DISCLAIMER: This chapter was not written by me. Also, this story is based on characters and situations created by J.K. Rowling. No money is being made off this nor is copyright infringement intended.
Chapter 2 - J.K. Who?
Mrs. Potter looked down at the discarded book cover then her eyes traveled back up to the Marauders, "I hope that cover finds its way to the trash." Warily she eyed the boys as she waited for a response. Shaking her head, she tapped her foot and cleared her throat. Remus was the first to look up and he ribbed James who sent the message down to Sirius. When they all had focused on her again she asked, "Well?"
"It will! We promise." they all said at once
"Good..." she said stopping herself from adding anything more, "Uh..James, dear? Your friend Lily is in the kitchen waiting. She said that you and her were suppose to do some homework together." She turned her back and walked out saying as she left, "I'll send her up so you can discuss you homework."
"But what kind of homework? Is the million Galleon question." Sirius teased as his eyebrows wagged up and down.
"Sod off, Padfoot! I completely forgot that I was suppose to do some minor transfiguration work with her today." James' cheeks colored as the other Marauders closed in on him.
"I must say that a secret rendevous with a lady whom you have been speaking about since... what was it?" Remus said, putting his fingers on his forehead as if trying to concentrate hard.
"Fourth year!" yelled Peter as the excitement became too much for him
Sirius stared at Peter as if telling him to 'calm down' said, "Yes, and how can we forget her. As she has been tagging along with us, or should I say you, ever since sixth year. Even when she isn't around, you remind us about how wonderful, beautiful, talented and smart your Lily is."
"Just stuff it! I'll tell her we have to reschedule and then we can get on with reading the book." replied James in a tone of superiority.
"What book?" said a soft voice from the direction of the study doors.
A pretty young lady stood at the door her book bag slung over her shoulder and her head cocked to one side as she wore a questioning expression on her elegant face. James felt his heart melt as she strode up to the table and laid her bag down swishing her fiery red hair as she got back up. But to James all those features meant nothing as her emerald green eyes locked on his face with such warmth that he felt completely at ease.
Seeing his friend melt into a pile of love goo Sirius replied, "Some old ratty book that we found, nothing of importance really."
"Well, now that you said that, I really want to see the book!" walking over to Remus she looked at the cover and sighed, "Ha, all I see is a book about an inflated ego that needs to be popped!"
Snapping out of his daze James face fell as he heard her words and said tersely, "Well then how about you leave, and we'll reschedule this lesson til sometime later?"
"I'm interested now, and I want to see what the book is about. Besides you can't make me leave since I told your mother that I would be here until dinner."
James sat in his chair and sulked as Remus opened the book, "If you don't mind I think I would like to start reading."
"One question. Whose the author?" said Sirius, when Remus looked at the cover.
"J.K. Rowling." Remus stated as if it was a known fact that she was the creator of the magical books.
"J.K. who?" said Peter as he peered over Remus' shoulder
"J.K. huh? I wonder what she looks like" said Sirius thinking out loud, "She's probably a dishy blonde with really long legs."
"Oh, please! With your luck she's probably a middle-aged mum of three with a husband." stated Lily, as snickers erupted from Sirius' friends.
"Can I read or are we to continue this pointless conversation?" Remus said with an edge of annoyance creeping into his voice.
"Go on then!" was Sirius terse reply
Chapter 1 - The Boy Who Lived
Mr and Mrs. Dursley of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious because they just didn't hold with such nonsense.
"Normal! They sound about as normal as a three headed dog." Sirius said as he stared at the book, "Besides I though this was about Harry Potter not some muggles..."
"If you would let me read maybe well find out more." Remus interjected.
"I love the little picture of the baby! He's so cute!" Lily cooed as she took a seat by Remus.
Remus noticed that James was giving him a very strange look as he started to read again and he couldn't help but shift uneasily in his seat.
Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which mad drills. He was a big beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large mustache. Mrs. Dursley was thin and blond and had nearly twice the amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbors.
"Hold on!" Lily spoke out with a look of confusion etched on her face, "This book just described my sister and her boyfriend to a tee."
"Ha, your sister is going out with the equivalent of a human beach ball" James snorted as Sirius fed into it.
"Well it would seem that they're a match seeing as she is enough neck for two people." he laughed
Lily turned around and said "Oh , grow up!" she stopped talking as if her thoughts switched tracks, "But now that you mention it she does spy on me and all of my muggle friends. Just so she can act better than me or get me into trouble."
"Can I keep reading now?" Asked Remus who stood was silent through the whole speech, as did Peter watching the exchange.
The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere.
"Okay, even for me, that way too conceded!" James said as all of the Marauders looked at James in surprise. He turned his head in Lily's direction and found her wearing a very wicked smile, "Uh I mean..what I mean is.."
"So..." Lily said with a hint of sweet victory accentuating her voice, "What you are saying is that you are a conceded fat head, and you finally realized it?
James had enough of her taunts and said very angrily, "Well if you'd take your 'holier-than-thou-attitude' and store it away for a day, maybe you would see that I'm not who I was two years ago!"
The room went quiet as shock registered on Lily's face, but is was Peter who suggested, "Hey, Remus why don't you continue reading!"
"Yeah, I'll do that." Remus said as his eye twinkled merrily very briefly.
The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it.
They didn't think they could bear it if any one found out about the Potters. Mrs, Potter was Mrs. Dursley's sister, but
"Why would I want to know these Dursleys any way!" James spat out, until the realization hit him and he looked over to, "Unless..."
Lily must have realized it earlier as she had become very pensive and withdrawn, but when she heard James putting two and two together she said, "Not in a million years, Potter! Besides they haven't mentioned the first names so don't get your hopes up."
James smiled and bowed deeply, "Ah but according to the book I won't have to wait that long."
Sirius looked at the two and sighed, "Jeez, get a grip mate. It's only a book!"
