The library was quiet, still, with barely a fraction of the students there since last week. Most students would like to spend their last few days at Hogwarts outside, or in the common room, or anywhere else that doesn't remind them of the N.E.W.T.s they just took and probably bombed. The only students left in the space were the ones that wanted a safe space to cry uninterrupted.
Of course, if there was a student wailing at the top of his lungs with only short pauses to hiccup, then he would get nasty looks by the other watery eyed students and Madam Pince calling in the only possible people that could calm him down.
"It's alright, buddy." Remus murmured to Peter, awkwardly laying his hand on his back in a desperate attempt to comfort him. "I'm sure it really isn't as bad as you think it is."
"Yeah," Sirius cut in "I doubt you got the worst test scores like usual." Taunting, sarcastic comments is how Sirius shows his affection. Like most things, it is better used for times when it isn't pointing out a person biggest insecurity. Peter could only respond by letting out another anguished howl.
"Nice going!" James hushed at Sirius' horrified face as he rushed to Peter's side. All three felt rather out of their element but James is the only one who grew up in an environment with parents that both cared and knew about to express that they cared, so he wasn't completely clueless emotionally.
"Sirius was only teasing you, you know that right?" James took over for Remus with a much more confident hand. "None of us think you failed – hell, we all studied together so as long as you remember what we talked about than everything turned out fine."
Peter's tears took a turn into a developing panic attack when he revealed "I couldn't – remember – anything!"
"Nothing?" Remus asked
He shook his head no as the damage that standardized tests do to young students psyche slowly sinks in. Madam Pince at this point was both passionately empathic and sincerely annoyed with the loud crying that she came up to them with a small vial in her hand.
"This is the last of the calming drought I have." It was barely a gulp; the majority having been used for other student who had a mental breakdown before the potion supply started to dwindle. Still, the bright blue liquid was tempting. "I think it would work best if you find someplace less occupied."
They all agreed, mostly because they were desperate for advice, and carried Peter out the door as if they were all 16 year old's not equipped for this sort of thing.
The calming-drought only helped so much, so it was just Peter with tear streaks on his face, hands and knees shaking badly, with three worried boys trailing behind him. Remus suggested ducking in an empty classroom.
"Oh yes, bring someone just coming out of N.E.W.T.s back into a classroom." Sirius remarked. "Usually your tauntingly sexy brain produces better ideas, but I guess today it's just here tease me."
They were just wandering aimlessly down a hallway, hoping the movement would level Peter's head, before he came to an abrupt stop. "Do you hear that?"
There's an echo of footsteps. It's seconds before they find the source, but it rears it's ugly head around the corner and they see it's Hufflepuff prefect Georgie Turner. He's alright, in the looks department. Has clear skin, good hair, pretty tall. Attractive enough to be noticed out of the crowd, and is even charming if you were to ask any of them, the most upstanding heterosexuals of the school.
"I don't want anyone to see me like this!" Peter panics before rushing ahead of them into the first room he saw. They rushed in after him, completely understanding the horror of being seen by Georgie when you aren't perfectly primped to be your most attractive.
"Alright, we're alone Peter."
"Exactly my plan all along." Sirius remarked before Remus could silently stare him down from an inappropriate comment. "Where are we, anyway?"
The room was empty in the middle, with only mostly bare shelfs lining the walls. There's a single bottle with a note attached to the cork. It was lit just enough for them to read, but otherwise it was like there was a dark blue tint to everything.
"Not sure." James said, approaching it like a puzzle. "Not a classroom, too large to be a broom closet." He picked over the single bottle filled with bright blue liquid and read the note. "'For Peter'. Was someone waiting for us?"
Peter, normally the one to anxiously overthink things, took the calming drought and downed it, hoping to feel better both in the moment and about himself. It was the perfect amount to stop the shaking, not a drop over.
"Do you want to hang out here for a minute? Compose yourself?" Remus asked. "I wish there were some chairs around here . . . "
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed four individual armchairs, all of different colors. "Oh, I guess there is."
