"It's a lot, I know," I said fiddling with the teacup in my hand as Merry watched Harry carefully. To be fair, he took it a lot better than I thought he would.

"So you're Alice's great-great-something-great-granddaughter?" he asked, looking at me in disbelief as he glanced over to Merry. "And ya came back to stop her son from destroying the future?"

"I'm so happy you're from a wizarding family, could you imagine how this would have gone down otherwise." I was being perky. And overly enthusiastic.

"Why did you come to me?" he asked, shifting in his seat as he glanced wearily at the floating pensive. I knew he wouldn't believe me without seeing what had actually happened. A little bit of persuasion via my memories had him eating out my hand.

"Can you imagine what would have happened if I went to the Black's?" I shuddered at the thought. I respected the fact that I was from the Black family, but they had never treated our family well, except for Sirius and Andromeda.

"Aye, I've heard some things about them from Alice, well before you know, she passed away." It must have been hard for him to have lost his sister. Especially considering he was a squib and missed out on the sort of life she had once she entered Hogwarts.

"You don't get to see your niece, do you?" I asked, feeling saddened by the fact that he was missing out on his family, outcast because he was a squib.

"Her husband doesn't ... he don't want anything to do with a squib."

"I know how you feel, Harry," Merry said and I was reminded of the fact that her father and brother were abusive over her lack of magic.

"You're not a squib, Merry. You wouldn't have been able to create potions without magic," I told her, reminding her of the fact that she'd successfully brewed a love potion.

"What are you gonna do then?" Harry asked, changing the subject as Merry flushed at the mention of her love potion. I turned to Harry confused. Hadn't I explained my plan to him? We needed a place to stay while I tried to figure out a way to get back into 1926. And I had approximately five months to figure it out. "I meant staying 'ere. Merry can't work in 'er condition, but it'll be expected that you work."

"Umm, I'll look for something within the week." I paused and glanced around the dull living room. The house above the pub was cosy. A two-bedroom house that gave him easy access to his workplace below. "I'm not sure I'm really ready to work yet, I've still got to finish my schooling."

I might have been laughing when Hermione packed those books, but I was thankful now. I was also under the impression that she knew something like this was going to happen.

"What about being a nanny?" Harry asked suddenly, his eyes lighting up as if he was struck by a thought. "I know someone that's after a young married-less woman to watch over five children."

"Five?"

I wasn't bad with children, I had eleven nieces and nephews between my five older siblings, but I wasn't sure if I was up for looking after five all at the same time, I'd once looked after all eleven of my nieces and nephews and almost tore my hair out in frustration.

"The youngest is three, born just before the war. Poor Martha, she left those children too soon. God bless them for Polly."

"Polly?" He couldn't be talking about the woman that brought us to his door, could he?

"I'll take you round to see 'er tomorrow." He nodded to himself and rose from his seat, looking between Merry and me. "My spare room's got a double ..."

"We don't mind sharing," I told him, helping Merry to her feet and following after him as he led the way to the spare room. "Thank you for taking us in, Harry."

It seemed the dramatic travelling we did yesterday got to Merry this morning as she was too tired and feeling nauseous to leave the bed.

I left her with a cup of tea and a plate of toast and changed into a simple blue dress before meeting Harry in the living room. He was already waiting with his coat on as I arrived and unexpectedly helped me into the dark blue coat he'd gifted me. He told me it belonged to Alice and she'd left it with him the last time she saw him before she died.

"I'll warn ya, she can be a bit ... err, she can be a bit ..." he struggled for a word to describe her.

"Forward?" Seeing the look of confusion on his face I elaborated. "Blunt, she gets to the point. Questions you on anything and everything."

"Yeah, I guess you could call it that," he grumbled, coming to a stop outside a dreary looking house. "Let me do the talking." He knocked and every through the door I could hear a group of children screaming.

The door opened and a frazzled looking young woman opened it, her long hair knotted as she ran her hands through it.

"What?" she snapped, glancing back angrily as two children ran in the corridor behind her.

"Alright, Ada, is Polly in?" Ada rolled her eyes but nodded.

"Aunt Pol! Door!"

Ada waited by the door, her eyes lingering on me as I stood at Harry's side, slightly behind was curious as to who I was and why I was with Harry.

"Ada, get back to the kids," Polly ordered as she stepped into view, looking between Harry and I. I could see the recognition in her eyes as she let them roam over me and noted the slight smirk on her lips. "What can I do for you, Harry?"

"Morning, Mrs Shelby, I remembered you was after a nanny for John's kids." Harry indicated to me then as he brushed his hand over his face awkwardly. "My nieces have just come into town, Romy's looking for a job, I thought she might work out for you."

