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In Another Life, chapter 9, Apparition Exam

Hi, I hope you’re all having a wonderful holiday season!

As promised, here’s a little sneak peek of the next chapter of In Another Life—just in time for Christmas. Who do you think is the girl Tonks is talking about at the end? Enjoy, and I hope it piques your curiosity!

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"As you know, we've been investigating the disappearance of Muggle-borns," Charlie said gravely. "Dora and I have been looking into the matter and we repeatedly came across a mysterious person connected to the cases, a certain Dolores Umbridge."

"She works for the Muggle Ministry, under the Minister for Crime and Policing," Tonks added, "but we suspect she's a witch."

Dumbledore's expression grew serious. "I remember her. She was an undersecretary at the Ministry of Magic for a time." He paused, shaking his head slowly, as if sifting through old memories. "I thought she'd died when the Ministry burned down."

"I wish she had," Charlie said bitterly. "She works for the Muggles now, and whenever a Muggle-born goes missing or is found dead, her department takes over the case. The Muggle authorities think it's the work of a serial killer."

Lily frowned. "And the victims…are they always Muggle-born? No Muggles?" she asked worriedly.

"Always Muggle-borns," Tonks replied grimly. "And every single one of them was registered to attend Hogwarts."

"This Umbridge woman must know exactly who's Muggle-born and who isn't." Ginny stated, disbelief written all over her face

"We need to warn the new students," Harry cut in, his voice urgent. "They need to know what's going on."

Tonks gave him a sad, resigned smile. "We've already warned them to be careful. Albus has provided them with portkeys for emergencies, but let's hope they never have to use them. They're not very comfortable with the idea."

"I assume they'll also come to our gathering using these portkeys," Lily chimed in.

"Yes, of course," Tonks confirmed.

"Are all the students coming next week Muggle-born?" Emily asked.

Tonks shook her head. "No. So far, we've got two half-bloods, two Muggle-borns, and one pure-blood. The girl joining after Easter is also Muggle-born." She chuckled softly as if recalling something. "That one was especially eager to get back to school. Apparently, she'd been attending a wizarding school in Canada and was worried she wouldn't get any magical education once her family moved back to England."

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In Another Life, chapter 8, New Year's Eve

Hi everyone!

Wow, I have to admit, I was a bit surprised (and more than a little overwhelmed) when I suddenly got so many followers. Thank you all so much!

I’ve had this Tumblr account for a while, but if I’m being honest, I’ve never quite figured out how to properly use it. Posting sneak peeks was already a victory, haha! I probably should take some time to actually learn my way around here, but every time I think about it, I feel like it’d eat into my writing time—and let’s face it, writing always wins.

Anyway, enough rambling. Here’s a sneak peek of Chapter 8: New Year’s Eve. Hope you enjoy it!

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Harry took a big swig from his bottle and glanced around. His mother, along with Mrs Weasley, Charlie, and Tonks, was sitting in the chairs, warming their hands on their mugs of mulled wine, while his sister stood nearby with Ginny, drinking what Harry assumed was hot tea. Once they had finished their butterbeer, they quickly switched to mulled wine at Ron's suggestion, as their mothers seemed a little distracted tonight, maybe even a tad tipsy, and weren't paying much attention.

Harry couldn't help it, but his gaze kept wandering over to the girls, who'd apparently also switched to mulled wine quite unobtrusively. Watching Ginny chatting so animatedly with his sister dampened his mood for a moment. He'd avoided Ron's sister since that stupid incident on Boxing Day, simply because he didn't know how to treat her. He'd tried his best, but as always, it had ended in disaster.

"Harry, are you even listening?" asked Ron, waving his hand in front of Harry's eyes.

Torn from his thoughts, Harry looked up. "Of course. What's up?"

"It's about to start," Ron said, grinning and pointing to Charlie, who was setting up the Muggle fireworks he and Tonks had gotten from somewhere.

A glance at his watch told Harry that it was indeed almost midnight.

"I'll get us some more mulled wine," said Ron and trotted over to the drinks table where champagne glasses were already being prepared for midnight.

"Hi, Harry."

Startled out of his musings, Harry turned around only to stare at Ginny, gobsmacked. "Hi," he answered cautiously, a crooked smile on his lips.

"I... erm," she started and sighed, giving Harry an uncertain look. "I want to apologize. About Christmas."

"Oh," Harry replied, surprised. "You don't have to apologize. It was my fault."

"Hogwash," Ginny responded, eyeing Harry irritated. "Ron bumped into you, and you didn't see me. I shouldn't have yelled at you."

"But I ruined your dress," Harry said, confused. "You had every right to yell at me. Your mother said you wore that dress especially for Christmas."

Ginny chuckled, shaking her head. "Not especially for Christmas, rather for..." She paused briefly. "It wasn't a good idea anyway."

"You looked really amazing in that dress," Harry blurted out, feeling a blush spread across his face, much to his discomfort.

"Thank you, Harry," she replied sheepishly, giving him a hard-to-read look.

A lump formed in Harry's throat, and he couldn't hide a smile as he felt his cheeks heat up even more. But not from the bonfire. Taking a step closer, he heard Ginny's breath hitch as he stood so close to her, looking into her chocolate-brown eyes. Reaching out, he tucked a strand of hair that had come loose in the wind behind her ear. "You always look great no matter what you're wearing," he heard himself saying.

