(8) Mirror Map

Sirius became even more of a nuisance after the incident with the Dementors. He was constantly following Harry around, cast him soft smiles & more than once dared to enter the guest dorms & lie on a bed next to Harry's just 'to talk' so he said. Harry tried to keep the focus on homework subjects as much as possible; though, he rolled his eyes so hard that he nearly saw his brain since Sirius would always arrive with his shirt half open & trying to look as handsome as his arrogant self thought he was. Sirius was more than full of himself & in Harry's opinion, he wouldn't have hooked up with Sirius even if he was actually gay.

One evening, Sirius slowly but surely managed to get Harry's attention off homework & onto the Patronus. They were both lying on the floor in the private study, piles of books & parchments between them. "So when are you going to teach me how to do that?" He finally asked.

"When we have some time," Harry muttered, trying to finish writing his Astronomy essay. Translation: How about on the eve of never-land?

Sirius laid his Transfiguration work aside, then pushed away the piles in front of him, clearing the way to Harry. He moved in closer. "We've got the time now," Sirius began. "I'm done & you're nearly done. I can help you finish that later."

"You can't learn the Patronus in five minutes, Sirius!" Harry groaned.

"All the more reason to get started on it," said Sirius, moving in closer & putting one hand around Harry's neck. "Come on. Leave it. You know you want a break." Harry glared into his eyes & all of a sudden, he felt himself being pulled forward. Sirius was trying to kiss him.

Harry jerked away. "What are you doing?"

"I thought I'd kiss you."

"Well you thought wrong," Harry snarled through gritted teeth, hoping Sirius would get over himself already.

"I thought you wanted to learn how to like us?" Sirius sat up, pouting.

Harry cross rolled his eyes shut. "I'm waiting for the special one. You still have to prove yourself to me."

"Let's go to the guest dorms," Sirius slyly suggested. "I'll prove myself just fine." Harry just glared at him. Sirius suddenly became very serious. "I won't ever hurt you like that, you know. You're safe with me."

"This from the guy who helped beat me to a pulp a while ago."

"Aren't you ever going to forgive me for that?" Sirius begged like the pathetic puppy he was.

"I'm very slow to forgive," Harry muttered. "You just keep trying to prove yourself by behaving! That's what I want from you. Best behaviour or else!"

Sirius laughed. "You really are a girl. You're bossy like one." It was with great effort that Harry didn't kill Sirius right then & there.

Fortunately, Harry was spared further embarrassment by none other than his own father as James had just appeared, looking for Sirius. They shared a glance, then James looked firmly at Sirius. "Ray wants you," he began. "So whenever you're done playing with your new toy would be good."

Harry ground his teeth. Sirius's new toy indeed! Like hell! "Well aren't you just a bundle of love then?" he shot back at James.

In reply, James gave him the finger. Harry hated him. "Oy! That's MY job!" Sirius complained. Harry hated Sirius to.

"Whatever," James didn't care. "Let's go."

"Well," Sirius stood up, passing one hand through Harry's soft wavy hair. "Guess you can finish your essay right now after all, my sweet. See you later." He walked by James who merely rolled his eyes, not really caring, as he followed. Once the pair of them was gone, Harry gave his head a vigorous rub to remove the feeling of Sirius's hand on it.

"I am not sweet!" Harry grumbled, gathering up his things. He wished he was back with Cho. He wished he had his black messy hair again. He wished he could forget ever meeting James in person & go back to envisioning the father that never existed. All he ended up doing was going to bed out of sorts & having little sleep, being frustrated with both Sirius & James & not in 'that' way either.

When the first ray of the pre-dawn came, Harry woke up from a doze still feeling mad. He tried to turn over & go back to sleep but after fifteen minutes, he knew that it wouldn't happen. He got up, grabbed his Cloak & the Map & decided to go down early before breakfast would start. Harry kept the Cloak under his own robes & using the Map, he took the empty lost passageways downward.

Harry was about half way down, on a large wooden platform between stairways, when he saw a dot on the Map appear two flights below him. James Potter was coming up! Harry quickly put his Cloak on & stepped away from the stairs to the far corner. He stood quietly to let James by. Harry watched the dot on the Map coming up higher but he was taking his time. It seemed that the higher up towards Harry he came, James would move ever slower. Harry kept glancing between his Map & the stairs James was now slowly ascending.

