A/N: I hath realized that there's no disclaimer. Just to make everything crystal, it's not, was never, and will never be mine! The only thing I claim is the time it took me to write this stuff.

Notes:

Thistlemeg: I couldn't resist...
Fireblaze: Unfortunately, L/J fluff will be out of the way for a bit, seeing as how if Lily were to see James currently, her first instinct would most likely be to gut him like a fish for what he did' to Remus. If I didn't know for sure that James didn't do it (I am writing it, after all), I'd be close to gutting him myself. :p

Enjoy Chapter three!

-Celeste



Chapter Three
Denial

As James and Sirius entered the Shrieking Shack, James marveled at how little the place had changed in three years. A lot more cobwebs, but the scratchings in the floor and the broken remains of the chairs and table still were there, as James remembered them from only a week ago. He transformed back, watching Sirius do the same, and then proceeded to sit on the stub of the table, Sirius choosing to sit on a beam. The two young men stared at each other for awhile, before Sirius finally spoke.

So... James.... Sirius started, but cut himself off. James sighed.

Well, for starters, since I didn't use a spell, a Time Turner, or a chant to get myself in the future, just a can of spray, have any ideas to get me back? If I can get back in time I may be able to stop whoever killed.... Remus. Sirius nodded, a slight spark going back into his eyes.

And... and this future would be changed. Remus'd be alive. You wouldn't be a convict or one of You-Know-Who's followers. James nodded.

Yes, yes, yes, and who exactly is You-Know-Who? Sirius raised his eyebrows, and then settled them.

Oh, yes, I keep forgetting you've been absent for three years, James. I might as well give you a short history lesson, though I'm not promising anything about being entertaining. James laughed.

Anything's better than Binns, Sirius. Sirius laughed after a few seconds.

Aye, Binns. He's still teaching, believe it or not. Scariest thing is that Yeuvertes left, and--get this--SNAPE replaced him! James blinked, stunned.

.. Sna--SNAPE?! That git, a potions teacher? Sirius nodded, still laughing.

McGonnagal's only gotten older and stricter, Nix retired and someone named Filtch is taking over with his cat, and Dumbledore's still headmaster. James grinned.

Dumbledore! Hey, he might be able to find some way out of this mess for me.. Sirius nodded slightly before continuing.

Well, to start at the beginning, after whomever got... him and blamed it on you, Peter found out and brought it to Nix, who promptly sealed off the common room and brought' you out of the castle to Minster Crouch--

Crouch's a MINISTER? That old fart? Sirius shook his head.

No, his son, the one that was three or four years ahead of us in Slytherin, the one who cursed your hair off when you dropped a dung bomb on his books. James absentmindedly ran his fingers through his now straight hair, remembering that incident all too well--and also the way Lily laughed so heartily at it.

Well, anyways, you were sent' to Azkaban, and Lily, Melody, myself, and dear old Wormtail graduated. Poor Mel was in tears, and Lily was as red as her hair. I was surprised she was able to give the Head Boy/Head Girl speech. Then we graduated, and went off to go lead our own seperate lives. I became an Auror, Peter disappeared, and Melody chose to go live in the muggle world.

She didn't. Sirius shook his head.

Aye, she did. James frowned.

Tell me, how's Lily? Sirius rearranged the folds of his robes, nervously.

Oh, yeah, and I was invited to play Quidditch for England. James glared into Sirius' eyes.

Sirius, how's Lily? He looked down into his dark blue robes.

Sirius, my friend--she's--I mean--Lily's--she's not--she's not dead, is she? Sirius shook his head.

No, James, she isn't dead.

Then what's wrong? Sirius sighed.

You asked earlier about You-Know-Who? That's what... Sirius shuddered invoulantairily, Voldemort's called now. He rose up in the last couple of years to become a powerful wizard stronger even than Grisewald himself. Lily... well, she's... James glanced into his friend's eyes.

She's not a follower?

A Death Eater? No. As a matter of fact, you were pronounced a Death Eater yourself, when you were arrested. Said Remus was your initiation. That's what I was doing, looking for a mark on your arm. All Death Eaters have the mark of You-Know-Who on their arm, a serpent coming out of a skull.

But I'm not-- Sirius nodded.

Course you're not. That's mainly why I believed you, because of the lack of the Dark Mark. However, I highly doubt that Crouch would believe any of that, so unfortunately, until I get you back into the past, James, we'll have to disguise you. But first.. He sighed.

You asked what Lily did and how she was. Lily... James, Lily's part of Dumbledore's Pheonix Order, a secret rebel task force dedicated to vanquishing Voldemort once and for all. She.. James, she swore that if she ever saw you again, she'd kill first, ask questions later.

I need to see her.



I can make her understand, Sirius. I have to. I love her. Sirius started to interrupt.

Well, there is one oth--

Sirius.. Padfoot.. call her. Sirius shrugged, and closed his eyes, trying to Summon Lily. Seconds later, a young woman with long red hair, curled at the ends and flipped into a ponytail with deep green eyes Apperated.

Sirius, what is it? I was in the middle of a very import-- She turned, and saw James, still in his disheaveled Hogwarts robes and broken glasses.

J.. j.... Lily, it's..

James Potter.