Sorry for making you wait so long! I though TY( transition year) would be a doss year, it isn't. It's all about work experience and taking on new subjects (such as woodwork and home economics), being mentors to younger years, setting up clubs ( build a bank, a breakfast club), basically a year for you to mature as a person and a writer apparently because my English teacher is making me think about things I never do and anyway the point is I'm sorry! You've all been so supportive and I suck! I wanna try do a little mini series in this like others do in their one-shot collections, it will be called "in which they look back". TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK KAY? It's 3,153 words (I think). Anyway here it is.
Chapter 4: In which they look back (1)
Harry was distraught.
On one hand, he got to see his parents school years, on the other, he got to see his parents school years.
His dead parents.
Should he allow himself that torture, of seeing what he could of had all those years ago? See his parents go through their lives happily oblivious to what was coming their way? That someone close to them would get them killed, leave their one year old son an orphan and leave two of their remaining best friend to years of isolation and loneliness. Both in their own hell? But...he would like to know what his mother and father were really like. All he could go off of were other people's opinions of them.
Biased opinions.
His godmother, Sirius Black, thought his mother and father were saints, but Snape's memories said otherwise. Slytherin's and Deatheaters alike thought they were just filthy muggle-lovers, no better than the dirt beneath their feet. Others hero-worshipped them and dared not to say anything remotely negative, not in Harry's ear shot anyway. The only person he could count on for a truthful recount of Jane and Lyle Potter's personalitys was that of Remy Lupin, his 3rd year DADA teacher and pseudo aunt.
'Your parents were good people Harry, your mother and father saved my life on many occasions, but the most vital thing you need to remember about them is this: They were human. I know it's hard to keep in mind given, I'm sure you've idealised them in your own way as the perfect family, but they made mistakes, many of them. I am not trying to ruin your perception of your parents, they did make mistakes, but they learned from them, grew from them, shaped themselves into the people they wanted to be because of them. They are something to be proud of Harry, don't let anyone tell you different, but remember that they were people like you and me, so when you are faced with their mistakes, hold your head high, because they are the reason your parents were the amazing people they were.'
Harry went over that speech every time he thought of Jane and Lyle Potter, which was nearly every day or every time he was faced with Severina Snape's hatred of him and what he presented.
The man she loved marrying her worst enemy.
'Harry? Are you alright?' He was broken from his thoughts by Remys voice and 'Snuffles' wet nose nudging his hand. Sirius' sad puppy dog eyes drilled into his own. She was obviously pained with having to relive all this too. Harry stroked her fur in comfort and passed a sad glance to Remy.
He was ready.
'Play it Professor.' He said, quite sure of himself.
Dumbledore's mournful eyes twinkled for a split second before clicking the projector and broadcasting the light onto the wall of the great hall. Eager students leaned forward, this was technically their parents school years too. Maybe they would see them too...?
The screen lit up and showed a castle like mansion. Roaring gold lions on red flags with crossed swords behind it waved violently in the rain storm. Inscribed in the stone above the two large entrance doors were the words:
Milicie, Fortitudinem, Honestatis, Nervus, Confortare, Audacia, Honorem, Fortitudine.
'Chivalry, Bravery, Honesty, Nerve, Courage, Daring, Honour and Strength. I'd expect nothing less from descendants of Godric Gryffindor.' Dumbledore sounded exceptionally amused. Everyone seemed to be too shocked to say anything. Harry Potter was a descendant of Godric Gryffindor?!
An old man sat by a fire in an old arm chair reading what appeared to be The Daily Prophet, the front page headline appeared to be the reason for his frown.
DEATH EATERS RAVAGE MUGGLE VILLAGE AND KILL DOZENS!
His bad mood changed swiftly when two teenage girls burst into the room, both overflowing with excitement. They seemed to be very excited when they finally laid eyes of the old man and were fumbling over each other to get as close as possible.
'Dad! You'll never believe what I got!' Screeched the tan Potter girl.
'Yeah Charlie! Even I didn't believe it and I read it first.' Cackled the second girl, who was then shoved by the first girl.
