Life in the Alps

In a Country far, FAR away from Britain...in Switzerland.

Switzerland is a mountainous Central European country, home to numerous lakes, villages and the high peaks of the Alps. Old Towns within its cities contain medieval landmarks like capital Bern's Zytglogge clock tower and Cathedral of Bern. The country is also a destination for its ski resorts and hiking trails. Banking and finance are key industries, and Swiss watches and chocolate are renowned.

For Lily Potter, it mostly reminded her of the story Heidi due to where they lived and what they wore.

Not only that, she, Remus and Sirius lived together while raising a little girl while running a livestock farm...of Wagyu Cattle(that's after getting license after license and various forms of bureaucracy with paperwork involved because of WHERE the beef came from, as well as education in HOW to run and maintain the business), Brown Swiss Cows and Chickens that lay large eggs. They live in a huge valley in Switzerland, living peacefully as farmers. A smelly, tough job but the rewards are deliciously big.

They own about 5000 Wagyu Cows and Bulls with calves included in that count, 900 Brown Swiss and a huge chicken coop that can accommodate a thousand Rhode Island Red chickens. The trio are well-equipped with their Butchery and their Milk and Cheese Factories. They even had to study how to take care of their farm animals and what would be best for their health for good productivity and lots of profits. They also sell fertilizer that used chicken and cattle manure to gardeners and fellow farmers.

The ones who buy their beef are wealthy families though. They're the only ones who can afford A5-class beef ANYWAY. Their eggs goes to various towns near their homes.

This made all three of them particularly wealthy in a couple years by the time Reines is five, to the point that Remus could actually afford to be healthy and wear good clothes and shoes. And he could actually own a Gringotts Vault! Lily and Sirius pours their salaries in their accounts. Lily pours her income in the Potter Main Vaults, Sirius pours his in the account his uncle Alphard made and left him as he is a disowned Black. He can't inherit the vast Black Fortune. His brother Regulus was heir but died for the wrong cause and he never named an heir for he died childless and he also left no will because the Head at the time didn't, and there are no other heirs with him as the only option yet his prideful family didn't take it so according to the goblins, the Black Family Wealth will be doomed to disappear.

And what they mean by disappear, the goblins will take it for themselves.

The British Ministry was none too happy about that, particularly two of his cousins, Narcissa and Bellatrix. Andromeda doesn't care as she too, wants the black history of the Black Family to disappear. Narcissa once protested, saying her son Draco can be heir, but the fact that she may be indeed a Black but women cannot inherit unless she is the last survivor of the family. Draco, being fathered by a Malfoy, cannot inherit as he is already his father's heir and the fact that Orion Black and Regulus Black didn't name anybody their heir. All Narcissa would get, is her share of the fortune but Bellatrix is a disgraced Black thus disowned for landing herself in prison and even before that, did not have a productive marriage(read: have children) so she doesn't get anything. As for Andromeda Tonks, she gets a share if only because her father Cygnus was able to make Orion give his daughters a share of the Black Fortune before her 'disgraceful marriage' but of course, given fortune cannot take it back, especially as Andromeda had the foresight to create her own vault and pour her fortune in there before she let down the big whammy. If she hadn't done that, Walburga Black would have fought a winning battle to have it taken it back, as Orion was a whipped husband under a strong-willed, dominant wife.

Sirius said then let it be so, for Sirius intends to recreate the Black Family that's nothing like his relations. The goblins can have the fortune for all he cares, Number 12, heirlooms and books included as long as they leave alone his account. Besides, he began earning waaay more than any wizarding community's Minister annually!

So as he lets it be so much to many unhappy people in Britain with Andromeda the only happy one, Narcissa the somewhat-happy one as she still got a chunk of the fortune, the vast Black Fortune is claimed by the goblins. As a result, the economy suffered 'quite a bit' that Minister Bagnold had trouble with the economic situation in conjunction with post-war recovery efforts. Losing the fortune of an Old, Pureblood Family that would no longer circulate is a big blow to the economy and to one Madam Umbridge's fury, losing it to non-humans that her 'screeching' forced Bagnold to shut her up as the Bills she drafted would have caused another Goblin Wars.

It was so bad that to Remus and any other 'semi-human's glee, she was fired and unable to ever take any high-ranking offices any time soon and any law regarding persecution of beings won't take hold anytime soon.

'Padfoot my friend, something good happened after all!' Remus jovially shook Sirius' hands, much to the latter's amusement.