Harry couldn't believe his own ears. Had the mulled wine made him brave? His heart pounded loudly in his chest as he met Ginny's wide-open eyes, which felt like magnets, drawing him in. He leaned forward a little and could almost feel her lips on his when Emily's distant voice sounded, "Ginny, Harry, come on. Mum has already poured the champagne. It's almost midnight."

Brought back to reality, Harry took a step back. Still a little befuddled, his gaze followed Ginny's, who was giving his sister a disgruntled look.

At this moment, Charlie set off the fireworks.

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In Another Life, chapter 7, Christmas

If anyone’s interested, here’s a sneak peek at the next chapter—featuring Harry on a rollercoaster of emotions!

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Every so often, Harry's gaze drifted across the table to Ginny, seated beside her brother Bill and opposite Emily. Twice, he caught what he thought was her looking back at him, only for her to quickly drop her gaze to her plate the moment their eyes met. He smiled to himself, really enjoying the Boxing Day surrounded by friends.

"When everyone is finished, there will be pudding," Mrs Weasley called and glanced over at Ginny, "Can you please help me, dear?"

Harry's eyes followed Ginny as she helped her mother levitate the dishes into the kitchen. A nudge in the ribs made him turn around and look into the grinning face of his sister.

"What?" he asked, bewildered.

"Nothing," Emily replied, her grin growing even broader.

"Then why did you jab me?" Harry enquired, still confused.

"It's rude to look at a girl's bum," Emily whispered with a grin.

Harry's face turned scarlet. "I…I didn't," he muttered, suddenly realizing he'd done exactly that without even noticing. He'd been staring at Ginny Weasley's bum. Not for the first time. His eyes were darting around to see if anyone else had noticed?

"It's even ruder to lie to your favourite sister." Emily giggled.

Harry closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Don't you dare tell her," he hissed in a low voice. Hoping to escape the topic, Harry decided to head to the loo, but as he stood up, he bumped right into Ron.

"Sorry. I didn't see you," he muttered, flustered, and took a step aside.

"Merlin, watch out," a voice screeched behind him.

Spinning around, Harry found himself face-to-face with Ginny, who was holding a bowl of cherry sauce - its contents splattered across the front of her dress, particularly on the fabric just below her neckline. His mouth dropped open, and a short, nervous laugh escaped him before he could stop it.

Ginny's eyes narrowed dangerously, and Harry's face turned scarlet. "S-Sorry," he stammered, his throat dry.

"Keep your apology - and your clumsy hands," Ginny snapped, glaring down at the sticky mess. Blinking back tears of frustration, she turned on her heel and stormed upstairs, slamming the half-empty bowl onto the dresser as she went.

Harry stared after her, his stomach twisting in guilt. "Brilliant," he muttered under his breath. "Absolutely brilliant."

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In Another Life, chapter 6, Christmas Market

Here I have a sneak peek at chapter 6 of In Another Life. It's called Christmas Market and will be posted around the first Advent. Enjoy!

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"We're up in my room, Mum," Ginny said. Giving Emily a meaningful look, she nodded her head toward the stairs and walked ahead.

"Sorry about the mess," Ginny said as they stepped through the door.

Emily pushed the covers aside and sat on the bed. "It usually looks the same in my room," Emily admitted, waving her hand. "I only tidy up on Fridays and when I'm expecting guests, and that can only be you." Spotting a wrapped box on the desk, she asked, surprised, "Oh. You've already wrapped Christmas presents?"

"It's just Bill's gift," Ginny replied, grimacing. "I wanted to go shopping with him, but he didn't have time yet. I hope he gets in touch soon. If I can't go to London tomorrow or the day after, I have to settle for shopping in Ottery. But they don't have that many shops there, so I'm not sure I'll get what I want."

"I went to Godric's Hollow with Harry today," Emily said. "There aren't that many shops either, but we managed."

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "You go Christmas shopping with your brother?"

"Don't you ever go shopping with Ron on market days?" Emily asked.

"Yeah, sometimes. But never for Christmas gifts."

Glancing at her friend, Emily bit her lower lip, debating whether to intervene or not. "Are you planning to get Harry a present, too?" she finally asked.

Ginny looked at her, surprised. "Should I?"

Emily sighed and began hesitantly. "I'm not sure. I know he has a gift for Ron. But he acted so secretive that I've got the feeling he had a gift for you, too."

"Why should he do that?" Ginny asked incredulously. "Does he even know I exist?"

Emily snorted, shaking her head, slightly annoyed. "You two and your ignoring games. I don't want to get involved. I just thought I'd warn you. I'm pretty sure Harry got something for you. Do whatever you want with that info. I just didn't want you to be caught off guard."

Ginny took a deep breath and sighed. "What do you think I should do?"

"Just have something small for him, just in case. You don't have to give it to him unless he has something for you," Emily suggested. "It doesn't have to be anything big. I think I know what he got you, but I don't want to tell you either. That wouldn't be right."

Ginny rubbed the bridge of her nose and dropped on the bed beside Emily. "Thanks for the heads-up."

"So, were you going to show me those scandalous romance novels, or was that just a tease?" Emily grinned, trying to cheer her friend up."

