Chapter seventeen: Home

A/N: So I decided recently that this would be the last chapter, so here goes, the final chapter of From One Era to the Next.

The next few weeks were quiet, and I can't say I wasn't grateful. There was still an enormous amount of homework to complete, but there were no more Death Eater encounters, cursed classmates, or anything of the sort. It would have been blissful had I had a free moment to enjoy it.

Another positive thing that came out of this was that James and I became much closer. Since the weather was warming up, we would spend time sitting under a willow tree by the lake, him helping me with Transfiguration (my weakest point; his strongest) and I would help him with Potions and Charms (my best subjects).

It was during one of these study sessions that Ginny came up to us, interrupting a conversation that was admittedly not related to our Potions essay.

"McGonagall wants to see you two in her office," she said.

"What about?" James tried not to act annoyed, although I could tell he was.

"I don't know, but it seemed important."

I wondered myself what it could possibly be, the idea of going back to our time having been gone from my mind for a while now. I didn't question it, though, and walked up with the two of them, Ginny giving us some space, obviously almost as disappointed as James that she had to interrupt us. She was so excited when I started actually spending time with him.

We reached the Transfiguration professor's office and walked in, James and I both visibly nervous.

"You–you wanted to see us, Professor?" I asked tentatively.

"Yes," she replied. "I believe we may have found a way to get you two back to your own era."

I was not expecting that.

We were finally getting the opportunity to go home! I suppose I should have been more excited, although I had made some good friends here during these past several months.

"Are you serious?" James asked.

"Do I look like I'm joking, Mister Potter?" McGonagall replied shortly. "The Headmaster and I have found a spell that should do just that."

"That's fantastic!" Ginny hugged me.

I was still processing this new information.

"One thing I am afraid must happen is that you two may have no recollection of what has happened here. Knowing the information you do could be dangerous regarding how you live your lives, and, by extension, us as well."

"So, we will have to forget everything that has happened here?"

"I'm afraid so, Miss Evans."

I would not remember anything. Dating James. Befriending Ginny. The Death Eater attack. My entire sixth year will be erased and restarted from the beginning, right from that moment in Divination. Sure, this wasn't the best year of my life, but it was a lot to just throw away.

"…goodbye to Harry, Ron and Hermione?" I tuned in to hear James finish a question.

"I'm sorry, Potter, but we can not risk them figuring it out, although I presume Harry already has," McGonagall said.

"I thought he had, he kept looking at James and I oddly, especially when we were together," I said. "Wait, does that mean…"

"Yes, Miss Evans. Harry is your son as well."

James seemed to like this idea, a grin spreading across his face as he looked at me. Thankfully, he had the sense to not make some rude comment that would surely not impress Professor McGonagall.

"But, if Harry is my son, why wouldn't he have gone to stay with us over the holidays?" I asked.

"Lily, when Harry was a year old, you were," Ginny swallowed, "you were both killed by You-Know-Who. You both died protecting him."

Killed. I was killed before I could see my son grow up. Before he could have a proper childhood. Before he could have known his parents. It was odd enough to think that I had a son, but not nearly as much as this whole idea of not being able to be there for him. I would never see him get his Hogwarts letter, never see my child off on the train to school, never grow old with the people I love. This was a lot to process for me right now.

"If you will, Miss Evans and Mister Potter, I think it will be best if we do this now rather than later," McGonagall interrupted my thoughts.

We both nodded, and I hugged Ginny again before she stepped back. James and I drank the potion Slughorn had apparently brewed earlier that day, a forgetfulness potion, and James put his arm around my waist. I didn't push him off. McGonagall then raised her wand, muttering a strange incantation that I couldn't quite make out, and a second later, all I could see was white smoke.

Everyone in the Divination room was staring as the blue flames on the crystal ball died down. That idiot could have killed us! I was just happy at least this time nothing happened to anyone, but who knows what could have gone badly?

I glared at James Potter, the look of shock gone from his face. "You idiot! Do you realize what could have happened?"

"Relax, Evans," an easy smirk spread across his features. "Nothing happened to us."

"Well something could have, so quit mucking about and write your essay," I snapped at him.

James just rolled his eyes and leaned back in his seat.

On the way back to the Gryffindor common room before dinner, he followed me through the corridors like a lost puppy.

"Go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend?" he asked fearlessly.

"Not if it was a choice between you and the giant squid, you twat."

That didn't discourage him, though; he kept at it for the rest of the year. Like I would ever say yes to him, was all I could think.

A/N: I can't believe I just finished my first ever fanfiction! Thank you all so much for reading this and especially to those who followed, reviewed or favorited this story, you guys are the very best!

I'm not sure yet what I'm going to do for future stories, but if you look on my profile, you can see the pairings I like, and if you would like, leave a review or message me which ship I should write about next! Thank you!

-Julie