This chapter was written by AlaskaRae3. I claim no ownership over it, only the slight editing and formatting I might have done.

The Books
by: 93 Diagon Alley

Chapter 1: A Summer Discovery

James Potter. Wizard-in-training, student of Hogwarts, and prankster extraordinaire. Oh, and we can't forget 'future husband of Lily Evans' now, can we?

Well, it seems that one certain young lady doesn't see it as he did.

Lily Evans. Witch-in-training, also a student of Hogwarts, and extremely annoyed with one James Potter.

Said redhead slammed her front door with a bang. Being on a summer vacation wasn't all that...vacation-like...with Tuney around. Petunia was (unfortunately) Lily's only sister. Lily rubbed her forefingers against her temples, trying to escape the massive headache coming on. She walked along an empty road, looking ready to spit nails, when something flew in front of her. She jumped slightly, surprised at the sudden movement.

It was an owl. And not just any owl, but an owl that belonged to the most arrogant being ever to walk the planet. As soon as Lily had released the owl of its burden, she sent it away, shredding the letter without even opening it. She knew what was inside. He was trying to 'woo her' as he 'so lovingly' put it. Tact was not something he was well-versed in.

Meanwhile, the owl flew through the air, high above the confusing Muggles below. He himself was getting rather annoyed at how many times he'd been sent to that red-girl's house. So annoyed, that he was ready to peck his human's eyes out so he'd never be able to write another letter. Hah! See how he'd feel about that.

James watched with a keen eye for his owl, hoping that Lily would have replied back to him. He already had a drawer-full of letters saying 'STOP WRITING ME!' and he really wanted to add another to his collection. He'd rather have a nice love letter instead of these false rejections hiding her feelings. Soon enough, she'd reveal that she had been pining for him for just as long as he did her.

He sighed at the thought, floating into yet another daydream...

A daydream that was instantly crushed as his owl...well, crashed into him. "Ow! You bloody bird!"

He received an annoyed nip on his finger – almost hard enough to draw blood – before the bird flew off to find a nice, quiet place to sleep the rest of the day away.

James sat on his bed, a little put down. He was bored. He had no siblings to tease, Sirius had run away from home the night before and was catching up on some sleep. Shoot, even Lily wasn't yelling at him. Sure, you can't really yell at someone on paper all that easily without the use of a howler, but she was doing a good job of it, regardless.

He thrust his arms out to the side and fell back. Or, at least, he tried to. He would have if he hadn't been stopped by many hard things ramming into his back. He turned and rubbed the back of his head, where it had rammed into a particularly large hard thing.

Books.

What were evil books doing on his bed?

Wait...these books weren't ones he recognized.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

What the heck are these? Who's Harry Potter?

James picked up the first one, looking at the cover. The boy in the picture looked just like him!

Well...that's not freaky at all.

Curious, James opened the book to the first page.

The Boy Who Lived? Lived from what?

Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four Privet Drive, were perfectly normal, thank you very much.

Yeah, they sure sound normal.

Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills.

What are drills?

James closed the book slightly, keeping a finger in his place. What kind of book is this?

He read through the introduction on the flap of the cover, thinking all the while, Hogwarts isn't dangerous... and after reading the back; Of course he's a wizard! All Potters are!

He returned to reading, wondering what was really happening. He about skipped the first chapter altogether after reading about the spoiled child, the fat elephant of a man, and the thin, nosy woman. All up until he saw his name. Well, at least his last name.

"The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard –"

"– yes, their son, Harry –"

He thought for a long moment. Could this Harry be...my son? What year was this printed?

...1998!

He let out a long, soft whistle. "Talk about your future book," he muttered under his breath.

He returned to his spot and read with more intensity. A moment later, he came across a part where Mr. Dursley knocked a man over.

"Sorry," he grunted as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell. It was a few seconds before Mr. Dursley realized that the man was wearing a violet cloak.

He didn't seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passersby stare, "Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!"

And the man hugged Mr. Dursley around the middle and walked off.

James blinked in shock and wonderment. You-Know-Who? Gone? ...He stays for THAT long?

Again, he read on, reading about the cat on the wall, the news, and how these Muggles felt about wizards the same as wizards felt about Muggles.

Okay. Dumbledore...McGonagall...Sherbet Lemons...Lily and James Potter...wait, what? I marry Lily? YES!

"The rumor is that Lily and James Potter are – are – they're – they're – dead."

Dumbledore bowed his head.

Once more, James blinked in shock. Okay...so I marry Lily, I have a son named Harry, and I die? I take it the future isn't exactly the best time for me...

After reading just a tad bit more, James nearly leaped in victory. My son! Defeated You-Know-Who! He sighed and wiped a fake tear, not bothering to care that no one was there to see it anyway. I feel so proud.

He continued reading, eyes widening as he nodded in agreement with McGonagall about Harry (his son!) going to live with the Dursleys.

As he read, he got more and more into his...new books. He even asked for lunch in his room, that way he wouldn't have to bring his books down for his parents to see. Surely, they would ask questions that would be difficult for him to answer. More so as he continued to read.

After a moment, James' mother knocked on his door. Pushing it open a bit, she saw him lying on his bed, the second book propped up against his pillow. "James, darling, I haven't seen you at all today! Are you alright?"

"Yes Mum, just reading." James answered lazily.

His mum started in shock at her son. "You're...reading?"

James turned slightly. "Huh?" Suddenly, his words caught up with him. "Uh, yeah. It's a quidditch book Remus sent me earlier today."

The lady at the door sighed softly. "Alright. Shall I call you for dinner?"

"Yes please!" he called as the door closed, unafraid of waking his best friend in the next room. James' father had put silencing charms around the room before Sirius had fallen asleep.