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the people who claim ginny’s “personality” came out of nowhere never fail to amaze me with their inability to actually comprehend the text

it’s literally shown in PS (fleetingly) on the train platform and talked about as early as CoS that ginny weasley is a certified YAPPER. she’s a talkative, opinionated gal. ron points out that her quiet / shy behaviour is very unusual for her, so if one does have basic comprehension skills, it is pretty clear that the ginny we see in the earlier books (which are from harry’s pov) is not who she really is. ginny says as much herself in HBP, “i never used to be able to talk in front of you remember? hermione thought you’d take more notice if i was a bit more… myself”? like are we comprehending this? it’s not rocket science…

as the books go on, her confidence around harry grows the more she detaches herself from the idea of harry that she grew up with, and the actual harry. this journey is slightly impeded by the fact that harry saves ginny’s life in CoS, which she feels a significant amount of guilt and embarrassment over (which harry himself picks up on this in PoA), not to mention she’s still processing the trauma that accompanied that experience (as seen in the way she reacts to the dementors — she is the only one who has a strong reaction to them, like harry). in the years following, we find out in CC (whether you take that to be canon or not), ginny explains she was very lonely during and after the diary debacle, as she felt very isolated from everyone else. this would also cause her self-confidence to take a severe battering, therefore her true personality is not able to shine, especially not in front of harry potter aka her crush aka the boy who saved her life and almost died doing it.

in GoF, harry (and in turn us, as the readers) start to see glimpses of her playful personality - she’s close with fred and george, she calls her brothers out when they’re being unkind, she goes to the yule ball with neville (turning down the opportunity to go with harry, because she doesn’t want to go back on her word), she gives ron’s owl a silly name and she starts to let go of her childhood crush, and takes a chance on another boy who’s actually shown interest in her.

by the time we see her again in OotP, OF COURSE she has undergone some serious character development. she has a boyfriend now! she has a group of friends now! she’s able to be herself around harry! she has a better support system now, her self confidence has returned, and with it, her sense of self worth. she calls harry out on his shit when he needs it, she also comforts him and gives him the space to share his worries without judgement or admonition, she stands up for what’s right, she kicks ass at quidditch (which she’s been wanting to do for the past four years bc she has been practising since she was six years old!), she joins the fight at the DoM, risking her life and dumps her boyfriend for being a sore loser! because she deserves better than that!

the ginny we see in HBP has gone through So Much. but she has only continued to grow as a character - with so much heart, wit and spunk. of course, harry is paying attention now and of COURSE he’s a flustered mess trying not to fall for his bestfriend’s sister for nearly 800 pages but he can’t help it!!!

a lot of ginny’s development happens behind the scenes, in quiet ways, but if you actually pay attention, it’s very obvious who she truly is. the reader slowly becomes more fascinated by this girl as more and more of her story unravels — as does harry. and that’s the beauty of it.

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In Another Life

I just realized it’s almost time to post the next chapter of In Another Life! I've just finished Chapter 12, An Unexpected Visitor, and in a few days, Chapter 5, Diagon Alley, will go up. Time for a quick sneak peek! Enjoy!

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Bill demonstrated how to open the entrance, and a small hole formed where the brick had been, quickly widened into a large archway.

"Okay. Follow me! And stay together," Bill called as he stepped out onto the cobblestones of the alley that came into view on the other side of the archway. Briefly glancing back, he uttered, "Charlie, Dora. You two go last and make sure no one is left behind," and continued on his way down the alley.

Harry followed his mother, who walked with Mrs Weasley after Bill, and halted briefly to make sure Ron was next to him. Occasionally bumping their shoulders, they walked in silence side by side, eyes constantly darting around to spot anything suspicious.

The sight of the facades of the houses lining either side of the alley was eerie, and the absence of living beings made Harry feel queasy. Most storefronts were boarded up, some had signs announcing the stores were closed as if the boards hadn't already made that obvious. Torn off boards on several shops were probably the evidence of burglary attempts.

Harry glanced at Ron, who seemed just as edgy as Harry himself. "Spooky," he heard Ginny whisper to his sister.

"What a shame," Mrs Weasley growled, her voice grave. "Diagon Alley used to be such a hectic place with hundreds of people busily wandering around."

"Some new shops have opened up recently," Harry's mother said, pointing to a house down the alley. "Over there is the apothecary I deliver ingredients to every other week. A little further down, a new shop sells magical creatures."

"The big white building at the end of the alley is Gringotts," Bill explained. "I hope you brought Galleons with you. Without an appointment, you don't get money from the goblins these days."

"We have enough money with us," Harry's mother replied. At Mrs Weasley's hesitant look, she added, "Dumbledore arranged with Madam Abercrombie that we can pay in instalments if necessary."

Briefly turning around, Bill called, "Please, stay together!"

"Why?" Ron asked. "There's no one else around here." He glanced at Harry for confirmation.

"You never know," replied Bill.

"Sometimes, dark figures lurk around the side streets, waiting for people walking around alone," Tonks interjected, pointing to a street across the way. "Especially over there in Knockturn Alley."

It wasn't long before they halted in front of an ancient, narrow house with slim display windows on either side of the door. Above the entry was written in squiggly, scarlet letters: Madam Abercrombie's Wand Shop.

"That's Ollivander's former shop," Harry's mother explained. "Madam Abercrombie bought it from Ollivander's niece."

"That's odd," Mrs Weasley said wonderingly. "They always said Ollivander had no relatives."

"How about you just ask her," Charlie suggested, grinning. "I'll wait here with Dora and Bill to watch out. It's too cramped inside anyway."

"Good idea. Let's go in," said Harry's mother and pulled open the shop door.

"You first," said Harry and let his sister pass, who grabbed Ginny's hand and pulled her with her.

The shop was indeed cramped and gloomy, Harry realized as he walked in. A wide desk was blocking the way into the room beyond, which looked more like a short corridor lined with shelves packed with boxes on either side. The scenery was lit by an aged oil lamp hanging above the desk, giving the older witch sitting on a chair behind the desk a slightly spooky appearance.