"Were they there before?" James asked before moving Peter over to the deep red one. He claimed the emerald green while Sirius sprawled himself over the rich purple. This left Remus with a warm brown.
"Not sure, but they're in all our favorite colors." Sirius said. "It's probably a trap. But a comfy one."
"Most likely."
"Absolutely suspicious."
"Don't trust it for a minute."
"Well, it can't be completely planned for us." Peter said. "Who would plan a room for us and not leave Remus a book to read."
They all chuckled, mostly happy that he's making cracks again, but the mood was soiled when Remus started to sit down but jumped back up.
"Sit on a tac?"
"No, sat on a – "he picked up a square from his armchair "a book."
"What the fuck." Sirius remarked.
"Wait, could this be?" James asked.
"The room." Peter said.
"The room where everything you could possibly need is hidden away?" Sirius asked.
"The room of requirement." Remus finished.
"This is downright the most amazing thing you have ever stumbled across while running away from your crush, Peter." Sirius said.
"I don't have a crush on George." Peter lied.
"Hey, James." Remus said, staring straight down at the book. "Listen to this title. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone."
Silence followed.
"Wait, Potter?" James asked. "Is this about my family? Do I even have an ancestor named Harry?"
"Looks like it." Peter pointed with a steady hand to the young boy on the cover, with jet black hair happily catching a snitch. "Almost a split image, except paler."
Remus flipped open the cover and a piece of ripped parchment fell out onto the ground. James was the first one to grab it, and he read it aloud to the room.
Published in 1997, this is the future adventures of your son, James.
"What the fuck is this?" Sirius asked. "Who the fuck is pulling all this together?"
You might be wondering who is pulling all this together, but I recommend reading the book for now. All will be revealed in due time. KNH."
"P.S. This is the American print. Make fun of the slang if you want."
Between the four of them, there was an overflow of thoughts on what could be really going on. This is all a prank by someone, possibly Snivellus Snape. Except why would he do something like this? Not his style. Maybe it's an elaborate detention set up for one of their pranks. Except they haven't done anything all during testing.
Maybe it's legit?
"Should we read it?" Peter asked as Remus sat back down, chewing his lip with thought.
(Normally Sirius would find it very distracting, but now he found it mildly distracting.)
"I think we should." James is the most eager about this, almost tempted to snatch it from Remus' hand and read it, but restraining himself.
"Well," Remus spoke eventually. "How else are we going to get to the end of the mystery?" and settled deep into the armchair and starting reading to the group.
Chapter one: The Boy Who Lived
"I don't like what that implies." James interrupts.
"It's just a metaphor, relax. It's for the arty crowd."
Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, ... thank you very much.
"If you have to tell people you're normal, then you're not very normal." Peter says.
They were the last people you'd expect to be involved strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such strange nonsense.
"They're trying really hard to convince us that they don't have a torture sex dungeon in their basement."
"Are all muggles this bland?" Sirius asked.
"Well, my mom hid the fact that I'm a blood thirsty werewolf for 11 years, so I'm gonna have to say no" Remus said.
"And both my parents successfully hid their torture sex dungeon without being this obvious about it, so I will also have to agree to disagree." Peter nods.
Mr. Dursley ... which made –
"Dildos?"
drills.
"Damn." James sighed.
"The fuck is a drill?" Sirius asked.
"How did you even pass Muggle Studies?" Remus asked instead of answering.
He was a ... mustache.
"Just like the biker fellows in the type of bars I frequent." Sirius smirked.
Mrs. Dursley ... neck,
Remus paused in anticipation of a comment from Sirius, which wasn't coming. "Aren't you going to make a sexual comment about that?"
"Don't see the point, she doesn't sound like my type."
"Of course she doesn't."
Which ... son –
"Yes, because this is the exact family I imagine when you mention a loving family environment." Remus said.
and ... around.
The Dursleys ... secret,
"Told you. Torture sex dungeon."
and ... it.
