A/N: So. Here I am. With another story. That I will hopefully finish. But probably not for a while. Because the idea that I want to do will take FOREVER. Also. This one is actually beta'd. By my delightful bestest friend that I love dearly, SimpleFlower. I made her make an account. Well, another one. Because she forgot her old password as well as what email it was attached to... ... ... Regardless, since I'm completely obsessed with the "character's read the books" idea, I decided to jump on the bandwagon. So. Here you have it. A completely unoriginal "characters read the books" thing for Harry Potter. Because there's so many. I've actually started on the next chapter, which is more than I can say for some of my stories, so bear with me. School ends in 3 ish months. More like 3 and a half. Closer to 4. Anyway, soon. and then I will have lots of time to do nothing with and then I start college. Which sounds like it gives me more time to do nothing, honestly. Since this is getting long and I'm sure you're not reading it anyway, on with the story!
Chapter 1: A Very Curious Box of Boxes
A very curious box had just appeared. Very curious, indeed. It hadn't been there the moment before. James Potter was sure of it. He was content to stare at the box for a full minute before finally giving into the urge to touch it. It was a fairly large box, which he assumed meant that it held many things inside. Opening the box, James saw seven smaller boxes, each with a sealed envelope stuck to it. The largest envelope was on top, not stuck to any box. It had one word on it. James
His curiosity piqued, James reached for the envelope bearing his name. Glancing around to see if anyone was there, he carefully opened the letter inside.
James,
I'm sorry to say I counted on your relentless curiosity to get this box to you. However, I have sent these to you for a reason—a reason that I cannot tell you. If it must be, it will come to light later. But not now. Not now.
Before you open the first box, (They're numbered one through seven) I want you to gather a few people and take them to a place where you can be alone for long periods of time—The Room of Requirement, for example.
These people must be there when you open the first box, or it will not open.
Now, if you will, go and collect Lily Evans, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Severus Snape, Regulus Black, and Albus Dumbledore.
After you have read the note attached to the first box, you are welcome to get others at your discretion.
Sincerely,
A Friend
Curiosity now burning within him, James reached for the first box. It wouldn't open. Huffing, James grabbed the letter, shrunk the box, stuck it in his robes, and went off to find the required people.
Sirius and Remus were fairly easy to find. They were in the Gryffindor common room doing homework, of all things. Or rather, Remus was doing homework and Sirius was flicking little bits of parchment at him.
"Hey, guys." James said when he reached the table they were "working" at, "So, I can't tell you what it is, because I don't know myself, but I need you to meet me in the Room of Requirement in 20 minutes."
Just a bit perplexed, Remus stared at James questioningly, "You want us to what, now?" James shrugged.
"I don't know. I guess we'll find out together. Now, I'm off to find my Lily flower." James smirked and turned, but then abruptly stopped and turned back around. "Hey Sirius, could you tell your brother to be there too? Ask him to bring Snivellus." James grimaced at the thought of having to be in the same room as the greasy git.
"My brother? I guess." Sirius looked at James incredulously then his face contorted into a look of disgust as the second request hit him. "But why Snivellus? Why do we need him there?"
James waved it off as he left the room, glancing over his shoulder to say, "Just something I was told to do. 20 minutes, guys." James jumped out of the portrait hole and ran along to find Lily. He looked first in the library, expecting to find her there. He searched the entire library, horrifying as the thought was, before he gave up and looked around for someone who might possibly know where she was.
Spotting Frank Longbottom at one of the tables looking over a couple of books, James jogged over to the table startling Frank out of his studying.
"Hey, have you seen Lily anywhere?" James asked when Frank looked up at him questioningly.
"Hey, James." Frank said in greeting, "She was here just 20 minutes ago, got called to Dumbledore's office."
Dumbledore's office, James thought, Good, I can kill two birds with one stone. "Thanks, Frank. I'll see you later." With that he ran off towards Dumbledore's office.
As he reached the statue guarding the winding staircase up to the Headmaster's office, James realized that he didn't know the password. However, as the password was unfailingly the name of the eccentric Headmaster's favorite sweet of the week, James tried the first candy that popped into his head.
"Chocolate Frogs." The statue graciously turned and allowed James to ascend the staircase. He knocked on the door at the top, waiting a second before opening it himself.
Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry sat behind his relatively modest desk talking to Lily Evans. Dumbledore looked up and Lily turned around in her chair at the foot of the desk as James opened the door.
James stood by the door, slightly embarrassed at walking in on what seemed to be an important meeting. "I hope I haven't interrupted anything," he said, "But I needed to talk to the both of you."
Dumbledore smiled and gestured for James to sit in the chair next to Lily. "Oh, not at all, James. Ms. Evans and I were just finishing up. What would you like to speak with us about?"
James fidgeted where he sat, "I can't tell you yet. I'd rather tell everyone at once, if you understand, to keep from having to repeat it multiple times. However, what I do need is for both of you to meet me in the seventh floor corridor by that tapestry of Barnabus the Barmy in…" He checked the time on his watch, only ten minutes to go. "Ten minutes. Could you do that?" James asked in a rush.
Dumbledore's brow furrowed for a second, gone before James noticed. "Of course." Dumbledore said, "I would love to join you. Ms. Evans?" Dumbledore looked to Lily questioningly.