"Ah, I assume you're the customers Albus announced," the woman said warmly, rising from her seat. Harry couldn't tell how she did it, but the moment the witch rose, the ceiling lit up, bathing the room in a cosy, warm white light that transformed the shopkeeper into a friendly-looking granny. Her lively dark eyes couldn't hide the fact that she was hardly younger than Dumbledore himself.

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In Another Life: Chapter 4:  Apparition Lessons

It’s time to take another look at the upcoming chapter of In Another Life. Since I’ve restructured the chapters and made them a bit shorter, the sneak peek I shared last time will also be part of the next one. But don’t worry, I’ve got another sneak peek for you, and here it is:

A cold, grey day greeted the small group as Tonks led them onto the Quidditch pitch for their first Apparitions lesson. Emily had just arrived with Ginny and her brother Bill, and because it was Ginny's first visit to the Potters, Emily had taken the opportunity to show her friend her room as she put away her bag.

"Nice room," Ginny nodded approvingly, glancing around. "It's larger than mine. Your whole house is larger."

"Your room is cosier," Emily replied.

"Your room is cosy, too," Ginny noted.

"It's a different kind of cosy at your house," Emily replied. "More…quaint. I love that."

"Yeah, maybe," Ginny said, eying the photograph on the desk that showed Emily and Harry on their brooms at the Quidditch pitch.

"Harry's room is right next door if you want to take a look," Emily suggested.

Ginny shook her head. "Better not. It's none of my business. Besides, I wouldn't like it if he'd snoop around in my room either."

"Fair point," Emily replied, watching her friend more closely. "What about you and my brother? Sometimes, it looks like you both pretend the other doesn't exist."

Ginny bit her lower lip and shrugged. "I have no idea. I don't see why to worry about it, either. He doesn't seem to like me that much anyway."

"And do you like him?" Emily asked cautiously.

"Oh, Emm. Stop that. I hardly know your brother." Ginny groaned. "Let's go back downstairs. Apparition class is about to start."

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A quick peek into the next chapter of In Another Live. We are slowly starting to see other members of the wizarding world who have survived…

In the meantime, some 70 miles west of the Burrow.

The slamming of the front door made him sit up, and a quick look out of the window confirmed that his Master had left the house. Experience had taught him that his Master wouldn't return for at least two hours. Time to clean up his Master's office.

His Master's office was in an otherwise unused corner of the mansion, hidden from the prying eyes of the occasional visitor or nosy family member.

Though, when he opened the door to the office, he was surprised to find someone there.

"The young Master shouldn't be snooping around in his father's office," he admonished the blond boy, who had climbed a ladder, searching the bookshelves for something.

"Leave me alone and sod off, Dobby!" the boy hissed, not paying him any further attention.

The house-elf could physically feel the dark magic emanating from the books on the shelves, books a boy of his young Master's age should not get his hands on.

"The young Master will be severely punished if the Master finds out what he's doing here," Dobby said, wincing when the boy took a small black book off the shelf that emanated a particular dark kind of magic.

The boy finally turned around and stared at him with hate-filled eyes. "I said sod off. And if my father finds out what I'm doing here, I'll know who betrayed me, you little bugger."

Sighing, the house-elf turned to leave the office. What else could he do? He'd come back later to clean up his Master's office.

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Through the Other’s Eyes

A sneak peek into Chapter 3 of Through the Other's Eyes, an identity switch story, which will probably be posted on Friday.

If anyone is interested, here is the link to the story with 2 chapters already posted. https://archiveofourown.org/works/58672555/chapters/149501176

Harry sat down on the sofa beside Ginny and hesitated. "Can we…close our eyes again? It's easier to talk that way."

"Sure. It's dark anyway, so it doesn't make much difference," Ginny replied.

Harry leaned back and took a deep breath, and asked sheepishly, "How are you holding up?"

She chuckled softly. "Well, since I survived the shower, I'd say I'm doing well."

"It wasn't that bad, was it?" Harry asked, half amused, half curious.

"Without glasses, I couldn't see much anyway," Ginny giggled. Harry could almost see her mischievous grin, even with his eyes closed.

"I know. Without glasses you have to rely more on…your hands," Harry teased.

Ginny playfully jabbed him in the ribs. "I didn't touch you. Well, I had to wash you, after all. Stop complaining."

"I hope you were thorough," Harry quipped.

"As thorough as necessary," Ginny replied, her tone light.

"And was little Harry a handful?" Harry asked, half - joking, but also dreading the answer.

"Nope, he behaved. Just a bloke in the shower, so I guess he was bored," Ginny said, amused.

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Last week an idea popped up in my mind and suddenly I'm 8k words into another WIP.

Here's a peek into Through the Other's Eyes, where a potion made by Fred and George fails and Harry and Ginny suddenly wake up in each other's bodies. It is set in the summer before DH, the last week before they go back to Hogwarts. Not sure when I'll start posting this story but it might happen soon.

As she quietly tiptoed out of the room, Ginny let out a frustrated groan. Of course. The bathroom was on the next floor down. She wasn't in her own bed; she was in Ron's room, so of course, she'd have to navigate the house in the dark.

In the dim light, she made her way down the stairs, carefully feeling along the walls for guidance until she reached the bathroom. She slipped inside and quickly locked the door behind her before flicking on the light.