James came up into view at last. One step at a time. He would pause & glance everywhere before moving to the next step. Harry noticed that James's wand was out & wondered what else was in this old stair well. James came up another step, looking straight ahead across the platform. He was looking right at Harry. James stopped again & for a moment, he turned a little as if to go back down but ended up not advancing anymore. He stood rooted to the spot, the third last stair up to the platform, as he stared straight at Harry.

Harry had to remind himself he was under cloak right now. James couldn't see him. He tried to breathe very softly, wishing James would just get on with it already. They stared at each other for a long time, then James raised his wand.

"Accio, invisibility cloak!"

Harry's heart sank. He was doomed! He waited for James to punch him again but nothing happened. The cloak didn't move!

"Hmm," James slowly came up another stair. "There is only one Cloak in the world that's impervious to magic & it's mine." Harry jaw dropped. "So you must be using some sort of charm." Confused, Harry just stood there, knowing James couldn't see him even though he was acting like he knew Harry was right there. James came up all the way at last & walked towards Harry, wand raised in one hand while his other clutched a folded up newer piece of parchment, but Harry recognised it all too well.

Harry's heart stopped. How long had they had their own version of that Map? He had never once thought to ask his version of Sirius many years from now when the Map came into being. He had thought nothing of it & with a jolt, he knew the Map would say Harry Potter, not Jason Dursley. Harry thought hard, wondering what to say, how to explain. The game was up now! James cast a hex right at him & Harry barely managed to side-step in time.

"I don't know who you think you are," James began. "but I've got you! There is no Harry Potter in my family! How did you manage to get my name?" Harry didn't answer, still trying to work out what to say. "What do you want then?" James went on. "Money? Is that it? I'm one of the richest families in our world!" He shot another curse at Harry who again barely managed to dodge. "Wait until my father hears of this!" James threatened. "He's an Auror! He'll send you to Azkaban for trying to rob us!"

"It isn't what you think," Harry said.

"Oh is it?" James swung his wand around & ended up pointing it dangerously close to Harry. "What is it then? Too much of a coward to show your face?"

It was too much for Harry, being called a coward. "Stop it! Just stop it Dad!"

James gaped for a moment, "D-Dad?" He laughed. Harry pulled the Cloak down so that it wrapped around his shoulders & only his head appeared. James stopped laughing. "You! I KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOU!" He raised his wand.

"No stop!" Harry put up his hands, the Cloak slipping off to the floor. In one hand, he held his older version of the Map. "Dad! Wait! Please!"

James stared at Harry's Map, then Harry. "Jason! What are you doing? Stop calling me Dad!"

Harry glared at him. "My name is Harry James Evans Potter."

"Evans?" James was, predictably, suddenly all ears.

"My parents are Lily Evans & James Potter," Harry went on. "There was an accident in the future & I got thrown from my fifth year, to yours. Dumbledore knows. He's trying to recreate the accident on Valentine's Day so I can go home."

"You're from the future?" James stared at him. Harry nodded mutely. "My son?" James scoffed & Harry had a feeling James didn't believe him.

"I'll prove it," Harry began, moving slowly downward to pick up the Cloak. "You just said something about this thing." He held it up. "Look familiar?"

James glared at him, then held up one hand. "Give it here!" Harry tucked it under his arm. "Jason….Harry….whatever the hell your name is, THAT THING IS MINE!"

"You've got your own from your own timeline," Harry said. "You don't need it doubled up."

"Don't say that," James actually looked terrified for a moment. "You have ...don't say that."

"Then there's this," Harry indicated the Map. "You're holding your own there. I didn't know you had it finished by now. Remus gave me this."

"Remus would never betray me!"

"I meant, in my third year, several years in the future," Harry tried to explain. "Remus takes over the Defence Against The Dark Arts class for a year & in the end, he lets me keep this."

"In the future," James echoed.

"Yeah," Harry laughed softly. "It's quite brilliant having another Professor Lupin here. His father for fifth year & then him for my third year. They're both good teachers."

James smiled quickly. "Ray would make a good teacher."

"Everyone liked him & by now most of us wish he was back even though he's a werewolf."

"What?" James was suddenly twice as defensive as before.

"We found out by the end of my third year," Harry shrugged. "Ray told me then about his pack as he referred to you, Sirius & Peter."

"Mm mm," James shook his head, stepping away from Harry. "That ...that can't..." He looked Harry over. "How much do you know?"

"Everything," Harry shrugged. James stood silently apart from breathing hard. Harry noticed his hair moving. "Uh Dad, I think ...your horns are coming out."