James felt that his smile might have to be remove surgically if he felt any happier. "My question is why are they so afraid of the Potters?" ask Peter, whose head rested on the table trying to keep track of all this information.
"That's a dumb question! Are you a Marauder or not?" Sirius berated Peter, "James here is a prankster at heart, and I bet they just don't see eye to eye with them, right Moony?"
Remus tilted his head as he thought, "Well it's logical, just not probable, but it could be they don't like the Potters because of something they did." he picked up the book reading out loud as everyone quieted down to catch more.
they hadn't met for several years in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister, because her sister and her good-for-nothing-husband were as unDursleyish as it was possible to be.
"GOOD-FOR-NOTHING?! I'll give them 'good-for-nothing'" James yelled and shot up out of his chair.
Calmly, Remus looked up at his irate friend and said, "James, remember it's a book. There is no one around to do anything to." Remus could help but chuckle as James whose normally messy hair was now standing on end as if his anger bristled it.
"I really hope this book stops talking about these people, cause I'm getting bored." Said Sirius in a lazy voice.
The Marauders all looked at each other and looked worried, seeing this Lily asked Peter, "What's wrong with him being bored?"
"Nothing, it just that...well when Sirius get bored all sorts of mischief seems to follow."
"Read on!" they all commanded Remus who found his place and read...
The Dursley shuddered to think what the neighbors would say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursleys knew that the potters had a small son, too, but they had never seen him. This boy was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that.
"Who cares what you think you egocentric wind bags!" yelled Lily as the boys stared at her, "Sorry."
"I agree with Lils. I don't think that anyone in my family would want to even go near people like them. Let alone have their son intermingle with them." Lily looked up James whose expression was that of disgust.
"My name is Lily, James." correcting him.
"Okay, Lil!" James answered happily when she threw him a venomous glare.
Peter then blurted out, "Personally I would shutter if those people show up in my neighborhood!"
"Here, here!" exclaimed the Marauders.
"Read on O' Sultan of Study" said Sirius as Remus nodded
When Mr. and Mrs. Dursley woke up on the dull, gray Tuesday our story starts,
Making a noise like buzzer James said, "Oh sorry but that's totally wrong. The answer is 'the story had already started'!"
Everyone stared at James in confusion, "Oh, like you weren't thinking that!" James snapped as they each let out a low chuckle.
"Continuing on." Remus stated
there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country. Mr. Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for work, and Mrs. Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming Dudley into his high chair.
Non of the noticed a large, tawny owl flutter past the window.
"'Bout flipping time!" Sirius said has he jumped up on the table and laid down, his hand supporting his head like a pillow.
"Watch you mouth" Lily said sternly
"Yes, mother." Sirius replied sarcastically
"Cut it out you two!" said James who was on the edge of his seat and rearing to hear more.
Remus continued his reading of the book as everyone gathered around.
At half past eight, Mr. Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs. Dursley on the cheek , and tried to kiss Dudley good-bye but missed, because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls. "Little tyke," chortled Mr. Dursley as he left the house. He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive.
Remus stopped and looked around waiting for some one to interrupt his reading.
"Why did you stop reading?" Peter asked
"Well to tell you the truth I thought someone was going to interrupt me." Remus honestly replied.
"Well, we're not! So keep going." Lily stated as she put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
Remus saw James' face twitch and his hand firmly grasp his wand while staring at where Lily's hand. Wisely he shrugged off her hand and continued the story.
It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of something peculiar– a cat reading a map.
"What? Cats can't read maps?" Sirius said interrupting the story, "Why?" was his next question, but when unanswered as they all glared hard at him.
Peter spoke up, "Didn't you pass Muggle Studies? Muggle cats aren't intelligent enough to read a map, let alone carry one."
"Okay, moving on." said James a he motioned to Remus
For a second, Mr. Dursley didn't realize what he had seen– then he jerked his head around to look again. These was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet Drive, but there wasn't a map in sight. What could he have been thinking of? It must have been a trick of the light . Mr. Dursley blinked and stared at the cat. It stared back . As Mr. Dursley drove around the corner and up the road he watched the cat in his mirror It was now reading the sign; cats couldn't read maps or signs. Mr. Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind. As he drove toward town he though of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day.
"Okay, for a man who thinks that he's the epitome of 'normalcy' he sure notices a lot more magical things than other muggles do!" said Remus with a bit of frustration.
"Plus it doesn't help that the man is a great simpering git!" said James who had obviously taken to hating the Dursleys.
"Hey, whoa! Let's continue and see what happens, cause now I'm interested!" Sirius exclaimed jovially.
"I second that motion. So here we go." Remus mused
But on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something else.
"Focus you great lump! Focus! How are you ever expecting to make money if you can't focus," Peter said in a very accurate impersonation of their Professor of artificing, Professor Gattagan.
The whole lot of them laughed and Sirius patted Peter on his back saying, "Good one Wormtail, you almost had me jumping out of my skin with that one!"
However, James and Remus looked guarded at Lily when she cleared her throat and said, "Why did you call Peter 'Wormtail'?
Sirius recovered beautifully, "Well, old Peter here had a pet gerbil that kinda looked suspiciously like a rat. So we dubbed the little ball of fluff Wormtail, and after he died..." Sirius waited to see Lily's eyes look down, "...we often refer to Peter by that name as homage to it. You don't mind, do you Peter?"
"'Course not." Peter said struggling to keep a straight face.
All Lily could manage was "Oh, sorry for asking."
"Shall we? O' God of Grades!" James laughed as he swished his hand towards Remus.
"And don't you forget it!" a smiling Remus replied as he took up the book again.
As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help notice that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People in cloaks. Mr. Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed in funny clothes — the getups you saw on young people! He supposed this was some stupid new fashion.
