Chapter Twelve: A Romp in the Woods
Disclaimer: I wish I owned the original Harry Potter and his copyrighted world, but unfortunately I only own what you do not recognize. The rest is J.K. Rowling.
A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long to post, I just couldn't get it to go right. And with school and 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets' being released, I just didn't have time. So here ya go, hope you enjoy!
Harry, in his Puma, form ran towards Remus. The werewolf turned and prepared for his nephew's pounce. Harry leapt onto Remus and the two rolled around, play fighting with each other. James laughed to himself and joined in on the fun. He pounced on his father and rolled him away from Remus. Seeing an opportunity, Remus jumped onto James . Harry came to his son's defense and rammed into Remus. The three rolled around the clearing laughing to themselves, having a merry old time.
Snap!
The three stood stone still, and searched for the origin of the sound.
~I don't see anything.~ Remus said.
~Dad, we should go.~ James said to his father.
~Maybe, you're right.~ Harry dragged the invisibility cloak out of the bag and pulled it over their gear. The three large animals trotted out of the clearing and into the woods.
~I hear voices.~ Remus said. ~Male ones.~
~I hear them too.~ Harry replied.
"They should be up here somewhere." a voice said.
"Don't speak out loud, you fool!" A voice hissed. Harry recognized it as the voice he had heard in the study.
"I don't think it will matter." a third voice said.
Harry and James crouched low on either side of Remus, ready to grab him if he made a move. He was a threat to humans, but the Wolfsbane Potion blocked his hunger for flesh.
~Remus, don't try anything.~ Harry warned.
"The both of you will never see the light of day again if you don't stop this nonsense." It was a mystery voice that spoke. Harry and James strained their ears to hear them, their feline hearing enhancing its capabilities.
"I don't know." a voice said.
~That's Harrison!~ Harry exclaimed. ~He was in the room when Andrew was threatening Julie!~
~What?!~ Remus and James cried together, looking at Harry.
~I'll explain it you later.~ Harry replied, realizing and regretting his slip up. The three turned back to the clearing and watched as four figures came into view. Harry and James were on each side of Remus, prepared to keep him in line if necessary.
"We will only take action if it is seen as necessary!" Harry heard Andrew say.
"I'll make the decisions." a voice said.
"We're only going to talk to him first, right?" Andrew sounded worried.
"Yes." the voice said.
"But the boy?" Harrison asked.
"Yes, the boy. Well, we'll deal with him as well." James glanced at his father and then back at the clearing. The men stood in the center and looked around.
"Where are they?" Harrison asked. The four men scanned the clearing for any sign of Harry or James.
"I-I don't know, sir." Andrew replied. "This is the spot they said they would be at."
"But there's nothing here." Harrison stated throwing his hands out to show that there was in fact, nothing there.
"I can see that!" Andrew cried.
"Andrew if you led us on an a wild goose chase, you will.." the voice began.
"No, no, they said they would be here." Andrew interrupted him.
"Scan the area." the voice said. Harry and Remus crouched down lower to the ground, straining to be out of view. The fourth man, who had not yet said a word, pulled out his wand.
"Scansen Sortia!" He cried into the dark. A blue wave of magic flowed from his wand and swept through the clearing and its neighboring woods. Harry and Remus flattened themselves to the ground to avoid detection from the scan.
~James, get down!~ Harry cried. James was still as he was before, though still not in view of the men in the clearing.
~Dad! It can't track us!~ James cried. ~See, it only can detect human form!~
Harry looked and sure enough, Andrew, Harrison and the two other men were surrounded by a blue orb, illuminating the fact that they were human.
"Well, now we know they're not here." the fourth man stated.
"Thank you, Potter, for that assessment." the voice said. There was a strange ring to the way the voice said 'Potter' that Harry was sure he recognized. The man put his wand back into his robes and folded his arms.
"Honestly, Josh, we could have figured that out for ourselves." Andrew said, and waved his wand. "Finite Incantatem!" The blue orbs faded way from the humans.
"Why did we walk all the way out here?" Josh asked.
"We need to talk to Harry." Andrew explained.
"Andrew, I don't get it. What does he have to do with Kevin?" Josh asked, glancing at the man who had not been named. Harrison and the voice stood silent listening to the two Potters. Harry's ears perked up and listened carefully.
"We don't know." Andrew replied. "But they are both from Britain. Kevin knew who Harry was, there was no way he couldn't. So when he met Julie, Kevin had to have known we were all related."
"Why is Harry so famous? I've never heard of him." Josh asked.
"Do you remember learning about Voldemort in grade school?" Andrew asked.
"No." Josh replied.
"Think hard about World History. Really hard." Harrison commented.
Josh thought for a moment. "Okay, it sounds sort of familiar. So what?"
"Well, Harry's The Boy Who Lived." Andrew replied.
"It couldn't be Harry." Josh said. "It was over thirty years ago, he'd have to be older than me....."
"See? Believe me, Harry is famous there. First he survived a deadly curse as an infant and then eighteen years later, he defeated the same wizard that cursed him in the first place."
"I haven't seen his scar." Josh said.