"Definitely a tortu-"
"You mention the torture sex dungeon one more time I'm going to sock you." James said, surprisingly.
Sirius drew his hand up in a defense. "Didn't mean nothing by it, mate."
Remus paused from reading and looked up with a concerned look. "Everything good?"
"Yeah," James sighed. "I guess I'm a little tense from the whole premise. I just want know about my son."
"Or if this is even really legit." Peter was always a skeptic if the information came from someone he doesn't trust, and a bit too gullible for the people he does. Why would someone give them a book from the future and only sign with their initials? Is it even their initials?
He kept his fears to himself though, not wanting to cause James to worry about anything more.
They ... the Potters.
"I'm related to these people?!"
"You know what, I too would want to hide the fact that I'm related to you."
James threw a pillow directly into Sirius' face, hopefully wrecking his hair he spends so much time caring about.
Mrs. Potter ... sister,
"Get better in-laws."
but ... husband
"Be a better in-law."
were as unDursleyish ... be.
"Is that a word? UnDursleyish?"
"Don't pretend you care about grammer now, Padfoot."
"But I always care about the words that come out of your mouth." He batted his eyes in a way that was supposed to be adorable and Remus was not approved.
The Dursleys ... him.
"Thank goodness."
"Now now, Wormtail, the correct way to phrase it is 'Thank fucking goodness.""
This ... that.
"I don't want to be the person who cries racist, but I'm just saying, I think they would lock their doors if I was walking across the street."
"Except you're Indian Prongs. I on the other hand – "
"The joke on your last name doesn't work when you're the whitest guy in the whole school."
"You keep saying that, but I think it's ironic."
When ... starts,
"It took 30 minutes for the story to start?!"
"It wouldn't take that long if you would shut up every once in a while." Remus' pillow joins James' across the circle, which made Sirius significantly more indigent.
there ... country.
"The weather is pretty unreliable that way." Peter remarked with a sense of wisdom that sentence did not deserve.
Mr. Dursley ... work,
"A completely normal thing to do."
and Mrs. Dursley ... chair.
None ... window.
"Serious question, that's not normal for muggles, right?" Sirius questioned.
"Muggles use snail mail." Peter replied.
"They use snails?" There was a moment of silence for the three of them to figure out if he was attempting to be funny or if he really didn't know.
"It's just a saying." Remus said, eventually. "Sometimes I forget how much you don't know about these things."
James sent a teasing smirk over to Sirius as if he wasn't just as unsure, but knew better than to voice his ignorance.
At ... cheek,
"I thought she was the one described like a chicken, not him."
and ... walls.
"My goodness, what a brat."
"I thought we've been through this dear Wormtail, the correct phrasing is 'What a fucking brat.""
"I'm not stooping to your level."
"Harsh."
"Little tyke," chortled Mr. Dursley
"That is the completely wrong way to react to a misbehaving child." Remus sounded minutes away from starting a lecture while Sirius mouthed 'chortled?' to himself.
as he left
"You guys know why that's the wrong reaction, right?" Minutes seemed to have been confused for seconds.
"Normally I love learning things from you, but could we skip that today and keep reading."
"I suppose."
as ... drive.
It ... map.
"They don't want to get lost, obviously."
For ... cat
"It's Mcgonagall!" Sirius exclaimed.
"Not every tabby cat is Mcgonagall." James tried to reason with him.
"All lies."
standing ... light.
"Of course, because light is known for disappearing and reappering maps in front of cats." Peter deadpanned.
Mr. Dursley ... back.
"Staring is rude."
As Mr. Dursley ... mirror.
"He's going to cause an accident if he doesn't watch the road."
"How is he supposed to pay attention to anything is Mcgonagall is present? When she's there, you pay attention."
It ... signs.
"Wow, the education of cats has really declined over the past few years." James pondered.
"It's a catastrophe." Remus said bluntly causing Sirius to throw his three pillows at his head and rip Peter's out from under him to add to his arsenal.
