"Lily, stop jumping up and down like that! You heard Dumbledore, he doesn't
want us to make a noise!"
"Oh James, I can't help it! Oooh, we're ALIVE!" she shrieked, and hugged James tight.
"Alright, Lily, alright!" James said, half laughing. "This is gonna be very hard to explain to him. He is nearly seventeen now!"
"What do you suppose he looks like?!" Lily asked entergically.
"Er..."
"I bet he looks like you! Just like you!" Lily said. She couldn't bear the excitement of seeing her son again.
"Maybe. Maybe he flies." James said softly. He had a guilty feeling in his chest. He couldn't be there for his son for sixteen years. He watched his wife pace back and forth in the Trophey Room of Hogwarts. He looked around at all the Quiddich teams, and spotted his own team from so many years ago.
He kept looking, and saw one from last year. The Quiddich cup winners from last year smiled up at them, wearing the Gryffindor colors. He immediatly spotted his son.
"I think he'll look exactly like me, but he'll have your eyes," he said to his wife, trying to sound vague.
"Alright, I bet he looks just like you."
"Then the bet is on." James said, grinning.
The door of the Trophey Room opened, and Harry, who was looking very confused followed Dumbledore into the room. Harry was wearing his Quiddich robes and a frown.
"Professor, I am afriad I don't understand why you want-" His glance feel on James and Lily. Harry looked like he had just frozen on the spot.
"HOW DID YOU KNOW?" Lily asked, turning to her husband while her son recovered.
"I looked at this picture." James said, passing the Quiddich Team picture to Lily who flung it aside.
"Oh, Harry!" Lily said. Harry looked at Dumbledore, who nodded, and then he looked back at his mother.
"You look just like your father!" Lily said, before flinging herself on her son, and crying on his shoulder. Harry hugged her, and gave his father a 'help me' look.
James laughed, and gentley walked over to his wife.
"Come on now, Lils, I think we freaked him out enough for a day." Lily let go of her son and held him at arms lenth.
"Your as thin as board! Didn't my sister feed you?"
"Kinda. Um...I dont...I...Can someone please explain?" His voice began to crack a bit, and he looked from Dumbledore to his parents.
"Well, it's rather...er...hard for you to under-" James began, but Harry cut him off.
"Try me."
"Alright," James said, looking his son up and down. "Understand, Harry, that this is an amazing thing, hard to believe-"
"It wouldn't be a first." Harry said, rolling his eyes.
"No, I suppose it wouldn't." Lily said nervously. "Oh Harry...must we explain this to him now, James?"
"Uh..."
"Please? Please....mum" Harry said, looking at her calmly.
Lily's eyes filled with tears at the word 'mum' and she nearly broke down again. She held herself however, and James took a shaky breath.
"Come on, Harry. I'll explain it to you over a game of quiddich. How's that sound?"
Harry's eyes brightened at the word Quiddich, but Lily frowned.
"No, absolutly NOT! We will explain to him on the ground James. I would like to be present!"
"Er...I take it you don't fly?" Harry asked.
"She doesn't know what end of the broomstick to mount." James said.
"I do so!" Lily said angerly, and James smiled. "I simply don't fly." she informed Harry, who nodded.
"Let's go somewhere more comfortable," Lily said, and James and Harry nodded. Professor Dumbledore, who had remained silent, now spoke up.
"Use my office, it's across the hall." He said, and the three of them nodded. James put his hand on Harry's shoulder, and they walked down toward Dumbledore's office. As they walked down the hall, a group of giggling girls walked by, taking no notice of Lily, James and Dumbledore, but flirtously saying "Hi Harry!"
"Ladies," Harry said, smiling at them, making them giggle more, and wink at him. They entered the office when the girls left.
"Feel free to sit down," Dumbledore said, sitting behind his desk, and Lily and James sat down. Harry however remained standing. He didn't want to sit now. He wasn't quite sure what to do with himself.
"Did you just have a match?" James asked, looking at Harry's quiddich robes.
Harry didn't say anything,but he pulled the Golden Snitch out of his pocket, and showed his father.
"Ah, just won?"
"Yes." Harry said softly. He didn't know what to make of all this.
"That's my boy!" James said proudly. Harry smiled and looked down at the floor.
"I guess we'd better expain then," Lily said, clearing her throat.
"Er....yeah. You see Harry, Professor Dumbledore, being the amazing wizard he is, seemed to have found some sort of spell that reversed not death itself, but the treachory of Peter Pettigrew. I am afraid your going to have to explain this part Professor, I haven't a clue how you did it."
"Well Harry, you know very well what a Secret Keeper is, don't you?"
"Yes."
"Well, you see, their was another piece of that charm that no one knew about, not even your Professors, or the Minister, or Sirius or Peter, even." Professor Dumbledore said, taking a deep breath. "You see, Harry, your parents also put trust in me. They gave me the power to undo whatever the Secret Keeper did do. And though it took me quite awile," he added with a grin, "I mananaged to do it, even though i was beginning to lose faith in myself. Lily and James hung out at Grimmauld Place with Remus. Then, I brought them into the Trophey room to met you."
Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing. He knew what this was...this was a dream. This wasn't real, it couldn't be real...
"Harry...are you alright?" Lily asked him anxiously.
"I'm dreaming," he said lightly, shrugging his shoulders. "It's all a dream."
"No, Harry, this isn't a dream!" Lily said, nearly in tears.
"No, you can't be my mother, your BOTH dead. I refuse to believe this." Harry turned on his heel, and walked out of the room.
The sudden change in Harry's behavoir surprised James and Lily, but Dumbledore wasn't to surprised at all.
"You know he is a teenager, and this is very hard to believe for him, James and Lily."
"I don't know how I can prove it to him," James said, shaking his head, and Lily began to softly cry.