The only child in their home, Reines, grew up knowing how to do farm work and business.

The daughter of the Potters was born blonde, neither a brunette or redhead. It once caused doubts about Lily's fidelity until its confirmed she is indeed, James' daughter. The blonde gene isn't really surprising given the deep history of Pureblood Inbreeding until James married a muggleborn. Not only that, as she grew up, she did not resemble any of her parents other than her vivid green eyes that Sirius and Lily had to work through family history to discover where she got her resemblance. Mrs. Evans then revealed that she was Italian before she met and married Lily's father so she too, helped with the background check if only to soothe James' worries about his daughter...but she 'reamed him a good one' for even thinking her precious daughters are capable of infidelity. Mr. Evans even threatened to shoot him with a shotgun for the very idea.

Mrs. Evans eventually found a great-great-grandmother and some aunts who may bear resemblances and photos given. And they're all beautiful women with one standing out, that both mother and daughter hoped Reines would resemble her great-great-grandmother.

It indeed, gave James a peace of mind before the dreaded Halloween.

Lily took steps thus after her husband's murder and Reines using accidental magic out of a fearful tantrum that turned Voldemort to stone before he could kill Lily. She took their Gringotts Keys, the Invisibility Cloak, and clothes, as well as shrinking her husband's dead body for a proper and peaceful burial elsewhere. While she was rapidly packing, Sirius rushed to see her in time to shrink his best friend's corpse while carrying her daughter.

'Lils!' Sirius gasped out. 'The charm! He betrayed us!' he howled in rage.

'I know!' Lily cried as Sirius carefully picked up James' shrunken body. 'But no time for that now! Help me pack! We have to hurry! Everyone knows you're the Secret-Keeper unaware of the switch! They'll hunt you down! We have to get out of here as soon as I find the Family Invisibility Cloak and our Gringotts Keys!'

'I'll hunt down that lying bastard after this!'

'Padfoot no!' Lily shrieked as she gave him a serious glare. 'If he could hide the fact that he's planning on betraying us with none the wiser, he may have planned things in advance for whoever finds him who knows of the switch! So far that's three Marauders, me and Albus! No one else knows! He can easily make you out the traitor and frame you for his betrayal! As a muggleborn in a community for pro-pureblood laws, I can't save you unless I have help and no doubt by now the Longbottoms who fit the bill are already attacked like we are!' Sirius' jaws fell. 'You'll have to hide with Reines until the Will Reading is over. Its the only way to save you!'

The Will Reading is indeed, the only way to keep Sirius from a future in Azkaban.

Because a deceased person, sound of mind who made his will in both paper and Astral Projection Memory Copy to make it talk before beneficiaries. Not only that, their final wishes are declared an 'absolute law' but only if it involves beneficiaries. And defying a Last Will is an unthinkably unforgiven, scandalous faux pas. And James and Sirius who are loaded with money, had the foresight to update their wills.

November 30 was the big day.

'Welcome to the Will Reading of the late Lord James Fleamont Potter.' said the goblin. 'I have confirmed that all but one, are present.' he said, eyeing the Minister, Amelia Bones, invited reporters, Lily Potter, Remus Lupin, and little Neville Longbottom's stand-in his grandmother. 'We will now begin the final words and wishes of Lord Potter.' he said, activating the astral copy.

Welcome ladies and gents! To my last stage! James boomed out jovially with a grin. Although I hoped my copy would never speak to you as I hoped to live a long life with my wife and child with my bestest friends but alas, if I am dead or both Lily and me are dead, we were betrayed to an early grave. he sighed much to the dark mutterings of those not in the know. I shall explain and I can assure you I am physically, mentally and magically sound of mind. My family account manager would know if I'm magically-messed with after all. he snorted.

You see, a year after we married and live a life of hiding, not exactly ideal marital bliss, mind you... he griped. One of my friends began acting strangely. he said. He was paranoid and looking at us in fear...until one day, he suggested, 'Why not switch Secret-Keepers James? Sirius is too obvious!' at this, other people gasped. I thought about it. He kept badgering me about it. I discussed this with Lily and Padfoot as Remus was away on a long mission. Not only that, the whole Order suspected him of all people as a traitor which is why he was sent by Albus on that dangerous job against our wishes but he insisted on it! To prove 'he is one of us', he said! he exclaimed incredulously before bursting out laughing. Remus squawked indignantly at this. Moony, James laughed. ...is the last person on earth who would betray our friendship! He's loyal to the bone! Sirius will also never betray me as we grew up like brothers and we loved each other as brothers. Its to the point everyone damn knows we're best friends. I'm talking about our fourth friend, Peter Pettigrew. he said darkly.

