing with me?"
"What a fun reputation," Sirius says, "Peter, did you finish your potions essay?"
"Yeah," Peter said, "Prongs checked it over."
"So you're aware they're animagi?" Peter's girlfriend, ravenclaw Melissa Druider asked.
"Not currently," Peter answers, "but I share a dorm with them. If anyone was going to find out, it would be me."
"Neat," Sirius looks through Peter's things, and locates the essay. He reads over the essay, and says, "Okay, now I'll go copy, but make it a little more me."
"Is that where your essays come from Mr. Black?" Professor McGonagall's voice is strict, "because that's plagirism."
"It's called taking inspiration," Sirius answers cooly, "I possess a lot of information on various topics. I can construct a beautiful essay in a matter of minutes just after skimming the topic. I very likely used Peter's essay as a recap on the topic, and used my own intellect to construct a composition of my own. As you can tell, I can be extremely articulate if I choose to be."
"Apologies," Professor McGonagall hastily apologizes, "my mistake."
"I feel like I'm wasting away," Lydia suddenly says, "I sit here day after day, going to classes and what not, when I could easily take my N.E.W.T's now and pass with all O's. I could then be out there in the world, making a real difference. Instead, I live my best life, lazily acing school, and prancing around like a little princess."
"It's called having a childhood," Remus pointed out, "you shouldn't need to be out on the frontlines."
"None of us have had much of a childhood," Lydia says, "we're growing up in wartime. People die gruesomely on a daily basis, and on scales never seen before. Yet with all my power and all my intelligence, there's nothing I can do. I'm stuck in this musty old castle."
"It's not your job to protect others," Peter tries comforting her, "you don't need to feel bad."
"That's not how she was raised," Sirius calls from where he was writing his essay, "Potter family motto. Protect those who cannot protect themselves."
"My dearest daughter," Fleamont kissed her brow, "so kind hearted."
"Ironic seeing how many people she hexes," Peter mutters under his breath.
"Heard that Pete," Lydia called, "but point taken. I just can't help but feel bad."
"Don't worry," Remus reassures her, "as soon as we're out of here, we can take a stand. Show those no good death eaters what we're made of."
"Blood and guts!" Sirius and Lydia shout, before grinning at each other.
"And that little thing next to your pancreas!" Peter joins the cheering.
"You mean your spleen?" Remus asks laughing.
"That thing!" Peter cheers.
"You guys are so chaotic," Lily laughed, "I can't believe I haven't noticed it in Peter and Remus."
"It's because Lydia and Sirius are so loud," Peter shrugs his shoulders, "it makes the rest of us seem tame."
"That," Lily points, "is actually a good point."
The scene shifts to the graduation of the class of 1978. People are seen cheering as the seventh years accept their awards. Head Girl Lydia Potter is seen with her quidditch captain pin, head girl pin, and graduate pin. Sirius is beside her as they wave to their parents. Andromeda Tonks is seen in the crowd, five year old Nymphadora alongside her.
"HEAD GIRL?!" all eyes turn to Dumbledore.
"Have you lost your mind?!" Lydia ask, eyes wide, "you've made me, detention every other day Lydia Potter, head girl?!"
"Despite how it may seem to you," Dumbledore clarified, "head girl and boy are actually chosen by a vote from all the teachers. It seems you impressed them enough."
"Then did someone spike the Pumpkin Juice?" Lydia was genuinely concerned, "because I'm the last person who should be head girl. I thought it'd be Evans for sure."
"I highly doubt the pumpkin juice was spiked," Professor Flitwick smiled, "you future you must have matured slightly. Besides, you are clearly a talented and capable witch. I'm not surprised in the slightest."
"Andy's here!" Sirius tugged on Lydia's sleeve, "and she brought Nymmie!"
"Look," Lydia pointed out, "Nico and Maria are here! And Maria's pregnant!"
"Congrats brother!" Lyetta clapped her brother on the back, "you reproduced!"
"Stop making it awkward," Nico protested, And why do you sound so surprised? I'm a fine specimen of humankind."
Lyetta chose to ignore her brother.
"And a certain boy toy of yours is here too," Sirius nudges Lydia, "and he even brought flowers."
The mentioned pair blush.
"Isn't he sweet?" Lydia swooned.
"Sickly sweet," Sirius gags.
"Can you believe we made it?" Lydia leans on Sirius's shoulder, "we're here graduating."
"I know," Sirius agrees, "I thought we'd get expelled three weeks into our second year."
"They never saw us coming, did they?" Lydia grins, and is about to say something before her name is called.
"Ms. Lydia Euphemia Potter, Order of Merlin Third Class," Professor Dumbledore reads her title, "has been awarded the Founder's Legacy Award for achieving all O's on her N.E.W.T's."
Lydia's eyes are wide as saucers. "I get an Order of Merlin!"
"Those are for people who have made a contribution to our store of knowledge or entertainment," Newt says calmly, "not surprised. I'd say that potion of your could probably have made second class if you'd been an adult. They were probably reluctant to give such a high ranking to a child."
"Still an impressive feat," Euphemia beamed, "I'm so proud!"
"GO LYDIA!" Newt Scamander hollered in the crowd, and similar shouts were heard from her family.
"Thank you," Lydia accepted her new medal and returned to her spot. She winked at Benjy as she passed him.
"Mr. Sirius Balinor Potter has been awarded the Founder's Legacy Award for receiving all O's on his N.E.W.T's," Dumbledore called Sirius up, to an eruption of cheers from his family.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you," Sirius bowed dramatically, before returning to his seat.
The graduation continues, and as it ends, the graduates toss their caps in the air. Professor Dumbledore raises his wand, and they all form the Hogwarts crest. It then turns into a lion, raven, badger, snake, and dragon, before ending as a phoenix. The graduates tumble off the stage, and the scene ends with Lydia springing into Benjy's arms, kissing her boyfriend.