"Aww, come on lils, we'll try!" James said, and he took Lily's hand. "Hey, Harry, come on, wait up!" James said, and he and lily followed Harry down the dark corridor, in which he was moving quickly. He turned a connor and was out of sight.
"Come on, I know a shorter way! He's going to the Gryffindor common room." James said, and he brought Lily to a drawing of an old woman outside and to t he left of Dumbledore's office.
"Prongs and Padfoot." James whispered to the picture, and it swung open revealing a staircase that lead into darkness from what Lily could see.
"Lumos" James said, taking out his wand. They walked up the staircase and it lead them to another painting, right next to the fat lady.
"That was weird," Lily said.
"Yeah. not even Remus or Peter knew about that. It was for me and Padfoot only." James said with tears in his eyes. He missed his best friend.
Harry had not yet appeared to have gotten to the Fat Lady yet. Two people came down the corridor talking about prefect duties,but they stopped when they saw James and Lily.
"Whoa." A boy with red hair said, and the girl with brown bushy hair and brown eyes looked equally shocked.
Harry came down the hallway a moment later, and stopped dead in his tracks to see his parents.
"Harry..come here." The girl said soothingly, and Harry recovered himself and walked over to him. "This...this man, he looks like your...your..."
"My father?" Harry asked her.
"Yes." Hermione whispered softly. "But he can't be."
"He's dead!" Ron said, shaking his head.
"I know he is. I think we're all in some bizarre dream-"
"Sorry mate, I don't think so. I just tripped ovver filch ten minutes ago, and it hurt pretty bad. Can't be a dream." Ron said, slightly histerical.
"This could be some sort of trick," Hermoine said to Harry.
"How can I prove it to you, Harry?" James asked, ignoring the other two, espically Ron who was poking his arm to see if he was really there or a ghost. The girl pulled him away and rolled her eyes in an annoyed manner.
"Before er..you "died" you left something in Dumbledore's possession that he passed down to me. What was it?" Harry asked, crossing his arms, and Ron and Hermione stopped their arguement of poking James to hear his answer.
"My invisability cloak." James said.
"You don't TELL me anything!" Lily said angerly.
"And just in case," Harry said. "Tell me what this is." He held out a piece of parachment, and James looked at it.
"It can't be...Harry, how did you get this?!" James asked, taking the parachment from Harry.
"Never mind that."
"I can't belive this!" He tapped the map and said fondly 'I solomny swear i am up to no good.'"
The map revealed its secret, and Lily, Hermione and Ron all stared at James and Harry.
"Anything else, son?" James asked him, grinning triumphantly.
"Yes. One more thing. Please change into your Animagi form." Hermione said swiftly, and James looked at her stunned.
"Sure." Then, before their eyes was not Harry's father, but his Patronus, in a solid figure. His father changed back, and Harry felt a tugging feeling in his heart. It was really him. Lily looked from her son to her husband. Harry's eyes looked stunned and he looked a bit faint.
"Are you alright, Harry?" Lily asked.
"I'm surprised...I....your really my parents." Harry added.
"We are." James said, breaking the very loud silence.
"I...I think I need to go for a walk. Ron, Hermione, come with me." Harry said, giving them a pleading look.
"Sure, Harry." Hermione said, and the two of them followed Harry downstairs and out of the castle.
"Where are we going?" Ron asked, as Harry walked in silence shaking his head.
"Hagrid's sound alright?" Harry asked. "I can't believe it, Hermione. I can't! They're dead! They were dead. I am dreaming. I can't stand to believe it. Why wouldn't Dumbledore tell me aboutt his secret keeper thing?!"
"Maybe he didn't want to get your hopes up." Hermione said, taking his arm.
Harry didn't say anything.
"Why don't you want to spend time with your parents?" Ron asked him.
"What am I supposed to say to them? I stil can't believe all this. This is some kind of floke!" Harry added.
"Harry...." Hermione said softly, as they knocked on the door to Hagrid's hut, "Maybe this isn't some sort of bizarre dream...maybe it's real. It IS real. Dumbledore would never trick you this way!"
"Your right, He wouldn't, Harry." Ron said, as they heard Hagrid come to the door.
"'Ello you three!" Hagrid said, inviting the three of them in. "Harry? What's wrong, yer look like you just saw a ghost."
"I did...I mean...I think I did." Harry said, putting his head in his hands, sitting down.
"What?" Hagrid said, sitting across from him. Ron and Hermione sat down as well.
"My parents." Harry said. He couldn't say the rest. His throat felt closed.
"His parents are back, Hagrid." Ron said. And hagrid looked at them stunned.
"What?" Hagrid said. He looked at Harry symphatheticly. "Your parents...their dead Harry."
"I know." Harry managed to say. James and Lily stood, dumbstuck.
"Well, James, consiter his condition. His parents have been dead for over fifteen years, and he had to live life without them. He did so many dangerous things by himself and his two friends, Remus tells us...and now we're back, and he is shocked. And he should be." Lily said.
"That's true," James said, looking at her sadly.
"Aww, James, don't worry. He'll come around." Lily told him soothingly.
"Hey, we should go surprise Hagrid!" James said, suddenly brighting.
"All right, come on lets hurry." Lily said. They walked down the hallway and down the staircase to the first floor and out of the school. They walked down to Hagrid's hut.
Where they heard voices inside.
"Hagrid, I know, I don't belive it either." It was Harry's voice.
James took a breath and knocked on the door. The voices feel silent.
"Who is it?" called a rough voice.
"Open the door, and find out." James called, and he felt Lily cuddling closer to him. It was a bitter cold night late in December. The Christmas holidays were coming soon.
Hagrid came to the door and opened it.
"J-ames?" he said, nearly coughing over tears.
"Yes, Hagrid. It's me."
"Silly Lily?" Hagrid said.
"Hagrid, you still haven't forgot that stupid childish name you gave me when I was eleven." Lily said, smiling.