Ginny blinked at her reflection in the mirror, her heart racing. What she expected was to see herself in Harry's oversized pyjamas. What she hadn't expected was the undeniable bulge in the front of those pyjamas. Groaning, she muttered under her breath, "Merlin, no…"

And then she caught sight of something even more jarring: her reflection - it was blurry as hell, but it wasn't her. Staring back at her from the mirror was Harry, wide-eyed with dishevelled black hair.

Her hands trembled as she hesitated, looking down at herself again, panic rising. How on earth was she supposed to… do this?

After a few deep breaths, Ginny steeled herself. "Alright," she muttered. "I can do this." She gingerly pulled down the pyjama bottoms, giving Harry's reflection in the mirror a glare. "Don't laugh, Potter. It's not funny." After a few awkward moments of figuring out the right position, she decided to do it her usual way and sat down on the toilet - though not without a few muttered curses and a lot of blushing.

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A quick peek into the next chapter of In Another Live, the scene where Harry meets Ginny for the first time…. https://archiveofourown.org/works/57530689/chapters/146377183

The footpath led directly to a somewhat ramshackle-looking multi-story dwelling. Several smaller houses seemed to be glued to the roof of a stone cottage, almost looking like small towers, each with its own roof. Someone must have magically lifted these houses and then fixed them up there, slightly askew. Harry was sure that only a good dose of magic kept the structure from falling apart.

As they got closer, the door opened, and a red-haired girl stepped out.

"Hello Ginny," Tonks greeted her. "Do you remember me? I'm Dora Tonks. Last Wednesday, I visited your brother Charlie. And this is Harry." With a winsome smile, Tonks pointed to Harry.

"Err, hi..." Harry stammered, staring at the girl. She was really pretty with her faded jeans that were ripped in several places and her long red hair that went well with her faded green t-shirt. Her brown eyes darted inquiringly from one visitor to the other.

Finally the girl nodded. "Yeah, I remember you. But you were looking different. Your hair was black and a little longer."

"I enjoy changing my looks," Tonks replied with a grin. "But if you like the black hair better..." Her pink hair turned black and a little longer, even on the shaved side. "Better?"

"No, no. It's okay. You can wear your hair however you want," Ginny replied, rolling her eyes. "I'm home alone. Mum is in the greenhouses, and Charlie isn't back from work yet." Ginny shrugged. "Do you want to wait or leave him a message?"

"Ron isn't home either?" Harry asked, surprised. "We wanted to meet here." Frowning, Harry wondered if he'd gotten something wrong. But that couldn't be. They'd exchanged several letters throughout the week and planned to meet on Saturday.

"On Saturdays, Ron often accompanies Charlie to work. He isn't back yet either," the girl explained. Throwing a glance at her watch, she added, "They're late. Usually, they're back by noon."

"I'll wait, then," Harry replied, glancing at Tonks. "Or what do you think?"

Sighing, Tonks shrugged and nodded. "I have nothing else to do."

Harry turned back to the girl, wondering if she also was home alone as often as he was. "If I'd known you were home alone, I would've brought my little sister," he said, giving her a friendly smile.

Frowning, Ginny protested, "I'm not a babysitter."

"What?" Harry asked, bewildered. That's not what he'd meant. Quickly, he clarified, "She's not a baby. She's your age, 13."

Crossing her arms, Ginny shot Harry an icy look. "I'm 14."

Tonks laughed. "Oh, Harry. You have to work on your pick-up line."

Giving Tonks an annoyed look, he shot back. "I thought she was home alone as often as we are and would appreciate some company."

Grimacing, Ginny muttered. "I'm sorry. Of course, you're welcome to bring your sister if she's bored at home."

Not sure if she really meant it, Harry gave Ginny a scrutinising look and finally replied, "I'll ask her."

"I'll go and let my mum know we have visitors," Ginny said. Putting on a pair of wellies lying by the door, she walked away without another word. Harry couldn't help but watch her backside until she disappeared around the corner of the house.

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If anyone is still interested, I've started posting In Another Life.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/57530689/chapters/146377183 My goal is to post a chapter every 4 weeks, and in between a sneak peek of the next chapter here on Tumblr. I hope I can do that because I still feel a bit insecure navigating Tumblr.

Here we go:

Harry spotted a 20-foot-tall stone stele standing not far from what must have been the main entrance of the castle. As he drew closer, he noticed a bronze plaque with an inscription attached to it. Under two crossed wands, it read:

In memory of all the brave who fell defending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry against the Dark Lord's hordes.

As Harry stepped a little closer to the memorial, he felt the sudden urge to touch the plaque. The metal felt cold as he ran his fingers along the crossed wands. As cold as death, Harry thought, staring at the inscription, halting his breath.

"Harry. Are you coming?" His mother's voice snapped Harry out of his thoughts. Turning to her, he noticed she'd made her way down to the lake with his sister and Tonks. Harry hesitantly followed them, avoiding a cluster of small boulders scattered across the ground.

On the way down to the Black Lake, Harry spotted a group of redheads, a woman and two boys, sitting on the trunk of a fallen tree not far from the shore, looking out over the lake. They glanced up as they approached, apparently not wanting to be disturbed.

It was Tonks who suddenly froze, staring wide-eyed at the strangers. "Charlie? Charlie Weasley? Is that you?" she gasped, unable to move. With an incredulous look, she blurted, "You're alive?"

The elder of the boys turned and stared at Tonks, dumbfounded. He had an athletic build, slightly taller than Tonks. His freckled face was broad and friendly, with a few spots that looked like burns. "Tonks?" he cried, shaking his head in disbelief. He got up, took a big step across the trunk, and slowly walked towards Dora.