'Lily?' Remus whispered anxiously.

'Shut up Moony, answers will come soon.' Lily hissed.

Lily agreed he might have a point...if we hid under the Fidelius, everyone would think of Sirius, and hunt Sirius down. And Sirius thought its a bright idea. He be the carrot to a bunch of dumb donkeys while the real Keeper would be safe and not harassed. And he's confident of his skills in pulling fast ones while giving the middle finger while he's at it. this caused some of the reporters to laugh weakly. So we agreed. We brought the idea to Albus as he's the one who cast the charm for us. He too, agreed to the plan. But since Peter came up with the idea, he should have the honor, so we agreed...but why did I get a baaad feeling from that point onward? It got worse when he was so happy about us accepting the idea! I wished I listened to my bad feeling, and suggested other people instead. I should never have agreed or have asked my other Auror buddies instead! he lamented. Thanks to me not listening to my gut, no doubt either my whole family died, Lily lived a widow with our daughter, or our daughter wound up orphaned and poor Padfoot in Azkaban for the wrong reasons while the real culprit is scott-free. he scowled. So to protect Padfoot incase my whole family perished, I updated my will to save him from that nasty fate. Our real betrayer is Peter Pettigrew! he cried angrily as the others gasped at this.

'SONOVA!' Remus snarled as Lily had to restrain him.

'Moony!'

To protect Moony and Padfoot from being branded traitors and criminals, I deliberately made this will, inviting certain Ministry big-shots over and five reporters of their choice as long as its not Rita Skeeter. I want facts printed, not sensationalized journalism dammit. Astral-James scoffed. So please quit suspecting Moony and hunting down Padfoot, will ya? He's innocent and Moony, don't be angry at the wrong guy. he said solemnly before grinning viciously and vindictively. So here we are to my final wishes list! My first order on the list is that Peter Pettigrew, is a rat animagus! A mousy-brown-colored, blue-eyed sewer rat! There's a reason for me revealing this fact...its so he can no longer hide while I put a nice large bounty on his ass...I'm putting a 100.000 Galleon, Sickle and Knuts Bounty on him, dead or alive! he roared as there's a lot of gasps. That huge money will ensure a comfortable life for a couple of years! But to keep him from running, this tiny little detail will only be known to the Ministry WITHOUT a Dark Mark on their person. The DMLE will check at wand point! They will be eligible for the manhunt as word will spread in a subtle way! Oh, and trying to make fake bodies is not advisable, as the goblins will know the real deal from the fake as the bastard has a Gringotts account here, so forget trying fraudulent attempts. he snorted. Once that rat is arrested, he be put in a trial to weasel out more information before stuffing him in a pitch-black, smallest cell the wardens can find and give him thirteen Dementors to be triple sure he stays there!

Second of all, Sirius Orion Black III, Reines' godfather will have unquestioned, unchallenged custody of our daughter Reines. If he kicked the bucket, custody will fall to Remus John Lupin laws be damned and I made financial arrangements, as well as safety arrangements on his Moony Nights. If he also kicked it, Frank and Alice Longbottom will raise our daughter. If they kicked it, I ask Augusta Longbottom of that wish. But if unavailable for other reasons, I trust Amelia Bones, my buddy Edgar's sister. But if everyone I mentioned can't do it, I ask the Minister to find a safe, faraway good muggle orphanage. Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES is she to go to anyone else in the Wizarding Community regardless of who or what they are. Anyone who defied this part of the will regarding our baby girl, my account manager will dish out penalties he deems appropriate and he will take back our daughter to put her in the best place he can find with the best security the Potter money can buy! At ten years old, my manager will educate Reines how to run the family affairs.