"NOOOO, I AM DREAMING!" Hagrid said, slamming his head on the door, as though trying to wake himself up.
"That makes four of us." Harry said calmly from the table, and Ron and Hermione nodded anxiously.
"Yer not lyin' Harry!"
"I would never lie to you, Hagrid." Harry said, with a wink.
"Come....come.. in, you better explain this Silly Lily and James!"
Lily scowled at her nickname, and sat next to Hermione. James sat between Harry and Ron (who began poking his arm again).
"WILL YOU QUITE IT, RON! HE IS OBVIOUSLY REAL, OR WE ARE ALL HAVING THE SAME DREAM!" The girl said, hitting Ron in the back of the head. Ron glared at her, and she sat down again.
Hagrid was looking bemused still.
"Didn't I tell you? You look just like your father, with your mum's eyes!" Hagrid said, smiling proudly.
"Thanks for watching out for our son, Hagrid. I am glad someone did."
"I can watch out for myself," Harry said under his breath so only James, Lily and Hermione heard him.
Hermione gave him a scolding look, and Lily turned the color of her hair, but James looked sadly at Harry.
"Harry." James said, he looked at him gentley. "I know that you have been capable-"
"I don't want to hear it!" Harry said, standing up. "Thanks for the drink Hagrid. See you two later." he added to Hermione and Ron.
And, just like that, he got up and walked out.
Hermione, Ron, Lily, James and Hagrid all remained quiet. James buried his face in his hands, and Lily felt like her heart was torn out. Hermione and Ron didn;t know what to say, and niether did Hagrid, who still hadn't recovered from shock.
"I'm sorry about that, Mr.Potter." Ron said sadly.
"Harry is just....really confused." Hermione said. "No one knows Harry better then the three of us. The only thing that...well...He is just really..." Hermione stopped trying to explain. "Maybe you should go find him, Mrs.Potter. He'll listen to you, I think." Hermione added dully.
"I think I will. And call me Lily, dear."
Hermione nodded, and Lily gave Hagrid a hug and left in search of Harry.
"Alright," she said to the night air. "If I was Harry...Where would I go? Come on, maturnal instincts.." Lily said to herself. Something made her feel like she was being watched. She hated that feeling. She bit her lip and kept walking towards the school. That feeling stayed with her, though she didn't see or hear anything. The fact that she had already died didn't give her a fear of danger..or death, but it did got her nervous.
She couldn't really recall what had happened after she died. All that had been taken from her memory. She remembered the cold, bitter laugh, she remembered wondering what had happened to her son.
"Where are you, Harry!" she whispered despratly. She was slightly shaken at the fact that something was watching her. She felt chilled. The silence was too loud. Something was wrong. Where was Harry? She was only a few steps from the castle. Everything was dead quiet, and something was moving. Lily turned sharply.
"Mum?" said a soft voice.
"Oh Harry! It's only you! I was looking for you."
"I know." Harry said.
"Are you alright?"
"I suppose," he shrugged. "You OK? You looked spooked."
"I'm fine. Do you believe us?" Lily asked softly. "Do you believe we're really alive after you have seen us, and spoken to us?"
"No. Not until I speak to Remus. He was the one that has been like a father to me since Sirius died. I don't want to talk about that now, however.
"This is the only chance i have to talk to you, if I am really dreaming, or your here for only a while."
"I'm here forever Harry." Lily said.
"You've already proved that."
"What do you mean?"
"Thanks mum."
"For what?" Lily asked gently, bemused.
"You didn't have to die. You died protecting me. That's what kept me alive. This may be the only chance I get to thank you. For the love you gave me. That's all that saved me, mum."
"Oh, Harry. You can't thank me for something like that. I'm your mother. I love you. I will give you anything...my life would be useless with out you." They remained silent. Lily couldn't see harry clearly in the dark, but she could tell he was struggling against an emotion by the way his face was moving. They were silent for a few more minutes.
"I love you too, mum." Harry whispered They made their way back into the castle, and waited in the entrance hall for James Hermione and Ron. When they arrived, they saw Lily sitting on the bottom stair, and Harry pacing back and forth.
"Still a no go?" James asked, when Harry avoided looking at him.
"He still thinks he is in some sort of bizarre parallel universe." Lily said softly.
"I see." James said, but Hermione sighed with frustration.
"Harry, people don't just end up in a parrallel universe, which is impossible ANYWAY. I think your going to have to believe the the fact he is back! Look, Hedwig just missed you at Hagrid's, I took the letter for you."
"It must be from Remus, I wrote to him before i went to the Gryffindor common room last night." Harry said anxiously. He took the letter from hermione, and tore it open.
Dear Harry
Yes, those people are your parents. It was a smart idea that you didn't jump to conclusions, as Voldemort would try to snag you into a trap anyway he could. Your father looks more like you then I remembered! Have a great time with them on their first day back, and try to believe the unbelievable.
Remus
Harry looked up at his parents. He knew Lupin would never lie to him. He had already bonded well with his mother, and they all knew that it would take longer for Harry to completely trust his father. Harry smiled at his mother.
"You know, I am tired mum. I think I will go to bed. See you in the morning." He turned and went up the stairs, and Hermione and Ron followed him.
"He knows he'll see us in the morning!" Lily said, smiling.
"I know he does," James said. "But he likes you, not me."
"I think he admires you more then me James. It's hard for him to get over the fact you aren't dead and your actually alive." They talked for a while about the things their son had done in the past.
"Seems quite independent." James had said.
"He's like his mother there," Lily said proudly. "Come on, Dumbledore set up the guest chambers for us to sleep in. Tommorrow is the start of the winter holidays. We'll invite his little friends to spend the holiday at our home too!" Lily said excitedly.
"If he trusts me by then!" James said, rolling his eyes. He laughed at Lily's exasperated expression and they went to a guest chamber at the other side of the castle. They opened the hallow door after James gave the password, and they looked around. It was a beautifully decorated room with a four poster bed with a red quilt decorated with gems and underneth that many sheets. The room was pretty, with matching color arm chairs and a fountain for decoration.