"You're alive?" Tonks shook her head, still not able to comprehend what she saw. "I thought I saw a curse hit you, and you fell. I wanted to help you, but then... I was attacked by a group of Death Eaters and just barely escaped."

The young man named Charlie looked at Tonks and smiled wryly. "If I remember well, the curse wasn't that bad. But I tripped, trying to dodge it." The young man grinned. "I then tried to get into the castle to help stop the fire. I was hurt pretty badly. When I woke up again, I asked about you, but no one knew anything."

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In Another Life

This is the prologue to a story I'm writing on chapter 5 right now. It may be a while before I start posting as it won't happen until the story is almost done. But I thought I was posting this to feel obligated to keep writing. Lol.

Prologue

Late September 1981, Godric's Hollow

  "Don't you think it's a bit too obvious?"

 "What do you mean, Padfoot?" James Potter gave his best friend a bewildered glance. "Who else would be our Secret Keeper? I can't think of anyone better suited."

 "Prongs, think about it. Anyone would immediately know I am your Secret Keeper. Wouldn't it be better if it was someone else, someone nobody expects?"

 Frowning, James studied his friend. Of course, he had a point. Everyone would immediately guess who their Secret Keeper was. "Who are you thinking of? Remus has been acting a little strange lately." James slowly shook his head. "Don't get me wrong. I'd trust Remus with my life. But he has his own problems."

 "What about Wormtail. I doubt anyone would even suspect he's your Secret Keeper," Sirius suggested.

 Wormtail, James thought pensively. Why not? Wormtail was a good friend who could be trusted. Then again… James shook his head. "I'd feel better if you were our Secret Keeper, Padfoot. After all, it's also about Lily and Harry's safety. I'd never gamble with that. It's too important."

 Sirius took a deep breath and raised his hands. "Okay, Prongs. Whatever you want. Of course, I'll be your Secret Keeper." Sirius grinned at his friend. "Otherwise, you'll think I'd chicken out."

 Halloween 1990, Godric's Hollow

 Harry Potter stood at the window in his bedroom, his nose pressed against the window pane, and stared sullenly out at the small Quidditch pitch behind the house. The moisture from his breath condensing on the glass matched the weather outside. Harry wanted to fly so badly, at least use the few moments when it was only drizzling and not raining cats and dogs, but his mother wouldn't let him.

 As so often lately, his gaze lingered longingly on the stone wall and the small patch of forest behind it, which formed the border of their property, and at the same time, the end of the world Harry knew. In his entire life, he'd rarely left this home, and every time he was allowed to, he'd been so excited to meet other children, even if they were much older or much younger than him. Harry once had a friend. Neville was even born almost the same day as Harry himself. But after visiting each other a few times, he'd never seen Neville again. His mother had said Neville's family had been attacked by the evil wizard, and he had left the country with his grandmother after his mother died in the attack. Ever since that day, Harry believed his parents that it was too dangerous to leave their home. That's why they lived here, tucked away in this cottage in Godric's Hollow that he wasn't allowed to leave.

 Of course, his parents were often out there. But it rarely happened that both were gone at the same time. And when it happened, Dora Tonks, his godfather's cousin, would drop by to look after Harry and his sister. And that only happened when Dora was on holiday and not at Hogwarts. Despite being much older than Harry, Dora was funny and could change her looks at will since she was a Metamorphmagus. Harry was deeply impressed by this ability. He really liked Tonks.

 Sullenly, Harry let his gaze wander around his room until his eyes fell on his broom, which had been sitting in the corner for the last week, and he sighed. If only he... A thought suddenly struck him. If he wasn't allowed to fly outside, he could do it in here, could he? Just like when he used to fly on the baby broom his godfather, Sirius, had given him. Without doubt his mum would scold him, but for now, he would have fun.

 Already in a better mood, Harry grabbed his broom and tried to turn a lap in his room, which wasn't easy because the room wasn't that big, at least not big enough to fly in it. Once he'd managed the third round without hitting the wall or doing any major damage, he got braver.

 Leaning forward as far as he could, he reached out to the door and pulled it open.

 "Mum, look what Harry's doing again!" wailed his sister Emily as he stormed down the stairwell into the living room, knocking over a chair and just managing to stop his broom in front of the dining table where his sister was sitting, leafing through a book.

 "What is he doing, luv?" his mother called from the kitchen. "And what's that noise?"

 "He's flying across the living room on his broomstick," she complained, giving Harry a indignant look. Frowning, she jumped up and cried, "If Harry can do it, so can I," and stomped off, probably to get his old kids broom.

 "Lily? Lily, are you there?" A voice suddenly came from the fireplace.

 Harry turned and spotted his godfather, Sirius, peering out of the fireplace flames with a worried expression on his face.

 "Sirius, what happened? Why don't you come in?" Harry asked, kneeling down to get a better look at his godfather.

 "Harry, can you call your Mum, please. It's important," Sirius replied with a grave voice, without smiling at him, which usually never happened. His godfather always had a smile for him.

 "Yeah, sure," Harry replied and ran to the kitchen.

 His mother must have heard that she was being called because she was already hurrying out of the kitchen. "What's the matter, Harry? Who's there?"

 "Uncle Sirius wants to talk to you, Mum," Harry explained, following his mother back into the living room.

 "What's it, Sirius?" she asked, worried while getting on her knees in front of the fireplace. "Something wrong with James?"

 "No, no. Prongs is fine," Sirius reassured Harry's mother. "He's with some others checking the wards around Hogwarts. There are rumours again that Voldemort is trying to take over Hogwarts."

