Chapter Nine
Split the Frame

James fell to the floor with a thud. He pushed himself up, and looked around, realizing he was in the closet with the trunks. Eyes wide, he clutched the Time Turner in his hand and listened closely against the door. Suddenly, he heard a muffled voice.

James, my friend, you're going about it the wrong way. Silencio! James blinked, recognizing Remus's voice. He grinned. He'd come back far enough. He could get Remus to the Shrieking Shack if he hurried, and everything would be righted.

He stopped contemplating and his eyes widened in surprise as he heard himself.

How the... What the.. James touched his hair, dutifully straight, and grinned.

You know, one of these might help.

Broken three already. Might as well face it. My hair is hopeless. James smiled as he heard Sirius boldly question him about his looks, and who he was trying to impress. Suddenly, he heard Remus again.

Oi, Sirius! Your dress robes are done. He heard Sirius' footsteps pass the closet, and stop near the beds, where he spoke a few words with Remus and exited. James heard his past self still muttering in the bathroom, and he smiled. Time for action.

He bent down in the closet and opened Peter's trunk, taking the Timekey and slipping it into his trouser pocket beneath his robes. He bit his lip, worriedly. Now, what? He'd need to get his past self out of the room in order to get Remus to the Shack in time.. Suddenly, another can glinted from the bottom of Peter's trunk. James grinned as he recognized the label. Fellier's Quick-Dry No-Mess Apparating Spray. He picked it up, and whispered Hogwarts Graduation Dance, slipping it back into the trunk. James closed and locked the trunk, then crept over to his own, whispering the password to it.



The trunk leapt open, just as he heard his own footsteps approaching the closet. He lunged his hands into the trunk, and found his Invisibility Cloak. He threw it on and slammed the trunk closed as his past self opened the closet door.

Aha! There you are. His past self grabbed it and sprayed three squirts of silvery stuff into his hair, and to his great pleasure, it laid flat. Imagine his surprise when seconds later, everything went black.

James grinned as his past self vanished, sailing down to the Great Hall. Now, time to act. He opened his trunk again and threw the Cloak inside, and ran out of the closet—stumbling into Peter.

Owch! Hey—Uh.... Uhm... H-hi, James. Peter glanced up at his friend, nervously.

Hey, Peter, why're you up here? I'dve thought you'd be down enjoying the dance like everyone else. Peter glanced at James's tattered robes, Spellotaped glasses, and the long cut that went down his cheek.

Yeah, s-same to you, James. W-what happ-ppened? Peter pointed to the cut. James's right hand flew up to it, and he grinned sheepishly.

I was trying to cut my hair.. I missed a bit, eh? Peter nodded, smiling slightly.

Y-yeah. Uh, J-j-james, do you mind if I— But Peter was cut off as James swiped the small bottle from the boy's hand.

What's this? He squinted at the label, and lit up.

Great idea, Peter! I thought I was the only one who realized what tonight was. Peter squinted with his beady eyes.

James nodded, rushing over to Remus's bed.

It's a blue moon, Peter. I was trying to.. uhm.. tidy up my hair, James threw out, when I saw the moon. I came out here to try and get Remus down to the Shrieking Shack, but I doubted I'dve had enough time to. Thank Godric you brought a Wolvesbane potion! I thought that no one else was listening to Defense Against the Dark Arts when Professor Berryl was talking the ways to cure or stop a werewolf! James rambled on. Peter blinked, surprised. So, did Snape accidentally give him the wrong potion? Or did he also realize that it was a blue moon, and gave this to Peter to make sure he wasn't bitten? Peter suddenly realized he didn't know what the potion did.

Uhm, James, how does Wolvesbane stop a werewolf again? James shook his head, and pulled open Remus's curtains, where he was collapsed over the bed.

It makes the wolf harmless, and the human in control, James said, while shaking Remus.

Remus! Oy, Remus, wake up! Remus stirred and opened his eyes wearily.

James? What're—what happened to yo— James shook his head.

Moony, it's a blue moon. Remus's eyes widened, and he tried to stand up, but started shaking.

J-Jam-James... get ou-out of h-h-here.. James shook his head.