"He really went overboard." James said, as he and Lily crawled into the bed.
"Oh James, I can't get over our son!"
"Niether can I.I'm so proud." James said, letting her cuddle close to him under the many sheets.
"Goodnight." Lily said, and they both feel asleep. That morning, Lily woke with a start. She forgotten where she was. It took her a moment, and then, seeing her body in front of her, she remembered, she was quite alive. She turned and woke James who grunted in his sleep.
"Wake up, James!" Lily said in an annoyed voice. She got up from the bed, dressed and brushed her long red hair. James stumbled out of bed ten minutes later, and they found it was about noon until they were both ready to greet the rest of the day. Most of the students were gone for the holidays. Lily was looking foreward to taking her son to their newly remodeled home.
"Come on, Harry. We're going to go by Floo Powder." Lily expained when she found him in the common room, quite alone, reading a book.
"Go where?!" Harry asked stunned, looking around at them. "I passed up an invitation to go to the Weasley's for christmas so i would be here with you."
"Home." Lily said, shrugging her shoulders. "We couldn't stay here, now could we? You can invite Ron and Hermione over as well!" she added brightly, and Harry nodded. Without looking at his father, he began to pack his stuff.
They arrived at the house around two thirty on Godric's Hallow.
"Welcome home, Harry." Lily said, and Harry looked around. The front door lead to a well done kitchen that was bright and flowerly. He followed his mother into a dining room, with a glass table. Everything in that room seemed fragile. They went into another room, which looked like a family room, equally bright and cheery. A staircase lead to the upstairs, and Lily smiled at him.
"Care to see your new room?" She asked. "We haven't decorated it yet. We were going to do your house colors, but we wernt sure if you would like that."
"That would be great."
"You and me could decorate it together. Sound like fun?" she asked.
"Yeah, it does!" Harry smiled at her. He never felt so happy. This isn't real! harry told himself firmly. He refused to believe it still.
Lily walked upstairs and took a right, Harry following behind her. They walked into a sun bright room, with a large bed in the middle. It was a big room, it seemed too big.
"OK, you'll need a dresser-" she said, and one appeared in the connor of the room. "A mirror-" A full lenth mirror appeared on the other side of the room, near the door. Harry and his mother did have a lot of fun decorating the room. In fact, he never laughed so hard. Lily shot a blast of white paint at the door with her wand the second that James opened the door. He was covered with white paint. He wiped paint out of his eyes and glared at her.
"Sorry, James!"
When Harry continued to laugh, James grabbed him and dumped a bucket of scarlett paint on him.
"JAMES!" Lily shouted, with hysterical laughter. Her husband and her son where both covered with paint.
"What do you think, Harry, green paint definatly mum's color?"
"DEFINATLY!" Harry said.
"You wouldn't!" Lily said positivly.
"Oh, wouldn't we?" James said, and Harry and James's faces both turned into identical evil grins.
"No, DON'T YOU DARE!" Lily said, backing against the wall of Harry's room, which was the Gryffindor's color scarlett. Lily was soon also covered in paint, and the three of them laughing hard. For the time being, Harry didn't remember that he never had parents. James and Lily felt they were always alive. Unfortunatly, the harmony between Harry and James didn't last. The next night, Lily couldn't believe that Harry and James actually had acted so friendly together at any point. Lily sat down in the kitchen listening to her husband and her son argue from upstairs. There was a knock on the door, and Lily opened it anxiously.
"Oh, Hello Professor." Lily sighed, inviting him in.
"I came by to see if all was well with the spell." Dumbledore said with a smile.
"Things are great so far, besides the fact my son and my husband have been at each other's neck all day. They heard more arguing, and heard James's voice-
"YOU ARE ONLY SEVENTEEN!"
"YOUR RIGHT, I'M SEVENTEEN, AND I HAVE SEEN MORE DEATH, TORCHOR, AND BEEN THROUGH MORE PAIN THEN YOU CAN IMAGINE. I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF!"
Lily sighed as she heard a door slam.
"Let me get you a cup of coffee, sit down professor." Lily said, warily and she flicked her wand and the kitchen cabinates, and it began to make coffee themselves.
"Wow, they are really at it!" Professor Dumbledore said.
"Never have a son!" James said, coming down the stairs, his face very red. He sat at the table and and buried his face in his hands.
"What happened?" Dumbledore asked.
"You know, I don't think either of us know." James said. "I am just tired of arguing with him!"
"I am tired of hearing it and being in the middle." Lily sighed.
"Shall I speak with him?" Dumbledore asked. "James, you may not want to hear this, but understand your still a stranger to Harry. You haven't been there from the beginning, and I know thats not your fault," He added when James opened his mouth. "Maybe if I could speak to him for a moment..."
"Upstairs and to your right." Lily sighed.
Professor Dumbledore went up the staircase and knocked on Harry's door. Harry swung the door open and yelled
"HOW MANY TIMES DO-" But he stopped when he saw who was at the door. "Sorry professor!"
"That's alright Harry. May we talk?"
"Erm..sure." Harry looked the same shade of red as his father and equally annoyed.
"That was some row, from what I heard." Dumbledore said, sitting on the chair near Harry's desk.
Harry sniffed but didn't say anything.
"I am surprised you two aren't getting along perfectly." Dumbledore said. "I didn't bring your parents back for you two to argue."
"Can you send him back?" Harry muttered under his breath. He immeditaly regreted what he said.
"You don't mean that." Dumbledore said, looking into his eyes.
"Your right, I didn't." Harry agreed.
"Harry, your father may not have been there from the beginning with you, but he does care for you."
"I know." Harry said. "But he is so...difficult!"
Dumbledore nodded wisely.
