《issue | james potter》epilogue: moving forward
Advertisement
Diana took one final look around, checking if there was anything out of place. Seeing the shelves dust-free and the books arranged just as she wanted, she was ready to close up shop. With a satisfied smile, she shuts the front door, hearing the gentle click of a lock as she turned the key.
She didn't know exactly what she was thinking when she asked her mother if she could manage the bookstore she owned the summer after she graduated from Hogwarts. Diana wasn't sure what kind of job in the magical world she wanted to have. Then again, no one was thinking about jobs when they were in the midst of a war. While the rest of her classmates became aurors, joined the Order of the Phoenix led by Dumbledore himself, she went into hiding in the muggle world. She was scared, more than she cared to admit. But every day that passed the guilt that built up in the pit of her stomach as she heard news of former schoolmates dying at the hands of Voldemort and his Death Eaters.
Maybe that's why she finally chose to reply to Dumbledore's letter, inviting her to join the Order, after months of ignoring it.
Diana tried to swallow her nerves, feeling her nervous energy fuelling every single step she took towards the Order's meeting place.
The house was unassuming, located on an unassuming street. The walls needed a new coat of paint, much like the houses that sat next to it. Both magic and non-magic folk wouldn't have given it a second thought. No one could have guessed that it would be used as a meeting place from some sort of secret order. The wooden door was a dark red, a knocker placed in the middle of it. Diana reaches a hand towards the knocker, but it opens on its own. Giving out a quiet creak in the process.
She wipes her boots on the doormat before entering. Her nose twitches at the dusty interior. Diana lets out a quiet squeal once the door shuts on its own with a harsh slam. She follows the familiar voices, leading her to the dining room.
A long wooden table was at the center of the room, six chairs along each side of its length. One chair placed at the head of the table, in it sat Dumbledore, who greeted her with a warm smile and gestured for her to sit in one of the several empty seats.
She sits beside Remus Lupin who gives her a small smile and a gentle pat on her shoulder in acknowledgement. In front of her sat Sirius Black, with Marlene McKinnon beside him. Sirius' eyes lit up at the sight of her entering the room, giving her an excited wave hello. The corners of her lips twitch upward as his gaze meets with hers. She sends a small nod to Marlene in greeting which she returns.
"Hi everyone." Diana greeted, feeling her nerves lessen at their welcoming faces.
They ask Diana how she was doing, listening intently on her life in the muggle world, managing her mum's library. Everyone figured some small talk was necessary before they sent her headfirst into the facts of the war. They don't ask her what took her so long to join them, only expressing how grateful they were that she eventually did.
Advertisement
However, their conversation was cut short by the sound of the door creaking open and slamming shut once again. They hear footsteps, quick and heavy, making their way towards them.
Diana sees him, James Potter, at the doorway.
She offers him a smile, which he gladly accepts, before taking the seat on the other side of Sirius.
"Sorry, I'm late. I might have slept too much during my afternoon nap." Jame apologized sheepishly, though it was mostly directed at Dumbledore who waved it off, already used to his tardiness from his school days.
"Now that everybody is here, we should begin the meeting. Though it will be very brief." Dumbledore stated, gently placing his hands on the table. "First thing's first: Welcoming our newest member. Miss Diana James."
Dumbledore gestures to her, a mischievous little twinkle in his eyes. Sirius, Remus, Marlene, and James clap their hands together in a soft applause. Diana sinks in her seat at the attention, her cheeks going several shades of red.
"Thank you." She says, her voice shy and gentle. "You can stop clapping now. Please."
They chuckle at her embarrassment, finding it adorable. They all stop clapping, turning their attention back to Dumbledore as he opens his mouth to speak once again.
"Sirius, Remus, and Marlene will show you the ropes." He said, addressing Diana before turning to them. "I trust you three will be able to help her should she have any other questions after this meeting."
"Alright, sir." Diana nodded, letting out a small laugh as Sirius sent a thumbs up her way.