 "What is it then?" asked Harry's mother, concerned.

 "I wanted to ask if you could look after two more children. It would only be for a day or two."

 "What kids are you talking about?"

 "D'you remember Molly Weasley?" asked Sirius tentatively. "Her husband, Arthur, was at the Ministry when Voldemort burned it down with Fiendfyre last year."

 "I remember her," Harry's mother said thoughtfully. "So many innocent people died that day. The Weasleys had seven children, didn't they? What happened to Molly? She's alive, isn't she?"

 "Molly was in Diagon Alley in the morning and was caught in a Death Eater attack. She was taken to St. Mungo's. Her two youngest, a boy Harry's age and a girl who should be a year younger, are home alone. Can you take them in for a day or two until Molly gets released? Kingsley is taking the kids to their mother right now. But they can't stay in the hospital, and Kingsley is needed at Hogwarts."

 "What about her other children?" Harry's mother asked, worried.

 "Her eldest is away on Order business, and the others are still at Hogwarts," Sirius replied.

 "Okay." Harry's mother sighed. "Then bring them both over here. You're the Secret Keeper. You're the only one who can bring them here."

 "Thanks, Lily. It may take a bit, though. While the kids are visiting their mother, I'll go to Hogwarts to see if they need any help. See you later," Sirius called, giving Harry a brief smile before disappearing into the flames, which then died out again.

 "I hope those two know how to fly," muttered Harry. "What's the weather supposed to be like tomorrow, Mum? Wouldn't it be nice if I could play outside with our visitors?"

 "With any luck, the sun might shine tomorrow," said Harry's mother. "But first, let's make the beds for our guests. After that, we'll prepare dinner. Come on, you two. I'm afraid you'll have to move a bit closer together in your rooms."

 "I want the girl to sleep with me in my room, Mum. What's the girl's name anyway, Mum?" Harry's sister cried, excited.

 "I don't know, luv. But I suspect the two would rather share a room. After all, everything here is unfamiliar to them," Harry's mother replied while opening the door to Emily's room.

 "But I don't want to sleep in Harry's room," Emily complained.

 "And I don't want to sleep in Emily's," Harry countered. "Why can't the boy sleep in my room, Mum?"

 "Okay, you two." Harry's mother shook her head and sighed. She raised her hands and suggested in a patient voice, "How about we let our guests decide for themselves?"

 "Good idea," Harry blurted out confidently. "The boy probably wants to sleep with me in my room anyway."

 "Good. That's settled then," Harry's mother said with a sigh. "But you two still have to tidy up your rooms before dinner."

 "Oh, Mum," Harry moaned. But the prospect of finally meeting someone his age again made his steps bounce with anticipation as he climbed the stairs to his room.

 **

 "Mom, when are our guests coming?" Emily asked for the umpteenth time as they sat in the kitchen, waiting for their visitors. "I wanted to play with the girl before we have to go to bed."

 Harry rolled his eyes. Although he was also looking forward to having company, his sister's constant questioning got on his nerves. Especially since he'd noticed the worried looks his mother had already thrown at her watch several times.

 "I don't know either, luv," his mother replied. "Something seems to have stopped Uncle Sirius. Or the kids have found some other place to stay."

 "That's too bad," Emily said grumpily. "And I'm hungry."

 "Yeah. I'm also starving," Harry agreed.

 "Let's have something to eat then. I've prepared bangers and mash," Harry's mother said and began setting the table. "Harry. Please go and get something to drink for both of you."

 Harry grimaced and mumbled, "Okay, Mum." He took a jug of pumpkin juice out of the cooler, set it on the table and paused. 'Mum? Why isn't Dad home yet?"

 His mother froze. After a moment, she took a deep breath and turned to Harry with a worried expression. "I don't know what's taking him so long, luv. I can't imagine inspecting the security wards around Hogwarts with Dumbledore taking that long. Maybe another problem has occurred." Sighing, she murmured thoughtfully, "Dad will be home soon."

  "But you're worried?" Harry asked, and it was more of a statement than a question.

 "Yes, of course," admitted his mother. "It's dangerous out there. So many people disappear without a trace every day. And ever since the Ministry was gone..." She paused and looked at Harry. "But don't worry. Your dad knows what he's doing. He'll be home any moment."

 Dinner was a quiet affair. Harry kept watching his mother out of the corner of his eye. He was worried because she was only picking at her mashed potatoes listlessly. He'd never seen her like this before. Even his sister ate in silence, occasionally chancing a glance at her mother. Even she seemed to notice something.

 "Mum?" Emily asked, looking up from her plate.

 "Yes, luv."

 "Are the two children still coming?"

 "I really don't know, Emm," Harry's mother replied. "Why don't you two go to bed right after dinner? And tomorrow morning, when you get up, your dad will be back, and you can have breakfast with him."

 "Oh, Mum. I don't want to go to bed yet," groaned Harry.

 "If you want, you still can read a bit in bed, Harry. And you can take your dolls with you, Emm," said Harry's mother. "And in the meanwhile, I'll try to find out if Dad needs help."

 "You want to leave us alone at home?" Harry asked in astonishment. That had never happened before. When his mum and dad were away together, there was always someone else in the house. Usually, Dora or Sirius, although Sirius then mostly went out together with his parents.

 "No, of course not," his mother replied. She paused, sighed and shook her head abstractedly. "Maybe. But just for a minute. I need to find out where he is. Something is not right here. He usually lets me know when he's late." She glanced at Harry. "But I'll hurry and be right back."