"Maybe if you two took time to talk, Harry, you could work around the arguments."
"Oh James, I can't help it! Oooh, we're ALIVE!" she shrieked, and hugged James tight.
"Alright, Lily, alright!" James said, half laughing. "This is gonna be very hard to explain to him. He is nearly seventeen now!"
"What do you suppose he looks like?!" Lily asked entergically.
"Er..."
"I bet he looks like you! Just like you!" Lily said. She couldn't bear the excitement of seeing her son again.
"Maybe. Maybe he flies." James said softly. He had a guilty feeling in his chest. He couldn't be there for his son for sixteen years. He watched his wife pace back and forth in the Trophey Room of Hogwarts. He looked around at all the Quiddich teams, and spotted his own team from so many years ago.
He kept looking, and saw one from last year. The Quiddich cup winners from last year smiled up at them, wearing the Gryffindor colors. He immediatly spotted his son.
"I think he'll look exactly like me, but he'll have your eyes," he said to his wife, trying to sound vague.
"Alright, I bet he looks just like you."
"Then the bet is on." James said, grinning.
The door of the Trophey Room opened, and Harry, who was looking very confused followed Dumbledore into the room. Harry was wearing his Quiddich robes and a frown.
"Professor, I am afriad I don't understand why you want-" His glance feel on James and Lily. Harry looked like he had just frozen on the spot.
"HOW DID YOU KNOW?" Lily asked, turning to her husband while her son recovered.
"I looked at this picture." James said, passing the Quiddich Team picture to Lily who flung it aside.
"Oh, Harry!" Lily said. Harry looked at Dumbledore, who nodded, and then he looked back at his mother.
"You look just like your father!" Lily said, before flinging herself on her son, and crying on his shoulder. Harry hugged her, and gave his father a 'help me' look.
James laughed, and gentley walked over to his wife.
"Come on now, Lils, I think we freaked him out enough for a day." Lily let go of her son and held him at arms lenth.
"Your as thin as board! Didn't my sister feed you?"
"Kinda. Um...I dont...I...Can someone please explain?" His voice began to crack a bit, and he looked from Dumbledore to his parents.
"Well, it's rather...er...hard for you to under-" James began, but Harry cut him off.
"Try me."
"Alright," James said, looking his son up and down. "Understand, Harry, that this is an amazing thing, hard to believe-"
"It wouldn't be a first." Harry said, rolling his eyes.
"No, I suppose it wouldn't." Lily said nervously. "Oh Harry...must we explain this to him now, James?"
"Uh..."
"Please? Please....mum" Harry said, looking at her calmly.
Lily's eyes filled with tears at the word 'mum' and she nearly broke down again. She held herself however, and James took a shaky breath.
"Come on, Harry. I'll explain it to you over a game of quiddich. How's that sound?"
Harry's eyes brightened at the word Quiddich, but Lily frowned.
"No, absolutly NOT! We will explain to him on the ground James. I would like to be present!"
"Er...I take it you don't fly?" Harry asked.
"She doesn't know what end of the broomstick to mount." James said.
"I do so!" Lily said angerly, and James smiled. "I simply don't fly." she informed Harry, who nodded.
"Let's go somewhere more comfortable," Lily said, and James and Harry nodded. Professor Dumbledore, who had remained silent, now spoke up.
"Use my office, it's across the hall." He said, and the three of them nodded. James put his hand on Harry's shoulder, and they walked down toward Dumbledore's office. As they walked down the hall, a group of giggling girls walked by, taking no notice of Lily, James and Dumbledore, but flirtously saying "Hi Harry!"
"Ladies," Harry said, smiling at them, making them giggle more, and wink at him. They entered the office when the girls left.
"Feel free to sit down," Dumbledore said, sitting behind his desk, and Lily and James sat down. Harry however remained standing. He didn't want to sit now. He wasn't quite sure what to do with himself.
"Did you just have a match?" James asked, looking at Harry's quiddich robes.
Harry didn't say anything,but he pulled the Golden Snitch out of his pocket, and showed his father.
"Ah, just won?"
"Yes." Harry said softly. He didn't know what to make of all this.
"That's my boy!" James said proudly. Harry smiled and looked down at the floor.
"I guess we'd better expain then," Lily said, clearing her throat.
"Er....yeah. You see Harry, Professor Dumbledore, being the amazing wizard he is, seemed to have found some sort of spell that reversed not death itself, but the treachory of Peter Pettigrew. I am afraid your going to have to explain this part Professor, I haven't a clue how you did it."
"Well Harry, you know very well what a Secret Keeper is, don't you?"
"Yes."
"Well, you see, their was another piece of that charm that no one knew about, not even your Professors, or the Minister, or Sirius or Peter, even." Professor Dumbledore said, taking a deep breath. "You see, Harry, your parents also put trust in me. They gave me the power to undo whatever the Secret Keeper did do. And though it took me quite awile," he added with a grin, "I mananaged to do it, even though i was beginning to lose faith in myself. Lily and James hung out at Grimmauld Place with Remus. Then, I brought them into the Trophey room to met you."
Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing. He knew what this was...this was a dream. This wasn't real, it couldn't be real...
"Harry...are you alright?" Lily asked him anxiously.
"I'm dreaming," he said lightly, shrugging his shoulders. "It's all a dream."
"No, Harry, this isn't a dream!" Lily said, nearly in tears.
"No, you can't be my mother, your BOTH dead. I refuse to believe this." Harry turned on his heel, and walked out of the room.
The sudden change in Harry's behavoir surprised James and Lily, but Dumbledore wasn't to surprised at all.
"You know he is a teenager, and this is very hard to believe for him, James and Lily."
"I don't know how I can prove it to him," James said, shaking his head, and Lily began to softly cry.
"Aww, come on lils, we'll try!" James said, and he took Lily's hand. "Hey, Harry, come on, wait up!" James said, and he and lily followed Harry down the dark corridor, in which he was moving quickly. He turned a connor and was out of sight.