Mr. Dursley ... shake
"Hey, my kind of novel."
and ... day.
But ... cloaks.
"Or you could mind your business and not stress over what other people are wearing."
"Muggles don't wear cloaks?"
"Sometimes I worry about you, Padfoot."
Mr. Dursley ... people!
"Imagine not having to worry about anything else other than what young people are wearing." No one was beginning to like this guy, but he was really starting to annoy Remus.
He ... by.
"The judgmental language on this one." Peter t'sked.
They ... all;
"'Enraged'. He's enraged because of someone wearing a cloak. Enraged."
"Do you have a point?"
"I'm just in a state of shock."
why, ... cloak!
"Beautiful." James said, from his emerald green throne.
The nerve of him!
"Yes! The nerve of that man to be wearing the clothes that he wants to wear! The nerve!"
"Doing alright, Moony?"
"If he becomes even more of an asshole I'm going to resort to eating the book."
But ... it.
"Collecting for more cloaks, even."
The ... drills.
Mr. Dursley ... morning.
"Does he think about anything else than drills? Honestly, how does he even have a kid if the only thing on his brain is drills?"
"You know the saying: Just lay on your back and think of drills and you'll have a kid in no time."
He ... overhead.
"Why is everyone being so careless?" James asked. "They might as well walk up to this guy and call him a muggle at this point."
Most ... people.
"Charming."
He ... bakery.
"Finally, a likeable trait about this guy." Peter said. "He was good taste in sweets."
He'd ... passed.
"They weren't doing anything but standing there! What is this guy's problem?"
He ... uneasy.
"I'm just gonna go out on a limb and say one of them has a complexion he doesn't quite agree with."
This ... saying.
"The Potters, ... Harry."
"Your kid's got a reputation already, Prongs." Sirius teased.
"See, on one hand I'm proud he's following in my foothat's right, that's what I heard yes, their sontsteps." James reasoned. "On the other hand, why does every witch and wizard think talking about my son is more important than not keeping our world a secret?"
"Maybe just the fact that he was born is enough to cause a scandal." Peter pondered.
Mr. Dursley ... it.
"He can think? That's surprising."
"What did I do to this guy?"
He ... him,
"Not her fault you're an asshole."
seized ... mustache,
"What is he, a villain?"
thinking… name.
"It's the most unusual name I know."
"Your name is literally Sirius."
"My point still stands."
He ... Harry.
"Sure, there are a lot of Potters with sons called Harry with black hair and born on March 27th. At least four I'm sure."
Come ... Harvey.
"I am not naming my son Harvey."
Or Harold.
"That's even worse."
There ... Mrs. Dursley;
"He thinks of his wife by her last name." Peter was astonished. "In his head, he doesn't even refer to her by her first name."
"Maybe he doesn't know it. Like I said, lay down and think of the Queen."
"You said drills."
"Fuck off."
she ... that...
"Woooooowwwwww."
"This asshole better keep my wife out of his thoughts." James said, sincerely threating someone in a book.
"Who do you think your wife may be, anyway?" Remus asked.
"Not sure, but I know who I hope it is." The boys started whooping and hollering as James turned a faint shade of pink.
"Think Lily likes the name Harry?"
"Better than Harold."
but ... cloaks…
"He's going to have nightmares about people in cloaks."
He ... door.
"Sorry," He grunted,
"At least he said sorry."
as ... today!
"Must be his birthday."
Rejoice, ... last!
There was a thickening pause of silence as they processed the information. Sirius was the first to react, and he jumped up and hollered excitedly. "He's fucking dead, the worthless bastard!"
Remus, on the other hand, replied with a more somber "I was hoping he would die sooner."
Sirius stopped and stared. "How much sooner did you want?
"Did he even die?" Peter asked. "He just says he's gone."
"Stop asking anxiety-driven questions!" Sirius pointed.
"But that's every question I ever ask."
