"Who do you think they are?"
"...doesn't matter...definitely no good..."
"...Death Eaters..?"
"Most likely..."
Voices swam around Albus' head as he tried to register where the heck he was. He was sure of one thing though; he was exhausted. Very. His head felt like lead, and his eye-lids were unnaturally heavy.
A groan brought him out of his semi-unconsciousness. It was a voice he recognized too well...I'm so killing you, James. Al thought.
He managed to open his eyes carefully. Blinking, he raised his head. His vision was still blurry. He wanted to rub his eyes, but his hands wouldn't move. He looked down, frowning in frustration.
Then he noticed the ropes coiled in a tight manner around his wrists. Albus Severus Potter was tied to a chair, apparently back to back with others. He immediately panicked. His vision cleared, and he looked up at the curious and suspicious faces looking down at him and the people around him.
However, before he could stutter a word, a gruff voice growled,
"Who. Are. You. And how in bloody Merlin's pants did you find our hideout?" The man who had spoken was scary. He had blue magical eye that twirled in several directions and apparently wouldn't stay still, and a scarred and disfigured face with part of his nose gone.
"Same applies to you Mr..." Albus couldn't help but roll his eyes. Depend on Fred to mock his captives.
"Don't try messing with me." The man growled. "Why are you here, and why are you under Polyjuice?" He gave a pointed look at Albus at the words 'Polyjuice'.
"Now, now, Alastor." another voice spoke. This one was calm and relaxed, but with a definite hint of danger within it.
"Let's settle down. I'm sure our...ah, visitors can explain as to why they're here?"
The man, Alastor apparently, just grunted in response. "This one's used Polyjuice, Albus (Albus almost perked up at his name) and anyone who Polyjuices bloody Harry Potter has got to be a Death Eater."
"Excuse me?" James asked before Albus had the chance to. "Why would my brother Polyjuice 'Bloody Harry Potter'." He finished this, with a fairly offended tone.
"Don't play with me, you bloody git!"
"ALASTOR!" a new voice said. "Alastor, calm down. It doesn't look like Polyjuice. Where's the scar? And do I even have to point out that he certainly looks younger than fifteen?"
"I know my stuff, Lupin," Alastor said.
Beside him, Albus felt someone stiffen. He wanted to crane his neck and see who it was, but he was in no circumstances to.
"...it maybe an altered version, but you're not telling me this resemblance isn't uncanny."
"Of course not, but..."
"What are you on about?" Fred yelled. Then, "Ow, Teddy! What was that for?"
Albus felt like cursing Fred. He himself had wondered why Teddy wasn't doing some talking, but then the reason seemed clear and simple once he thought about it- it was a rule Teddy had told Ablus about, being an Auror in training and whatnot. Now that he thought about it, Teddy was probably listening in to gain some extra info.
"Teddy, is it?" Alastor said, looking satisfied that he had at least figured that out. "Now, you'll tell me why you are here, or I'll have to shove Veritaserum down your throats."
"Alastor, are you sure..." this voice was familiar...very familiar...
"I said I know my stuff, and I haven't changed my opinion in the last five minutes."
Albus heard a sharp intake of breath along with a barely audible whimper. Recognizing the voice, Albus reached for Lily's hand, and gave it a reassuring squeeze, although he himself was panicking.
No one spoke. From what Al could see out of the corner of his eye, Victorie, Teddy, James, Lily, Fred, Rose and Scorpius were there. Victoire kept shooting glances at Teddy, as if waiting for him to do something. Fred and James looked apprehensive, but more so angrier. Gryffindors through and through. Albus had barely made it there, and even so, he was confused. He couldn't see further past the huge guy with the blue magical eye since both his unsettling orbs wouldn't leave him. Al wondered what in Merlin was going on, but he figured he'd just have to find out the hard way.
"Are you speaking, or do I have to get this done myself?" the man named Alastor said through gritted teeth.
"What do you want?" Teddy said, speaking for the first time.
"The truth," Alastor replied, still looking nowhere but Albus.
Who are you, how did you get here, and are you Death Eaters."
"Death Eaters?" Teddy snorted, although Albus could sense the confusion in his tone.
"I'm an Auror under training. I think the question sir, is who are you, and what's this about my god-brother using Polyjuice?"
Alastor's face scrunched in disbelief. "I know all the Aurors and their trainees, boy. And you sure as Merlin's shaggy underpants aren't either one."
"That's not true!" Victorie said, finally speaking up. "Teddy's been training for this post for six months!"
Alastor still looked like he didn't believe a word of it. "Hand me the potion, Snape." he growled.
Moments later, Alastor came up with a bottle of a suspicious looking liquid, and shook the vial threateningly.
Seeing his expression, Albus thought; Uh-Oh...
"You wouldn't dare!"
"Leave my brother alone!" And so on, were yelled at their pursuers. But when the Alastor bloke decided it was time to tip the serum into Albus' system, he'd had no choice.
Alastor stepped back, apparently satisfied with himself.
"Now, who are you?"