Lily sighed, "I suppose I can entertain whatever mad idea you lot have going on now. Ten minutes, you say?" She asked James. At his nod, she continued. "Well, then we haven't got much time. We should be going. Headmaster," She directed to Dumbledore, "We'll continue our discussion later, if that's alright with you?"
"Oh child, everything will be fine. Don't you fret." Dumbledore said with a knowing twinkle in his eye. With that he stood and directed the two younger occupants out of his office, "Let's be off, shall we?"
The walk up the moving staircases to the seventh floor was uneventful and relatively silent. James tried to make conversation with Lily, but ultimately gave up after she steadfastly ignored him. When they arrived at the tapestry of Barnabus the Barmy, James paced back and forth three times and let out a breath of relief when, upon opening the door that appeared, he found the others he had asked Sirius to gather.
He wasn't sure what exactly Remus had asked the Room for, but it seemed to be set up to suit their needs. It looked quite like the Gryffindor common room, at least in the sense that it was cozy and had a fireplace – the coloring was all different. Instead of the red and gold that James was used it, it was a neutral light brown color, a little darker than tan. There were a couple of couches set up around a coffee table. Remus and Sirius were occupying one of the couches, leaving a seat open between them, while Severus and Regulus seemed quite uncomfortable to even be in the same room as the Gryffindors as they sat on the opposing couch.
The tension in the air was quite palpable and James wondered what the four had been discussing prior to their arrival or if they had been talking at all. Motioning Dumbledore and Lily to follow, he stepped inside the room and sat down in between Sirius and Remus. Lily glanced at the two Slytherins and sat down on an armchair in between the two groups of people, her brow furrowed in confusion. Dumbledore seemed to take the sight of a rather odd collection of people rather well, as he showed no outward change in facial expression and sat down on a loveseat facing opposite of Lily.
"Well James," Dumbledore began, "Have you gathered everyone you were looking for?" James pulled out the letter that he had found and quickly checked the list of names against the people that were present.
"Uh, yes." James said. "I'm sure you're wondering why I've gathered you all here."
"I'm just wondering why you invited Slytherins." Sirius sneered.
"Oh, quiet, Black. You're the one who told us to come here." Severus sneered right back, a glare firmly set upon his brow.
Sirius pulled a face and sunk lower on the couch, but otherwise didn't offer any more comment.
"Well, there's a reason for that." At the touch of James' wand the box of boxes expanded to its normal size and James placed it on the table. "I found this box on my bed. As you can see, there are other boxes inside, but I don't know what's in them. This letter that came with the box says that none of them would open until everyone was here. It doesn't say what's in them, though. It says, very specifically, that all of you are to be here to open it and only you guys. Supposedly, we can bring in more people after the first letter is read. They're here because I really want to know what's in the boxes."
James looked expectantly at the people sitting around him. "So, who wants to read the first letter?"
After a beat of silence, Lily raised her hand. "I'll read it." She reached into the box and pulled out the letter with a "1" on it.
To all those gathered here (And it should be the required people for this envelope to open),
The future is a dark place, the outlook is bleak. Many people have died and we wanted to change that. In our search for a solution, we have looked to the past.
These seven boxes contain the records of what happened. Written as a novel for easy reading, they show the perspective of the hero of this conflict: The Second Wizarding War. It follows his life from his first year at Hogwarts through the end of the war. His name is Harry Potter.
And yes, James, he is related to you. He is your son.
I only ask that you read all seven books in quick succession. Time flows differently inside the Room than it does on the outside (A/N: Totally just made that up.) and you will not be missed for very long.
You may invite others to come read with you and they may leave at their leisure, but you seven must stay for the entire time that the books are being read. While the Room cannot give you food, I'm sure some of the house elves would be willing to oblige you. All you have to do is ask.
What you do with the information that you will receive is up to you, but we hope that it will have a positive effect on the future.
The first book is entitled Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. It details Harry's first year at Hogwarts and his introduction to his part in the war.
A Friend. I guess there are some other people here too.
PS: The second envelop will open after the first book is done.
The ensuing silence that followed was hard to break, but Sirius managed it anyway.
"We have to read?" He asked incredulously, "You brought us here to read?"
James nodded, a look akin to horror on his face. "It would seem so."
Lily rolled her eyes, "You two are idiots. Reading is not that bad. The first book doesn't even look very long. I'm sure that you can handle it."
She opened the small cardboard box labeled as the first and pulled out the book nestled inside. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," She read, "Who wants to read first? Reading it out loud seems the easiest way to go about this."
When no one volunteered, Lily huffed and settled down start herself. "I guess I'll do it. Okay. The first chapter, The Boy Who Lived."
A/N: So. if you've read anything else by me, you will know that I am completely obsessed with line breaks. They make me giggle every time. I shout "LINE BREAK!" Honestly, it happens. At any rate. I want your feedback. Or if you think a character is SUPER OOC. And I don't think that Reg is. Because honestly, no one's ever actually introduced to the character enough to learn his personality. I have to make it up from what I know he's done. And that's hard. I know he doesn't talk in this one... ... ... ANYWAY. Not important. Thanks again to my bestest friend SimpleFlower. Cause she's awesome. And sometimes thinks about studying for that Bio test we have in 6 hours. That is technically a retake, cause we skipped class to not take it the first time... ... ... :D