"Oh good Merlin!" James turned away towards the wall. He leaned his forehead against it. "You know about that?"

"Yes, of course."

James pressed harder against the wall, trying to regain control of the stag. "So what are you then?" He asked, finally giving in & letting his horns out.

"I'm your son," Harry muttered.

"I mean for the pack," James said. "Your Animagus. What is it?"

"I don't have one."

James glared at him. "How can a son of mine by your age yet not have an Animagus form? I was doing this," He pointed at his horns. "Since late into my fourth year."

"Well I didn't grow up with Remus," Harry said. "I didn't even know he existed until he took the teacher position during my third year & near the end of it, Hermione ...uh she's a friend of mine …figured out his disappearances & told me he was a werewolf."

"Is this Hermione family?"

"No, she's a muggle born."

"Someone not of our family told you what Remus is instead of Remus himself?" James stated incredulously. "Jason, could you not come up with a better story than this?"

"What?" Harry sighed heavily.

"If you really were my son, you'd have known from day one what Remus is," James said. "One of the pack would have told you."

"I didn't grow up with the pack remember?"

"How convenient," James derided.

"I live with Aunt Petunia," Harry tried again.

"Petunia," James gasped. "I know her. She's a bitch."

Harry burst out laughing. "Now I know why she doesn't like you!"

"We met once, on the muggle side of Platform 9 & three fourths," James shrugged. "We exchanged a few words, not very nice ones either."

"I bet Mum was really impressed with you," Harry muttered.

"Who?"

"Lily," Harry said. "Now you know why I'm trying to get close to her but no way in hell like THAT! EW!"

"Oh," James sighed. Then clued in. He was going to have Lily Evans. "OH! Yeah I could see how that would be a problem."

"Just a little one," Harry complained.

"Yet you wasted no time on me," James replied, glaring.

"You were hurting me & I had to distract you & steal your glasses since Sirius smashed mine."

"Those are mine?"

"Yes."

"How the hell did you manage that you idiot?" James stared at his glasses on Harry's face.

"I kept you occupied with other matters, then did some transfiguration magic on these so they wouldn't look the same. Also, I'm not the idiot around here. You are."

"If you are who you say you are then the apples don't fall far from the trees don't forget!" James retorted.

"Whatever," Harry's face fell. He turned away, staring at the pile of his older Cloak on the floor. "I told you. Didn't I tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

Harry turned back to look at him & James noticed tears in the violet eyes. "You & Sirius had no idea what you've done!"

"What?"

"I was beaten to a pulp by my own father AND my godfather in one go!" Harry shot back. "What is wrong with you? Either of you? The very ones who are supposed to protect me instead trod me down for nothing more than a fight over a girl! If Mum knew what you actually did!" Harry turned away again & stooped down to pick up his Cloak.

"I uh," James spoke softly, sounding right behind Harry. "I still don't know about this." Harry turned to glare at him through tears. "I don't think I'd hit my own kid."

"Yeah well, you did!" Harry replied angrily. "More than once."

"But ...but I didn't know!"

"It doesn't change facts," Harry folded his Cloak. "My father beat me up & I have no idea how to get over that." He made as if to head for the downwards stairs.

"If …if what you say is true," James said in a shaking voice. "I'm sorry!" Harry didn't look at him. "Jason I ...I'm only fifteen."

"So am I!"

"I don't have kids yet," James tried again.

"Neither do I but I've never beaten anyone up like you do," Harry turned back to him. "I'd give someone a hex or a verbal threat if they annoy me, but never what you just did."

James slowly reached out & put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "I'm ... I'm sorry."

Harry shook him off. "I don't care anymore. I've learned to hate you & in fact, I don't want you anywhere near Lily. That girl is nothing less than the Queen of England! She's way out of your league & you know it, don't you? You don't deserve her & quite frankly, I don't think you ever will."

"So tell me then," James said. "She must end up liking me since she's your mother. How did we get together?"

"How am I supposed to know?"

"Didn't she or I ever tell you?"

Harry stared at him. "What did I tell you during the Christmas Hogsmeade trip? About Voldemort?"

"You said your par..." James's eyes went wide. "Oh no. Oh you didn't mean it though right? It's just your cover story. Jason! Harry. It's ..."

But Harry was shaking his head. "You're both murdered when I was just one years old. I never knew you! That's why I'm with Petunia."