"Guys," James broke up the rising tension. He gestured for Sirius to sit back down before continuing. "We should read on before celebrating. We don't have all the information."
Remus nodded and slowly moved to continue, the sound of the crinkling paper seemingly have been enhanced after the pause.
Even ... day!"
Everyone looked to James, expecting him to comment, but he just waved them off.
And ... off.
Mr. Dursley ... spot.
"It's just a hug, mate." Sirius tried to liven the tension, and it worked, a little bit.
He ... rattled.
"Shaken, even. Possibly stirred." Peter said.
"Not stirred, shaken." Remus countered.
He ... before,
"He doesn't like imagining things?"
"Imaging things is for foreigners."
because ... imagination.
"Told you."
As ... morning.
"McGonagall improves every mood, I don't appreciate his lack of appreciation."
It ... eyes.
"Maybe it is McGonagall." Remus said.
Sirius gasped. "Are you saying I'm right about something?"
"Statistically, it has to happen every once in a while." Remus teases. "Plus, since these people are important in some way then it makes sense that she would be there."
"How do you know they're important?"
"We've been reading about them for almost an hour." He said. "They're important."
"Shoo!" ... look.
"Definitely McGonagall." Sirius and Remus said at the same time.
Was ... wondered.
"It's normal McGonagall behavior." Peter said.
trying ... wife.
"A solid foundation for a healthy marriage." James said.
Mrs. ... Door's
"Is that her legal name?"
problems ... news.
"And ... today.
"Couldn't we have been even just a little bit cautious?" James asked. "Just a little?"
Although ... grin.
"I have a feeling the newscaster knows something."
"Could be a squib." Remus shrugged.
"Most ... Jim?"
"Well, ...stars!"
"Fucking Merlin hairy tits, might as well as put 'magic is real' in the sky followed by an image of bullocks."
Perhaps ... tonight."
"Use a rubber."
Mr. Dursley ...Potters…
"Since when did we think muggles were so dim that they wouldn't notice all this?"
Mrs. Dursley ... tea.
"An English tradition."
It was no good.
"Must be an American. Tea fixes everything."
He'd ... her.
"He will have to talk to his wife. What horror!"
He ... you?"
As ... angry.
"Who the hell is Petunia? My name's Mary!"
After ... sister.
"No," ... "Why?"
"I'm leaving you for her."
"Funny ... today…"
"Funny as in," James fake gasped "Non-white people!"
"I think he was talking about wizards."
"They're implied."
"So?" ... Mrs. Dursley.
"Well, ... know ….
"Spit it out man!"
her crowd."
Mrs. Dursley ..."Potter."
"But that would mean having to talk to her more." Peter shuddered.
He ... he?"
"I ... stiffly.
"If this is a book about my son, but he's only a baby, then why are we spending so much time with these people?"
"I told you, they're important."
"But why?"
"Shut up, Prongs."
"What's ... it?"
"Harry. ... me."
"But nobody did. Or ever will."
"Also since she knows my son's name I guess the falling out recently happened?"
"Stop trying to figure out the story and let it happen."
"Oh, ... horribly.
"He was planning on changing his name to Harry, now he's sad."
"Yes, I quite agree."
He ... bed.
"Normally I would say bring on the sexy times," Sirius said. "but I really, really don't want to listen to these people have a miserable two minutes."
"Not even from Remus' voice?" Peter asked. He often flirts with Remus for Sirius, and none of them could tell if it was with a purpose or if he just wanted to play along, but Sirius never complained about a new angle to tease Remus.
"Welllllllllllllll," He left it hanging, staring right in his hazel eyes.
"Now normally I would love to give you the chance get your rocks off," Remus teased right back, "but I'm pretty sure this isn't that kind of book."
"Damn."
While ... there.
"No, turn away McGonagall, you don't want to see this."
It ... something.
Was ... it.
"Trust me, I'm not so hot to have people know we're related either."
The Dursleys ... quickly
"Like the night they made Dudley.
but ... Mrs. Dursley.