"Sheesh! This guys really dense. THEY'RE WIZARDS YOU PRAT!" Sirius yelled at the book, but unfortunately all he accomplished was to annoy Remus.
Smacking Sirius and emphasizing each word with a hit of the book Remus said through his teeth, "DON"T...YELL...AT...ME!"
Holding up his hand at the assault all Sirius could say was, "Okay, okay stop! Ouch!
"Come on you two stop fighting and continue with the story!" Lily pleaded and Remus started up the story again.
He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eye fell on a huddle of these weirdos standing quite close by. They were whispering excitedly together. Mr. Dursley was enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all; why, that man had to be older than her was, and wearing an emerald-green cloak!
"I like that old chaps taste in color!" said James as a dreamy expression came across his face.
"You would!" said Sirius, as he couldn't bare to see his best friend become so entwined in just one girl, who never even gave him the time of day.
Lily was pointing her finger at her open mouth and made retching movements as Peter and Remus both snickered.
"Now where was I? Oh yeah..." Remus continued
The nerve of him! But then it struck Mr. Dursley that this was probably some silly stunt — these people were obviously collecting for something...yes, that would be it. The traffic moved on and a few minutes later, Mr. Dursley arrived in Grunnings parking lot, his mind back on drills.
"Wow! He must have one screwy mind!" Lily said, but all that met her was silence as the boys looked at her with a mixture of confusion and shock. "Oh sod off! All of you! That was funny!"
The Marauders looked at each other for a silent moment and Remus was the one to break the quiet, "Did Lily Evans just crack a joke and then turn around swear at us?"
Sirius jumped off the table, that he was currently using as a bed, placing his hand on the ground saying, "Naw, Old Nick's fire is still hot! So we can safely say that the world isn't going to end!"
A book came huddling out of no where to smack Sirius face, his eyes darkened as he grabbed his wand. However, James was faster and yelled, "Expelliarmus!" knocking Sirius' wand out of its owners hand.
"Sorry mate, but we just got this study cleaned up." James said at Sirius' look of intense dislike.
"Let's go on, okay?" offered Remus
Mr. Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his office an the ninth floor. If he hadn't, he might have found it harder to concentrate on drills that morning. He didn't see the owls swooping past in broad daylight, though people sown in the street did; they pointer and gazed open-mouthed as owl after owl sped overhead. Most of them had never seen an owl even at nighttime. Mr. Dursley, however, had a perfectly normal, owl-free morning. He yelled at five different people. He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more. He was in a very good mood until lunchtime, when he though he'd stretch his legs and walk across the road to buy himself a bun from the bakery.
"Doesn't take much to make this tosser happy does it?" Remus said as he adopted James' dislike for the man in the story.
"Yeah, and some how I don't think he would walk across the street for just one bun. If you get my drift." Peter added as everyone in the study nodded in approval
He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the baker's. he eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy. This bunch were whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin. It was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in a bag, that he caught a few words of what they were saying.
"The Potters, that's right. That's what I heard —"
"— yes, their son Harry —"
Almost casually Lily said, "Harry's a nice name for a child."
James' eyebrows rose on his forehead as he slyly uttered, "Really?"
"All I what to know is what James' family did and also why this Harry kid is so special!" Sirius said with his annoyance clearly stated in his voice. "Continue O' King of Concentration!"
"I'm getting tired of reading why doesn't someone else take up reading for a bit?" Remus asked as he rubbed his throat.
"I'll do it!" Lily answered as she opened the book and continued from where they left off.
Mr. Dursley stopped dead. Fear flooded him. He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it.
He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his office , snapped at his secretary not to disturb him, seized his telephone, and had almost finished dialing his home number when he changed his mind. He put the receiver back down and stroked his mustache, thinking... no, he was being stupid. Potter wasn't such an unusual name. He was sure there were lots of people called potter who had a son called Harry.
At that moment the Marauders all showed an excellent example of mind reading as they all shook each others hand and said in unison, "Ah, Mr. Potter long time no see! How's you son Harry?"
Lily giggled at there act, "You boys are too much!"
James beamed at the compliment and sat down next to Lily. She gave him a look of suspicion but for once held her tongue as she continued the book.
Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure his nephew was called Harry. He'd never even seen the boy. It might have been Harvey. Or Harold. There was just no point in worrying Mrs. Dursley; she always got so upset at any mention of her sister. He didn't blame her — if He'd had a sister like that...but all the same, those people in cloaks...
He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon and when he left the building at five o' clock, he was still so worried that he walked straight into someone just outside the door.
"Sorry," the grunted, as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell. It was a few second before Mr. Dursley realized that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didn't seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passersby stare, "Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today!"
Lily stood opened mouth and paled at she read the next few lines. The Marauders, concerned that she might be sick in unison asked, "What's wrong?"
Regaining her composure she said, "Hold on to your knickers! This one's a doozy."
"Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like your self should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!"
All the air in the room seemed to disappear as the four Marauders all held their breath, time seemed to slow and seconds felt like hours and the group of people digested what this book was saying. Suddenly, it was Peter who spoke up, "Bu...But it can't be You-Know-Who, can it?"
Sirius was grinning from ear to ear as if he had tasted something sweeter that anyone could imagine as he looked down to Peter, "Who else could it be? I don't know of any one else that the whole wizarding community would be happy to see destroyed than Voldemort!"
Lily and Peter both shook visible when Sirius uttered his name, "Besides, who else is called 'You-Know-Who'?" Remus stated, as James and Sirius had jumped together on top of the table and did and unholy dance while chanting "The big fat head is dead"
Peter looked pale and Lily sounded skeptical and angry as she said, "Stop it! This is only a book and has nothing to do with now! You-Know-Who is still alive and hasn't been killed. So just cut it out."
Sirius looked at Lily as his face became serious, "Evans calm down. If it is just a book then why does it talk about Voldemort dying? Think about it! Who who'd dare write something like this now? I say it has to be talking about the future and its looking bright!" emphasizing this he strolled to a chair and kick back in it.