"It thinned out." Andrew replied, as if it were common knowledge.
"What about James? He'll be sixteen tomorrow." Josh said.
"I know. But there isn't anything we can do." Andrew sighed.
"If anything happens, then we can't stop it." Harrison said.
"We mustn't let anyone know." the voice said.
Josh looked at Andrew and then back at the man. He was standing with his back to Harry and the man still had his hood up, as did Harrison.
"Andrew, if he is not here than where is he?" Harrison asked. The man seemed to be growing impatient.
"I don't know." Andrew sighed.
"Well, we need to be moving. In case you haven't forgotten, it is a full moon." Harrison pointed to the sky. Andrew sighed and turned to leave.
~Remus, growl or something!~ James said. Remus let a growl form in his throat and it was enough to move the men quickly on their way. Harry, James and Remus watched as they left the clearing, looking nervously around.
~What was that about?~ Remus asked, sitting up.
~Nothing, it doesn't matter.~ Harry replied quickly.
~Dad, you have to tell us now.~ James said. ~We've heard too much to not know what is going on.~
Harry stared at his son and then at his uncle. He sighed and launched into the story. He told them about overhearing the conversation, and about Julie shouting at him after the Quidditch match. He stopped when he got to the part about the Connection he had with Reagan. He didn't want to share that with anyone yet.
~So what is supposed to happen tomorrow?~ James asked.
~James, I don't know.~ Harry replied. And in all honestly he didn't.
~What do you think they would have done to us?~ James asked.
~I don't know.~ Harry repeated. It pained him to only have one answer for his son, but at that time it was all he had.
~Come on Harry.~ Remus said. ~From what Ginny has told me, you'll both need a good night's rest tonight.~
~Why?~ James asked, looking from his father to his uncle. ~What did Mum mean?~
~Nothing, James. Remus is right, we all need to get some sleep.~ Harry replied. He stepped into the clearing, checking to make sure that the men had indeed left. Following his father, James walked cautiously into the clearing, the moonlight reflecting off of the black marks of his coat. Harry and James pulled their camping gear into the woods and the three curled up at the edge of the woods to sleep peacefully in their animal forms.
--The next morning--
Remus was the first awake. He sat up and stretched, still in his werewolf form. The sun had not risen yet but the dew was beginning to disappear. He smiled at Harry and James, sleeping peacefully next to each other, both noses tucked under their large paws and their tails curled and tucked under their back foot.
Remus loved having James and Harry beside him when he transformed; it was almost like having Sirius and James Sr. with him again. Remus had been surprised when Harry had told him that he was an Animagus. He had been even more surprised that Harry had been so loyal to him. Remus was more than happy to help James complete his Animagus transformation. He remembered asking James what animal he wanted to become. James had gone on and on about some speech his father had given him about choosing wisely and thinking of what would be natural for the environment around him. James had laughed when he had told Remus, saying that Harry was too serious about some things. James picked one almost immediately, stating that he had known what he wanted to become since he was seven.
The lights of morn began to break the surface of the sky. Remus looked up to the sky and waited for his human form to come back to him. He was grateful for the Wolfsbane Potion, but he still hated his werewolf status. After Hermione had become Minister of Magic, the laws and prejudices regarding werwolves were reduced some. He had jumped at the opportunity almost immediately when asked to take Minerva McGonagall's place as Transfiguration Professor and Head of Gryffindor House. He was even more pleased when he learned that the School Governors were behind his appointment, not his connections.
Remus was so caught up in his thoughts that he hardly noticed that he was transforming back into a human. He ran his hand thorough his hair and looked again at Harry and James, still fast asleep. He saw no reason to wake them.
But another thought crept into his mind. What connection did Harry have to Kevin Brown? It was absurd to think that Harry knew this man, there had been hundred of students at Hogwarts, and even in his Seventh Yeah as Head Boy, Harry could not have known them all. Remus as a teacher at the school and he even had trouble remembering them all. Occasionally, usually around the beginning of the year, Remus would take a Memory Enhancer, but only a light one, to enable him to remember all the names. So why did Andrew want to talk to Harry about this man? He wondered if Ginny knew who he was, and made a mental note to have Harry ask Ginny.
The light in the sky grew, and the breaths from the sleeping Animagi became fewer and fewer until both son and father were sitting up looking at him with their big cat eyes. Harry shook his head, changing instantly back to his human form.
"Remus?" Harry asked. "You all right?"
Remus smiled. "Just thinking." he replied. Harry nodded and stood up. He brushed off his robes and helped James to his feet.
"So we can't tell Mum that Remus and I know about all of this, right?" James asked.
"Yup. It would need to many explanations to accompany it if we did." Harry replied.
"Well keep our ears open, Harry." Remus replied. Harry nodded again and picked up their camping gear, putting them back on their backs.
"Oh, by the way, James," Harry said. "Happy Birthday." James beamed at his father and the three set out for the house.
A/N: Whew, that goodness that s over. It won't as long as it did before for me to post the next chapter. Check in a couple says or so. If you would like an email telling you when I update, tell me so in the review (And while you're there tell me what you think!)