This story is dedicated to professor Mars. It has 2000 words without my note.I hope.
Also this is the first story for the Back to school event.
Prompts used and 9. Future
He should be happy that he had received the Prefect Badge, after all it was his dream ever since Bill had gotten his. He could still remember the pure joy on his parents faces when his brother had gotten the badge, he had sworn right there and then that one day he will get the badge himself, so he could make them that happy.
And he had done it. He had gotten the badge and his parents were overjoyed and proud of him.
The persons that weren't happy for him were his brothers , as soon as they had seen the badge they had gotten a mischievous glint in their eyes and began to tease him merciless ever since. It was like they didn't care at all and it hurt to think that way. They were making fun of him every time and they had made it look like he was caring more about the badge and school than his family and that wasn't true at all. Family had always come first in his heart and as well his mind. And their parents had said nothing in his defense, they only just scolded them, neither had come to comfort him.
He was older than them! He should be able to stand up to them for goodness sake! He should be able to stand up to them, but… he couldn't, he knew that if they took it all as a big joke, if they knew how much they hurt him they would feel awful and he didn't want that. He knew that their hearts were in the right place, they just didn't see the thighs the way he saw them. But he couldn't understand what was wrong being good in school, having good marks or being a prefect? He couldn't ….
" Nothing's wrong with being a prefect!"
Percy jumped three metres in the air.
" Who said that ?"
" Me."
Turning around Percy got the fright of his life seeing in front of him James Potter, a man who had been death for almost a decade. Was he going mad?
" No, you're not going mad, just listen. Please. It is very important."
" This can't be possible. You are dead."
"Yes, yes I am. But please listen to me."
" All right, explain how that I am talking to a dead man? And why, if I'm not mad, said man isn't speaking with his son, but me?"
" I see your point. I guess I should start explaining then. Well, first of all you should know that I can't say everything, I am bound by some laws, I won't go into detail …"
" Say what you can then. I understand that if you are here talking with me, there must be some rules too. After all you are a dead person who come back to speak with me."
"All right then. Listen, Percy. Listen and don't interrupt me. Any question you may have, you can ask after I am finished."
Percy, only nodded in response, waiting the other to continue.
"You should know that I really am dead and you are really seeing me. I am here to guide you, to help you, to be your adviser. I am not helping my son, because I didn't. I know it is complicated, but it is true. No matter how hard I wish that I could be with Harry, I can't because I wasn't. An it would destroy the future if I tried. You were chosen, because you have potential and my son trusts, will trust you. Before I tell you for what exactly were you chosen for, I shall tell about a bit about myself. We are going to spend a lot of time together and since I know about you it is only fair."
Percy wanted to ask the other man what he meant with his words and how come that he knew about him, but he remembered his promise so he just waited for the other to continue.
" When I was in school I was one the biggest pranksters ever, still am, I suppose. I drove my teachers mad, my best friends and I, we really did. We were so close the four of us. Me, Sirius, Remus and Peter," the last name being said with so much venom and hate, that Percy shuddered." We were like brothers, nothing could tear us apart, or so I thought. Beside pranks, to my shame we bullied one person and that I am going to regret for eternity. I was so jealous that he was best friends with the love of my life and got to spend time with her, while I was just the Annoying Potter, that it felt right at the time. But things changed, I changed. In the end I got the girl, but I destroyed someone's life and I didn't look back. That someone is Severus Snape. It is my fault that he is how he is today, well more of how he behaves, he is not really like he portrays himself. You see he became a death eater, shortly after I announced my engagement. It is not my place to tell you why he did that, but he overheard a prophecy about a child that could defeat the dark lord, that would defeat him. It suited two kids: Neville Longbottom and my son, Harry. Voldemort, and you should start calling him that, it is just a name but you let him win if you fear his name. As I was saying Voldemort believed that my son was the real threat and he attacked us. We were under the Fidelius and we would still be alive today if we knew that we couldn't trust one of our own. I chose the secret keeper from my brothers, as I called them, still do two of them, but they don't hear me anymore. I chose the wrong person, I believed in his loyalty and his friendship, when I really shouldn't have. He made us believe that another friend was the traitor and we shunned him out because of that. We should have seen it all of us, but Peter fooled us all. "
Percy couldn't believe what he was hearing. James Potter had been a bully? And Peter? Peter Pettigrew had been the Potter's Secret Keeper? Not Sirius Black?