"That can't be true!" James had both hands over his face.

"Well it is," Harry held out his cloak. "Go on. Look at it. This is yours, only older."

James pulled out his own version & held it up beside Harry's. He gasped & let his fall down. "That isn't possible!"

"Why not?"

James reached for Harry's Cloak & took it. "No wonder Dumbledore wanted to see me when you first showed up. He asked to see my Cloak. This is a very special Cloak, Jason."

"Yeah it's gotten me out of some tight situations."

James raised a brow. "Do you have any idea what this is?"

"An Invisi—"

"No!" James interrupted. "Those things fade after about five years. But this? It's over a thousand years old." Harry gasped at that. "There's only one like it & it belongs in our family."

Harry glanced down at the floor, seeing James's cloak. "Well, looks like there's two at the moment."

"That should never happen," James wrapped Harry's Cloak over Harry's shoulders. "That isn't an Invisibility Cloak." He stepped back, surveying Harry's floating head. "It's the Death Cloak." They stared at each other, then James suddenly yelped & clapped both hands over his mouth. "Oh Merlin! It's true!"

"What & what?" Harry stared at him.

"What I just told you," James said. "Only our direct line can openly speak about it to each other. Parent & child. No one else. Others have legends about it but if they ask me anything, I can't say unless they are directly related to me. I just freely told you what that thing is. You're either my father or my son. You can't be anyone else or the spell would have bound my tongue."

"Grandpa said that now isn't the time to use the cover of Death. He was referring to this?"

"Grandpa?"

"I met your parents when they came over Christmas," Harry said. "By the way, they want to wipe the memory from you, Sirius & Peter for knowing Ray's a werewolf, so watch out."

"Thanks for telling me," James sighed. "No wonder Professor Lupin's so upset. If only he could know what we actually do for his son."

"No one can know that," Harry said. "What does this have to do with Death anyway?" He indicated their Cloaks on the floor.

"Our ancestors met Death itself, but through a very clever trick, your direct great grandfather of a thousand years ago managed to get the Cloak," James explained, seeming to be more & more surprised at each word. "It will never fade & never be taken from you with magic. That's why it didn't move when I tried to summon your covering to my hand."

"Will it kill me?" Harry exclaimed.

"No it's harmless," James said. "Just more useful than a regular Invisibility Cloak." He looked Harry over. "This is...really weird."

"It's me Dad," Harry said.

"I'm your ...father then?"

"I don't know," Harry replied.

"What do you mean you don't know?"

Harry glared at him. "This is the only chance we had to meet & you blew it! You ruined everything. You're arrogant! Vile! Show off! You're learning to be an Auror for Merlin's sake! Grow the hell up!" James remained silent (for once), so Harry continued. "Before I go, I'll be making arrangements with Dumbledore to try to save my family. I hope my mother at least pulls through. She's brilliant & I can understand why you like her. What I don't get is why she ends up liking you."

"I'm just a kid right now!" James finally snapped.

"SO AM I!" Harry shouted. "And guess what? From when I come from, there is a lovely girl on the Ravenclaw team & I never once had to beat anyone up for her!"

"You're gay."

"I am not!" Harry said. "I just told Lily that so I wouldn't get stuck with my mother for my girlfriend. Besides, it helped to get you off my case!"

"But you're dating Sirius!"

"Sirius Black, just like Lily, is a parent to me. My Godfather!"

"But you agreed to go out with him on Valentine's."

"I was blowing him off," said Harry. "I'm going home on Valentine's so who cares what I told him? I'm not gay! Never have been. Never will be."

"Right," James huffed. "If you really are my son, then please know at least that I'd be happy with whoever you ended up loving. I wouldn't care if you turned up gay."

"Thanks," Harry managed a fleeting smile. "But I honestly prefer girls."

"Ok," James sighed, then smiled. "Just not Lily."

"Definitely not Lily! That's just wrong on so many levels."

"I appreciate your predicament," James laughed.

"Shut up!" Harry ordered, but James just laughed harder. "You idiot!"

They shared a short look, then Harry headed for the stairs again. "Is there nothing I can do?" James asked.

Harry paused on the second stair. "I don't know. We have so little time left."

James moved closer. "Then ... then let's not waste it."

Harry gazed up at him. "There is one thing you can do for starters."

"What?" James asked, looking worried.

Harry came back up to the platform. "I've seen Padfoot, Wormtail & unfortunately Moony one night all at once."

