"You know," Alfie said one evening as we rested in my tent. "You're not like other girls."

"Well, that's nice, Alfred," I muttered, ignoring the look he sent me as I stirred the pot of stew. I still wasn't talking to him much and it had been four days since he ripped me away from Tommy.

"Nah, I don't mean it in a bad way, err, you're quirky."

"Do you even know what quirky means? I think we have different definitions of the word."

"See, you're doing it now, the way you speak." Oh, Jesus Christ. Was it really going to be Alfie that figured it out? I mean, he wasn't stupid, I could give him credit for that, but I hardly knew the man.

I'd known Newt for about two years and I wasn't sure if he even knew. Did he know? Huh. I should really pay attention to who knows about me being from the future.

"Alfie, if you've got a problem with me, that's fine, but don't be going around calling me weird!" I snapped, turning to glare at him as my annoyance at myself grew.

"I just mean you're a witch and you're still weird." I almost growled at him. Almost. "You seem like you shouldn't be here, is all."

"You want to know my secrets? You want to know all about me?" He didn't even need to verbally express that he did. He didn't even need to nod his head. I could see from his eyes that he wanted to know. "Well, you can fuck right off. My life isn't a game and I won't have you playing around in it because it's amusing!"

"Now listen here, love—"

"I'm not messing around, Alfie. Just piss off."

I wasn't sure what Alfie was expecting when we stumbled across this Nott we were chasing. I'd already forgotten his name - this was probably why I wasn't in charge. What was his name? Archie? James? Tiberius?

"Newt, what's the name of this wizard we're hunting?" I asked as I followed them through the woods which led to a small Muggle village somewhere in the south of France.

"Albert Nott," he said and if I wasn't mistaken, he seemed rather bored with his reply. It might have had something to do with the constant whining between Alfie and me, but I was also sure that perhaps Newt knew this Albert guy.

"Great, now I can't name my child Albert because it would be like naming him after a mass murderer," I muttered, actually feeling rather disappointed that some bastard had decided to go around killing people and had the name Albert. Did no one care about sullying names anymore?

"You're going to name your son Albert?" Alfie asked a disgusted look on his face.

"No. I just said I couldn't name him Albert after a killer. I guess I could name him after someone in the family, but that wouldn't give him his own individuality."

I swear it was almost like hearing crickets chirping.

I had to be more careful about what I said around who. Even though Newt was used to me by now, even he was staring at me as if I was crazy. And I was confident that he knew about the whole time-travelling thing.

Even if I hadn't told him I was sure he figured it out himself.

He figured everything else out, me being a seer, my Veela abilities and my metamorphmagus abilities. It wouldn't take him long to figure this out. It wouldn't surprise me if he mentioned it when the war ended.

"Shh, we're nearly there," Newt said as he came to a stop in the woods outside the little village. "What should we do?"

"Right see, I was thinking—"

"That's dangerous," I muttered, cutting Alfie off. I gave him a smile and moved out of the way of his arm as he tried to push me.

"He likes his women, yeah?"

"No! Absolutely not," I snapped, crossing my arms and glaring at Newt as he paused to think about it. Did he really think Alfie's plan was a good idea? "I'm not even his type! You've seen the women he goes for. Blonde, blue-eyed and French!" Plus I didn't want to end up dead.

This Albert Nott had a thing for blonde hair and blue-eyes. If I was not mistaken I was sure he was actually Hitler. Yes. I did know about Hitler. I was pretty sure Voldemort had been inspired by the man. Who could possibly be inspired by Hitler?

"You can change your appearance," Alfie said, reminding me that I was, in fact, a metamorphmagus and could change my appearance. Why had I forgotten that? Might have been because I never had the need to use it much in my life here in Birmingham.

"But what if he touches me?" Okay. I now realise how childish I sound, but I didn't want his hands all over me. Not his murderous disgusting hands.

"We'll be watching and as long as we take him back to England it doesn't matter," Newt said, his eyes widening as he realised what he said. "I mean it doesn't matter if you have to stun him."

"You're walking on thin ice, Newton," I told him before letting my appearance change and grumbled as I casually walked out of the woods and over to the little pub where Nott was enjoying himself.

