Chapter 9
"Are you nervous about what they'll give us? It could be a few months detention." Remus asked Harry in low tones so the deciding teachers did not hear him.
"It was worth it." Harry replied.
"Right, you shall each receive a weeks detention, and lose 10 points each from Gryffindor. Do not give me that look Black, just because I'm in your house does not mean I will go easy on you. You have defaced school property."
Harry tried desperately to hide his smirk as he glanced over to the wall where 'Gryffindor rules' was still very clear, even though several of the teachers were trying to remove it. From the corner of his eye, Harry saw Sirius trying to do the same.
"Ok, you may go." Professor McGonagall concluded "See me for the start of your detentions next week, and tell Potter and Pettigrew that they're included in this."
"Will do!" Sirius sounded oddly happy as he called behind his shoulder whilst they walked back to the dormitory. "Cheer up guys! A weeks detention isn't too bad, and at least it's all of us together. There's nothing worse than having a 3 hour detention on your own…"
Harry gathered from this that Sirius had had his fair share of detention, and his thoughts went to his own. The many an hour he had spent in detention with Snape, and then the ones with Umbridge. Those were the worst. When he clenched his fist, you could still see the scar spell out the words 'I must not tell lies', a permanent reminder of that awful year. So, a week's detention wouldn't be that bad, and he doubted it would be boring.
They had just reached the common room, and met up with James and Peter again when Harry remembered something.
"Wait a sec, James! What were you going to say yesterday about you and Lil- nmph!"
Harry found a hand being clamped over his mouth and then felt himself being dragged upstairs to the dormitory.
"I cannot believe you nearly just blurted that out to the common room!" James's face was staring at Harry, looking like twins apart from brown eyes meeting green eyes.
"Sorry! So what were you going to say?"
"Well, a couple of nights ago, when I think you, Remus and Lily went off somewhere, Peter, Sirius and I went to the library- hey we do that you know!- and then it turns out Peter was going to meet Mary, the Hufflepuff girl he mentioned earlier, so off he went and then it was me and Sirius. Only then he was called off for some detention for something or other, honestly I lose track of them, and I was on my own, in the library, like a complete idiot."
"Just get to the point James."
"Well, suddenly, Lily appeared to bring back a book in there, and she saw me sitting there and she came over! SHE came over to ME! But that isn't even the best part, I mean your mind will be blown when I tell you."
"So tell me then James."
"Alright, calm down I'm getting there. So, we're talking and that, and then she says it's getting late and so I say I'll come back to the common room with her. We're just stood outside the fat lady portrait when I have the overwhelming urge to ask her out again. I was really thinking about it because I haven't asked her out for a while and she seemed to be nicer to me now than ever before, so I didn't want to ruin it. But I asked her to Hogsmeade next weekend anyway, and she said-"
"No?"
"Yes! Wait, no she said yes!"
"Wait, did she say yes or no?" James failed to see the glint in Harry's eyes that showed he was just joking with him.
"She said YES! But I had to promise to keep it a secret for now, something about not wanting to be the schools gossip."
"Umm James? I'm not sure that sounds so good, you keeping it a secret…"
"I know, that's what I thought as well, but then I thought- don't complain! I'm going out with Lily Evans!"
Harry couldn't help but smile at the amazed face on his father, but the whole secret thing worried him. Not that he had a lot of experience in that department, but he was pretty sure that that was a bad sign." So, he decided to try and find Lily, and ask her about it. Although he would have to find some way of asking her tactfully.
"Lily…"
"Yes Harry?"
"Why did you want the fact that you and James are going to Hogsmeade next weekend to be kept a secret?" Screw tact.
"Wha-he told you didn't he?"
"Yes, and I don't really know why it should be a secret, to be honest."
She sighed. "You don't understand, you're new here but for seven years I have hated James. He's been arrogant and just generally irritating. Bu then, this year, he's changed, like he's matured. He doesn't hex people randomly anymore, or not that I've seen, apart from a few days ago he hadn't asked me out, and I know it hasn't been long since the start of the year, but I just got this feeling, you know? God that sounds unbelievably cheesy and I hate that stuff. But the point is, everyone thinks I hate him, and to turn around and say that actually I'm going out with him would just be hypocritical."
"Oh, I see. Personally, I think you should just come out and tell people because I think James will start to worry about it."
"I'll think about it. Thanks Harry, for letting me know this."