Third, Lily and Reines will have 50-50 of the entire Potter fortune but if one of them dies, the survivor gets the entirety after some money goes to the beneficiaries...to Remus John Lupin, I give you a million Galleons, Sickles and Knuts to live the rest of your life in comfort, and a cottage in a location to only be revealed in private. If you are ever harassed for your newfound inheritance, fight for it and make sure my manager knows. These dumbasses will be made to pay a great price. If you are ever to be killed over it or any form of threats and mind-control used on you to make you give them your money, nobody will get anything, and the goblins will return the money back to the Potter coffers to keep thieving hands off as a big fuck you to prejudiced bastards against a true good friend with a furry problem from having a well-deserved life's comforts. Remus choked at this. And to our shared godson Neville, should his parents bite it and me and Lily lived or one of us lived, Alice once asked Lily if she could raise their son for at least, ten years of his life before going to the Longbottom Family for the rest of his years. Augusta looked quite stunned. Lily and I talked about it with her and we agreed though Alice wouldn't say why she made a strange request. he said with a thoughtful pose to match. We also hope that our children will grow up best friends this way. He will also get 500.000 thousand Galleons, Sickles and Knuts from us with his own Vault to only be used when he has great need for it under distress and duress. This will ensure him a good life until he gets employment. Alice's strange request really worries me...and I doubt she told Frank. So if one of us lives, he or she will raise Neville for a decade alongside our daughter. That ends my will and I hope my very few wishes are heard and followed to the letter.

Because of his will, Sirius was saved from a nasty fate, Lily got a decade-long custody of Neville, and rat-hunt began.

However, the rat hunt quickly ended.

As soon as the DMLE checked EVERYONE with numerous arrests into holding cells made, James' part of his will was revealed to the Ministry after everyone with a Dark Mark was rooted out. And with such a big bounty, everyone was eager to try their luck, but the hunt ended in just a day as announced by the Gringotts Wizarding Bank.

Arthur Weasley found that his third son Percy got ahold of a mousy brown rat with blue eyes he found in the family garden and asked his mother if he can keep it as a pet. Arthur claimed to be worrying about rabies suggested he take 'Scabbers' for a veterinary treatment just incase...and stunned the rat, happily marching to Gringotts...earning himself a fortune that he could send his children to school with new things, and not second-hand. The Bounty Fortune would be thus, carefully-spent by the impoverished Weasley Family.

With the arrest made and a trial put, the Potters and Sirius had justice. His magic forever suppressed while in the company of thirteen Dementors for the rest of his life inside a small, cramped and very pitch-black darkness prison cell, and Augusta none-too-happily handing Lily her grandson, while wondering why her daughter-in-law made such a request.

Albus tried to talk to Lily and the Marauders who are none-too-happy regarding Remus' case, and they left Britain for further safety, never telling anyone where they went.

Hence, the alps in Switzerland.

Because they're a family of witches and wizards, they have to live far away from normal humans to hide the fact that they're magic. It was also a challenge to live like muggles, as Sirius and Remus don't know squat other than the very outdated Muggle Studies in Hogwarts, a subject Lily greatly scorned when they were teenagers and she taught them about the 'new' muggle world they didn't know about before they opened a farm that by combining with magic and potions, they have a huge flock in a matter of a short time when any muggle would think what they've done, is normally IMPOSSIBLE no matter how you look at it, but alas, magic is a cheat code.

Reines and Neville grew up together in a 'doggie see, doggie do'. Imitating the adults in how to do chores and farmwork, well, what a little kids CAN do at least, after they learned things toddlers should know before Kindergarten...even if they never went to Kindergarten!

They were taught Personal and Social Development(with Sirius and Remus forced to listen in incase they marry a girl and have children of their own someday), Language and Literacy, Numbers and Mathematical Skills, Physical Development(they had to ask a muggle doctor for this), Arts, and Lily bought 'a wagon of books' for the kids to study. Language, Literature, Dictionaries, Math, Science, Biology, Technology, Computer, Medical Books, and books about Worldly Cultures. Wizarding subjects can wait when they're nine!

Because Witches and Wizards are fast learners with a memory to match but are incredibly lazy with arrogance to match, Lily wanted that the kids would be eager to learn about the world even if it meant buying a whole library and disciplined the kids well for four years of their lives.

For Reines and Neville, their life revolved around two things. Farm life and Books, and what a good girl and boy should be like.

But as children seeing their family doing work, responsibility and knowing how to do small things is instilled into a precociously curious children who grew up with each other and showed interest in farm work.

Well, children who grew up in fine tastes due to the delicious foods they eat everyday as Lily learned other recipes since becoming a housewife and she really doesn't like Hogwarts' heavy, greasy foods. The results? She mostly used her brother-in-law Vernon Dursley as an example at its worst.

A one-way ticket to diabetes and other diseases, she called it.