James gave Lily a look of concern as Remus said, "Let's just keep reading and see what happens, hmm?"
Lily lifted the book with shaky hands and steadied herself to read on.
And the old man hugged Mr. Dursley around the middle and walked off..
Mr. Dursley stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that was. He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set off for home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn't approve of imagination.
As he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw — and it didn't improve his mood — was the tabby cat he'd spotted that morning. It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the same one; it had the same markings around its eyes.
"PROFESSOR McGONAGALL!?" all four boy shouted in surprise causing Lily to almost tumble out of her chair.
Grabbing the cloth over her heart she yelled back, "DON"T DO THAT!"
James picked up the book where Lily had dropped it and looked at the passage again, "Sure is, that's McGonagall aright!"
"What does it mean?" Peter asked in a frightened voice
"Well it means that this book is slowly starting to look like it foretelling the future." Remus quietly replied, while Sirius nodded.
"Sorry about the scare Lils. Here's the book please keep reading." James handed the book over to Lily, and as if seeing James for the first time, she noticed that he was being rather nice to her.
"Thanks James." Lily managed to say as she read again.
"Shoo!" said Mr. Dursley loudly
"Yeah, like that going to work!" Sirius interrupted as he let out a bark like laugh. "What?" asked Sirius as the others stared him down.
Lily continued as Sirius sat back down in his seat.
The cat didn't move. It just gave him a stern look. Was this normal cat behavior? Mr. Dursley wondered. Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his wife.
Mrs. Dursley had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mrs. Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learned a new word ("Won't"). Mr. Dursley tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living room in time to catch the last report on the evening news :
"And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nations's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changer their sleeping pattern." The news caster allowed himself a grim. "Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be anymore showers of owls tonight, Jim?"
"Well of course there are billions of owls running a muck, I think I would send up some fireworks if the old codger had kicked the bucket." Sirius explained to the others.
"I don't know.." Remus thought out loud.
"Oh Moo..." Sirius said as Lily's head turn toward him with a expression on suspicion showing clearly as she tried to listen in, but Sirius recovered again, "...ma...uh...Remus don't give me that 'I don't know' bollocks, you'd be partying hard with us, just admit it!"
Smiling to himself Remus agreed, "Yeah, I guess you're right."
"That's the spirit!" said James as the three all grinned at each other.
Ignoring them Lily started again this time hoping to get through more than one paragraph.
"Well, Ted," said the weatherman, " I don't know about that. But it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far as Kent, Yorkshire, and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain that I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars!
"Hey! No fair that was my idea! I call copyright infringement!" Sirius yelled
"I didn't even think you knew what infringement meant, let alone use it in a sentence!" Remus said in an all too serious manner.
"I resent that remark! Just because I prefer the simplistic pleasures in life, and I don't use my vast vocabulary to utter five syllable words in every sentence that departs my oratory orifice. Doesn't mean that I am an less intelligent that any of you!" Sirius waited then added "That being said. You can all sod off!"
James was the only person in the room whose mouth wasn't hanging open like a fish out of water, as he was too busy rolling on the floor with laughter.
Lily regained her composure and started to read again, while also thinking to herself. She had never gave herself a chance to really know the Marauders, even though she had been hanging out with them ever since sixth year, and now as she stood before them — listening to their witty banter and witnessing their camaraderie — she found that they were very interesting people. She also found them growing on her as they read through this strange book, that seemed to give her a sense of worry. However, she put those thoughts to the back of her mind as she read.
Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early — it's not until next week folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight."
Mr. Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain? Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place? And whisper, a whisper about the Potters...
Mrs. Dursley came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good. He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously. "Er — Petunia,
"What now?" Sirius said as for the second time since she read Lily stopped reading and went even whiter than normal, if that was even possible.
"Lils are you okay?" asked James
"P...Pe..Petunia!" Lily stuttered "That's...that's the name of my older sister!"
A wicked grin spread across James' face as everything slipped into place, "YES!" James cried out as he jumped up on the table and started to do a little dance that involved thrusting his groin into the empty air while saying "If you want my body, and you think I'm sexy. Come on baby let me know!"
Lily sat quietly throwing a dangerous glare at James and softly said, "Not if you were the last man on the face of the planet."
"That's okay, cause the books says that we are going to be meant for each other!" James smirked, "I guess you fell for my rugged good looks and dazzling smile."
"Ooooo! That's why I can't stand you Potter, you're so narcissistic" Lily growled, "You make me so angry!"
"But you're so cute when your angry! You face gets all red and you pout your lip..." James said ticking off his fingers on his right hand.
"Did you even stop to think that I may have married a cousin of yours?" Lily said and watched as James' bluster washed away as he lapsed in to thought.
"Okay Lily, I've got a bet for you." James said rubbing his hands together
"I don't gamble." replied Lily tersely
"No gambling, just a friendly wager." James drawled as he looked into her eyes.
"Okay." Lily said slowly , "But what are the terms?"
"If the book says that we are married , then you have to stop making fun of me. That's all I ask." James stated
"And if we aren't married then you have to be less arrogant and self-centered, plus you can't call me 'Lils' anymore!" Lily saw James expression become like stone at the mentioning that he would no longer be able to call her by his made up nickname.
"Deal!" James said finally, "Now read on! Before I lose my nerve!"
dear — you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?"
As he expected, Mrs. Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sister.
"That stupid cow still hasn't forgiven me for being a witch? Incredible! No wonder her life is so boring." she yelled as Lily ranted on.
Remus then said between one of her breaths, "Do you think we can continue?"
"Uh, yeah sure," Lily said dropping into her chair and reading out loud.
"No," she said sharply. "Why?"
"Funny stuff on the news," Mr. Dursley mumbled. "Owls...shooting stars...and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today..."
