Chapter Text
They were idiots. Yes, they knew that. But at the time, they felt like the only idiots willing to do something. And, well. They did something.
Did it help? Who knows.
All Ron, Hermione, and Harrie knew was they had found a ritual they thought was going to age Harrie up, bring her the wisdom and knowledge of herself in eleven years– like the age one first attends Hogwarts– yes, she was expecting to lose those eleven years, but if it helped them defeat Voldemort, and soon? Who bloody cared about a measly eleven years?
They really should have rethought their idiotically Gryffindor idea.
As Ron and Hermione looked at their now older friend in wonder and shock respectively that it had actually worked, Harrie found herself opening her eyes to her two younger best friends.
“Oh.” She blinked her suddenly very vivid green eyes at them. Had they always been that shocking? “So it’s that day, is it?”
Her friends blinked at her owlishly. “What do you mean, Harrie?” Hermione asked slowly. She, at least, could sense something was wrong.
“I mean that our little experiment didn’t quite go the way we had planned. Currently your Harrie is at home, with my husband, in the future.” They stared at her blankly. “We only managed to swap me with older me. Not… Make me older.”
“Oh, dear God,” Hermione whispered in horror, hands coming up to cover her mouth, looking like she was about to break out into vigorous prayer. “We ruined the timeline. We broke time laws. Oh, not again.”
Harrie laughed heartily, shuffling out of the ritual ring of chalk and pulling her friend into a hug. “Oh, don’t worry, sweetheart. The last one went swimmingly, this one will, too. Trust me,” she said with a smile and a wink.
Hermione wrinkled her nose at her. “When did you get so…”
“Mature?” Harrie helpfully supplied while Ron blurted, “Sagely?” with a dumbstruck expression on his face. Harrie laughed and he stuck his tongue out at her out of force of habit. Harrie made the expression back, also out of force of habit.
Hermione sighed loudly. “Well, you’re still Harrie.”
“Of course I am, ‘Mione. A couple handfuls of years isn’t going to change that.”
Suddenly they were interrupted by a tuneful knock before Sirius popped his head in the door. “Oi, lad and ladies– What the fuck–”
“Hullo, Sirius,” Harrie said, hiding her wince. She knew this wasn’t going to end well, after all.
He knocked the door fully open and stared at her, aghast.
“What have you three done now?”
“Well, you see, erm–” Hermione began to titter nervously.
“This is what happens when you leave three horrendously curious and impulsive magical children to their own devices for too long while they struggle with the weight of a secret war,” Harrie said firmly, standing and brushing chalk off her dark slacks.
“Why are you wearing green?” Sirius asked in disgust, eyeing her dark emerald, cashmere sweater.
“Because it happens to go very nicely with my eyes, hair, and complexion, thank you.” She couldn’t help herself, dear Merlin she’d never learn. “Plus my husband likes it,” she tacked on cheekily.
“HUSBAND?” Sirius guffawed. “I want to know what actually happened, right now.”
Harrie brushed by him, waving a hand uninterestedly over her shoulder as she verbally prodded him. “And here I thought you were the happy-go-lucky uncle who enjoyed a little bit of mischievous mayhem?”
Sirius spluttered behind her as she made her way down the stairs, rounding the landing to the sight of Remus, Molly, and Tonks, all sporting curious expressions. Until they saw her, of course, and their eyes blew wide.
“Oh, dear,” Molly fretted, immediately fanning herself with her hand. “Oh, dear, what have those two done to you now, Harrie?”
“Who, the twins?” Harrie asked innocently. “Nothing. This was Ron, Hermione, and I.” At Ron’s cry from up the stairs she added, “Sorry, Ron, but as the adult here, I can say for certain it’s best to come clean immediately.”
Remus caught on immediately, the smart bugger. “You’re from the future.”
She sent him a crooked grin. “Right-O, Moony. And being forcefully pulled eleven years into the past by a swapping ritual makes one hungry, please tell me food’s ready?”
Tonks barked a laugh as they made way for her to head into the large kitchen. “Always hungry, Harrie. Do they still not feed you enough back home?”
None of them saw her wince, seeing as they all followed at her back. “Don’t worry, I feed myself plenty.”
Sirius, having caught up again as she pushed into the kitchen said, “Oh, what, your husband doesn’t feed you then? Does he do anything besides dress you like a– like a– like a Slytherin?”