She learned healthier cooking methods for her family and a growing baby in her tummy at the time. Instead of pre-packaged seasonings, she uses herbs and spices, vinegars and lemon juices. She avoids cooking with oils whenever possible. She only cooks that use Stir-Frying, Roasting, Grilling and Broiling, Baking, Poaching, Sauteing and Steaming techniques.

Sirius and Remus found that eating foods light on the tummy made it easy to eat more and they got physically better.

And eating healthy since a young age made Neville and Reines appreciate good food, not junk food most kids their age enjoy.

Knowing a lot and knowing responsibility at a young age made them mature and precocious indeed.

Even though the only thing they were allowed to do at their size and age, was to clean up their room and help graze the animals as those two are jobs even a child can do. And Reines is a natural at leading their animals while Neville needed help and more practice. Everything else can wait.

When the time came for Grade School, Sirius decided to rebuild the Black Family by going to the Swiss Wizarding Community to find himself a fiancee as he's not getting any younger. He even prepared himself in vanity just to score!

He found a woman through a Magical Matchmaking Office that Swiss Purebloods use when their sons and daughters are fifteen years old for marriage arrangements that will always go well if the children get along. Unmatched adults also use this system. Sirius must write down what kind of man he is, his job, job entails and income and then list down qualities he wants in a woman written with his blood through a Blood Quill and his paper will then be put in a Matchmaking Library to find the ideal female for him. And the magical enchantments in the Matchmaking Office disables the writer's ability to lie or even attempt to lie. Only pure truth can be put in paper. And only Ancient Noble and Noble Families can use this system. Lily found the system VERY fascinating and convenient! But the use of a Blood Quill gave them the heebie-jeebies so its use is still very restricted. Not only that, it has a flaw!

Problem?

That very flaw struck Sirius.

His bride-to-be is 15 years old from the Magical Swiss School whatever and wherever heck it is and the Office had to mail the girl's family.

And he's 26 years old.

'Well Padfoot, Prongs would say one word about this situation...' Remus croaked out to Sirius as he and Lily peeked from behind to see Sirius' results before the Matchmaker could mail the results to the girl's family.

'That's a word you should not say in this office boys.' Lily deadpanned. 'But still, I'm stunned...I mean, yes I married at 18, got pregnant at 19 and became a mother at 20...15 is a tad TOO young...I just hope her parents are at least reasonable as 18-19 is the youngest legally possible to marry!'

'Some purebloods are crazy to marry young. I'd know since my thankfully mostly-deceased family are that crazy.' Sirius sighed. 'I will wait for her to be at least 18 to marry me. I won't be home for a few years for the courting and living with the other family.'

'Just be careful.' said Lily. 'Anything can happen.'

'Don't worry Lils. My instincts in my old auror days didn't dull none and bein' a farmer gave me some fitness exercise. I'll be A-OK.'

With that, Sirius Black left home to his in-laws per Swiss Tradition.

Normally its the GIRL who lives with her fiancee's family. But as Sirius is basically the only survivor of his family, he has to be with his lady's family.

But they have to wait for a reply letter from the girl's family head.

A week later, it came...the reply caused a cleaning scramble.

Its because the other family wants to see his lifestyle.

Their home is spotlessly clean.

The barns and other facilities are triple-checked, and aired out so it doesn't stink.

The cattle given baths and trimmed horns and hooves.

They themselves, used the latest vanity products in the market. Their skin, hair, teeth, physical damage caused by stress and too much physical work all taken care of. The kids don't have such issues, but they still had to use it to make a good impression.

The things one must do for a good dang impression.

Reines wondered if the meeting will go well, considering they live a countryside lifestyle with fashion to match and its her first time meeting purebloods.

She wore bonnets, dirndls with pantaloons all her life and so did her mother. Her friend Neville wore boys' version of countryside fashion like Sirius and Remus did. But for school in a muggle city, they can't wear these as city folks are different from country folks. Just for shopping, they bought simple muggle clothes to hide the fact that they're wealthy as criminals target wealthy people.

But...won't that be moot when they see her smooth and soft pale skin, and her vivid green eyes?

Wealthy people have never worked so hard under the sun and lived a pampered luxurious life.

This somehow exasperated her. But at least she has an excuse unlike her mother.

She's a child.

Children shouldn't know hard work under the sun yet after all. Her mom has no such excuse and they stood out in the market.

Too bad they won't get to meet the family though.

They would go to a Boarding School to save the trouble in La Garenne before they came.

But...

For them, this is where it all began.