"Again, he thinks of her as a title rather than a name. Perfect marriage."
The Potters ... on -
"That means we're mixed up in what's going on, doesn't it?" Remus had no comforting words for James, he could only shrug and keep reading.
he ... them ….
How very wrong he was.
"Dammit."
Mr. Dursley ... Drive.
"This'll ruin your back, Minnie."
It ... all.
A ... ground.
"Probably apparition." James nodded.
The ... narrowed.
Nothing ... belt.
"Is it light of my life, reason I breathe, sexiest man alive Albus Dumbledore?" Sirius exclaimed.
He ... boots.
"It has to be Dumbledore, no one has as much fashion sense as this Adonis of a man."
"Padfoot, please don't salivate all over these floors."
"I make no promises dear Moony."
His ... spectacles
"He kept them!" Remus yelled happily.
"Kept what?" Sirius asked.
"The glasses!" He showed a toothy grin, which was downright adorable. "I gave them to him as a thank you for letting me come to the school. They were my grandfathers."
"Were the fact that they were 'half-moon' spectacles a pun?"
"What do you think?"
And ... Dumbledore.
"A man after my own heart." Sirius sighed romantically.
Albus ... unwelcome.
"But not his skin."
He ... street.
"Get your own man, Winnie."
For ... known."
He ... lighter.
"A what?"
"Nothing that concerns you; cigarettes are bad and not for children."
He ... pop.
"Cooooooooool."
He ... Put-Outer,
"I'm sure there's a better name for that."
until ... him.
"I don't think a cat's eyes produce light, but okay."
"Winnie can do whatever she wants with her eyes."
If ... cat.
"I'm sure that would be bad for your knees."
He ... it.
"Fancy ... McGonagall."
"Ha! Right again!"
"Sorry to have doubted you, Padfoot."
"Oh, I could never stay mad at you, Moony." He blew a kiss across the way. Remus caught it in his palm.
He ... eyes.
"I always thought that was weird." Peter said. "The fact that your clothes and things change with you, but they show up in your fur."
"I'm happy for it." James said. "I wouldn't be able to function if my glasses didn't come with me."
She, ... one.
James looked fantastically smug at that, and Sirius could not hold back from a "Oh bugger off."
Her ... ruffled.
"How ... asked.
"How could he not?"
"My ... stiffly."
"You'd ... McGonagall.
"That's bad for your joints, you should really stretch more."
"You know, like an actual cat would."
"All day? ... here."
"Party like the world's biggest bastard went out like the world's biggest bastard."
Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily.
"In a most Minnie way,"
"Oh ... news."
"That's what I've been saying!"
"Sometimes, Prongs, you're a bigger wet blanket than Wormtail here."
"Hey!"
"No offense."
"None taken." He lied, feeling sincerely very insulted. He feels that a lot around Sirius, and it's slowly starting to wear him down.
She ... sense.
"Hey, I know him." Sirius said. "He's a dick."
"You ... years."
"Eleven years." Remus murmured to himself, mournfully.
"I ... rumors."
"Having a gay old time."
She ... all.
"That's a thing called irony."
I ... Dumbledore?"
"It ... Dumbledore.
"Thank fuck."
"We ... drop?"
"Please and thank you." Peter said.
"No, ... coldly,
"I'll take hers."
as ... gone - "
"My ... name:
Remus hesitated, for longer than he intended too, while the group was waiting for the shoe to drop.
Voldemort."
They all shuddered. At least they know it doesn't get easier in the future.
Professor McGonagall ... 'You-Know-Who'.
"Which is why I've been trying to get 'Bastard' to be recognized, with no luck."
I ...saying
Remus hesitated again, but kept going.
Voldemort's name.
"I ... admiring.
"Not only is he the best-looking man to have ever, he's the most impressive."
"But ..., Voldemort,
He almost didn't hesitate this time.
was frightened of."
"You ... have."
"Only ... them."
"Truer words have never been spoken."
"It's ... earmuffs."