Confused faces turned her way, expressions blowing wide or dropping completely at the unexpected sight of a now-twenty-six-year-old Harriet Potter. “Hullo, everyone.”
Her eyes searched, knowing he had to be here, but he was proving hard to find– oh, there he was. And, oh, what a marvelous scowl he was sporting as he marched towards her. She was unable to fight back the brilliant, shit-eating grin as he stalked into her space and snarled,
“Must you three always find a way to get yourselves into trouble that I will have to fix?”
“Sorry, but your scary tactics don’t work on me anymore, Severus.”
The air turned thick, scandalized surprise flitting across his face before he wiped it clean. “What. Did you say?” He said in a thunderous, drawled, hiss.
“I said,” she leaned closer, unable to help herself, like always. She never could, when it came to him. “That you’ll have to try harder than that, if you’re hoping to rattle me… Severus.”
His hand shot up and grabbed a fistful of her sweater and her grin widened once more. He was so easy to work up, and boy did she love him when he was… worked up.
“Oi! Let go of her!” Sirius shouted, suddenly in their bubble, popping it rudely and reminding her they had an unsuspecting audience.
“What have you imbeciles done?” Severus hissed, ignoring the belligerent puppy yapping.
“Hey! Did you hear me, Snape?”
“In their defense, they’re restless, idiot, fifteen-year-olds,” Harrie started.
Sirius tried tugging at Severus, but was pushed back by the both of them, to everyone’s surprise.
“What. Did you. Do.”
“I’ll hex you, Snive–”
Unfortunately for Sirius, twas he who found himself hexed. And doubly unfortunate, that the hex should come from a mage who’d had a good eight years to fully harness her craft and also really hated that name.
The dust settled and everyone sat in stunned horror for a moment as Sirius gathered his bearings after being thrown into the wall. “How dare–!”
“It wasn’t him,” Harrie said, her voice hard. “You won’t talk to him like that.”
“... Harrie?” Remus breathed in surprise. “You did that?”
“I did, and I’ll do it again to the next person who pisses me off. You’ll find eleven years is plenty to grow a backbone.”
She heard Severus suck in a breath. “You imbeciles tried a soul swap?”
She flashed him a pretty smile. “Of course you’d figure that out.” He gave her a constipated look that meant she’d severely confused him. She didn’t get to see that very often, and she treasured every single one. Like when she’d handed him a white stick with two pink lines on it. One of her favorite memories.
(She used it for her Patronus, now)
“Hello?! She just threw me, wandlessly, into a wall!” Sirius exclaimed. “Harriet, what–”
“I don’t like bullies,” she said, raising a finger in his direction. “And you pissed me off.”
His jaw absolutely smashed into the floor, stunned silent.
“Harrie, I hope you don’t mind me asking, but… When, exactly, did you get… Well, defensive of Severus?” Remus asked carefully as Ron and Hermione finally made an appearance, heads hung low in shame.
She figured now was as good as ever. So she turned her nose in the air, like Draco and Theo had taught her, and said, “Sometime before I married him, that’s for certain.”
The reaction was immediate. She felt bad for little Harrie, knowing what she’d be coming back to. People leapt from their chairs so violently that they went tumbling around the room, voices rose in a thundering raucous, and Severus promptly shoved her away from him. She sniffed, miffed, and readjusted her sweater. Sirius, apparently revived from his earlier shock by this much worse one (in his eyes), grabbed her by the arms and spun her to face him. His eyes looked wild, like they had so long ago (or not so long ago, in the current state of the timeline) in his wanted poster.
“Tell me it’s a joke!” he demanded. “Harriet Euphemia Potter, you tell me that was a joke right now!”
She huffed. “Technically, it’s Harriet Euphemi–”
Sirius slapped a hand over her mouth, ignoring her noise of protest. “Don’t. You. Dare.” She glared back at him over his hand in a stalemate while everyone else continued to sound like they were having a court case right there and then. Maybe she shouldn’t have said it like this. But no, of course she would. Harriet knew how good she was at causing chaos. And…
How much her husband sometimes suffered from said chaos.
Damnit.
She freed her mouth to speak, but Sirius beat her to it.
“What did he do to you? Have you been imperiused? Poisoned? Blackmailed? Which is it?”
She smacked his hands away, glaring at him. “None of the above, you git. I did it of my own volition, thank you.” She turned away from him, looking around the kitchen. “I came in here for food, not to be badgered by you and your schoolyard idiocies.”