"So?" snapped Mrs. Dursley
"Well, I just thought...maybe...it was something to do with...you know...her crowd."
Mrs. Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips. Mr. Dursley wondered whether he dare tell her he'd heard the name "Potter." he decided he didn't dare. Instead he said, as casually as he could. "Their son — he'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?"
"I suppose so," said Mrs. Dursley stiffly.
"What's his name again? Howard, isn't it?"
"Harry. Nasty common name, if you asked me."
"Hey whoa! How 'bout we put the book down for a moment" Remus said as Lily's started to try to rip the book in half and James had to rescue it from her clutches.
"I think I'll continue from here!" James said.
"Dumb hag! Dudley is a perfectly uncommon name, yeah for a walrus!" her face was still but her eye were alight with anger.
Peter snickered briefly before the other Marauders stared him down, "Sorry?"
James got back on track as he started where Lily left off.
"Oh, yes," said Mr. Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. "Yes, I quite agree."
He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed. While Mrs. Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr. Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there. It was staring down Privet Drive as though it were waiting for something.
Was he imagining things? Could all this have anything to do with the Potters? If it did... if it got out that they were related to a pair of — well, he didn't think he could bear it.
The Dursleys got into bed. Mrs. Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr. Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters were involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs. Dursley. The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about them and their kind...He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on — he yawned and turned over — it couldn't affect them
How very wrong he was.
Mr. Dursley might have been drifting into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness. It was sitting as still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed on the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all.
"I'm telling you! You don't spend two months of detention consecutively and not notice what this book is talking about. If that cat isn't McGonagall then I'll eat my shoe!" Sirius said
"Deal!" said the remaining Marauders and Lily
"Buncha' friends you are! That was suppose to be rhetorical!" Sirius said as he picked up his shoe from the floor and placed it on the table. "Keep readin'."
A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have though he'd just popped out of the ground.
"The plot thickens!" Remus said in an excited voice
The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed.
Nothing like this man had ever been seen on Privet Drive. He was tall, thin, and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt.
"Dumbledore!?" exclaimed everyone with a mix of surprise and cynicism.
"Keep going James!" Lily said as she teetered on the edge of her seat.
He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak that swept the ground, and high-heeled, buckled books. His eye were light, bright, and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice.
"You know, I always wondered the same thing." said Peter in an off handed way.
"Well here's a thought, next time you see him, how about you ask him?" said James in steely tones as he almost immediately went back to reading.
This man's name was Albus Dumbledore.
Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realize that he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome. He was busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to realize he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat, which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and muttered, "I should have known."
"Ha!" cried Sirius, "See! He even knows it's McGonagall!"
"We don't know that." stated Remus as Sirius stared at his shoe and grumbled.
Ignoring Sirius grumbles James continued the book.
He found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter. He flicked it open, held it up in the air, and clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop.
"Whoa! I want one." Sirius and James both said with identical looks of deviousness imprinted on their face.
Even Remus had a dreamy look as he contemplated what they could do with a device such as that, "No more running from Filch and that flea bitten cat!"
"Lily to prats! This is just a book!" she explained
"Oi! You had to go and mess up a perfectly good daydream, didn't you?" Peter said as he even had his own dreamy thoughts dashed to pieces.
Lily shrugged indifferently and James continued on.
He clicked it again — the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer,
"Ha, ha! Put-Outer, silly name! No, really. What's the name of the item?" laughed Remus
When James gave him the look that meant 'no-that's-it's-real-name' Remus replied, "Oh."
until the only lights left on the whole street were two pinpricks in the distance, which wee the eyes of the cat watching him. If anyone looked out of their window now, even beady-eyes Mrs. Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street toward number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it.
"Fancy seeing you here, Professor Mc Gonagall."
Sirius erupted into a series of maniacal sounding laughs as he screamed at the top of his lungs, "I TOLD YOU! I TOLD YOU! BUT WOULD YOU LISTEN NOOOOO!" He then got to his feet and started to do his 'dance of joy', which oddly enough became a 'jig of joy'.
"How could have you known? There are several register cat animagus'. I think you just got lucky!" said Lily nonchalantly as Sirius balked.
"All I can say is that even when she's a cat she's stiff." replied Sirius
James, and the others, stared at Sirius in confusion. "What?" Sirius asked as the stares made him feel uncomfortable.
Reading on James found his place and continued
He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather sever-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled.
"So even in the future she hasn't changed a bit?" said Remus
"Hey, I was wondering if those markings would change if she got a new pair of glasses?" Peter asked.
"I don't know much about Animagus transformation, but I wouldn't think so because her animal shape never takes on any other property of her clothing." Lily reassured Peter
"Keep going James, pay no attention to the study hall corner!" Sirius chuckled
"Right o'!" was the reply from James as he pressed on.
"How did you know it was me?" she asked.
"My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly."
"See I told you she was stiff when she's a cat! God you people would be lost without me!" Sirius rattled on until a cushion smacked into his head, "Hm, well at least it isn't a book."
"Please continue O' Lord of Lewdness" murmured Peter to James
"I'm not that bad!" James argued
"Too right you are!" Sirius and Remus both said.
"You're just trying to make me look bad in front of Lils!" James said as he looked pleadingly towards her but found that she was blushing and finding something very interesting with the floor. "Where were we..."
"You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day." Said Professor McGonagall
"All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here."
Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily
"Oh, yes, everyone's celebrating, all right," she said impatiently. "You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no — even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news." She jerked her head at the Dursley' dark living -room window. "I heard it. Flocks of owls...shooting stars...Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to noticed something. Shooting stars down in Kent — I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle he never had much sense."
"You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years."
"Wait eleven years," Peter said as he tried to do the math in his head. "So that means we still have..."
"Who cares!" yelled James who's eyes were angry at the mention of anything connected to the Dark Lord. "He died in the story and that's all I care about!"