"Don't worry, sir, we'll take care of her." Remus reassured, gently bumping Diana's shoulder with his own.
"I trust that you all will, Mister Lupin." Dumbledore nodded to Remus, before turning his attention back to James.
"Great. Now, Mister Potter, have you and and Lily found a place to hide?" Dumbledore asked, eyes trained on James. His gaze intense, almost terrifying. A look that they had never seen from during their days at Hogwarts.
"Why would they need to find a place to hide?" Diana asked, clearly confused. Everyone else exchanged uneasy glances, not wanting to be the one to explain to her the current situation.
"Well, you see, Lily is pregnant." Dumbledore explained, "and there is a prophecy that states that a child of those who have thrice-defied the dark lord would be the one to defeat him. We fear that James and Lily, as well as the Longbottoms, will be put in grave danger because of this."
Diana nodded in understanding, not failing to notice the downcast look that had fallen on James' features at the mention of his and Lily's, as well as their unborn's child's, safety being at risk. She made a mental note to check on him later, should she have a chance to.
The rest of the meeting went on without a hitch, Dumbledore giving an overview of Diana's role in the whole ordeal and Sirius, Remus, and Marlene giving brief reports of what they have been up to. Soon enough, it was time to say goodbye. Diana gave brief hugs to Sirius, Remus, and Marlene before giving Dumbledore a handshake before parting ways.
Advertisement
Diana stands in front of that unassuming house, letting the weight of what she had just agreed to finally sink in. She had never thought of herself as brave, but she grins to herself, the feeling filling her veins in nervous anticipation of what's to come. Was she scared for her life? Oh, absolutely. But she knew joining the Order was the right thing to do.
She lets out a surprised yelp, feeling a hand on her shoulder.
"Hey!" James said, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "It's just me."
Diana puts one hand over her chest and uses the other to lightly hit James' chest, "Merlin! You scared me."
"Sorry." James muttered, but a smile was on his face, bright and welcoming. Like nothing had changed. "You going home?"
Diana nodded, unsure of what to say to him.
"So am I. Walk with me?" James asked, catching Diana by surprise. Her mouth is agape, causing James to let out a small chuckle.
"I'm not sure we should-"
"Come on," James said, cutting her off. "for old time's sake. We're going in the same direction anyway."
"How do you know that?"
"I have my ways." James teased, smirking.
"James." Diana warned, her voice stern.
"I know you manage your mother's library now, I assume you would live nearby. Though I don't think you'd be doing that for long now, with you joining the Order."
"How did you know I manage my-"
"Ara told me." James said, cutting her off again. He tilts his head to the street, signalling that they should start walking. Diana sighed as she signalled that he lead the way. "You know, it's nice that you two kept in touch."
"Mhmm." Diana replied, her gaze fixated on her feet as they pushed themselves forward. She had forgiven James the minute she stepped foot outside the astronomy tower, but she still couldn't help the awkwardness that arised from within her.
"You alright?" James asked, sensing her shift in mood. Quiet and unsure, not the Diana he had known from Hogwarts.
Diana's head snapped to look at him, "Shouldn't I be the one to ask you that?"
She didn't fail to notice the thin gold band that sat on the ring finger of his left hand, bright and shiny against his pale skin. Clearly brand new. Diana nods towards it, "How are things with Lily?"
"Great." He smiled, lifting up his hand to show off his ring. But it slowly falls down, defeated, as he remembers the meeting earlier. "But, this prophecy is really throwing a wrench into things."
"I would assume so." Diana said, her face falling along with his. "I'm sorry you two have to go through this."
James shrugged, having heard that line too many times from multiple friends and members of the Order. "Yeah."
"Hey," Diana said after a few moments, picking up on James' deflated mood, "Why don't you give me some tips on the Order. For duelling, dealing with members, things like that.
James shakes his head, "You don't need me to do that, Di. You're already very capable."
"Yes, but," Diana replied, a finger tapping on her chin as she thought of an excuse, "you have been a member far longer so you must have something to share. I need all the help I can get right now, being a new recruit and everything. Besides, this may be the last time we speak together before you and Lily go into hiding."