"Can you cook?"

"Yes."

"Can you clean?"

"Yes."

"Are you any good at caring for children?"

I felt like it was the Spanish inquisition. I shared a look with Harry and when he nodded I turned back to Polly.

"The town I used to live in, I looked after all the young children. I was sometimes left with eleven at a time. I think I can look after children." There was the sass.

I was defo making a bad impression. I needed this job. Not only because Harry had suggested getting one, but I didn't want to be relying on him for everything. It would be nice for Merry and me to get our own place, especially if I couldn't find a way for us to go back to 1926.

"Come in then, you can start now," she said, tilting her head down the hall and then walking off.

"Umm, see you later?" I muttered giving Harry a soft smile before following Polly into the house, closing the door behind me.

This was not what I was expecting. I expected her to ask me to come for a proper interview, schedule a trial run and see how I did then. This just reminded me that I knew nothing about this era and needed to pay more attention.

The people around here were desperate and in the middle of a war. It was a lot different from the era I came from. These people were working their fingers to the bone to live and in my time, we had everything handed to us. No challenges and obstacles in our way, no war, muggle or magic, not since the defeat of Voldemort.

"Aunt Pol, there's a girl," one of the children muttered, pointing at me as I hovered in the kitchen doorway.

"Don't hover," she snapped struggling to wipe the face of a two-year-old while the girl, Ada ran after two girls. "Finn, get your feet off the table. Ada, this is Romy, she's gonna help out with the kids." Polly came over to me and shoved the baby in my arms. I quickly adjusted him in my arms, glancing at Polly as she went over and separated the two girls that started fighting. "Stop now. Go introduce yourselves."

The two girls huffed, the usual behaviour of any child no matter the era. The taller one peered up at me with her blue eyes, chewing on her cheek as she glanced at her younger counterpart.

"I'm Mary," she said, shuffling her feet as she pushed the younger girls' shoulder.

"Katie," she stuttered, her eyes growing wide as she moved and hid behind her sister. I wanted to say they were sisters, despite the age difference, they looked identical with their brown hair and those matching blue eyes.

"I'm Finn," the eldest boy said, coming to stand in front of me. His chin was tilted up and his shoulders were pushed back. I smiled at his display. I could only guess that the men of this house were away at war and he was the eldest boy and asked to protect the family. "That's Edward," he muttered nodding to the baby in my arms. "Matthew's upstairs cause he's feeling sick."

"Oh, shall we go and see him? Maybe he'd like it if we go and play with him," I suggested, smiling at their excited nods and glancing at Polly and Ada before following the children upstairs.

Merry was sitting in the living room when I returned later that evening. Harry was down in the pub, sorting things out. He didn't have many people coming in, what with the war, but there were a few men straggling around that either didn't fight in the war or weren't able to sign up.

"Harry told me you got a job," Merry said as I brought her a cup of tea and went back to the kitchen, starting on dinner.

"You know the lady that brought us to Harry last night? Well, she's got a nephew and two great-nephews and great-nieces. She needs a hand around the house and looking after the children while she takes care of business." I glanced back at her as she turned to me, her hand resting on the small bump protruding from her stomach.

"You seemed happy when you came back." She gave me a sad smile as she leaned her head on her hand. "Do they remind you of your nieces and nephews?"

"They do. Finn's about the same age as my eldest nephew and the others are similar ages too. Katie actually reminds me of my niece, Chloe. They're the same age and they have the same mannerisms." I sighed as I chopped up the vegetables ready for our stew. "I didn't think I'd miss them this much after a day."

"I'm sorry I got you in this mess," she sighed, running her hand over her face.

"It's not your fault, Merry. I wasn't sent back because of you, I was sent back to help you." I shrugged as she tried to wave me off. It was the truth though, I was here to help her, in any way I could until she gave birth to her little demon-spawn. I smiled at the thought, shaking my head as I tried to tell myself it wasn't really his fault. He just never experienced love and all that shit.

I didn't really believe that his reason for turning to the Dark Arts was because he never experienced love. He had a desire to learn more about it and that desire grew into a passion which ended up destroying his soul.

"I've been given Sunday afternoon's off and every alternating Wednesday and Thursday. I was thinking about popping into Gringotts Sunday afternoon and exchanging some of the money I have into muggle money. We could purchase a house? Would you like that? Having our own place while I try to sort this time travelling thing out?"

I didn't like the idea of invading Harry's space. It was kind of him to lie for us and to let us into his home but I didn't want to cause any problems for him. I wanted to be able to support ourselves, even if Merry would have to stay home throughout the majority of her pregnancy. She could take up a new hobby or something while she waited for baby Tom to come along.

"I think I'd like having my own home."