'Shut up, Padfoot! As I was saying-' Jane threw her a mock superior look, with her hand on her chest. 'I have been chosen as Mother Hogwarts, The maiden in the rock, Queen of the people, Lady Merlin to- no doubt- Lyle Evans, Morgana, The Darf Vader to his...his...-'
'She's head girl.' Siri said flatly. 'A Marauder is Head girl! She's a stiff now, a person we swore to fight against for the good of mischief making!...she's Remy now.' The grey eyed girl shivered as if it was the greatest offence the youngest Potter could make.
Many people in the great hall were laughing, but Sirius laid her shaggy heard on Harry's lap, whimpering.
She was crying.
He scratched behind her ear, trying to comfort her. He never realised how much she missed his Mum, which was very stupid considering they were best mates and she did always tell him stories of when they got into trouble in and out of Hogwarts. Suddenly he was angrier than ever at Wormtail, he left one Marauder dead and the other two scarred and broken.
Some of the laughing students turned to look at Harry, only to see him sadly pet the giant dog on his lap. Professor Lupin seemed to be sad too. Which wasn't a surprise since she was probably the 'Remy', Sirius Black and Harry's Mum were talking about. Then it dawned on almost all of them when they saw his anger. Who would want to see their parents murderer, joking around with said parents, who were oblivious to the betrayal coming their way?
Harry felt the sympathetic glances coming his way and he hated it. They were probably blaming 'Sirius Black' the mad mass murderer out for his blood, as the Daily Prophet had painted her. Not as the person who helped fight against Voldemort, who lost everyone she ever cared about to Death Eaters or to the fact that people thought she betrayed the Potter's.
'To see their genius up close is truly an honor.' Harry heard the Weasley twins proclaim nearby, causing him to smile. He should focus on the good things for now. Like his mother and Siri wrestling on the video feed, apparently about some code of honour?
Jane had pinned Siri down on the carpet and seemed to be choking her with her forearm.
'Take it back!'
'Never! I stand by my word!'
'Rule #4, never undermine another Marauder's authority!'
Who the heck was The Marauder's? Why were they using it so frequently? Harry and the Weasley's seem to know.
'Rule #8, never lie to another Marauder's face unless it's a life or death situation.'
'Rule #37 never insult a Potter's Quidditch skills!'
'That's not rule #37, You just made that up!'
'It should be a rule, hell, it should be a Law!' Screeched Jane as she was taken off Siri by two sets off hands.
Harry nodded in agreement, he would be angry too if someone insulted him about his Quidditch prowess.
'Get your filthy mitts off me you good for nothin'-Remy! Petra! When did you get here?' Jane exclaimed in surprise, fist bumping them both and pulling them into a group hug.
'About the time you said Padfoot's prank method was inferior and that her perfume sucked.' Grinned Petra.
Sirius growled in Harry's lap.
'It does not! And I work hard on all my pranks! They're like my children!' Siri voiced indignantly.
'And I work hard on my Quidditch plays, how dare you say a Slimy Slytherin like Lucius Malfoy could out play me?'
Draco visibly bristled at the insult to his exceptional father. That filthy Blood-traitor didn't deserve to breath such a noble and widely refined name. After all he was one of the Dark Lord's most trusted servants! He himself was selected personally by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named to bring forward the start of a new Hogwarts, a better Hogwarts. That fool Dumbledore didn't deserve to run what belonged to the Dark Lord, he was after all the descendant of Salazar Slytherin, the greatest of the four! It would all start in his sixth year. Then he would show everyone just how weak Harry Potter was!
'I never said that! I said that you should consider turning down the heads position to focus more on being Gryffindor's Quidditch Captain!' Siri exclaimed. Really she just didn't want her friend to get too busy to spend time with her to prank or become all high and mighty about rules.
'There you go again! As if I need to spend all waking hours to beat a bunch of no good Death Eaters in training! I'm insulted, I could be the best god damn Head Girl, Hogwarts has ever seen and still beat them with my eyes closed!' She claimed frustrated.
Multiple people raised their eyebrows at her cockiness, Harry had many of Jane Potters features-especially her hair- but their personalities were at opposite ends of the spectrum.
