*James POV*

"Won't you just listen to me?" I yelled, throwing my hands up in exasperation.

"What's there to listen to other than you trying to hurt my friend?" Lily sighed, continuing the long trudge up to the castle.

"I don't want to hurt her, I just want her to open her eyes. There's a difference!" I mumbled, kicking soiled stones on the sandy path.

"I'm not fake dating you James so that you can get to my friend. That's stupid – even for you," She laughed, her bright red hair shining in the sun.

"Yeah well, we thought it was smart," I grumbled indignantly, furrowing my brows in annoyance.

Why couldn't she just go along with our plan? It was perfect!

It will work – I've just got to convince Lily of that.

"We? Who may this we be?"

I refused to answer. No way would I ever give up my mates. We were all in this together – one for all and all for one. Always and forever.

"It was Sirius wasn't it?"

"Pfft no!" I defended.

"It so was."

*Lilah POV*

I swung our interlocked hands joyfully, smiling up at Nicholas as he grinned down at me.

"How are you wearing a long sleeved shirt? Merlin, it's hot!" I exclaimed, tugging on the sleeve of his shirt teasingly.

He tensed slightly, tugging me into his warm side as he laughed, "The weather isn't the only thing that's hot,"

"No but seriously, how are you not dying?" I asked.

He shrugged, twitching his nose adorably before replying, "I just like the heat,"

"Weirdo," I muttered jokingly, nudging him gently with my elbow.

"So, where to now Milady?" He mock bowed, his eyes laughing silently at me.

"Hm, surprise me," I grinned, once again interlocking my fingers with his larger ones.

"As you wish, Sweetheart,"

*Ron POV*

I stared at the pair sitting across the courtyard in despair and worry, my mind racing as the timeline began to shift.

I had to do something.

I had to do something before it was all too late.

The war never ended with Harry Potter. Lives continued to be claimed. The death toll continued to rise. As did he who shall not be named.

I had to stop it. I had to stop them, otherwise, there would be no world left for me to return to.

He has claimed the world for his own; he was unstoppable – especially with Gold Cinder the Beguiler by his side.

They needed to be warned – but who?

The answer would've been obvious, however, he was a different Ron – he was not the same boy she had grown up with all those years.

And she was too – blinded by her infatuation to see the truth.

What would Harry do? He would turn to those he trusted most – but once again, who?

It's a different time for Merlin's sake!

Ten minutes – that's all I had. I had to make it count for something.

"I told you it wouldn't work!" Someone laughed.

Who was that?

I turned around, scanning the stoned area curiously.

There sat a young man, dark curls cascading down to his shoulders as he tackled another man to the ground.

"Blimey James! Don't bite m-argh!" He screamed, looking down onto the bitten hand in shock. "You bit me,"

"I did," James nodded proudly.

#Flashback

"You must hurry Weasley, he will be upon us any moment now. Find them and warn them of the Gold Cinder. The timeline is shifting, our world will be in great peril without the birth of the Chosen One. You must warn them!" The old lady spoke hurriedly, closing and locking the door of the basement entrance before rushing down the old wooden steps.

"I will,"

"Ten minutes is all I can give, my magic is no rival for the Dark Lord's."

#Flashback Over

I surveyed the couple across the courtyard, Cinder's golden blonde hair shimmering in the sun as he laughed and joked with the brunette.

This couldn't be happening.

"Oi Prongs! This is creepy! We can't just keep staring at them all day," Sirius interjected.

Perfect! Who better to warn than her future husband and the godfather of her future child?

I sprinted to their hideout behind a large pillar, careful to avoid being seen other than to those necessary.

"Look," I puffed out, resting my hands on my knees as I came to a stop in front of the two friends. "This is going to sound crazy but you need to listen to me!"

"Aye Pads, have you seen this git before?" James tried to whisper, failing to discreetly gesture towards me.

"No, can't say I have – he kinda looks like a Weasley though,"

"It's about Lilah! Will you just shut up! Far out you're a bunch of twats," I whispered, not wanting to waste any more precious time.

"Well don't hold back, spit it out!" James exclaimed.

"Look I don't have much time but it's that blonde guy – he's-"

"Got issues? Check. An annoying little git? Check. Stealing my girl? Check." James interrupted.

I slapped a hand over his mouth, my eyes screaming for him to listen.

"He's a fucking death eater and he's going to fucking kill us all! Now go get your shit together and go get your future wife and pop out my fucking best friend before we all die."

James stared at me bewilderedly, the tongue that was salivating on my hand now forgotten as he begins to choke.

"Merlin! Are you licking weed? Because that muggle stuff can really mess a person up," Sirius breathed out.

"Licking-wha- no I am not- that doesn't even matter anyways!" I exclaimed.

"You mean Nicholas? The twat sitting over on the bench?' Sirius gestured towards the Golden Cinder.

"Yes," I breathed out, finally relaxing now that someone had been warned.

"You alright mate?" Sirius asked James who appeared to be in shock.

*James POV*

Future wife?

Future?

Was this weasel from the future as well?

Does that mean that Lilah is from the future?

We have a kid?

"You alright mate?" Sirius shook my shoulders, snapping me out of my shocked state.

"I'm not quite sure if I'm being honest," I mumbled.

"For Merlin's sake! Did you not just hear what I said? Nicholas is the Golden Cinder," the weasel repeated.

"Yeah, heard you the first time mate," I muttered.

"Yeah, you sure? Because I'm pretty sure that the girl that he's sitting next to right now is your future – one that we all won't have if they continue their relationship and she joins the Dark Lord's ranks,"

"You don't need to be so-" Sirius began.

"What? So harsh? How am I supposed to get it through to you that he is a death eater? That Lilah is in danger and once the Dark Lord discovers who she truly is, she will never be safe again,"

The red headed male quickly began to fade, a look of sorrow crossing over his face as he glanced at his childhood friend once more.

"What! Did you just see that?" Sirius exclaimed, gesturing to the now empty spot of air.

"Well fuck Merlin," I sighed, rubbing my eyes.

Sirius' hand shot into the air, a cheeky grin lilting at his lips, "I so dibs being Merlin!"