And with that, James spilled everything he learned from being in the Order onto Diana. Tips on duelling, members you'd want to avoid when they are in a bad mood, which of the members to go to when you want a free meal, which of the Death Eaters were the hardest to fight and what she could do to increase her chances of winning. He hadn't even noticed that he had moved from telling her tips and started telling stories of recon missions with the rest of the marauders, some more serious than others but some were filled with hijinks. Like the time they thought they'd lost Peter in one of the Death Eater's meeting places, causing them to spend most of their time looking for him, only to find him hiding in a tree.
Diana laughed when necessary, chiming in every now and then in disbelief at some of his stories, "You thought you lost Peter?"
Neither made any sort of mention of their time at Hogwarts. Not a single one of their times as Potions partners, of their time pretending to be in a relationship, of the time being in an actual relationship, and certainly not of those nights in the astronomy tower: the one where he first kissed her and the one where he broke her heart.
Before they knew it, they were in front of James' house. Facing each other, James was uncertain what to do next, "So, this is me."
Catching herself by surprise, Diana steps forward and embraces James in a hug.
"Take care of yourself," Diana whispered, "Lily, and your child too. Okay?"
James could only nod, melting into her embrace. They stayed that way for a few more seconds before pulling away.
"Take care of yourself too." James reminded, his voice stern but his features held nothing but worry.
Diana smiled, the warmth radiating from her enveloping him, "I always do."
The door opens, revealing Lily, looking more radiant than ever. Sure, there were a few cuts and bruises that littered her exposed skin and deep bags under her eyes, but she was glowing. With happiness, and with love. James gently pats Diana's shoulder before heading over to Lily, giving his wife a small kiss on the cheek. Lily gives Diana a smile, nodding at her in acknowledgement. She smiles back, before she gives them a wave goodbye. They do the same before stepping in and closing the door.
Diana takes a deep breath, stuffing her hands inside her jeans' pockets. She smiles to herself, the image of James and Lily at their doorway as they waved to her, smiling and clearly full of love. Their faces were still clear in her head when she pushed her legs to walk away and move forward.
Advertisement
- In Serial570 Chapters
Tsuki ga Michibiku Isekai Douchuu
High school student Misumi Makoto is called into a fantasy world by the god Tsukuyomi, in order to be a hero. However, the Goddess ruling the world isn’t as thrilled to have him there, and kicks him to the edge of the world. Tsukuyomi declares that Makoto is free to find his own way after Makoto is abandoned by the other Goddess.
8 219 - In Serial437 Chapters
Rupegia
"You may now kiss the bride." But no kiss ever came. I'm ripped from my wedding and thrown into a medieval fantasy world with game-like elements. It may seem like a game, but that doesn't matter to me, because this is my reality. The pain, the hunger, the cold, the fear, it's all real to me. Alone, without knowing why I'm here, in a world where I know nothing and nobody, I decide to buy a Blood Slave to have someone I can trust. She brings me comfort and so much more. She helps me raise my head high again and bravely move forward. Together, we'll grow stronger. Together, we're unbreakable. But she won't be the only one by my side. We need more than just each other, for I know that my purpose in this world can't be accomplished with only her help. Monsters and dungeons plague the land, forcing civilization to protect themselves from the hordes with tall walls and fierce determination. Killing monsters is a daily need, but they aren't the only enemy here. I have a powerful "Gift" that allows me to change my "skill points" at will, but if others were to know about it, there would be many that would try to use me by any means possible. Step by step, moment by moment, day by day, we keep moving forward, always aiming to improve our strength. One day, we'll meet our Fate, and we'll be ready for it. Swords held high, shields tightly strapped to our arms, wings spread apart, spells at the tip of our tongues, minds focused like blades, and our hearts hardened like steel. We'll take on whatever comes our