 "Why don't you send your doe?" Harry asked, bewildered.

"I've already tried that. Twice actually," his mum replied, a sob escaping her. "But he didn't answer."

 Taken aback, Harry stared at his mother. He'd never seen her like this before. Had something happened to his father? Dazed, Harry nodded. "It's okay, Mum. Go find Dad. I'll take care of Emily." He turned to his sister. "Come on, Emm. Go, brush your teeth and put on your pyjamas. And no dawdling. I have to go to the bathroom before I go to bed too."

 At that moment, a brightly shining silver stag burst into the room and walked up and down once. Turning to Harry's mother, the stag said, "Lily, close the Floo connection and have everything ready for you and the kids to leave the house at short notice. Sirius is missing, and it looks like Voldemort is standing at the gates of Hogwarts with all the Death Eaters of Britain in tow. Be very careful. I love you!"

 Frightened, Harry glanced at his mother, who stood frozen in the middle of the kitchen, her face white as chalk. Her eyes wide open, she stared at his father's slowly fading Patronus and cried, "James!" After a short sob, she whispered, "James." Taking a deep, shaky breath, she turned towards her children. "Pack your things. Some warm clothes, underwear, and some fresh pyjamas. Harry, make sure to help Emily when you're done with your things. And don't forget your favourite toys."

 "And my broom," Harry added.

 His mother nodded. "Then bring your things down into the living room and wait there."

 **

 Later, Harry would only remember that at some point, he'd fallen asleep on the sofa in the semi-darkness of the living room with Emily snuggled up to him. He'd slept very restlessly, and whenever he woke up in the night, his mother was either staring silently out the window into the darkness or pacing restlessly up and down in the kitchen next door.

 It was already starting to get light outside when Harry's mother gently shook him awake. "Harry, wake up," she whispered.

 Harry looked up at her drowsily. "Yes, Mum? What's it? Has Dad come home?" Reaching for his glasses, he realized he'd forgotten to take them off before he fell asleep.

 "No, Harry," his mother replied in a low voice. "I'll go and see where he is. I won't be gone long, I promise. Until then, take care of Emily. If anything strange happens or someone you don't know shows up here, you have to hide. Sneak out into the woodland behind the Quidditch pitch. You know best where to hide there."

 "Why would strangers show up here, Mum?" Harry asked, worried. "You always said nobody could find us here."

 "I don't know what happened to Uncle Sirius. He's our Secret Keeper. Your dad said he was missing. And if...if..." His mother sobbed, and Harry saw a tear slide down her cheek. She sniffled briefly and locked eyes with Harry. "Anyway. Run away if someone you don't know shows up here. I will hurry too. I promise. Take care, Harry, and let Emm sleep a little longer."

 Harry nodded and watched as his mother pulled on her winter robes and left the house through the back door.

 Careful not to wake Emily, he got up and quietly walked into the kitchen to check the front entrance through the window. The gate was barely visible in the morning fog. When he couldn't see anything suspicious, Harry went back into the living room and peered out the window. The far end of the Quidditch pitch wasn't visible in the fog, but everything seemed quiet.

 "Harry, where's Mum?" asked his sister, sitting on the sofa with her hair tousled, looking around searchingly.

 "She'll be right back," Harry replied, hoping that was true.

 "I'm hungry," Emily said grumpily, making a face like she was about to cry.

 "Then go and get yourself something to eat from the kitchen or you'll have to wait for Mum to get back," Harry said, raising an eyebrow at his sister. "You're old enough to get yourself something by yourself."

 "I'm only eight," Emily clarified.

 "That's what I said. You're a big girl and old enough," Harry replied, slightly annoyed. "And now be quiet. I have to watch out here."

 "Why do you have to watch out? And for what?" Emily asked curiously.

Harry took a deep breath. He wanted to stay calm. It wasn't his sister's fault that they were here alone, and he was in charge. "Please, just go and get yourself something to eat, Emm."

 With a reproachful look on her face, Emily climbed off the sofa and padded to the kitchen.

 More than an hour later, the morning mist had already cleared, and their mother wasn't back yet. Emily had got out her colouring book and started drawing, and Harry slowly was getting hungry too. He'd been pacing back and forth between the windows the whole time, but everything had remained silent outside.

 Harry was about to open the cooler to find something to eat when he suddenly heard a noise outside the house that he recognized from Apparating.

 "Emily, get your things. We have to get out of here," Harry whispered hastily, peering out the kitchen window. He breathed a sigh of relief when he recognized his mother and Dora Tonks. But something was wrong. Dora, who looked like she'd bathed in mud, was leaning heavily on his mother, who led her to the front door.

 As the two stepped through the door, Harry noticed that Dora wasn't covered in mud - it was blood, and her face was contorted with pain.

 After helping the older girl onto a chair, his mother straightened up and looked at Harry. It was only then that Harry realized that his mother was crying and shaking like a leaf.

 "They're all dead," she whispered in a toneless voice.

 "Who is dead?" Emily asked, standing in the kitchen doorway, eyes wide open.

 "Everyone," Harry's mother whispered. "Dad, Uncle Sirius and Remus. Mad-eye. Everyone. Hogwarts burned down, and most of the students inside died. Burned. by Fiendfyre."

 "Did the Death Eaters win?" asked Harry in horror.

 "No." His mother shook her head. "There are no winners, only very few survivors. And Dumbledore killed Voldemort."

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Look at this lovely piece of art by Bumlewis for the Ginuary Gift Exchange titled “Skinny Dipping Post War”