'Okay then, I apologise.' Siri just didn't want this drama to last any longer. 'Now let's get this show on the road! Goodbye Charlie!' She turned and left the room swiftly leaving a protesting Jane.
'You can't just apologies after such an insult, you have to beg for forgiveness, send me flowers, chocolates, mint condition Quidditch player cards!' Remy and Petra decided to leave before she asked whether or not she was right.
Harry smiled, his mother was funny, albeit dramatic, but still funny and by the sound of the laughter around him others thought so too. He was really proud to have such a mother. One who protected her husband and child from Voldemort and held her own for a while before she was finally struck down by the Killing Curse. When he asked Siri why she went against Voldemort and not his father. The response he got made him guilty of ever giving such a thought the time of day.
'Harry James Potter! Are you stupid or just a sexist git? Your Mother was an exceptional Dueller, she was one of the best Hogwarts has ever seen, she was the one chosen most for raids because she was the one Dumbledore knew could hold her own and would never give anyone up under torture, the only reason she stopped was because she was pregnant with you and when you had to go into hiding. She wanted your father to live because she loved him and wanted to protect you both, to question why she did it just cheapens her sacrifice.'
He'd never seen Siri so angry before, she had apologised right after but he understood why she was angry. What her bestfriend did was an act of Heroism and for people to question it- never mind her own son- because she was a woman? That made him angry too.
Severina Snape just glowered at the wall, Lyle had actually believed Potter had matured their 7th year! Hah! How laughable. Maybe if he had of listened and not brushed her off and ignored her letters, he wouldn't have married Potter and would be alive right now. The thought only made her sadder. She would have gladly taken the Evans name, maybe not at the time but after the war was over, sure!
'Jane, Potters don't whine.' Mrs. Potter tutted as she walked into the room with a small house elf trailing behind her with a tea tray.
'I wouldn't call it whining-' Jane spluttered defensively while her father looked on amused. She was glad he found this amusing, bloody prat.
'Dear, don't negate. Now come over, give me a kiss and sit down with your father and I for some tea. I've heard we have some news regarding a placement at school..?' Dorea smiled sweetly as she poured them tea.
'But it's the full moon-'
Charlus and Jane spoke simultaneously. Both of their faces taking on near mirror images of each other.
Multiple Hogwarts students looked to Harry and concluded, yes, he did look like his mother, very much so that many pondered; how many of his fathers features had he inherited?, just his eyes or more? Some of the older professors seemed to be looking at Harry fondly, he did indeed look like his mother. Then they became sad when they thought of how Harry would probably never know just how much of his parents others saw in him. He would never have a moment like Jane and Mr. Potter were having on the screen with his parents.
'I'm sure keeping you until twenty minutes before you leave will not have any negative effect on Remy's transformation. Besides Siri and...Petra, have always seemed to be...capable witches.' Dorea seemed to hesitate at Petra's name, which was understandable, she never was the most...capable witch.
They were planning on letting their teenage daughter and her friends go outside, where there was a werewolf on the loose? Bad parenting some tutted.
Jane seemed to sigh in defeat and sat down, but not before shooting her father a look, as if he was to blame for her not being able to leave the room.
'So...?'
'I got Head girl and Gryffindor Quidditch captain!' Jane said proudly.
'Head girl?' Shocked, would probably describe their expressions.
'Don't act like I couldn't have gotten it in a million years! I'm not completely irresponsible!' The sentence alone cause the two older Potters to share an amused glance.
'Well we've always known you would get Quidditch Captain, but Head girl? We thought you would be pranking your year heads, not be one.' Her father said proudly. 'But this does call for celebration! I'll get you that new broomstick you wanted-'
'You got that a month ago when my report card came-'
'Oh yes, straight O's! You certainly made me proud when I was bragging to those pompous twats at my book club-'
Chuckles echoed around the great hall at the family's banter. Harry smiled sadly, he knew his grandparents on his mothers side died her last year of Hogwarts. He wasn't looking forward to seeing that, but it was nice to know they were good people.
'How about new goblin made lockets for you and your friends? Those old ones seem a bit battered.'