way! --------------------------------------------- New chapters Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 8PM US East. At least 3k words each. Additional Tags: Psychological, Romance, Magic, Male Lead, Portal Fantasy/Isekai/Transmigration, Polygamy, Slaves Content Warning: gore, profanity, sexual content (most of it has been censored) (male/female, female/female, and human/non-human(not for the faint of heart)), traumatizing content What to expect: Slow story focused on the day-to-day life of a transmigrated man rather than on the plot. The plot exists but it very slowly becomes relevant. Also, slow character progress. It's a long journey, so don't expect a hero to grow in just a few chapters. Detailed environments and extensive world-building. Realistic and tactical combat instead of flashy. Protagonist with a cheat but far from overpowered. Lots of descriptive sex scenes (though most got censored here). It's treated as just another part of life instead of merely fan-service. A harem where the members actually enjoy living with each other. Occasional weird wording and grammar, English isn't my first language. Currently uploading on: Royal Road (most sexual content censored), Scribble Hub, Novel Updates Forum, Wattpad, Hentai Foundry, Webnovel, MoonQuill, Nobles, Archive of Our Own, and Literotica. This story is also on Scribble Hub, Novel Updates, Hentai Foundry, Webnovel, MoonQuill, Archive of Our Own, and Literotica.
8 143 - In Serial24 Chapters
NPC MAKER
Jan 1, 2022 Edit: Happy near years! Sorry for the long delays once again, I hope to write more frequently. The NPC-MAKER only has one goal… and that is to rule the world with his NPCs! He has the power to create any NPC he desires as long as he has the resources for it. He was obviously going to create slave NPCs to gather resources so he can focus on making more NPCs. There are way too many enemies in the world trying to kill him so he must create many NPCs stronger than himself to defend him and his empire! Unfortunately, he finds himself stranded in the desert with nothing around. He must survive the harsh conditions and hopefully create NPCs to help him. ~ What to Expect ~ - Lots of NPC interactions. Arc 1 Desert Survival Chapter 1 to... ( work in progress)
8 197 - In Serial21 Chapters
A Fairy Tail Christmas Mira-cle
The master gave Mira permission to plan a vacation for ten people. She takes this as the perfect opportunity to get her ships together. Will the she devil suceed? This includes NaLu (Natsu x Lucy), Rowen (Romeo x Wendy), Gruvia (Gray x Juvia), Jerza (Jellal x Erza), and surprise! Miraxus (Mira x Laxus).
8 110 - In Serial25 Chapters
Back Again
Are you familiar with stories of people being summoned to another world in order to become a hero?Yes?Well, I'm sure you've read plenty stories like that.These kinds of stories always have twists like falling in love with the princess, being used and forced by the kingdom, becoming a demon king himself, exploiting alot of things, the demon queen falling in love with the hero, and such.But what if...everything went so well till the end?A happy ending?There is no such thing.There was simply death.And a new beginning.Join our hero as he survives the summoning, dies of old age, and reincarnated back to his previous world!-----------------------------------------WARNING! This story's MC will be super OP! Why? Because I don't like fight scenes!!!So I thought: ""I'll make the MC so strong, the fights will become super simple!"So there.Teehee :pP.S.: I really hope this is an original plot of mine.....
8 102 - In Serial11 Chapters
Perfect Love ✔️
Meet Scarlett and Ashley they have been best friends since before time. There parents are best friends. There parents parents are best friends. They were going wind of being best friends too.They grew up together and done everything together. The only difference is Scarlett is shy and gay. Ashley is none of that he is outgoing person. He isn't your classic joke that picks on the nerds. He quite opposite everybody loves him.All Scarlett life had been surrounded around Ashley. He's always with Ashley either cheering him on, or being his support, or helping him with school. He truly been his best friend. The only problem is now Ashley has a girlfriend. She nice to Ashley, but every time he isn't around she is straight up bitch to Scarlett. Scarlett never been the one to cause drama, but what happen we he feels she taken Ashley from him.Did I mention Scarlett is in love with Ashley?*This story is completed*
8 187