"Come on, I know a shorter way! He's going to the Gryffindor common room." James said, and he brought Lily to a drawing of an old woman outside and to t he left of Dumbledore's office.
"Prongs and Padfoot." James whispered to the picture, and it swung open revealing a staircase that lead into darkness from what Lily could see.
"Lumos" James said, taking out his wand. They walked up the staircase and it lead them to another painting, right next to the fat lady.
"That was weird," Lily said.
"Yeah. not even Remus or Peter knew about that. It was for me and Padfoot only." James said with tears in his eyes. He missed his best friend.
Harry had not yet appeared to have gotten to the Fat Lady yet. Two people came down the corridor talking about prefect duties,but they stopped when they saw James and Lily.
"Whoa." A boy with red hair said, and the girl with brown bushy hair and brown eyes looked equally shocked.
Harry came down the hallway a moment later, and stopped dead in his tracks to see his parents.
"Harry..come here." The girl said soothingly, and Harry recovered himself and walked over to him. "This...this man, he looks like your...your..."
"My father?" Harry asked her.
"Yes." Hermione whispered softly. "But he can't be."
"He's dead!" Ron said, shaking his head.
"I know he is. I think we're all in some bizarre dream-"
"Sorry mate, I don't think so. I just tripped ovver filch ten minutes ago, and it hurt pretty bad. Can't be a dream." Ron said, slightly histerical.
"This could be some sort of trick," Hermoine said to Harry.
"How can I prove it to you, Harry?" James asked, ignoring the other two, espically Ron who was poking his arm to see if he was really there or a ghost. The girl pulled him away and rolled her eyes in an annoyed manner.
"Before er..you "died" you left something in Dumbledore's possession that he passed down to me. What was it?" Harry asked, crossing his arms, and Ron and Hermione stopped their arguement of poking James to hear his answer.
"My invisability cloak." James said.
"You don't TELL me anything!" Lily said angerly.
"And just in case," Harry said. "Tell me what this is." He held out a piece of parachment, and James looked at it.
"It can't be...Harry, how did you get this?!" James asked, taking the parachment from Harry.
"Never mind that."
"I can't belive this!" He tapped the map and said fondly 'I solomny swear i am up to no good.'"
The map revealed its secret, and Lily, Hermione and Ron all stared at James and Harry.
"Anything else, son?" James asked him, grinning triumphantly.
"Yes. One more thing. Please change into your Animagi form." Hermione said swiftly, and James looked at her stunned.
"Sure." Then, before their eyes was not Harry's father, but his Patronus, in a solid figure. His father changed back, and Harry felt a tugging feeling in his heart. It was really him. Lily looked from her son to her husband. Harry's eyes looked stunned and he looked a bit faint.
"Are you alright, Harry?" Lily asked.
"I'm surprised...I....your really my parents." Harry added.
"We are." James said, breaking the very loud silence.
"I...I think I need to go for a walk. Ron, Hermione, come with me." Harry said, giving them a pleading look.
"Sure, Harry." Hermione said, and the two of them followed Harry downstairs and out of the castle.
"Where are we going?" Ron asked, as Harry walked in silence shaking his head.
"Hagrid's sound alright?" Harry asked. "I can't believe it, Hermione. I can't! They're dead! They were dead. I am dreaming. I can't stand to believe it. Why wouldn't Dumbledore tell me aboutt his secret keeper thing?!"
"Maybe he didn't want to get your hopes up." Hermione said, taking his arm.
Harry didn't say anything.
"Why don't you want to spend time with your parents?" Ron asked him.
"What am I supposed to say to them? I stil can't believe all this. This is some kind of floke!" Harry added.
"Harry...." Hermione said softly, as they knocked on the door to Hagrid's hut, "Maybe this isn't some sort of bizarre dream...maybe it's real. It IS real. Dumbledore would never trick you this way!"
"Your right, He wouldn't, Harry." Ron said, as they heard Hagrid come to the door.
"'Ello you three!" Hagrid said, inviting the three of them in. "Harry? What's wrong, yer look like you just saw a ghost."
"I did...I mean...I think I did." Harry said, putting his head in his hands, sitting down.
"What?" Hagrid said, sitting across from him. Ron and Hermione sat down as well.
"My parents." Harry said. He couldn't say the rest. His throat felt closed.
"His parents are back, Hagrid." Ron said. And hagrid looked at them stunned.
"What?" Hagrid said. He looked at Harry symphatheticly. "Your parents...their dead Harry."
"I know." Harry managed to say. James and Lily stood, dumbstuck.
"Well, James, consiter his condition. His parents have been dead for over fifteen years, and he had to live life without them. He did so many dangerous things by himself and his two friends, Remus tells us...and now we're back, and he is shocked. And he should be." Lily said.
"That's true," James said, looking at her sadly.
"Aww, James, don't worry. He'll come around." Lily told him soothingly.
"Hey, we should go surprise Hagrid!" James said, suddenly brighting.
"All right, come on lets hurry." Lily said. They walked down the hallway and down the staircase to the first floor and out of the school. They walked down to Hagrid's hut.
Where they heard voices inside.
"Hagrid, I know, I don't belive it either." It was Harry's voice.
James took a breath and knocked on the door. The voices feel silent.
"Who is it?" called a rough voice.
"Open the door, and find out." James called, and he felt Lily cuddling closer to him. It was a bitter cold night late in December. The Christmas holidays were coming soon.
Hagrid came to the door and opened it.
"J-ames?" he said, nearly coughing over tears.
"Yes, Hagrid. It's me."
"Silly Lily?" Hagrid said.
"Hagrid, you still haven't forgot that stupid childish name you gave me when I was eleven." Lily said, smiling.
"NOOOO, I AM DREAMING!" Hagrid said, slamming his head on the door, as though trying to wake himself up.