Professor McGonagall ... him?"
It ... discuss,
The group was also finally reaching the point they wanted to know about, and the feeling of four friends ripping apart a book was slowly morphing into something slightly more serious.
the ... true.
"Going directly to the source. Smart."
Dumbledore, ... answer.
"What ... Hollow.
"Where I live." James said quietly, turning very pale, heart beating in his throat.
He .. Potters.
Remus' voice was losing some of the steadiness it always has, and his fingers were starting to twitch.
The ... Potter
"Lily," James said even quieter. This was no time to celebrate.
are ... dead."
It was as if a shoe was let go, but hasn't hit the ground yet.
Dumbledore ... gasped.
The shoe landed with a dull thud.
James, and sat back down, then stood again. He started pacing back in forth. No one said anything for a long time, then he did it. He screamed.
"FUCK!" He held the one syllable word for a long time, slowly sinking to the floor. Peter started to cry again, with shaking, heaving breathes. Remus took the opposite approach, becoming so silent that you couldn't hear if he was breathing, but who's hands (still holding the book in reading position) started shaking so badly they were almost vibrating.
Sirius took the longest to do anything, but what he did, was laugh. He always laughs when he can't understand or deal with the situation on hand.
He always fucking laughs. Then it turns into tears. Then it turns into him violently taking it out on whatever nearest thing he can reach. Let's just say, none of the pillows survive.
Eventually, they all notice that four full vials of bright blue liquid appeared in the center of the room out of the corner of their eyes.
Sirius almost wanted to smash the vials too, but he held back, and he was the one who gave everyone their dosage of calming drought.
"None of this can be real." Sirius' voice cracked as he voiced his denial.
"You know it is." James said solemnly.
Remus stared at the book but didn't read any of the words.
"Moony." He looked up to James. "Keep reading."
"Lily and James…, Albus…"
"At least Minnie is sad that I'm gone." He said with a dark smirk.
"A lot of people will be." Peter was always sincerer with his emotions than the others.
"Thank you, Wormtail. I appreciate that." He turned and gave a weaker, but real grin.
Dumbledore ... heavily.
Professor McGonagall's ... Harry.
"Tried?"
But - ... gone.
Dumbledore nodded glumly.
"I… don't understand?" Peter started. He looked to Remus first.
"None of us do right now, mate. No worries."
"It's - ... survive?"
"He survived, though." James said. "He lived."
They all understood the title in that moment.
"We ... know."
Professor McGonagall ... pockets
"I wonder if he has that watch yet." Peter wondered.
and ... way?"
"Hagrid will come though. He's reliable."
"Yes," ... places?"
"I've ... now."
"No!" Sirius yelled. "Not these - these people!" He was thinking that Dumbledore may have gone even loonier than he was now to think that Harry should be left with these people.
James, who gave Dumbledore slightly more credit, said "They can't be his first choice. I wouldn't want pass any of you over these guys, but I know he knows that."
"You ... here!"
"Listen to her, Dumbledore." Peter finally started speaking again.
"It's ... letter."
"Oh yes, a fucking letter will explain everything. That's all they need, a single letter."
"A letter?" ... letter?
"it better be a big letter."
These ...Harry -
No one wanted to mention the elephant in the room on that one.
every ... name!"
"Exactly," ... it?"
"I agree." James said.
"You can't sit there and think this family is the one he should grow into?" Sirius argued.
James sighed. "No, I wish there was any other family that he could go into, but that's a lot for one boy to grow into. And I trust Dumbledore's judgement. If he says this is the way, then this is the way."
"Dumbledore never did lead me astray before." Remus added in. "I wouldn't make this choice if I was in charge, but it can't be worse than the alternative. It can't be."
Peter, who sat there thinking that this is the worst idea of the bunch and something he desperately, desperately, does not want this choice to be made for his best friend's child, never disagreed in an argument. There's always a nagging voice in the back of his head that stops him from disagreeing with them, in case they suddenly feel a trio is better and he's left alone, again, powerless.