Sirius damn-near wailed. “Oh, sweet Godrick! She’s even started to talk like him!”
Harrie rolled her eyes and grabbed herself a bowl and started ladling in some of the delicious smelling soup Molly made. She was reaching for a spoon when Severus spoke up.
“You’re lying.”
“Hm?” She turned to look at him, eyebrows raised. “Why would I do that?”
His face twisted in anger. “Yes, why would you do that?”
She smiled. “Do what?”
“I will not even– repeat that– utter drivel–” He gritted out, looking to be in great pain.
“That’s okay, I think everyone heard it the first time.” Oh, she was really digging her grave now.
His hand closed around her upper arm, making her slosh some of the soup out of her bowl. She sent him an annoyed look. “Don’t. Lie. To me.”
“I’m not lying,” Harriet said calmly, not rising to the bait.
“You have to be,” Sirius pleaded with a look of horror. “You can’t seriously be telling me right now that you married Sniv– Snape,” he said, correcting himself before he got blasted into the wall again.
“Why not?” She asked, grabbing a spoon and filling her mouth with the bloody delicious soup. She hummed happily, heading for a chair that hadn’t been overturned after her announcement.
“W-Well, I mean, he’s Snape!” Ron spoke up, coming out of his horror. “You two have always hated each other!”
Harriet shrugged. “They say hate is closer to love than indifference.”
Hermione, with a thoughtful expression, spoke up next. “Yes, that’s true. I always did think you were a little too obsessed with Professor Snape–”
Harriet choked, spluttering soup into a napkin. “Hey!”
Hermione blushed deeply. “What? It’s obvious.” She looked around the room like someone would come to her rescue and agree. Harriet just hadn’t expected that person to be Remus.
“I hate to say it, but I agree with hermione. I wouldn’t have expected it to result in marriage, but…” He trailed off with a wince. “As long as you’re happy, Harrie…”
She shot him a grateful smile. “Thank you, Remus.”
“Moony, how can you be okay with this?!” Sirius exclaimed. “He’s–”
“Look, Sirius, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to sit through this argument and listen to you bitch and complain about my choices with my own life. I won’t do it again. You’ll have the chance later, with your own Harrie. But I won’t stand for it. So you can either shut up or you can go somewhere else until the spell wears off and we switch back.”
When she chanced a look at his face, it was slack in disbelief that she would ever talk to him that way. The whole room had gone silent, even.
“Well,” Molly spoke up tersely, “Let’s let the girl eat, hm? Ronald,” she gave him a heavy look, and Harriet winced for her friend, “A word, now.”
She watched him trail off with his tail between his legs, Molly practically dragging him by the shirt collar. Once they’d disappeared, Hermione came and promptly sat down next to her, her full attention pinned on Harriet who paused with the spoon halfway to her mouth.
“Harriet, you really shouldn't say anything about the future,” she whispered worriedly. “What if you ruin the timeline?”
Harriet laughed. “You would still chastise me. But don’t worry, ‘Mione, I’ve only said what I know needed said. I’m keeping to the timeline.”
Hermione nodded, satisfied enough by Harriet’s answer. They both startled when Snape swept past, his cloak billowing behind him. Harriet smirked and shook her head fondly, going back to her soup as the door to the kitchen slammed shut. When Hermione raised a brow she leaned over and whispered,
“He just really likes being dramatic. He’s actually a big softie.”
Hermione snorted, hand trying to smother the noise.
Sirius just glared at them.
“So… Is he good in bed?”
“Ginny!” Hermione cried, scandalized. Harriet just cackled.
The three of them were sitting on Ginny’s bed, talking about Harriet’s marriage to Severus, or as much as she could anyways. A lot of their questions were answered only with a shake of her head or a wink.
“What?” Ginny asked in exasperation. “It’s an important question!”
“He’s our Professor!”
Ginny snorted. “That didn’t stop Harriet.”
Said girl let out another loud bark of laughter. When they both turned to her, Ginny expectantly and Hermione red in the face but still curious, she said, “He’s bloody fucking talented, I’ll tell you that.”
Ginny hooted and howled as Hermione hid her burning face in her hands.
“I really didn’t need to know that,” she mumbled, trying to save face as if she hadn’t waited for the answer, too.
“I’m honestly not surprised. I mean, you know what they say about blokes with large noses.”
