===September 19 1981===
Lily Potter and Helen Granger are sitting in the waiting room as Richard works on James. "I'm so glad you were open today." Lily says.
"We're closing a little early for Hermione's birthday." Helen says as they watch the two toddlers play together.
"It's her birthday!' Lily exclaims. "How sweet."
"Hermione, tell Lily how old you are." Helen says.
"I am 2 today." Hermione says.
"Harry there turned one on July 31st." Lily says as Hermione goes chasing after Harry. A short time later both she and Helen gasp as Hermione summons a book to her.
"Tell me you saw that." Helen says.
Lily pauses as she listens to Hermione read the book to Harry. She closes the book and Harry looks up at her. "Mione." He says, speaking his first word. "My Mione!" He hugs her.
"Look at them together." Lily says.
Hermione hugs Harry back and pulls another book to her. "More?" She asks and Harry nods.
"She did it again." Helen says.
"Yes, she did." Lily admits.
"Oh good, the doctor thinks I'm crazy. She says that Hermione pulling books to her is impossible." Helen says.
Lily hesitates for a minute, telling them about magic would break the statute of secrecy, or would it? Lily ponders to herself, as parents to a muggleborn witch, they're exempt from the statute. Plus she can't stand the look in Helen's eyes, a look of fear of the unknown. Knowing if the situation were reversed she'd want someone to tell her she decides to do it. "She's summoning them to her." Lily says, "with magic."
"Magic? Like in a fairy tale?" Helen says unbelieving.
Lily pulls out her wand and transfigures one of the magazines into a cup. "Something like that."
Helen gasps and reaches for her daughter, effectively shielding her from the stranger and the stick she's wielding as she calls for her husband weakly.
"Don't be afraid" Lily asks guardedly, her hands in the air, the wand held between thumb and finger pointing at the ceiling; Helen's eyes never leave the thing as the redhead puts it down, careful to place it so it doesn't point at the muggle. She can understand the woman, more than this one could possibly know: Lily already suspects she'll be shielding her son the same way very soon, the greatest protection she can give him relies on that and it's already partially in place. "I wouldn't hurt you or your daughter".
Seeing her eyes moisten, the muggle partially relaxes. It helps that the redhead's son is now within her reach, so even with the woman's power she's sure Lily won't harm her daughter, not without fearing for her own child. Looking back to the children cuddling together, just partially aware of what just happened (and Hermione is shielding the boy, it's actually disturbing), she relaxes, just a bit, barely enough to ask:
"But...how?"
"I told you, magic. I am a... an enchantress. James is a wizard. We're on the good side."
Helen' s mind is flooded with images from The Brothers Grimm. She laughs nervously. "This can't be real."
"I understand your hesitance, I am like Hermione, my parents were muggles." Lily explains.
"Muggles?"
"Normal people like yourself." Lily says.
Helen nods "And Hermione can just use magic?"
"At her age she's mostly doing what is considered accidental magic." Lily says. "At some point she'll stop doing accidental magic and have to be taught magic."
"You can be taught magic?" Helen asks.
Lily nods. "Once she's 11 she can go to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
"There's a school for magic?"
"It's where I learned." Lily says. "The summer after I turned 11 Professor McGonagall came to my house with my acceptance letter and explained everything to me and my parents. The same thing will happen to you."
Helen sits there, mind reeling. 'I can't believe this."
Hermione comes up and pulls on Lily's dress. Lily looks at the girl. "What is it sweetheart?"
"What's Harry's last name?" Hermione asks.
"Potter." Lily answers.
"Hermione Potter." The toddler says
Hearing this snaps Helen back to reality for a second. "What was that baby?"
"Hermione Potter." She says again.
"Baby, you know that's not your name." Helen says.
"Will be." Hermione says, then she reaches over and touches Lily's engagement and wedding rings. "My rings." She smiles and then runs off.
Helen shakes her head. "There's no way she could know about marriage and changing her name. Just no way."
Lily takes a deep breath and let's it out. "Unless she saw the future."
Helen rests her head in her hands. "Please tell me you're joking."