Albus, although pretty sure this little piece of information was harmless, tried to keep it in. If these people seriously wanted to know them so bad, then it couldn't be for a good reason. But he found himself replying anyway.
"Albus." he said, his tone emotionless.
"Full name,"
"Albus Severus Potter."
...
A few seconds of tense silence passed by. Now that Alastor was away, Albus could see that he and the others were exchanging confused looks.
"A distant relative, perhaps?" a voice asked.
"I doubt so," another sneered, though it sounded surprised.
Alastor turned back to Albus. "Are you Death Eaters?"
"No." Albus said immediately, still confused as to where the stupid question came from.
"Are you under the effects of a Polyjuice potion?"
"No."
The people in the room began to mutter, exchanging more nervous glances as they did so.
Finally, another man entered Albus' line of vision. He was old, but kind-looking, and had a certain twinkle in his eyes. So familiar, so familiar...
"How did you arrive here?"
"I don't know." he answered, with a hint of exasperation.
James said, "Exactly!" and Albus was fairly sure Fred was nodding.
"Ah," the old man said, turning away. "I believe this is all a misunderstanding, then? Let me rephrase my question, then; why did you arrive here?"
Again, Albus answered, "I don't know."
"But this is impossible, Albus." Al turned his head to meet the speaker, then quickly realized they weren't addressing him. But then...Albus? It couldn't be...
Whatever you did, James, Albus thought angrily, I am so going to kill you for it.
The people in the room, now that Albus could see them better, were talking in whispered tones. There was a man, who was also familiar, that looked like a huge over-sized bat in robes, another was one bloke that had dark hair, a mustache, and a strange aura about him that particularly screamed 'teacher'. There was a lady with pink hair (although Albus was fairly sure it was purple a few moments ago) and two people that looked so much like his grandparents that Al thought he had to get his vision checked soon. Lastly, was a young man who looked like he belonged in a street-gang.
"The boy's lying, that much's obvious." Alastor growled.
"Under Veritaserum? Impossible!" The professor said.
Alastor walked around, looking incredulous. "Unless someone tinkered with the serum, that is."
"Are you doubting me, Moody?" sneered the the batman wanna-be.
"Now, now." the old man said. "I trust Severus wouldn't likely do anything as such." he assured, throwing glances at them now and then. He was very clearly some sort of wise leader there, because everyone took his answer for granted.
"S-severus?" Al couldn't help but stutter. Hadn't Alastor called the same man 'Snape' a few minutes ago? Severus Snape? But then...
"Oh Bloody hell, this isn't happening!" Scoripus, who had been quite, groaned.
Albus stared at the elderly man, then at Severus, then at the younger version of his grandparents. It didn't take seconds to piece it together, and when he finally did...
"James, I'm going to murder you!"
"Hey!" James protested. "I didn't do anything!"
"What do you mean?" the lady with pink (now aqua-green) hair asked curiously.
"What year is it?" Victoire asked warily, not sure of the answer she'd get.
"We don't have to tell you anything," Alastor grunted.
James and Fred rolled their eyes. "Oh, please." James said. "It's not like we're going to use the date in schemes for world domination."
The women answered. Then after a pause,"Why?"
Silence."That's...not right." Lily said nervously.
"Tell me about it!" Fred scoffed.
"Rose, you're the smart one. Figure out something!" James demanded.
"Just because you can't think for yourself, doesn't mean I should think for you!"
"Wait, calm down." Teddy said. Immediately, the kids kept quite. Teddy was the oldest- he was in charge, and he was responsible for all them right now. He knew what he was doing. Besides, if their theories were correct, then they would probably be in a huge tangled mess. If anything as such happened, who better than Teddy to take care of them?
"Firstly, I'll be very glad if you can please untie us." Teddy said, but it came out more as a demand than a request. Albus had to admire Teddy's bravery- he wasn't sure if he would've managed to keep his voice that clam in such a situation.
"Oh, no you don't!" Alastor said, looking at Teddy like he was a creature from another dimension that might explode if he touched it. Teddy didn't react to Moody's intense glare (Albus wondered if they taught people to resist looks in Auror training) and stared at him unflinchingly.
"Oh, all right. But any funny business, and I'll know what to do!" Alastor threatened, after a few hardened glares from Teddy and his own comrades. After exchaning a few reluctant looks with his allies, and receiving even fewer encouraging nods, Alastor Moody began untying the children very slowly and unwillingly.
"So, then," Moody said after the rest were untied. "Begin with introductions."
This was the part Teddy was reluctant to reveal. If his assumptions were true, then...well, he was in a very fragile position. One little detail could mess up the entire time-line and change life as the kids knew it...The kids. They needed Teddy's reassurance. As much as he found it tensing, Teddy was in charge now, and responsible for the kids, and even Vic. He wouldn't let them down. Not when they needed him most- and if it meant he had to take the blow? So be it.
Rubbing his hands where the ropes ones were binding him, he stared firmly at the inhabitants of the past.
"My name," he started to say, then hesitated a little. "Is Theodore Remus Lupin."
DUN DUN DUN!
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