Sirius didn't know how he was supposed to feel when Peter turned the tables on them and asked to be given some space, but he knew what he did feel. Relief. He'd walked away without a word, hardly aware of his surroundings as he sought out the most secluded space he could find, he'd all but curled up under the desk a second after Peter was done speaking.

He felt like he'd betrayed Prongs at the upsurge of protective he'd felt, hearing of You-Know-Who torturing Wormtail. The rat deserved it of course, and much worse! But, he argued back with himself, it should come from him, them. He was the only one to hurt his friends...he scowled at himself, glad there wasn't a mirror handy or he'd have likely broken it. He'd taken countless revenge on many a foolhardy student trying to curse Peter and Remus in retaliation for whatever he and James had done, but this was no longer a schoolyard problem, and he'd get more than detention if he told the Dark Lord to stay away from Peter. If he cared enough at all to do that, it was the whelp's own fault going to him...

Remus sat down carefully beside him, and then brazenly took his hand and held it carefully in his lap like spun glass. Sirius did not protest, but in fact smiled just a bit, imagining James and Peter coming around the desk to see this display. That would be fun to laugh off or talk themselves out of.

The momentary wave of amusement left him feeling more wrong-footed than ever. "I want things to go back to normal," he snapped, before he forced a scowl into place and jerked his head in the direction he still knew he was, "well, almost normal-" he stopped himself abruptly, his gut clenching painfully at the look on Peter's face as he'd heard of his future a haunting image. Peter regretted it, he had from the moment they'd heard of it, but this had made it more real to all of them like nothing had before. They could say James was going to die, but so long as he stood between them all it had always felt more like a figment, a threat. That, had been all too real.

"Do you really still blame him?" Remus asked quietly.

"You don't?" Sirius returned sullenly, poking his head around the corner and squeezing his hand, watching Peter and Regulus talking, actual smiles on both their faces. He sighed heavily and said cuttingly, "okay, no. Not, I mean not really, more I'm, just tired. Tired of, this," he gestured to Bagman's office, a place he'd have drooled to get to before all this madness started. "Tired of being mad," he finished wearily. "The only person who I want to be mad at anymore is, V-Voldemort."

Remus flinched uneasily, but didn't protest either, they had to start somewhere.

"That's, a start," Remus nodded, still holding his hand firmly, giving his fingers a squeeze, "but Sirius, we can't just, go back to the way things were before."

"I know that," Sirius sighed.

Remus had to keep going though, get it off his chest in the momentary peace. "I wouldn't want things to go back to 'normal' anyways, not really. I, didn't trust you Sirius, I didn't believe you, and that's one of the many, many problems about this future. Something has to change."

"What though?" His voice sounded small, he was watching James, trying to get Evans's attention. "I don't want to lose anymore," he finished in a whisper, eyes flickering to Regulus, who was now chuckling softly at whatever Peter had just said. His, friend, looked quite pleased with himself, and Sirius wondered how often Peter made them laugh instead of being the punchline. He squeezed Remus's hand back and feared letting go now more than ever.

"Change doesn't mean lose," Remus tried to pacify, but there wasn't much hope in his own voice. It was hard to imagine how they were going to get through this without losing something, someone.

Lily groaned in pain once more, slowly forcing herself to sit up and take the precious time to deduce they were in an office now and nothing else more dangerous about, before slamming her eyes shut and rubbing small, soothing circles into her temples. What she wouldn't give for a Headache Solution, she could have whipped that up by her third week in school, all she needed was a little Armadillo Bile to get started-

"Like some help there Evans?"

Well, maybe there was another way to get some tension out. "Come another step closer Potter and you'll lose that hand." She opened her eyes in time to see the digits recoiling away and smiled with satisfaction, that headache was fading away already.

He still bounced on his heels in front of her for a moment, that pretentious smile still stuck in place as he watched her get herself to her feet. She looked quickly around to see they were in a very large office indeed, more than twice the size of their average classroom, with the walls and nearly every available surface covered in Quidditch memorabilia.