Everyone went quiet as James started to read, but not because they wanted to listen but because they felt for James. He had lost several close family members, even his older brother, to several Dark Wizards and his hatred for them ran deep.
"I know that ," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in muggle clothes, swapping rumors."
She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on. "A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really has gone, Dumbledore?"
"It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore. "We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a lemon drop."
"A what?"
"Ha, just like him." Lily said as she sounded like she was on the verge of tears, "He always throws something zany at you to lighten the mood."
Sensing the quiet Lily looked up to see the others giving her worried stares. She collected herself and said "I'm alright just the thought of no more 'You-Know-Who' makes me really happy. James, please keep going."
"Okay." he said as he cast a worried glance over to her.
"A lemon drop. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of."
"No, thank you," said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for lemon drops. "As I say, even if You-Know-Who has gone — "
"My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this 'You-Know-Who' nonsense — for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: Voldemort."
"Tut! That's what me, James and Remus have been trying to tell people but do they listen!?" Sirius stared at Peter and Lily as they both shivered visibly when they heard the name spoken out loud.
Ignoring the others James continued on.
Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore, who was unsticking two lemon drops, seemed not to notice. "It all gets so confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who.' I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name."
"I know you haven't," said professor McGonagall, sounding half exasperated, half admiring. "But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know-oh, all right, Voldemort, was frightened of."
"Hey wait! Did Dumbledore just get McGonagall to say Voldemort? Remus said in a stunned voice.
"By jove! I think he did Watson! Brilliant, that man is!" James said to Sirius as he started to read once more, not giving anyone time to reply.
"You flatter me," said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will never have."
"Only because you're too — well — noble to use them."
"It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs."
Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at dumbledore and said "the owls are nothing next to the rumors that are flying around. You know what everyone's saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?"
It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold, hard wall all day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was plain that whatever "everyone" was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore however, was choosing another lemon drop and did not answer.
What they're saying," she pressed on,
However, everyone was snapped out of their anxious revery as James threw the book across the study as it landed in a heap on the floor. Hands shaking he raised his right hand and started to bite his index finger nail.
The other Marauders saw this and knew what it meant. James never bit his nails unless something terrible had happened. The night his brother died James stood in front of them biting his nails and trying to explain his brothers death. It took him several months for him to stop biting his nails and even then he bites them when something he can't handle is about to happen.
Without warning James got up and started to pace the study. Lily was worried. She had never seen this side of James before, he looked distraught and confused. "James?" she called and he turned towards them.
"Are we alright mate?" Sirius asked as he put his arm around his surrogate brother, trying to comfort him from something that he didn't think he wanted to know.
"Yeah." James grinned but his eyes show everything and they said 'something is not right'.
Remus had know James for almost seven years now, and he still couldn't fathom where he got all his inner strength from. Even now Remus could see that James wanted to shout out and scream but he kept it in check.
Walking over to the book Remus said "I'll read! I feel a second wind coming on."
Opening the book to where James had stopped he started to read.
"is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumor is that Lily and James Potter are — are — that they're — dead."
As silent as the grave was an expression that fix the situation perfectly at the moment. Lily looked faint, James was still biting his fingernails and Sirius, Remus and Peter were looking at each other in shock.
"But it's just a book. Its just a bloody book!" Sirius repeated as Remus shook his head.
"No, the coincidences that the book has pointed out have pretty much identified this as the near future if not a possible future." Remus calmly stated.
"That doesn't flipping mean bloody squat! James, go on, tell him. You're not going to die! James!" Sirius yelled at James, but his closest thing to a brother just stood there and shook his head.
The next think they heard was Peter voice, "Guys? I don't think Lils is looking too good," he said before a retching sound accompanied by a wet splattering met their ears.
"I'll get that." Said Remus as he took out his wand and said, "Scourgify." as a puff of smoke settled over the mess the dissipated leaving a cleaned surface. Remus then used the same spell on Lily which cleaned her up nicely.
Still shaken Lily looked at James and smiled saying, "Well I guess you won, huh?"
Hearing that, James first looked incredulously at Lily then bursted out laughing as he said half-heartedly, "Yeah, pity you only get to have me for such a short time!"
"Look mate. I won't let you die! They'll have to come through me to get to you!" Sirius said as both his hands rested on each of James shoulders.
Remus move silently next to Sirius and added, "Me too!"
"I'm with them" said Peter in a small voice as his eyes looked a little glazed over.
Regaining a little glimmer of himself back James said as he shot a sideways glance towards Lily, "Now, what is this I hear about a son?"
Rolling her eyes and blushing Lily said, "Oh, grow up and get your mind out of the gutter!"
But it was too late as the others sent out several catcalls and whistles as James beamed at her, "James Potter, your going to have to be less of an arrogant berk if we are to get married."
Eyebrows shooting up into his hairline James took his opportunity to strike, "So, your saying that's it's more than a possibility that we could get married?"
Lily turned her head and said nothing as she waited patently for James to stop the 'Dance of Joy' and for Remus to start reading again.
Remus sat back down and continued on...
Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor Mc Gonagall gasped.
"Lily and James... I can't believe it...I didn't want to believe it...Oh, Albus..."
"I guess she really does like me." James said in surprise.
Letting out a sigh of exasperation, "Of course she likes you...actually 'all of you'," she corrected herself , "or you would have all been expelled a long time ago!"
"Huh, didn't know that. I always though that she just liked giving us detentions." Peter said with a hint of confusion.
"Can we just go on?" Lily asked as the rest nodded.
Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "I know... I know..." he said heavily
Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. "That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potter's son, Harry. But — he couldn't. He couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke — and that's why he's gone."
Stunned silence was getting to become a normal everyday thing in the study at James' house.
James spoke first breaking that silence, "My son defeated Voldemort with out even rasing a hand." grinning proudly he continued by saying, "Now that's power!"