"Anytime." It occurred to Harry that he was playing a part in getting his parents together. The whole situation was getting confusing again, and so he tried to forget about it, a technique he had been using more frequently recently. Yes it made him feel guilty, but he wanted to be a bit selfish just for now.
However, that afternoon, when Sirius and James were practicing quidditch, Peter was watching them, and he didn't feel like joining Remus and Lily in the room of requirements, Harry found himself alone in the common room, and that's when he found all his guilt come flooding in.
How could he stay here when others was suffering where he was supposed to be? His hands automatically felt for his pockets, and pulled out Hermione's letter. Rereading it, he found his eyes pricking with the beginning of tears, but hurriedly wiped them away incase anyone saw. Would it be possible to reply? Just a quick letter, to say that he was ok and explain the situation. Surely, if the letters managed to get to him, then he could get letters to them.
Running up the stairs to fetch a quill and some parchment, he sat down and had a think.
Dear everyone
This may come as a bit of a shock but
Dear the order,
Don't worry about me
I'm actually alive. I'm not sure how but I've been transported into the past
Soon, there was a mountain of crumpled up parchment next to him, ink around his mouth from where he'd put the quill in his mouth to think and he still couldn't for the life of him think of what to write. How do you put a situation like this into words of a letter? Also, if it did manage to get back to his time, there was no certainty that it would reach a member of the order, it could reach Voldemort, and telling him that he was actually still alive would not be the best idea.
So, Harry decided to keep it brief and cryptic.
Dear everyone,
I got your letters, thank you so much to all but you have jumped to the wrong conclusion. Although it may seem like that's what's happened, I'm not. I'll be there as soon as I can to explain better, as I'm not sure if this letter will be intercepted, or if it will get to you at all.
Love to you all and I miss you all too
Should he write his name? No, too risky.
Mini prongs
He sighed, hoping it would be enough to convince them he wasn't dead and once he had glanced over the letter, he saw that although it would impossible to understand if it was intercepted, it would also be hard to understand to Hermione, or any one else. But still, it was the most he could say.
"Hey Harry!"
Harry quickly shoved the letter into his pocket and greeted James, Sirius and Peter.
"Hi guys, have fun playing quidditch?"
"Yeah it was good. Only someone decided to cheat by confounding me." James shot Sirius an evil glare as he spoke.
"Did not! I can't help it if you're bad at quidditch!"
"I'm the best in the year thank you very much!"
"*cough* second best *cough*"
"You wish." They both seemed to realise that Harry was still in the room and turned to him.
"What about you then?" James directed the question to Harry.
"What about me?"
"Well, do you play quidditch?"
"Oh yeah, I used to play it loads, but recently, I don't know, I wanted a bit of a break from it."
James and Sirius both took a sharp intake of breath.
"Yo-you want a break from it?"
"Why?"
"I'm not sure. New place and all that I guess." It was true, Harry did feel like he wanted a break from quidditch, at least for a little while. Obviously he would play at least one game with them, just for the experience he never got to have.
It wasn't until later on that he managed to get away and post the letter. It took a few minutes for him to decide whether to send the letter to Hermione or Ron, and in the end decided on Hermione, hoping she would rationally evaluate the situation before burning the letter, like he had a feeling Ron would do.
Since sending his letter off, Harry had been slightly twitchy to say the least, especially when the morning post came, when he would desperately search for any sign of a reply. His friends had twigged that something was wrong, but were unsure, especially when Harry said he was fine when asked. James and Sirius assumed it was because of the detentions starting tonight, but Remus thought otherwise.
This particular morning would mark a week since he sent off the letter, and he was starting to resign himself to the fact that he wasn't going to get a reply. In fact, he highly doubted they even got his letter. So, he wasn't even watching the post as the owls flew through the hall. He only noticed the letter because it landed right on the top of the piece of toast he was about to put into his mouth.
"Er, Harry? I think you've got a letter." Remus smirked at Harry as he removed the letter from his mouth.
"Really? I hadn't noticed…"
Joking aside, Remus was surprised to see Harry receive a letter. He had never seen the boy get anything, and so, was intrigued to see what it was. However, Harry simply pocketed the letter, and carried on with his breakfast, although at a slightly faster pace.
"You going to read the letter?"
Harry froze for a second, before carrying on eating. "Not right now, I want to finish eating first."
Thje marauders glanced at each other warily but said nothing.
A/N: Thank you to PoppiiD for reminding me about the letters! Hope this is ok as a response? Any thoughts on the story would be appreciated :D