"That makes four of us." Harry said calmly from the table, and Ron and Hermione nodded anxiously.
"Yer not lyin' Harry!"
"I would never lie to you, Hagrid." Harry said, with a wink.
"Come....come.. in, you better explain this Silly Lily and James!"
Lily scowled at her nickname, and sat next to Hermione. James sat between Harry and Ron (who began poking his arm again).
"WILL YOU QUITE IT, RON! HE IS OBVIOUSLY REAL, OR WE ARE ALL HAVING THE SAME DREAM!" The girl said, hitting Ron in the back of the head. Ron glared at her, and she sat down again.
Hagrid was looking bemused still.
"Didn't I tell you? You look just like your father, with your mum's eyes!" Hagrid said, smiling proudly.
"Thanks for watching out for our son, Hagrid. I am glad someone did."
"I can watch out for myself," Harry said under his breath so only James, Lily and Hermione heard him.
Hermione gave him a scolding look, and Lily turned the color of her hair, but James looked sadly at Harry.
"Harry." James said, he looked at him gentley. "I know that you have been capable-"
"I don't want to hear it!" Harry said, standing up. "Thanks for the drink Hagrid. See you two later." he added to Hermione and Ron.
And, just like that, he got up and walked out.
Hermione, Ron, Lily, James and Hagrid all remained quiet. James buried his face in his hands, and Lily felt like her heart was torn out. Hermione and Ron didn;t know what to say, and niether did Hagrid, who still hadn't recovered from shock.
"I'm sorry about that, Mr.Potter." Ron said sadly.
"Harry is just....really confused." Hermione said. "No one knows Harry better then the three of us. The only thing that...well...He is just really..." Hermione stopped trying to explain. "Maybe you should go find him, Mrs.Potter. He'll listen to you, I think." Hermione added dully.
"I think I will. And call me Lily, dear."
Hermione nodded, and Lily gave Hagrid a hug and left in search of Harry.
"Alright," she said to the night air. "If I was Harry...Where would I go? Come on, maturnal instincts.." Lily said to herself. Something made her feel like she was being watched. She hated that feeling. She bit her lip and kept walking towards the school. That feeling stayed with her, though she didn't see or hear anything. The fact that she had already died didn't give her a fear of danger..or death, but it did got her nervous.
She couldn't really recall what had happened after she died. All that had been taken from her memory. She remembered the cold, bitter laugh, she remembered wondering what had happened to her son.
"Where are you, Harry!" she whispered despratly. She was slightly shaken at the fact that something was watching her. She felt chilled. The silence was too loud. Something was wrong. Where was Harry? She was only a few steps from the castle. Everything was dead quiet, and something was moving. Lily turned sharply.
"Mum?" said a soft voice.
"Oh Harry! It's only you! I was looking for you."
"I know." Harry said.
"Are you alright?"
"I suppose," he shrugged. "You OK? You looked spooked."
"I'm fine. Do you believe us?" Lily asked softly. "Do you believe we're really alive after you have seen us, and spoken to us?"
"No. Not until I speak to Remus. He was the one that has been like a father to me since Sirius died. I don't want to talk about that now, however.
"This is the only chance i have to talk to you, if I am really dreaming, or your here for only a while."
"I'm here forever Harry." Lily said.
"You've already proved that."
"What do you mean?"
"Thanks mum."
"For what?" Lily asked gently, bemused.
"You didn't have to die. You died protecting me. That's what kept me alive. This may be the only chance I get to thank you. For the love you gave me. That's all that saved me, mum."
"Oh, Harry. You can't thank me for something like that. I'm your mother. I love you. I will give you anything...my life would be useless with out you." They remained silent. Lily couldn't see harry clearly in the dark, but she could tell he was struggling against an emotion by the way his face was moving. They were silent for a few more minutes.
"I love you too, mum." Harry whispered They made their way back into the castle, and waited in the entrance hall for James Hermione and Ron. When they arrived, they saw Lily sitting on the bottom stair, and Harry pacing back and forth.
"Still a no go?" James asked, when Harry avoided looking at him.
"He still thinks he is in some sort of bizarre parallel universe." Lily said softly.
"I see." James said, but Hermione sighed with frustration.
"Harry, people don't just end up in a parrallel universe, which is impossible ANYWAY. I think your going to have to believe the the fact he is back! Look, Hedwig just missed you at Hagrid's, I took the letter for you."
"It must be from Remus, I wrote to him before i went to the Gryffindor common room last night." Harry said anxiously. He took the letter from hermione, and tore it open.
Dear Harry
Yes, those people are your parents. It was a smart idea that you didn't jump to conclusions, as Voldemort would try to snag you into a trap anyway he could. Your father looks more like you then I remembered! Have a great time with them on their first day back, and try to believe the unbelievable.
Remus
Harry looked up at his parents. He knew Lupin would never lie to him. He had already bonded well with his mother, and they all knew that it would take longer for Harry to completely trust his father. Harry smiled at his mother.
"You know, I am tired mum. I think I will go to bed. See you in the morning." He turned and went up the stairs, and Hermione and Ron followed him.
"He knows he'll see us in the morning!" Lily said, smiling.
"I know he does," James said. "But he likes you, not me."
"I think he admires you more then me James. It's hard for him to get over the fact you aren't dead and your actually alive." They talked for a while about the things their son had done in the past.
"Seems quite independent." James had said.
"He's like his mother there," Lily said proudly. "Come on, Dumbledore set up the guest chambers for us to sleep in. Tommorrow is the start of the winter holidays. We'll invite his little friends to spend the holiday at our home too!" Lily said excitedly.
"If he trusts me by then!" James said, rolling his eyes. He laughed at Lily's exasperated expression and they went to a guest chamber at the other side of the castle. They opened the hallow door after James gave the password, and they looked around. It was a beautifully decorated room with a four poster bed with a red quilt decorated with gems and underneth that many sheets. The room was pretty, with matching color arm chairs and a fountain for decoration.