"That ruddy bastard was going to kill a baby," Sirius made a sound of disgust, "Serves him right to be destroyed."
"I hate to be the bearer of bad news," said Peter "But it doesn't say He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was killed. It just says that he's gone."
"Peter? What's wrong with you! I never thought that you would want him to stay around!" said Remus as his eyes narrowing dangerously
"Wait, no! I mean, I want all the facts before I'm going to dash off in celebration." Peter said twitting his thumbs and looking serious.
Lily spoke up almost as an after thought, "If Harry is our son, then who's going to raise him if we're not around?"
Instantly Remus and Sirius spoke up as one, "We will!"
"Heaven help me!" said Lily as she put her head in one of her hand while the other waved Remus on, "Please continue the story."
Dumbledore nodded glumly.
"It's — it's true?" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's done...all the people he's killed... he couldn't kill a little boy? It's just astounding...of all the things to stop him... but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?"
"We can only guess," said Dumbledore. "We may never know."
Professor McGonagall pulled out a laced handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was very odd watch. It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge. It must have made sense to dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, "Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?"
"Hagrid? Why is he going to be there?" asked a confused James.
"I don't know, but I want a watch like Dumbledore's!" Sirius said was a mischievous grin on his face.
Taking a page from James' book Remus continued on ignoring everyone's talk.
"Yes" said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me why you're here, of all places?"
"I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now."
"WHAT!" screamed Lily, James, and Sirius as they all slammed the table so had that several book flew off it.
"Where the bloody hell am I in this? Did I die too?" Sirius said as he paced around the table.
"I'm going to have to talk with Dumbledore about my sister and her hatred of anything connected to me." Lily said then she stopped as if thinking of something entirely new, "Oh my..if he lives with her she probably never allow him to become a wizard!"
"WHAT?! A POTTER NOT A WIZARD! I THINK NOT!" yelled James. As he calmed down he said, "Me and Dumbledore, we'll be having a nice long chat about how my son is to be treated if I or my wife are not around."
"Hey Remy! Where are you in all this?" asked Sirius.
"Probably reading my lunar calendars." Remus said softly so only Sirius heard. Looking ashamed Sirius was about to say something when Remus interrupted him, "Shall we continue?"
"You don't mean — you can't mean the people who live here?" cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four. "Dumbledore — you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son — I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. Harry Potter come and live here!"
"It's the best place for him," said Dumbledore firmly. "His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've written them a letter."
"You know," said Lily in a condescending voice. "For being so wise he sure can be really stupid at times!"
"Well at least McGonagall's got her head on straight. A letter, ha! I bet they throw out the letter and give my son to an orphanage!" James replied sarcastically.
"Hello! Hopefully we are still around, and we'll come to the rescue before ol' Albus here has a chance to hand the kid over." Sirius said smiling.
"A letter?" repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand him! He'll be famous — a legend — I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry potter day in the future — there will be books written about Harry — every child in our world will know his name!"
With a stunned expression James rambled on, "You know? I never though of that! I wonder if I can get a magical patent on the name Harry Potter?" As soon as he saw Lily's eye go wide with indignation he said, "So that he'll have money when we're not their! I mean the Dursleys are definitely not going to give him more that is required."
"I guess so, but I still feel like we're resigning ourselves to an early death." Lily puckered her mouth as she thought.
"Well, look at the fact that your son is going to be a famous legend overnight." said Remus.
"Yeah! It took us a rough five years before we became legendary in Hogwarts." said Sirius, as he unwrapped a bar of chocolate that he had stowed away.
Remus continued without provocation
"Exactly," said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any boys head. Famous before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he won't even remember! Can't you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it?"
All the teen were quiet as their thoughts went racing through the mishmash of information that was being thrown at them. James ruffled his hair and spoke slowly, "But this is my son and he won't let the fame get to his head."
Lily giggled softly, "Yeah but that's only because he'll have my even head." James gave her a sour look and stuck his tongue out.
Even Remus and Sirius found a bit of truth in what Dumbledore said, but Sirius still said, "But he still doesn't have to be with those damn Muggles!"
"Yeah wouldn't the Deatheaters want to seek revenge on little Harry for Voldemort's supposed destruction?" Peter asked in a pensive voice.
James eyes showed fear, "I never thought of that." his voice shook. "And the Dursleys would never be able to protect him."
Flying into a intense mood James grinded out, "Dumbledore, you prat! Your going to get my kid killed!"
"Read on!" said Lily as he knuckles shown white where she was gripping the table.
Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallow, and then said, "Yes — yes, you're right, of course. But how is the boy getting here, Dumbledore?" She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Harry underneath it.
"Eeww!" cried Lily. "That's just gross!"
"Hagrid's bringing him."
"You think it — wise — to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?
"Hey! Hagrid's not bad, he's just eccentric! He would never knowingly hurt a hair on anyone's head, let alone a small child!" huffed Remus, to the surprise of the others. After he calmed down he went on.
"I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Dumbledore.
"I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," said Professor mcGonagall grudgingly, "but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to — what was that?
"What was what? I can't hear anything?" Sirius said straining to listen.
"Git! That's what the person said in the book!" James told Sirius and emphasized it by backhanding his arm.
"Don't mind the nutters, Remus, keep going." said Peter as James and Sirius started a mid-air slapping war.
A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky — and a huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them.
Drooling profusely on Remus shoulder Sirius uttered in shear envy, "I want one of those!"
Smacking him on the head lightly Remus said, "Bad dog! Stop drooling over my shoulder and sit down!" whining Sirius sat back down and after Remus cleaned up the drool with his wand he continued.
If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild — long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of trash cans lids, and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.
"Harry." said both Lily and James with a note of sorrow as they both realized that their possible son would have to grow up without ever knowing them.
"Do you want me to stop? Cause dinners about to be called." Remus said.