'Mum, why keep going there if you hate them? And no dad, we love them! We've had them since second year and the lockets are just a bit scratched, do you know how hard it is to scratch goblin silver? Really hard, this baby has had all kinds of jinxes and hex's thrown at it! These are practically, Marauder membership cards!'
The Weasley twins seemed lean forward and whisper to each other after that exclamation.
'Because dear how else will I know what's going on in the war? Your father practically censors everything in this house! Plus it doesn't hurt to see Prudence Rosier embarrassed at her son's P's and T's! Hah! "Girls are made for marrying" my arse!'
'Oh, I know, seats in the Minister's box for the Quidditch World Cup next month! Minister Minchum will gladly send over some tickets for me!'
'Rosier got T's? Hah serves the filthy Death Eater right!' Jane cried, voice laced with malice.
The three Potters continued their talk until it was time for Jane to go. She helped her parents to lock up the house tight before leaving. She waved to her parents as they locked the back door and put extra thick unbreakable charms on the glass of the windows. Be safe, both of their eyes seemed to say. Her mother blew her a kiss which she gladly caught.
She walked up the hill, leading to the vast forest that almost surrounded the manor. She stopped just before she reached the edge and took her wand out of her back pocket, holding it in front of her and doing a wand movement that belonged to a very advanced spell.
'Expecto Patronum' She murmured with a beautiful smile.
Harry's smile.
'You're Mum can't be older than seventeen and she just used the Patronus Charm! My Uncle Augustus can't even do it, only really powerful witches and wizards can do it!' Neville said to Harry. He was still slightly embarrassed at his non-corporal Patronus, but Harry always reminded him that many people couldn't do a corporal Patronus and even to cast an intangible one was a sign of superior magical ability. He felt happier when he reminded himself of that peice of information, like he wasn't making his parents sacrifice in vain. Besides, maybe he'd learn in the next DA meeting.
A beautiful stag burst from her wand, it rushed around her, dancing on air with wisps of silver flowing around it. Once it was in front of her again she started to speak.
'Why is her Patronus a male?' Questioned a curious Ravenclaw.
'Patronuses and animagi are very similar in their spell dynamic. They take your personality, traits and whatever animal represents those traits. That animal takes on your Patronus, or spiritual guardian if you will, it has nothing to do with gender. The stag represents vitality, confidence, pride, loyalty, protection in times of transition or beginnings, physical and mental grace. Lyle Potters Patronus took on the form of a doe, because of his love for Jane and because the doe represents love, benevolence, grace, regrowth, humility, fertility, peace, watchfulness and swiftness.' Dumbledore explained with a kind smile.
'or true eternal love for someone will make your Patronus be an exact replica of theirs, very much like Mr. Potters, whose Patronus took on the form of his mother's, this is because of the love they shared and because Harry shares many of the traits of the stag.' Dumbledore finished.
Harry whispered the incantation causing Prongs to burst out of his wand in a similar fashion to how it did his mother's.
Many stared in awe and jealousy at the beautiful creature that danced around the great hall. It was only a shock to first, second and third years, after all the rest of them witnessed it when Harry was a third year, in a Quidditch match against Ravenclaw when Malfoy, Flint, Crabbe and Goyle dressed as Dementors to distract Harry and stop him from catching the snitch. Only he threw a fully corporal Patronus at them. It was funny to say the least.
'Go to Sirius Black and tell her this; Padfoot, I'm sorry I'm late, I'll be there soon! I'm coming as Prongs. The house is safe. I'm coming as fast as I can!' Prongs then sprinted off into the woods, it's light still vibrant as it got further away.
Jane took a deep breath and took off running into the woods, when she was halfway to her destination she jumped into the air and transformed into a beautiful stag.
'Bloody hell!'
If you enjoyed, review, favourite, if you hated it, tell me why! :) whatever floats your boat!
How'd you like my theory on prongs? I really didn't want to change the nickname :)
Thanks for 393 views on this fic! You guys are great!
Oh and this is part one of the 'In which they look back' mini series that will be on this fic, for those who don't like it, don't worry it won't be consecutive, for those who do, sorry :)
Thank you again for all the support and PLEASE excuse grammatical errors, hey, I'm fifteen, nobody's perfect! :)
-Irelandlover xo