Lily shakes her head. "There's a couple branches of magic that deal with trying to predict the future, one is called divination. It's the one where people get glimpses of the future."
"How often are the glimpses right?"
"Nearly always," Lily says. "That's part of the reason we ended up here. The magical world is unfortunately not always a nice place. There is a very unfortunate divide in the magical world. On one side are the purebloods, witches and wizards that can trace their ancestry back generations and all of them being magical. Then the other side, those that can't. It's a tough world for those like me and your daughter."
"Then I won't send her to... learn... magic... We'll just ignore it" Helen declared, a stubborn frown in her forehead.
"It's very dangerous to do so" Lily rushed to say, scared of the denial she had no time to deal with, "I wouldn't recommend it."
"She won't go somewhere I can't help her." Helen says. "What if the bad guys hurt her? And what other dangers she'd be facing? Are Trolls real too?"
Lily hesitates for a second. "Actually…"
Helen pales. "What else is real?" Goblins? Elves? Dragons?"
"All of it." Lily admits. "I won't lie to you, the magical world can be dangerous, but Hogwarts is safe."
"I don't like the idea of sending her somewhere I can't help her." Helen says. "Will you remember her and look out for her?'
Lily sighs. "I wish I could but the odds are I won't be alive. I knew that before your daughter touched my rings declaring they'd be hers."
"Why?"
"The truth is we're being hunted by an evil wizard, bent on killing Harry." Lily says.
Helen's eyes go wide. "Then what are you doing here?"
"Most magicals ignore the muggle world. It's almost like if they pretend it doesn't exist it won't." Lily explains.
"That's why you came here instead of to someone who could fix the problem with magic?" Helen asks.
"Exactly!"
Helen nods. "What does any of this have to do with visions of the future?"
"A prophecy was made that a child would be born that would defeat this evil wizard." Lily says. "Harry fits the criteria of the prophecy, so the evil wizard wants him dead. So I've done everything I can to ensure that if we die Harry will survive."
"So you think he'll live even if you two don't?" Helen asks.
"I'm sure of it." Lily says.
"Then they can look out for each other." Helen says.
"Unfortunately I doubt they'll remember this." Lily says.
"Is there anything we can do?" Helen says.
"Actually, there is a way. but it's a bit unorthodox." James says, standing in the doorway along with Richard.
The two men sit next to their respective wives. "So what is this unorthodox plan to protect our daughter?" Richard asks.
James pulls out his wand. "Aracanum Revelio!" Instantly he starts glowing orange, while Lily glows soft pink, they look at the children and see Harry is glowing orange while Hermione is glowing blue brightly. Richard isn't glowing at all, but Helen has a very dim blue glow. "Just as I suspected, you have just a shred of magic in you."
"And that's a good thing?" Helen asks.
"Why yes, you see that means you can sign a betrothal agreement." James says.
"Like the rich do in old plays?" Richard asks.
"Exactly like that." James says. "We'll make it in such a way they can cancel it of course, but what better way to make sure they look out for each other?"
"How does it work?" Helen asks.
"We set up any three criteria, and magic will keep track of them." James says. "The first criteria will be if both me and Lily are deceased. Obviously as long as one of us is alive we can keep meeting up with you and have them be lifelong friends."
"If we die, there's only a few people who we would trust to take care of Harry, and unfortunately we couldn't tell them about you." Lily says.
"Put us in your will." Richard says. "We had wanted more children, we wouldn't be against raising Harry. Then we'd at least know if they did marry he'd treat Hermione right."
"Really?" Lily says.
"Yes, please do." Helen says.
"Then the next criteria is that they meet at Hogwarts and become friends." James says.
"Wait, isn't friends a little broad?" Richard says.
"A friend means different things to different people." James says.
Richard nods. "I suppose that makes sense."
"What should be the last criteria?" James asks. "Age?"
"First kiss?" Helen offers.
"Do either, first kiss or Harry turns 14." Lily says.
James nods. "Standard agreement is marriage on the third birthday after it's activated."
"That sounds reasonable." Helen says.
"I'll write it up." James says.