James' thoughts were running away with him again...including ones similar to, "I can't believe Harry doesn't see how much Ginny likes him...!"

Another, one that had shown many times in the first book as well, was, I swear I'll hex Snivellus...next time I see him!

And many, many more.

Perhaps the time his brain was the most overworked and troubled was while he was reading the third book, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

How could Sirius do that to me? My family? He's my best friend! I'm never letting that happen! I'll let Peter be my Secret Keeper before I let him!

He paused for a moment. Could it be that I was sent these books to change the future? So that my family lives to be whole?

And he continued to read, which was probably a good thing.

He had to go down to dinner soon after reading his own words during Harry's patronus practice with Remus. (Professor Moony. Heh heh. That name still gets me!)

The moment when he first found out he was a wizard and would be leaving the Dursleys' for Hogwarts! If that wasn't a happy memory, he didn't know what was...

Ooh, Harry is not going there! I'll make sure of it!

"James! Sirius! Dinner!"

James felt sudden rage inside of him at his soon-to-be-ex best friend's name. He quickly pushed it down. Calm down, Prongs, he doesn't know you know. He doesn't even know! It won't do to make him suspicious.

As he left his room, he saw Sirius, still sleepy and rubbing his eyes, walking down the stairs. I can't believe you, Padfoot...

James got away from the table as fast as he could, faking tired. He really wanted to read what was happening next. Besides, he didn't know how much longer he could have taken, pretending to chat pleasantly with his 'friend' without attacking him, accusing him of things he hadn't done yet.

The tiredness ploy had also helped with that, making the glares he tried not to send Sirius look more like a moment of exhaustion.

He pulled off the lid of the case for the third time, and the Dementor rose out of it; the room fell cold and dark – "EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Harry bellowed. "EXPECTO PATRONUM! EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

The screaming inside Harry's head had started again – except this time, it sounded as though it were coming from a badly tuned radio – softer and louder and softer again – and he could still see the Dementor -it had halted- and then a huge, silver shadow came bursting out of the end of Harry's wand, to hover between him and the Dementor, and though Harry's legs felt like water, he was still on his feet – though for how much longer, he wasn't sure –

"Riddikulus!" roared Lupin, springing forward.

James sighed in relief. Thank you, Professor Moony!

As he continued reading, he was very well ready to go and break off any friendship with Sirius he had – especially when he found out about him being Harry's godfather. It would make sense. If I hadn't known of this, he'd be my first choice.

Then he got near the end. Tucking his wand behind his ear with light coming from the tip, he read as Snape acted like a jerk (no shocker there), Harry, Hermione, and Ron disarming him, resulting with him unconscious (go Harry!), and as Sirius explained.

"And why did he fake his death?" he said furiously. "Because he knew you were about to kill him like you killed my parents!"

"No," said Lupin. "Harry –"

"And now you've come to finish him off!"

"Yes, I have," said Black, with an evil look at Scabbers.

"Then I should've let Snape take you!" Harry shouted.

"Harry!" said Lupin hurriedly, "don't you see? All this time we've thought Sirius betrayed your parents, and Peter tracked him down – but it was the other way around, don't you see? Peter betrayed your mother and father – Sirius tracked Peter down –"

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Harry yelled. "HE WAS THEIR SECRET-KEEPER! HE SAID SO BEFORE YOU TURNED UP, HE SAID HE KILLED THEM!"

He was pointing at Black, who shook his head slowly; the sunken eyes were suddenly over-bright.

"Harry...I as good as killed them," he croaked. "I persuaded Lily and James to change to Peter at the last minute, persuaded them to use him as Secret-Keeper instead of me..."

James blinked.

"I'm to blame, I know it...the night they died, I'd arranged to check on Peter, make sure he was still safe, but when I arrived at his hiding place, he'd gone. Yet there was no sign of a struggle. It didn't feel right. I was scared. I set out to your parents' house straight away. And when I saw their house, destroyed, and their bodies – I realized what Peter must have done. What I'd done."

His voice broke. He turned away.

James had tears in his eyes. Oh, Padfoot...how could I have ever doubted you?

As he finished the chapter, all hatred for Sirius fled and went into Peter's column. He shook his head, repeating a thought he had earlier, though changing the name.

I can't believe you, Peter...

James quickly finished with the third book of the series, grateful that Sirius had gotten away alive, even if he wasn't free. He got angry again, at Dumbledore this time. Why does he keep sending him back there? Send him to the Weasleys', at least! He'd actually be safer there!

But no, Harry returned again.

James had read through the last four books, tears actually spilling over when Sirius died. The others weren't all that hard to mourn...even Dumbledore. He wasn't exactly very high on James' list at the moment. For whatever the rest of the night would give him (yes, he was staying up all night. There was no way he could sleep now), he pondered over what he had learned in those books...and what he could change.

Sirius said that Lily would start going out with me this year, but because my ego deflated...and I'm Head Boy?

Before he could continue with his thoughts, the sun peeked through his curtains.

I'm going to have to bring these to Dumbledore. As much as I don't like him at the moment, I have to. He's the only one who could help me.

He stood and stretched his arms over his head before grabbing a parchment from his rather messy desk. He wrote a letter.

Dear Headmaster,

I have a great question for you. It has to do with the future.
You see, a set of books appeared in my room yesterday and, as thick as they are, I read them. The set is called the Harry Potter series.
Harry, as it appears, is my future son.
I really need to talk to you about this...it's very important. If you could invite me up to your office soon after I get to Hogwarts this year, I would very much appreciate it.

James Potter

PS. Oh; and thank you for my Head Boy badge.

Posted: 11 January 2008
Word Count: 2,483