She grumbled at this misfortune, but found she was the only one who was. Alice had Frank by the hand, he was nodding politely with a slightly terrified look on his face from Alice's intensity as she gave him an in-depth account of something to do with the Quaffle in an enclosed case, the year beneath it clearly meant something to her. Regulus Black was running his hands over some Quidditch robes that were worth more than her house, and Peter Pettigrew was giving him a hesitant tap on the shoulder. She was surprised for a moment not to spot the other two, but looking around with purpose now spotted the two sets of shoes peeking out behind the desk nearly buried under paperwork. She didn't know what they'd found to interest them so much, but clearly Potter didn't care either as he continued trying to engage her.

"Here you go Evans," he presented her with the book with the same gusto as if he were proposing with it instead of a ring, and no she hadn't been imagining what flamboyant and over-the-top way he'd do that too so she could find another new way to hex him. "I know this isn't really your scene, so I thought I'd let you have this chapter while we actually enjoy ourselves."

"How thoughtful," she scoffed, snatching it away anyways. He was wrong, as usual, she wouldn't mind being in this place for the rest of their journey if they could, given alternatives. However, if they ever wanted this to end, someone would have to be able to pay attention to this thing. "It's a good thing somebody here isn't a nut like you lot, or you'd still be stuck on the first book."

"I'll always be happy to have you along Evans," he grinned, and the chapter title caught in her throat as she had the misfortune of looking at him when he said that, and seeing just how sincerely he meant that. Really? After everything that had been going on, he still meant that? Was taking the time to pay her any mind at all! It was truly the most baffling thing Merlin himself couldn't answer.

"The Pensive," she said loudly and with purpose, her skin prickling uncomfortably as he leaned against a full-body figurine of some likely famous Quidditch player whom he wasn't looking twice at, eyes completely riveted on her.

Regulus was now running his hand reverently along the smooth cloth emblem of the English National Quidditch team. Maybe his parents would be just as proud if he brought fame to their name once more by joining a professional team...

He startled in surprise at the light tap on his shoulder, turning around wearily to find Peter watching him with a sort of awkward smile on his face. "So, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Regulus blinked quizzically at him for a moment, they were almost the same highest despite the age difference he vaguely noticed, before answering, "we're in Bagman's office?"

Peter looked around himself properly before he laughed, and it brought the first hint of color back into his face. The guy looked a mess, like he really had just been brutally tortured with a forbidden curse instead of just hearing about it.

Regulus stepped to the side to show the signature just under the stamp, "nearly everything in here's signed by either Bagman or someone he was on a team with, couple of rivals too. The desk means this is either his study, or his office at work."

Peter almost beamed as he nodded, but didn't really look surprised. "Darn, now you gone and ruined what I came over here to say."

Regulus bit at his lip for only a moment before he blurted out, "why are you over here?"

Peter didn't look nearly as taken aback as Regulus would have thought, like he'd been expecting the question, but Regulus explained himself anyways. "Not that I mind, it's just, I mean after..." he trailed off awkwardly, imagining his father striking the back of his head for stuttering and not finishing a sentence. 'You should not speak until you intend to be heard!' For some reason talking to this lad had never felt forced though.

"I asked them to give me some space," Peter answered quietly, his eyes looking intently at their shoes now. "I didn't want them to feel obligated to, I mean it's not like I don't deserve, I'll just take the fact that they're talking to me now and not go badgering for more until-" He stopped, swallowed, and didn't seem keen on continuing.

"Until, what?" Regulus couldn't help but ask without thinking, again. There was a hunger deep inside of him he recognized only in Peter. While everyone else continued treating this like a game, or an unfortunate accident, they alone felt their realities drawing all too near.

"Until, we know more," Peter finished, looking at him again. It wasn't true hope he felt, but it was something other than the misery that had been clouding him since his betrayal. Maybe if he served enough penance in this future, maybe if they found some proof this didn't have to happen, maybe if he did try something new, like making a friend he'd never have considered before. Maybe...