And by enjoying himself I meant firing himself onto the poor barmaid.

"Okay, that's it!" I snapped flicking my wand at him and knocked him out.

Why didn't we just decide to do this in the first place? Surely it would have been better if we came in here, the three of us, and took him on while he was distracted. I know it's not nice for the poor barmaid, but I was able to knock him out without him realising I was here.

"Wh-what?" the poor lady said as the man collapsed on her and she shuffled out from underneath him.

"Oh, umm, sorry, I'm just here to collect this arsehole," I told her, flicking my wand at her and obliviating her memories of the last five minutes. "Umm, go back to work." With a slight nod, the barmaid rushed off into a back room and I was left alone with Nott. "You're a bad excuse for a wizard," I told him as I wrapped him up in ropes and took his wand where it lay casually on the table.

"You know, I've got a problem with men like you. The last one, had me sent back in time but I managed to deal with that and the one that caused problems for my family, well, he ended up dead. It's a pity we promised to bring you back alive," I muttered as I levitated him out of the pub and over to the woods where Alfie and Newt stood looking astonished.

"This is not part of the plan!" Newt exclaimed and I could tell that Alfie was trying to figure out whether he wanted to be impressed or pissed off.

"Well he was forcing himself on the poor barmaid when I entered, so I thought it best to get him dealt with and out of the way," I told them both, dropping Nott on the floor with a flick of my wand.

"You've got to stop doing this," Alfie muttered, shaking his head as he kicked at the knocked out man by his feet.

"Stop doing what?"

"Beating men up."

"Are you intimidated by me, Alfie?" I asked, rolling my eyes as he grunted something in response. "Look, you said I had to get my mission done and I did. Can we go back to camp now?"

"Umm, I think you need to change your appearance back first," Newt said as he opened his case - where he'd been hiding that I had no clue - and dropped Nott down into his little shack.

Alfie's face was funny to watch because he looked so dumbfounded. His mouth was hanging open and if he didn't know that magic existed, he would have probably passed out.

"Then we can head back?"

"Lucky for you, love, you're heading home to Small Heath," Alfie said, clapping me on the back as I looked between the two astonished.

Had they known I would be returning to Birmingham the whole time?

Fucking idiots.

I was beyond furious when we returned to camp. How long had they known I was being sent back home?

Yeah, fair enough, we'd only been gone a few days trying to hunt down Nott, but they both seemed to know that once we returned from this mission I'd be sent home.

"I'm sorry," Newt said, following me into my tent as Alfie trailed behind us. It must look weird having the three of us going into such a small looking tent. "I wanted to tell you but I knew you'd get distracted."

"My god you sound like Polly. Was this her idea too? Did she know about this?" I guess I was a little salty about her telling me not to tell Tommy I was out in France. It was the beginning of August now and if I remembered correctly, there were only about three and a half months left of this war. Was I really getting to go home so close to the end?

"No one knows, I thought we could surprise them," he muttered, running his hand through his hair as he began to grow flustered with all the attention.

"You infuriate me," I told him, snapping my head at Alfie when he snorted. "Don't think you can talk, mister, you're just as bad." I huffed at them both and dropped down on the sofa, dropping my head in my hands. These two stressed me out too much. There was Newt complaining because Alfie and I argued like siblings, but if anything, these two were just as bad when it came to tag-teaming me - just like my brothers used to do. "Alfie." He tilted his head up, his eyebrows moving slightly as he gave me his attention. "You know my address?" He gave a small nod sharing a look with Newt, who had no doubt told him. "If you need anything, and I mean anything, you come to me, okay. And please write to me when you return home from the war."

"Sure thing, love."

The morning we packed up to leave I felt an ache in my heart.

Part of it was because I was leaving Alfie and I had come to care for him despite our first meeting but the other, larger part was because I knew Tommy was out there and I feared I'd never see him again.

When we returned he'd already been sent back out and I would have to live with and treasure the small moment we had.

I could still feel his fingertips against mine.

My hand went to reach for my locket but came up empty reminding me that I'd given it to him.

I wish I had longer with him. I could barely treasure the moment we have together as it was less than a moment in itself.