Harriet looked at her blankly. “I’ve never heard that, actually. What do they say?”
Ginny snickered. “Are you for real? Never mind. I’m not going to tell you.”
“What?!” Harriet guffawed. “After everything I’ve just told you?”
Ginny smirked. “You’ll just have to ask your precious husband when you get back home. I’m certain he knows.”
Harriet rolled her eyes as Hermione jokingly punched Ginny’s shoulder. “Whatever.”
“Do you have any kids yet?” Ginny asked next.
“Ginny,” Hermione chastised. “You shouldn’t ask questions like that. The timeline–”
“It’s fine, younger me will know anyways, and I certainly couldn’t hold it all in, so… We do have one kid so far. A little boy.” A soft smile spread across her face. “He’s the cutest little thing in the world, I can’t wait for you all to meet him.”
Hermione smiled back at her. “You seem so much happier.”
“Do I?” Harriet asked, genuinely curious.
Hermione nodded. “Yeah, it’s like… You don’t have a care in the world anymore. You’re just… Happy.”
“I guess I am,” she hummed. “But don’t worry– We’re all happy.” Hermione gave her a warning look. “Oh, come on, Hermione. It’s fine. Trust me.”
The younger girl worried her lip. “Ok…”
Ginny let out a long yawn, settling back on her hands. “You’ll be gone in the morning when we wake up, won’t you?”
“I think so,” Harriet said. “But don’t worry– You’ll see me in eleven years,” she teased with a wink. The other two girls laughed quietly. “You guys should try and get some sleep. I still have one more conversation to take care of.”
Ginny watched her knowingly as she stood from the bed. “Snape?”
Harriet nodded with a quirk to her lips. “Wish me luck,” she joked.
“Good luck,” they both deadpanned.
She laughed and paused in the doorway, taking one last look at the younger version of her friends. “Good night, guys.”
“Night,” Ginny yawned.
“Good night, Harriet,” Hermione said, almost sadly.
She closed the door behind her and took a steadying breath before heading down towards the kitchen, where she knew Severus would be.
He was waiting against the counter, arms crossed, when she entered. When he saw her, his face pulled into a deeper scowl.
“The spell should wear off in a couple hours now, I think. But I wanted to apologize for earlier. I’ve never been very good at tact or timing. You know that, though.” He didn’t respond. “If Sirius tries to give you a hard time, tell him I said to remember the dog park.” His face responded that time, his brow quirking up in question. She shook her head. “You don’t want to know.”
“Was it really necessary to say anything?” He snapped suddenly.
Harriet mirrored his position on the other side of the sink. “Well, for one, you told me that that’s what happened, so I was just following the original timeline, so to speak. And secondly, young me has just spent the whole day with you. Now I can be good at keeping secrets most of the time, but I don’t think that’s a secret fifteen-year-old me could keep. So I was helping her out, by spilling the beans so she would have an easier time dealing with the fallout. It’s better that it’s just out in the open when she gets back.”
“And how do you expect me to treat her? Surely you don’t expect me to be nice.”
Harriet laughed quietly, shaking her head. “Of course not. I think that’d be scarier for her, actually. Don’t worry; you can keep being your normal, surly self. She won’t mind. I know I didn’t.”
His scowl deepened again. She could practically hear the questions spinning through his brain.
“Don’t think about it too much. She won’t be ready for love in any capacity for quite a while. Just… Wait for her. I promise it’s worth it.”
They sat in silence for a moment, staring at each other. “Did I give you a complex?” He asked quietly. “If there’s something I can do to avoid–”
“There is no complex,” she said, cutting him off. “And there’s nothing you can do, trust me. It’s already started.” Her gaze softened. “And we’re happy. Why would you want to throw that away?”
He stared at her as if searching her soul. His dark eyes were just as beautiful as they always were. She loved him so much, she couldn’t wait to be home. “How could you possibly be happy?”
“How could I possibly be happy when I’m married to the bravest, smartest, most handsome man I know?” She asked. “I find it quite easy, actually.”
The scowl was back. “I don’t believe any of that.”
She rolled her eyes, pushing off the counter. “Fine, you don’t need to right now. I know it’s hard for you to hear, but I’ll convince you one day.” Harriet turned and headed for the door. “Good night, Severus.”
She left him to brood alone in the kitchen until her younger self would run into him in a few hours.