Revision of Chapter 2

Harry's world spun into focus and subsequently tipped when he fell over. He cursed the portkey, wondering if he'd ever get the landing down. He felt someone lift him to his feet, and turned to his father. His father gave him a small smile before collapsing in an armchair and breaking down in sobs.

"Dad?" Harry asked, cautiously approaching his father.

His father looked up, his face streaked with tears. "My Lily. She didn't come back with me, what am I supposed to do? I can't do this without her!"

Harry felt his happiness diminish and he sunk into the chair next to his father. "Why didn't she come back?"

His father sighed and stood. "Let's just leave it. She would come back to life and kill me, again, if I let this affect our future." His father faced him with a sad smile. "You look just like I did when I was your age, except-"

"-with my mother's eyes, yeah I've been told a lot." Harry finished for him.

"You'll be able to live with marauders…" His father stopped, the smile slipping off his face. "Peter." He put his face in his hands and let out a long, suffering sigh. "Why were you so stupid?" He muttered.

Harry snarled, his eyes flashing. "He betrayed us!"

His father looked at him sadly. "There's much more to the story, again, than meets the eye."

Harry snort. "Oh let me guess. He was actually betrayed by your fifth friend I've never been told about?"

His father sent him a look. "Watch it."

Harry fiddled with his glasses, abashed. "Er, right… sorry?"

His father sighed, again. "It's fine, the story goes as such. Peter was kidnapped after Hogwarts by Lucius Malfoy. They knew he was weak thanks to Snivellus."

His father stopped, scowling at the name, and continued. "They threatened his mother's life, if he didn't start spying for the order. Peter, being scared agreed. He took the dark mark to make it official."

His father looked Harry in the eye. "A reason I'll tell you in a few minutes sent us into hiding. We, obviously chose Peter for our secret keeper after persuasion from Sirius. Peter didn't run to Voldemort like everyone thought he would. Instead he kept it to himself for a year and a half, with no intention of ever telling Voldemort."

"Then why did he?" Harry inquired.

His father ran his hand across the back of his neck. "I'm getting to that. Anyways, Voldemort found out Peter knew, and he was tortured for a week. Finally Voldemort made him the final promise. If Peter would give him the secret, he would spare myself and your mother, and only take you. Peter, being so desperate, and so lost, wanted to save our lives told him right away."

James stopped, a dark look in his eyes. "If there's one thing I've seen in the afterlife, it's Peter's hate for you. He despises you with everything in him. He blames you for our death, reasoning if you were never born he wouldn't have been put in the situation he was. Anyways, Peter framed Sirius because he was scared of his and Dumbledore's wrath."

Harry abruptly stood up, gaping at his father. "You're, you're going to forgive him? If he was so,

why did he spend twelve years as a rat?"

His father let out a dry chuckle. "He found it easier to live with the grief as a rat, and no Harry, I will not forgive him. But I will not kill him. He made Sirius suffer twelve years, by an extent made you suffer by giving you no other relatives, do you think I would forgive that? What about Sirius?"

Harry shook his head, albeit reluctantly

"You need to understand Harry, he was one of my best friends, I can't hate him for what he did. He had the right intentions, just, the wrong reasons. I can forgive him for everything he has done, except giving your life away. That right there warrants crossing the line by far in my eyes. The real problem will be getting Sirius to see it as I do."

Harry snorted at that. "That's about as likely as the Chudley cannons winning the next season."

His father chuckled and was about to retort when the door to the office flew burst open, clattering against the wall.

Harry and his father jumped out of their chairs, wands ready. Harry lowered his slightly, seeing it was only Snape. His father however kept his high.

Snape stopped and looked up, he face draining of the little color it had in it. "Potter?!"

His father smirked. "What's wrong Snivellus? Seen a ghost?"

Snape whipped out his wand and pointed it at his James. He jerked his head in Harry's direction. "Potter! Get away from that."

His father's smirk widened. "Where else should I go,

?" He asked, popping the end. Snape's face twisted and he fired a red curse at James. A large cut appeared, covering his chest, cutting his robes open. James face instantly became a mask of fury. He flicked his wand out and Snape was jerked upward, hanging upside down. His wand clattering to the floor. It looked oddly reminiscent of the scene he had seen in the pensieve.

His father walked up to Snape each step like thunder in the earth. "Listen here,

Harry died tonight." Snape's eyes widened and flicked toward him. His father continued, oblivious to the man's reaction. "However, circumstances allowed him to bring me back, we." His voice cut out. "We don't know why Lily couldn't come but I'm back, as is Sirius." His father paused and looked at Snape. "You know Lily forgave you?"

Snape's mouth opened in shock. He looked at his father as if he was seeing him for the first time.

"She forgave you for calling her a mudblood. She was going to rekindle the friendship, or try to, but never had the chance due to the hurried pressure of war." Snape's eyes closed, a small smile settling on his face. James chuckled, a dark look on his face. "It's not that easy Snivellus. She forgave you for that. She could never forgive you for the way you're treating her sons."

Snape's eyes jerked toward his father, eyes widening slightly.

"If she were with us right now, you'd be in pieces." He paused, chuckling at the mental image. "I wouldn't go as far as to say she hates you. You're a bullying areshole so blinded by the past you can't see where you're taking your next steps. Despite all that, she still has a spot in her heart for you." His father stopped, studying Snape's face intently. "Now, since she's not here I'll take this pleasure for myself." His father pocket his wand and punched Snape in the face as hard as he could, twice. Snape's face snapped back, and his eyes rolled.