An unnatural sound penetrated and disrupted the silent study as everyone looked at Sirius, "Well I can't help it if I'm hungry, and it was you who mentioned dinner I might add!"
Shaking his head and suppressing a laugh Remus pushed on.
"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?"
Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir," said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've got him, sir"
"WOOOOOOHOOOO! Yes!" shouted Sirius as he pumped both fists in the air doing a lap around the table saying, "I'm going to get a HUGE flying motorcycle, and it going to be mine. All mine! And I'm not dead, so don't worry about the kid, I got him!"
James looked just as excited when he asked Sirius, "Do you think I can take a ride on it, that is when you get it?"
"Sure, what are friends for?" Sirius casually stated grinning.
"So the only question I might have at this point is where am I, and what about Peter?"
When Peter heard his name called he jumped a bit and grabbed his left arm rubbing it unconsciously. "Well I hope I died bravely." he said as the others told him that he would still be alive. Remus took up reading as they settled down.
"No problems, were there?"
"No, sir — house was almost destroyed, but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol."
Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his fore head they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lighting.
The floodgate broke as all the emotions and the ideas, of her only son having to go through life without his parents, was more than she could handle. Lily sobbed and could stop herself. She felt embarrassed and tried to hide her face.
However, gentle arms encircled her and a warm shoulder seemed to calm and support her. And for a moment she felt at home, until she looked up into the face of who was holding her.
James Potter never seemed so vulnerable until this moment, as his soft brown eyes spoke volumes about the feelings he felt for her, and for this moment they both understood something. It was; 'what ever happened they would at least care for one another'.
Regaining a bit of control Lily broke her embrace and James let her go, but at the same time what Lily didn't see the reluctance to 'let her go' etched on his face before becoming a grinning mask.
Remus cleared his throat and went on as the others listened.
"Is that where — ?" whispered Professor McGonagall.
"Yes" said Dumbledore. "He'll have that scar forever."
"Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?"
"Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy. I have one myself above my left knee
"...that is a perfect map of the London Underground" everyone said.
"The man's getting rusty." Remus said
"He's still using the 'my scar looks like a map of the London Underground'?" James asked in a tone of surprise.
"Yeah, maybe someone should inform him that it's already dead, and he should get some new material." Sirius offered looking at the others.
Even Lily nodded her head when the story continued.
Well — give him here, Hagrid — we'd better get this over with."
Dumbledore took harry in his arms and turned toward the Dursleys' house
"Could I — Could I say good-bye to him, sir?" asked Hagrid. He bent his great, shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog.
"I can appreciate that." said Sirius low enough for only James to hear.
"Shhh!" hissed Professor McGonagall, "you'll wake the Muggles!"
"S-s-sorry," sobbed Hagrid, Taking out a large, spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it. "But I c-c-can't stand it — Lily an' James dead — an' poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles — "
"Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself. Hagrid, or we'll be found," Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Harry gently on the doorstep, took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside Harry's blankets, and then came back to the other two. For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle, hagrid's shoulders shook, professor mcGonagall blinked furiously, and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out.
"Wow." said the Marauders in awe.
"What?" asked Lily as she didn't get the significance of their unexplained 'wow'.
Remus answered, "Have you ever seen Dumbledore angry, and when I say angry I mean 'really angry'?"
"No." was Lily's terse answer.
"Well we have." said Sirius picking up on Remus' thoughts, "And when he's super angry he loses that twinkle in his eye. See, that's our indicator telling us that we have gone too far with a prank."
James pick up where Sirius left off and said, "So we figured out, that when that twinkle goes out Dumbledore is feeling some powerfully basic emotions."
Peter finished, "And just the fact that his twinkle went out with Harry, must mean that he really feels for the baby."
Lily stood stunned as she thought over all the things that she said bad about the man as did the Marauders. Remus kept reading.
"Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations."
"Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, "I'll be takin' Sirius his bike back. G'night, Professor Mcgonagall — Professor Dumbledore, sir."
Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorcycle and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night.
"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply.
"Maybe I should tone down messing with her for the next year," said Sirius. "I mean she's not such a bad person once you get to know her".
Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once, and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four.
"Good luck, Harry" he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.
A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing thing to happen. Harry potter rolled over insider his blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was famous, not knowing he would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs. Dursley's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles, nor that he would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley...He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter — the boy who lived!"
Remus slowly closed the book and place it on the table with a type of reverence. They all were just overwhelmed by the magnitude of the information that they had just been privy to and were having a hard time processing it.
Sirius said, "I don't think I can eat today." which coming from Sirius was life threatening.
"I know what you mean. I feel just awful!" agreed Remus as he slid the book away. "Do you really think we should read any more?"
Both James and Lily answered in unison and with a bit too much emotion, "Of course!"
Peter sat watching his friend hands wrapped around his knees as he said, "But what if it get's worse?"
"Damn it Peter! All that's been coming from your mouth lately is jumped up bollocks, and I think I've had enough." Sirius said, walking over to Peter he was determined to literally give him a piece of his mind.
"Please," said a soft voice that held a sort of strength. "I 've had enough 'problems' today let's just stop, okay?"
Looking at each other, the five saw that this day had affected them all. It was as if a weight was unwillingly pressed onto their back. That's when James said "Second Chapter, tomorrow?" and they all nodded in silent agreement.
"Kids! Dinners ready! Come and get it!"
With a loud pop Sirius was gone and all that was left was a seemingly innocent cloud of dust that was in his shape.
"I didn't know Sirius could Apperate!" Lily said shocked and amazed.
The other Marauders groaned and James said with a wiry grin, "He can't! That's just pure speed...driven by the mysterious force we call 'Sirius Stomach'!" They all laughed as each one headed out to the kitchen.
James was the last one out but before he left he touched the cover of the book and said definitely, "I'll be back son. You can count on that!"