James couldn't help but laugh affectionately at his future son, this book really was a whirlwind. He was glad Evans didn't seem to notice how shaken up he still felt about the dream they'd just heard about, instead he smiled at her mutterings of Dumbledore dismissing Harry and taking care of Fudge first, they were of the same mind on that. So his son decided to help himself to Dumbledore's Pensieve, and her look at him also seemed to have them agreeing he was a chip off the old block.

The pensive wasn't going to be much for a laugh though, he could already tell that what with Harry landing in the Ministry courtrooms of all places. His stomach clenched uncomfortably as he remembered Sirius had never even been given a trial in this place, and to stop himself running to him or vomiting himself, he concentrated harder on Evans. He wished he could play with her long red hair as much as she did, holding the book uncomfortably and fidgeting with strands across her eyes. He forced himself to wonder on why she didn't wear it back more rather than the uncomfortable story being played out of Karkaroff being dragged in and all that followed.

Lily wouldn't have admitted if she were in that chair herself how much Potter was distracting her, still watching her so openly like he did all the time anyways- but what was this? Karkaroff had named Snape as a Death Eater, and Dumbledore had absolved him? Something painful flooded through her as she read that, and then reread it again a dozen more times to herself. There it was in plain text, a confirmation and condemnation in one sentence. Sev was going to be a Death Eater, but he'd also leave.

"Evans?" She startled, surprised she didn't rip the page right out as she looked once more at his hazel eyes. He seemed to have spoken out of turn though, he looked just as surprised as she was. There was something, vulnerable, he clearly hadn't wanted her to see as he just as quickly turned away, leaving her with nothing to gape at. She knew what he'd been thinking though, as he turned to watch Peter Pettigrew once more.

Her throat still felt swollen and painfully tight, it should have been easier to keep going now that he wasn't watching her every move, but she somehow felt more exposed than ever. What would Sev say if he were here? Would he defend himself, or be proud of this path his life had taken? The only way she'd be able to ask would be to finish this and get back.

The next memory was only mildly distracting, Bagman, a Death Eater? She was aware the man was an idiot, but he really didn't seem the type, but then, why was he so intent on trying to help Harry this year? That still made no sense, but he was absolved of the crimes easily enough, and his Quidditch fame kept him from getting even the threat of Azkaban.

Alice stopped abruptly rhapsodizing over her favorite save ever recorded and looked to the book in Lily's hand with a sinking feeling for how this memory was starting. Frank looked just as concerned as she, Crouch had his own son on trial, this was not destined to end well.

When the time came for Crouch to state the crime, Lily didn't even seem able to say it. Potter even reached over and gave her a rough pat on the back like she was physically choking and she didn't even react! Instead, she finally dragged her eyes up, right to them, and with white trembling lips whispered the slated crime.

For the second time in a very short period, the air itself went dead. Neither Alice, nor Frank even seemed to know what to do with themselves as so much information was dumped on their heads like a sledgehammer. Aurors, them? It was an idea they'd both nursed, but for the reward of that being the price of their sanity? An answer as much as a curse to why they were no more in their son's life than Lily and Potter.

Frank would have started crying, more out of frustration than anything. The Cruciatus Curse, another unforgivable curse. He'd gotten a first-hand account only minutes ago hearing that used on Peter. He felt cold all over as he wondered of his mother, and how Neville's reaction to them being mentioned before made him want to be sick. The Unforgivable Curses seemed slated to haunt every corner of his life. What had he dragged Alice into just by falling in love with her?

She in turn just felt quietly furious, like she'd drag anyone who looked twice at them to Azkaban right now. She told Lily quietly, calmly even to keep going, and she'd say it a thousand more times herself if she had to like she had back when this started. This was not their future, it didn't have to be, and if that little Junior kid had been at the wrong place at the wrong time, or been involved, she needed to find out every detail and make it right for her, Frank, and any possibility of a future.