"That was not for out past you bastard. Those were for your treatment of our son, and your unhealthy obsession of my wife!" His father paused and then hit him again. "And that was for Neville! Even though he's not my godson he might as well be. That was from Lily, for your treatment of Neville! Soon his parents will be with him and god help you then. I remember Alice hated you."

His father flicked his wand again and Snape crumpled on the floor, his face a bloody mess. "Get out of here Snape, go heal and rethink your life. You're fighting for the good, but you are a terrible person. Readjust everything and one day when your pathetic life ends, you'll have a chance of friendship with Lily, and understand this! She. Is. Mine!" And with that his father blast Snape from the room and the door slammed shut behind him.

Harry heard soft clapping from behind and him and spun around to see Dumbledore standing in his full glory, Fawkes resting on his shoulder. "Severus has needed that for a while I fear. I love him like my own son, but he is too bitter for his own good."

James nodded, chuckling and pulled Harry back to a seat in front of the desk.

The headmaster walked around and sat down. "I would normally offer a lemon drop, but I fear now is not the time. Now, James. I heard you say something about Frank and Alice?"

His father glared at him. "Everyone is a complete idiot."

Dumbledore's bushy eyebrows rose at that statement. "Oh?"

His father sighed. "After they were taken in, Peter snuck in the hospital and put a stasis charm on their minds, it was wired into the healing process. It was rather advanced, but also simple."

Dumbledore's eyes widened. "A simple Finite Incantatem. But why would Pettigrew do it?"

James sighed again. "He wanted to kill Harry, but he knew he wouldn't be able to if he resided behind Longbottom wards. Not that he had any luck otherwise."

Harry's face lit in horror. "Neville suffered all these years because of me! He grew up never knowing his parents because Pettigrew wanted to hurt me."

His father grasped his shoulders and turned him so he faced the man. "It was bound to happen anyways! Peter did that so you wouldn't have had anywhere to go."

Harry sighed, shaking his head. "It wouldn't have mattered anyways, I was stuck at the Dursleys."

His father put his hand on his shoulder. "Actually Harry, it would have. Dumbledore had a deal with Alice, she was your godmother you see. You would stay at the Dursleys for a year, to give time for the clean up, then go and live with the Longbottoms."

Harry gaped at him. "How do you know all this?"

His father laughed. "I was dead kiddo."

Harry sighed. "Why not Remus then?"

"He was a werewolf, he would not have legally been able to. If Sirius was out, then he would have been able, I believe they would have shared a house again.

Harry smiled now. "Are we going to be like one large household now? You, myself, Remus, Sirius, and the Longbottoms?"

His father chuckled at that. "I would imagine that Frank would like his own place. I know Sirius won't let me out of his sight later. Remus too for a bit, but hopefully that pink haired devil will knock some sense into him."

Harry gaped at his father. "You mean Tonks?"

He got a dry look in return. "No I mean Snape."

Dumbledore laughed, "I believe Mrs. Tonks has been infatuated with Mr. Lupin for quite some time now."

Harry swallowed. "Professor Lupin and Tonks. That's an odd combo."

His father tightened his grip on his shoulder. "It's just Remus Harry, I know it hurts him that he's just 'Professor Lupin, when in a different life he would be Uncle Moony."

Harry looked up at his father, never seeing it like that. "I'll try."

His father smiled at him. "Brilliant. Now, Albus."

The headmaster looked at him, pushing a piece of parchment on his desk to the side. He met James gaze for a few seconds and looked away, the twinkle diming some.

Dumbledore sighed and nod at his father. "Harry, I confess I am not perfect. When you came here for the first time September first, 1991, you were not spoiled, a bit underfed, but you were alive and happy."

Dumbledore sighed, sinking into a chair behind his desk. "Four years ago, after the incident in the chamber with the stone. you asked me why Voldemort was after you. I did not tell you, feeling you were too young. The same occurred after the basilisk, and after the graveyard. I want to say I regret it, but seeing what it has brought, I honestly don't. It has brought four great people back to us. I believe it is the chance you and Mr. Longbottom have been waiting for. You want to know why Voldemort targeted you? I am afraid I will have to tell you to wait one more time my boy. I believe your father is best telling you that. Now, onto more serious matters, I am not sure how the minister…"

Dumbledore stopped. Harry looked bewildered as his godfathers voice rang out in the room. "Let me in you stupid bloody stone piece of shit before I blast you to bits!"

Dumbledore slowly stood,the twinkle returning full force. "I believe we will have to continue this conversation later. It seems Mr. Black wants to chat with us."

Father and son stood as the door burst open, revealing a distraught Sirius Black. "Jamie!" The man ran into the room and swept his father into a hug.

Harry looked at Dumbledore and the man smiled. "I believe some time alone will be best, do not worry Harry, you shall have plenty of time with him. Now, I believe you have some people waiting on you in the hospital wing."

Harry grinned at Dumbledore, and walked out of the office, in a quick pace toward the hospital wing. He opened the door, and before he could step in his scar flared up, sending pain into his skull of which he had never felt.

"Harry?!" He thought Ginny's voice rang out, followed by Neville and Ron.

a voice rang out, in his head. "No." He gasped out, his voice twisted. Suddenly, everything stopped, the pain, the noise, everything.

Harry Potter sat up, felt his head, cracked his neck, snapped open his eyes, except this time the vivid green he is associated with was gone, replaced by a deep shade of scarlet.