"He really went overboard." James said, as he and Lily crawled into the bed.
"Oh James, I can't get over our son!"
"Niether can I.I'm so proud." James said, letting her cuddle close to him under the many sheets.
"Goodnight." Lily said, and they both feel asleep. That morning, Lily woke with a start. She forgotten where she was. It took her a moment, and then, seeing her body in front of her, she remembered, she was quite alive. She turned and woke James who grunted in his sleep.
"Wake up, James!" Lily said in an annoyed voice. She got up from the bed, dressed and brushed her long red hair. James stumbled out of bed ten minutes later, and they found it was about noon until they were both ready to greet the rest of the day. Most of the students were gone for the holidays. Lily was looking foreward to taking her son to their newly remodeled home.
"Come on, Harry. We're going to go by Floo Powder." Lily expained when she found him in the common room, quite alone, reading a book.
"Go where?!" Harry asked stunned, looking around at them. "I passed up an invitation to go to the Weasley's for christmas so i would be here with you."
"Home." Lily said, shrugging her shoulders. "We couldn't stay here, now could we? You can invite Ron and Hermione over as well!" she added brightly, and Harry nodded. Without looking at his father, he began to pack his stuff.
They arrived at the house around two thirty on Godric's Hallow.
"Welcome home, Harry." Lily said, and Harry looked around. The front door lead to a well done kitchen that was bright and flowerly. He followed his mother into a dining room, with a glass table. Everything in that room seemed fragile. They went into another room, which looked like a family room, equally bright and cheery. A staircase lead to the upstairs, and Lily smiled at him.
"Care to see your new room?" She asked. "We haven't decorated it yet. We were going to do your house colors, but we wernt sure if you would like that."
"That would be great."
"You and me could decorate it together. Sound like fun?" she asked.
"Yeah, it does!" Harry smiled at her. He never felt so happy. This isn't real! harry told himself firmly. He refused to believe it still.
Lily walked upstairs and took a right, Harry following behind her. They walked into a sun bright room, with a large bed in the middle. It was a big room, it seemed too big.
"OK, you'll need a dresser-" she said, and one appeared in the connor of the room. "A mirror-" A full lenth mirror appeared on the other side of the room, near the door. Harry and his mother did have a lot of fun decorating the room. In fact, he never laughed so hard. Lily shot a blast of white paint at the door with her wand the second that James opened the door. He was covered with white paint. He wiped paint out of his eyes and glared at her.
"Sorry, James!"
When Harry continued to laugh, James grabbed him and dumped a bucket of scarlett paint on him.
"JAMES!" Lily shouted, with hysterical laughter. Her husband and her son where both covered with paint.
"What do you think, Harry, green paint definatly mum's color?"
"DEFINATLY!" Harry said.
"You wouldn't!" Lily said positivly.
"Oh, wouldn't we?" James said, and Harry and James's faces both turned into identical evil grins.
"No, DON'T YOU DARE!" Lily said, backing against the wall of Harry's room, which was the Gryffindor's color scarlett. Lily was soon also covered in paint, and the three of them laughing hard. For the time being, Harry didn't remember that he never had parents. James and Lily felt they were always alive. Unfortunatly, the harmony between Harry and James didn't last. The next night, Lily couldn't believe that Harry and James actually had acted so friendly together at any point. Lily sat down in the kitchen listening to her husband and her son argue from upstairs. There was a knock on the door, and Lily opened it anxiously.
"Oh, Hello Professor." Lily sighed, inviting him in.
"I came by to see if all was well with the spell." Dumbledore said with a smile.
"Things are great so far, besides the fact my son and my husband have been at each other's neck all day. They heard more arguing, and heard James's voice-
"YOU ARE ONLY SEVENTEEN!"
"YOUR RIGHT, I'M SEVENTEEN, AND I HAVE SEEN MORE DEATH, TORCHOR, AND BEEN THROUGH MORE PAIN THEN YOU CAN IMAGINE. I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF!"
Lily sighed as she heard a door slam.
"Let me get you a cup of coffee, sit down professor." Lily said, warily and she flicked her wand and the kitchen cabinates, and it began to make coffee themselves.
"Wow, they are really at it!" Professor Dumbledore said.
"Never have a son!" James said, coming down the stairs, his face very red. He sat at the table and and buried his face in his hands.
"What happened?" Dumbledore asked.
"You know, I don't think either of us know." James said. "I am just tired of arguing with him!"
"I am tired of hearing it and being in the middle." Lily sighed.
"Shall I speak with him?" Dumbledore asked. "James, you may not want to hear this, but understand your still a stranger to Harry. You haven't been there from the beginning, and I know thats not your fault," He added when James opened his mouth. "Maybe if I could speak to him for a moment..."
"Upstairs and to your right." Lily sighed.
Professor Dumbledore went up the staircase and knocked on Harry's door. Harry swung the door open and yelled
"HOW MANY TIMES DO-" But he stopped when he saw who was at the door. "Sorry professor!"
"That's alright Harry. May we talk?"
"Erm..sure." Harry looked the same shade of red as his father and equally annoyed.
"That was some row, from what I heard." Dumbledore said, sitting on the chair near Harry's desk.
Harry sniffed but didn't say anything.
"I am surprised you two aren't getting along perfectly." Dumbledore said. "I didn't bring your parents back for you two to argue."
"Can you send him back?" Harry muttered under his breath. He immeditaly regreted what he said.
"You don't mean that." Dumbledore said, looking into his eyes.
"Your right, I didn't." Harry agreed.
"Harry, your father may not have been there from the beginning with you, but he does care for you."
"I know." Harry said. "But he is so...difficult!"
Dumbledore nodded wisely.
"Maybe if you two took time to talk, Harry, you could work around the arguments."