Remus, drink this. Now! Remus nodded, and James, not trusting his friend's shaking hands, poured it down his friend's throat. Remus coughed and sputtered before swallowing, making a disgusted and horrified face. However, when his shudderings increased, he glanced at James with pure terror.

James! Ge-Get-Get out! James shook his head again. Peter stood back a bed from Remus, and his left hand went to the dagger—just in case. He knew that his initiation was effectively ruined, so there was no point in trying to salvage it by trying to purposely kill Remus—not unless he wanted to deal with James, as well—so this was just for self defense.

Remus started to change, and he tried to kick James away, but to no avail. His friend stayed there, watching. Remus closed his eyes, and tried to focus on anything, something, just not the wolf that he was becoming—and he found that he could. His body was almost completely wolf, and he could still think. Remus finished his transformation and looked at James, grinning as much as he could make the wolf do. James grinned back, and turned to Peter, whom Remus hadn't noticed.

Ey, Peter. Get my cloak. My trunk's unlocked. The blond haired boy nodded, and ran to the closet, emerging seconds later with the cloak. James grabbed it, and nodded to Peter, who transformed. He then turned to Remus.

Moony, buddy, you think you can make it to the Shack under the cloak? Last thing we need is for Snape to find you in the castle like this. Remus nodded. James flung the cloak over the wolf, rat, and himself, and they padded softly out of the Gryffindor Commons.

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James? James! He awoke, his head sore, to Lily's shouting. He blinked, staring into her eyes.

No need to yell, Lily, I'm awake. She smiled, and enveloped him in a hug, to which James blushed furiously. He looked around him. Dumbledore, McGonagall, and several of the other teachers were huddled around him, with the students making the next ring. James smiled sheepishly.

Uhm, hi? Lily raised her eyes, then started laughing. THe rest of the student body joined in, as did most of the teachers.

Nice entrance, Potter. Lily whispered, helping James to his feet. He grinned back at her, realizing that the spray in Peter's trunk was probably some of that Apparating spray found in Zonko's.

Did it just for you, Lily, He whispered back. Suddenly, James got a crazy idea. It didn't make much sense, but, hey, what could he lose? So James leaned in, and winked at her.

Psst, Lily. Want to know something? She raised an eyebrow.

What would that be? She whispered back, amused. James grinned, and kissed her. When he pulled away, Lily's jaw dropped, the redhead being speechless for once.

Lils, I guess this'd be a good time to tell you I really like you. He said softly. She gaped at him.

You.. you.. James, you.. I thought you.. She stuttered, highly aware that pretty much of the whole school was watching. James grinned.

Always, Lily. Always. And he kissed her again, this time Lily returning the embrace. James looked over to Sirius, near the front of the crowd, and signaled to him. Sirius grinned and started to dance. Soon everyone joined in, and the Graduation Ball was started once more.

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James, Remus, and Peter made it safely to the Shrieking Shack, where the trio stopped to rest. James smiled softly, sighing.

It's just like she said, I can't be in two places at once. One of us must go, two cannot be one. Peter, human once more, blinked.

Remus's expression showed the same. James sighed.

It seems I never will graduate Hogwarts, for technically, I never have gone. So I've got to leave Hogwarts, get enough money out of my vault to make a life in the muggle world, and leave James Potter the past to take over my timeline. Both of his friends looked confounded now. James sighed, and pulled his wand out, sighing.

I really am sorry, guys. But you can't remember someone who never existed. And he performed memory charms on both of them, planting in the thought that it was Peter who brought Remus here, and in time.

It was a real pity Remus wasn't to remember about the potion, though James knew he had to discover it sometime in the future. James sighed, and left both of his friends with the Invisibility Cloak, exiting the front door of the Shack.

Tomorrow morning, James would leave the wizarding world to his other self. This prankster would settle for the muggle world.

Fin



A/N: Whooooooo! I am DONE with this fic, finally! I left the ending open purposefully for a sequel, which will be done in Harry's time. So, I want your opinions. Shall I do one? Should I just leave this as the end? Shoud I finish HP and the Mother's Curse and then do a sequel? You decide. :p It's been fun, guys.