Okay, I know it's been far past forever, but I just got a brainwave. Here we go…

"Don't worry, you're just as sane as I am." Luna Lovegood

Maybe it wasn't the weirdest thing to try to get the teachers on their side first.

McGonagal was a logical first choice. Of course, there was no way to tell from the list exactly who the reincarnated McGonagal would be. They had only their feelings to go on.

They announced to their families that they'd be going on Holiday together. This was to be expected since both of them were of age and had just finished their schooling. Harry's aunt and uncle wished him and safe ourney and gave him some pocket money. Charlie's father, who hadn't been told yet, also agreed.

It was on the train to Surrey that Charlie first brought up his doubts. "I mean, it's not even a given that she'll be there. She could not have come back, like Dumbledore. I mean, it's not like there's a replica of him walking around."

James nodded – he had thought of that too. "I know what you mean, but I really think this woman could be her." He had been flipping through the book, scanning over the lists of those people who would have been called, in Harry's time, pure-bloods. His eyes had landed on a woman called Arabella Figg. She was a school teacher living in the south parts of Surrey. She was McGonagal.

"We have to start somewhere, right?" James said, leaning his head against the seat. In truth, he thought that if they really did run into people who had known Harry in his time, it wouldn't be all that difficult to convince them.

He was changing. It had started when they first entered Hogwarts, but it was building. He could feel something starting to appear on his forehead and was sure it was a scar. He would look at the grounds of the school and see, not ruins, but the place it used to be, complete with people. He would look at Charlie or Molly and see Ron and Hermione.

Soon, he wouldn't be able to distinguish between them.

Charlie put his small pack at the end of the seat and leaned his head against it. His body was too long to fit, so he propped his feet against the window and stared out at the passing countryside. "Harry, you think we should tell them to go back to the school if they believe us? I think Hermione could organize something while we're gone."

"Yeah." For a second, James didn't really register what Charlie just said, then, "Wait -- Harry?"

Charlie looked at him, then blinked. "Oh, damnit!" He said, annoyed. Then, softer, "It just happens sometimes, you know? I can look at you, and I see him and I know it's not really me but Ron. And there's all these things -- like Molly. Ron and Hermione definitely had something going on there, but he died. I keep getting all these pokes and nudges, like I should be going after her or something. I know he regrets dying before they could…have a life together." He stuck his tongue out in distaste.

James opened his mouth to reassure Charlie, to tell him that he felt that way too, when the door slid open. A boy and girl came in. The boy was short and round with an open, bemused-looking face. The girl was maybe thirteen, a year younger, with long blonde hair and large blue eyes.

"Hello." The girl said, completely unperturbed after walking in on two teenage boys. The boy looked slightly uncomfortable. "We don't know why we're here."

"I'm Frank." The boy said hastily. "Frank Shunpike. This is Lavender. We kind of ran into each other as we were both coming here." The boy blinked, then narrowed his eyes. He seemed to be staring at James' forehead.

"You're Harry Potter." Lavender said in a misty voice. She had a pencil stuck behind her ear.

James and Charlie stared at each other, then stood up and, as one, shut the door. "Sit down." Charlie said, gesturing to the seat James had been sitting in. The girl sat down immediately. The boy, Frank, hesitated a second before sitting. He was still staring at James, his gaze sliding over to Charlie from time to time.

"I know you." He said, awestruck. "I know both of you. It's really weird. I just felt like I had to come here, like I was missing something if I didn't."

Charlie leaned forward, looking eager. With one hand he brushed his bright hair out of his face, with the other he flipped through the book of magical people in Old England. He nodded to James, who took a deep breath before turning to the two people who had randomly dropped in on their lives.

For a second he stared, assessing them, then said, quietly. "Neville and Luna. Do those names sound familiar?" They both nodded, Lavender eagerly, Frank warily.

"This is going to sound strange. Like, really remarkably bizarre." James realized he wasn't starting off well, and decided to get it over with. "A long time ago, there was magic. And there were people who could do magic. And there were schools for magic."

"Hogwarts." Lavender said brightly, smiling.

"Yeah." Charlie said, staring at her. "You catch on quick."

"Anyway…oh, this sounds terrible. I don't know if I can tell you everything. You really have to see it for yourselves. Just know that magic is coming back. We -- you two and me and Charlie -- we're really whole other people, reincarnated. I'm Harry Potter, he's Ron Weasley. Frank, I'm pretty sure you're a boy named Neville Longbottom." Frank nodded at the sound of the name. "And Lavender, you're a girl called Luna Lovegood."

"I really like Lavender, though." The blond said. "And I like Frank too. I think we'll keep our names."

"Do whatever you want with them. Personally, I don't like Harry all that much either. Anyway, the school, Hogwart's…we're trying to start it up again, and rally the old crew. We need to get magic going, because it seems like everyone's forgotten."

"What about Malfoy and all the Slytherins?" Frank asked, looking a little green. James nodded. "Them too."

Lavender bounced lightly on the seat, humming a song that caught in Charlie's memory. Something to do with Quidditch. "So, who else have you found?"

"Maybe McGonagal." Charlie said quickly. "We think we should get the teachers first. Oh, and Hermione…do you remember her? Believe me, things will be very different once you see this school. It's like all these memories come flooding back."

Frank nodded, leaning on his elbows. "There's so much we need to talk about. Where is Hogwarts? Does this train go there?"

Charlie and James filled them in on the school and everything they had found out about Harry and Dumbledore and the world that existed a thousand years ago. Before they knew it, Surrey was the next stop, and they had to get off.

"Go to the school." Charlie said, swinging his bag over his shoulder. "Hermione should be there, she'll tell you what to do."

Frank nodded. "Harry?" He said, not used to James. James didn't correct him. "I think…I think you should try Teddy Black next."

James nodded, knowing that Frank didn't know who Teddy Black was any more than James did. They said their goodbyes and parted ways. Halfway down the platform, Ron burst out laughing. "Wow. That went badly."

"Yeah." James agreed, though he had to admit he was happy. Two more people believed them. Only a couple hundred to go.

I know it's been a while, but I want to try to keep going with this story, because I think it can be really spectacular. Plus, it's something to read, since we can't exactly go see the sixth movie, huh?

Review.