"Well, truth is the prophecy is real, but it isn't fulfilled yet. It is all in the future. And the future depends on us. Me, you, my son. I was sent here to help you with what is to come, so you could help my son, instead, that's it if you want it. I know you believe that Voldemort is dead, but he isn't. My son didn't killed him that night, only made a wraith. Harry will need all the help he can get in order to truly defeat the dark lord, that's why the ones that have more wisdom than me sent me here. He had a hard life and it saddens me to know that I can't interfere. He will make friends at Hogwarts, loyal friends as I had, to balance him. And you are going to be one of his most valued advisers and friends. He'll have adults as father's figures, Sirius mostly, after he escapes Azkaban. Oh, no sorry, I shouldn't have said that. You see I know that he escapes, but I can't help him and that hurts so much, he is my brother and I just can't, because I didn't. I wish so much to help more, but I can't because I know that some events cannot be stopped, you know, it's like wishing that a flower to never loose its petals. I just hope that he will forgive me. I hope you will forgive me too for putting this on you. You can walk away if you want, but I've seen what kind of person you are so I know you won't. and for that that thank you. I need you to guard my son, to guide him, the others the don't really know what they're dealing with. I will tell you more, but the sun is starting to set and I aspect your family will worry if you don't shop up for dinner."
Percy looked up surprised, instead of a clear blue sky, there was a colorful one, a very beautiful view.
"You lost track of time, you aren't the only one. My friends and I did this all the time, we had such an imagination. Our pranks were unique. Oh and speaking of pranks , I would be careful if I were you. The twins put something on your brush and in the butterbeer bottle. I can't tell you what, but.."
" Thanks for the warning, anyway. And thanks for lifting up my spirits. I know that you'd prefer to be with your son, but thank you for agreeing to help me. And yes, I am going to help your son. If what you said is true, than he really is going to get all the need he can get .How do we talk if I need you or something? And how do I call you?"
" James, you can call me James, that's my name after all. And Percy I am not going top leave you, I will always be nearby if you need me. Only you can see me, so it would be better if will speak with me in your mind, but Percy I need to stress something on you. Nobody can know, everybody else has to be clueless about this, no matter how much they ask you how that you know some things you can't tell them, it is dangerous for them to know."
" You mean that I keep my family clueless about this and they will live through the upcoming war? Because there will be war?"
" Yes, I am afraid will be. And your family will live,most of it. "
" Who dies?"
" I can't tell you that, but I can assure you as a person who had been dead for almost ten years, death it is not that bad"
Percy looked at the other man in the eyes, they were full of hope, fear, sadness, angst and so much more. He understood what the other was feeling and with a new found determination said:
"I understand. I will help you not only because it would keep them safe, but because I want too. I think that is a better purpose than the one I had before.'
"Thank you. And I now I really believe you should go inside, otherwise they will come after you, wandering what had retained you."
" Oh, right and they can't know, clueless, I remember. Goodbye James!"
" It's not goodbye, I told you I am not leaving .I'll just be invisible."
" I see" was the only thing that Percy said before heading home.
" Oh, and Percy?"
The boy turned around to see a smiling James Potter
" Have no doubt you will be someone important because you already are. Until next time!" And with that he vanished from sight.
Percy laughed and continued his walk, feeling a little more at ease than before. Sure he had a hard road in front of him, but if you believed from the start that you were going to fail why to even bother?
From where he left two shadows had appeared.
" I told you he would be a good choice" said one.
" That remains to be seen. I remember some bumps on the road."
" He taught me everything I know! How to be who I am, my friends and me!"
" Yes, he did Guardian Potter, but you know that time can be rewritten, this is not fixed!" and with that the man disappeared.
" I know that sir, but you were optimistic once, can't you be again?" and he disappeared too.