"Are you ready?" Newt asked, coming up beside me and offering me his arm. He was going to escort me to a secluded area where we'd take a portkey to the Ministry in England, hand over Nott and then return home.

"I suppose. I do wish to see Thomas-J again."

Newt gave a nod to one of the doctors before pulling me behind the supply tent where I was surprised to see Alfie.

"I ain't good at goodbyes, love, but I ought to give you one, yeah."

"Remember to write to me, Alfie. I want to hear from you when the war ends. Perhaps a visit is needed." I would love for him to meet Thomas-J, even if Alfie didn't seem like the sort to fuss over children. He might not have seemed like the sort but I knew he would spoil any child he knew rotten.

"Safe travels."

To my surprise, when we came to our destination, it was Phineas' office and not the Auror department. Phineas was pacing and upon our arrival, he sighed in relief and came to my side, bringing me into a hug.

"I've been waiting all morning for your return," he said, pressing a kiss to my cheek as he pulled back and took me in. "No visible signs of injury. Are you well?"

"I am, Phineas, I just wish to be home and see my boy," I said, giving his hand a squeeze as I shared a glance with Newt. He said I was able to go as soon as we arrived and I longed for my boy in my arms.

"Well, we don't need to hold you here any longer. Go see your family, we'll come by tonight," Phineas said, giving me a soft smile as he waved me away.

I spared Newt a last glance before apparating with a twist and appeared in the hallway of my house.

It was quiet, too quiet and it put the fear in me.

The house also felt cold, like the heating hadn't been on for a couple of days. It was also dark, too dark.

"Polly?" I called, moving down the hall and towards the kitchen. "Ada?" There was dust settled on the table and if I was being quite honest, the house needed a good clean. "Thomas-J?"

I rushed out of the kitchen and up the stairs, running to the nursery, which to my surprise was also empty and in need of cleaning.

Where was everyone?

Had something happened to them?

The house was usually bustling with the children and Ada running after them when they'd pulled tricks on her. There was usually babbling coming from Thomas-J and Edward and the occasional shouting from Polly.

Running out of the house, I looked around the street, becoming flustered by the woman and children looking at me as I frantically searched for someone familiar.

What was the best thing for me to do?

Where would Polly be?

Would she go to the shop? Would she be at Watery Lane?

I could feel the eyes on me as I ran down the street. I knew it wasn't womanly of this time period but I couldn't give a shit.

I pushed my way through the people on the street, ignoring their mutterings as I swung open the door and barged through the house.

"What the devil—" Polly stood from the table, her eyes wide as she stared at me standing before her. "Romy."

"Where's Thomas-J?" I asked, my eyes flirting around the room trying to spot my son.

"You're back," she muttered, placing down the cigarette she was smoking and stumbling over to me. Her hands cupped my face and she rested her forehead against mine. "You have not written in months."

"I am sorry, Polly, things got a little crazy over there," I replied, resting my hands on her shoulders and pulling her into a hug. "Where is Thomas-J?"

"He's in the parlour with John." I had forgotten for a moment that John would have returned by now. "I thank you for having him sent back to us. The children have been so happy since he returned."

"Well, I shall go and see him. I have not seen him awake, I only got the privilege of tending to him when he came to me injured."

I gave Polly a small smile and entered into the parlour where I could hear John's children chatting away with their father and Finn. I hovered by the doorway and smiled upon seeing Thomas-J walking over to Ada and handing her his teddy-bear, one that Katie had given him. He then turned back to John and waddled over to him, his smile brightening as the man lifted him up and settled him on the sofa next to Edward.

John's eyes lifted to mine and he gave me a soft smile, one that indicated he'd been told what I'd done for him.

"Hello, John," I greeted, smiling as Thomas-J's head snapped to me, a large smile on his face.

"Mama!" He shouted, lifting his arms as I stepped into the room, rushing to him.

"My Little Bird," I cooed, picking him up and pressing a kiss to his cheek. "You have grown." I could not believe I had been parted from him for over five months. I had missed out on so much. He was so confident in his walking now and soon it would be his second birthday.

And then, weeks after that, the war would be over and we'd be able to start our lives without the threat of a war over our heads.