"You saw Moony but don't know Animagic?" James exclaimed.

"Right out there in front of the Whomping Willow," said Harry. "Padfoot drove him away before he hurt anyone. Don't worry."

"I hope not," said James. "So you want me to start teaching you Animagic then?"

"If we have time from when I come from," said Harry. "Right now, I've ...I've never seen the real Prongs. Just my Patronus emulates you."

"I knew that thing was Prongs!" James sighed heavily.

"I'd like to see Prongs," Harry said. "I never met him."

James stepped back & at last, Harry saw the real great stag. Prongs was so large he nearly filled the whole platform. He was an Elk, with a thick curly neck & large, sharp hooves. A piercing whistle blasted through the forgotten passage, bouncing off the walls. Harry slammed his hands over his ears. Once the sound died away, Harry reached out to touch the curly fur all down Prongs's throat. Prongs moved swiftly, catching Harry under his chin. He pressed down, holding Harry close.

Harry continued to stroke the fur. "I thought I'd never see you Prongs," He sighed. The weight of the stag's head disappeared, only to be replaced by James holding him.

"What a mess," James muttered.

"You believe me now?" Harry asked. "You can go to Dumbledore with this. He knows everything to. Well not about Prongs or whatever. Just my timely mishap, I mean."

"Our discussion about the Death Cloak is what convinced me," said James, pulling away from Harry. "But there's still a few things I don't understand." He looked Harry up & down. "Why don't you look like a Potter?"

"Oh, it's a glamour," Harry began. "Dumbledore helped me fix things so I wouldn't draw attention. But he showed me a quick way to reveal myself for a moment." Harry performed the charm on himself.

James stared at him. "Wow! I have no idea why!" He exclaimed sarcastically. He put a hand under Harry's chin, looking him over. "Almost exactly like me, but I'd know those eyes anywhere."

"Most people do," said Harry, replacing his glamours.

"Alright another thing," James went on. "You said you're with Petunia?"

"For the past fourteen years," said Harry.

"Where the hell was Sirius?" James demanded. "Or ... or did he get killed to?"

"No," Harry said slowly. He stared at his father long & hard. "Sirius got blamed for your murder."

"WHAT?"

"He's innocent but he ended up in Azkaban."

"Azkaban?" James gasped weakly, sinking down onto the first stair leading up to the next level. "Not him! He would never!"

"That's why I was so mad at both of you for going to see those stupid Dementors," Harry went on. "Sirius spent some time with the entire swarm for something he never did. But he used Padfoot to escape & he's been on the run ever since." By now, James was sitting on the stairs, crying hard into his hands. "Now you understand why I got so mad at you two? What I was actually afraid of? Not fear for me but for him! Going near those things!"

"It's a good thing Ray taught you that charm Harry!" James gasped between tears. "Harry, we can't let that happen. Not to Sirius! He doesn't deserve that!"

"Dumbledore & I are working on it," said Harry.

James sniffled, trying to collect himself. He had both hands over his face. "Oh! Merlin! Why? How could anyone let that happen to him? Harry, don't tell him that! It would kill him right now. Don't ever mention that in front of him."

"I won't & with Dumbledore's help it shouldn't happen this time," said Harry.

James got up & punched the wall. "If I ever find out who did that to him! Do you know?"

Harry shrugged. "I told Dumbledore what I could. He should be able to figure it out."

"Harold James!" James gave him a sharp look. His eyes glistened a little & Harry could see the stag was very near the surface. "Do you know?"

"No," Harry lied but had no choice in the matter. He had to keep the timeline as pure as possible. "But Dumbledore will figure it out."

"I hope so," James said. He looked up the stairs as if dreading to go up & face the others.

"I'll see you at breakfast," Harry started down the stairs. "By the way, Grandma makes good cookies."

James stared down the stair well until Harry went around the corner out of sight. After a few minutes, he headed up towards the common room. Once inside, he looked around the place. It was still empty as most people were still in bed. He had been out all night running as the Stag. Mostly, he had been thinking about Jason Dursley, trying to figure him out. He had never expected this. His son. Here.

James collapsed into the couch & stared at the embers in the fireplace. Both he & Lily were murdered by Voldemort? He wondered when. How long from now until Harry was born? Was it fifteen years from now? Or two? Strangely, the thing that was upsetting him the most at the moment though, was Sirius ...in Azkaban ...for nothing. James leaned forward to put his face in his hands.