He never wants to feel powerless again. "I trust him, too." Which was not technically a lie.
Professor McGonagall ... it.
"Hagrid's bringing him."
"You ... this?"
"There's very few people I trust with the life of my son more than Hagrid."
"I ... Dumbledore.
"I'm ... careless.
"He's not going to be careless in a situation like this." James said certainly.
He ... that?"
A ... them.
"Is that mine?" Sirius asked, finally getting some of his pep back.
"I think it might be yours." His happiness was contagious and Remus smiled warmly.
If ... dolphins.
"HAGRID!" They all cheered.
In ... blankets.
"Harry!" They all cheered, not as loud.
"Hagrid," ...motorcycle?"
"Borrowed it, ... me.
"Hell yeah!" Sirius cheered.
I've got him, sir."
"No...there?"
"No, ...destroyed,
A pang of hurt washed through James as he remembered how old that house really is, but then remembered that he dies in it, so his perspective is put in check.
but ...Bristol."
Dumbledore ... hair
"Ooo, he got the Potter hair." James winched. "Sorry, kid."
over ... lightning.
"Is ... Professor McGonagall.
"Yes," ... forever."
"The ladies love scars."
"What do you know about what ladies love?"
"I know a lot about what ladies like." He winked.
"Couldn't ... Dumbledore?"
"Even ... Underground.
"Useful."
Well - ... with."
"I would like to think that the process of giving my son a new family isn't something you get over with, but okay."
Dumbledore ... house.
"Could I ... Hagrid.
"Oh, Hagrid."
He ... dog.
"Merlin, I'm going to start crying again." Peter joked, but not really.
"Shhh!" hissed Professor McGonagall,
"Ha."
"you'll wake the Muggles!"
"Let the man cry, Minnie. I just died, to hell with the Muggles."
"S-s-sorry," ... Muggles - "
"I'm going to have to give Hagrid a hug sometime soon." James said.
"Yes, ... Hagrid,
"Kinda cold there, McGonagall."
or ... two.
"Wait, you're not even going to knock on the door?" James asked. "You're just going to leave him there all night?"
"And it's still only midnight. Does Dumbledore know anything about kids younger than 11?"
For ... out.
"Well," ... celebrations."
"I feel like this sort of thing would dampen anybody's mood for parties. Even Padfoot's."
"Partying, yes. Drinking? Hell no."
"Yeah," ... back.
"If he could also give me my godson, then that would be great too."
"How do you know you're the godfather?" Remus asked. Sirius gestured to have James answer.
"I already promised Sirius my first son." James said. "You have either my first daughter or my second son. Peter either gets the second daughter, third son, or first horse."
"I'll get to be the godfather of a horse? I love it."
G'night, ... sir."
Wiping ...night.
"She was worried about Hagrid waking the Muggles but not my motorcycle?"
"I ... reply.
Dumbledore ... Put-Outer.
"Still hate that name."
He ... four.
"There's still time to go over and knock on the door, you know, no pressure."
"Good luck ,... gone.
A ... Dudley…
"Oh Merlin, that brat."
He ... lived!"
Remus was silent as he finished the chapter, and besides Sirius saying a sarcastic "Poetic." referring to the last sentence, they just looked at each other for a moment.
"It's getting late." James finally said, and he was right. If they had a window outside they could see that the sun was starting to set and curfew was about to be set in.
"Oh come on," Sirius said. "You can't tell me you don't want to read as much as we can right now."
"I feel like we can't keep this to just ourselves." Was all he said, and he got up and left the Room of Requirement.
They followed behind him, shortly.
(Author Notes: in my fic, they take NEWTS in the 6th year as well as the 7th, everyone's at least a lil gay, I change canon trivia at will, and this is pretty much MST3K fanfiction with a Marauders skin. Sirius is Tom Servo, obviously. Also no harm meant to all Harvey's and Harold's.)
(original format posted elsewhere where it allows it. PM me for link if you want it.)