Chapter 12
The Truth Comes Out
Professor Dumbledore sat at his desk, working on the time-turner, his spectacles perched on the end of his nose. He was just about to re-attatch the golden chain when the door to his office burst open and Harry and Hermione flew in.
"What on Earth is the matter? And how did you know my password?" Professor Dumbledore asked in a calm voice with a raised eyebrow.
Harry took a deep breath before he began. "We seriously screwed up." He gasped, placing both of his hands on the desk. "And we um-we guessed the password."
Dumbledore stood up. "Relax, dear boy and explain clearly to me what happened."
Harry looked at Hermione who shrugged, before he spoke: "My father found out that I am his son." He paused. "Does that make sense?"
The headmaster looked from one teenager to the other, frowning. "The only thing I can suggest is modifying their memories."
Harry looked down at his feet. He didn't really want his father to forget about him. Not this way at least.
"Harry," Hermione said quietly, "It is the best thing we can do. Dumbledore's right." She touched his arm.
Harry looked up again. "Well-can we at least wait to do it before we leave?"
Professor Dumbledore walked out from behind his desk. "I suppose that wouldn't hurt." Then he paused. "I am guessing that you are Jame's Potter's son then?"
Harry nodded. "Is it that obvious?" He asked sheepishly.
"You look like his twin." The headmaster chortled. "I had my suspicions at the beginning."
Suddenly, James and Sirius burst into the office, out of breath.
Dumbledore smirked as he saw the two boys. "Does EVERYONE know my password now? Dear me-I must have it changed."
Harry smirked, but then he saw his father and then looked down at his feet again. He could feel James and Sirius's eyes on him and he so wanted to hide behind Hermione. "YOU." Sirius pointed at Harry. "Are you really-I mean.." He looked at Professor Dumbledore, wondering how much he should say. Dumbledore put a hand on Harry's shoulder before he began.
"Congratulations, James." He laughed. "It looks as though you have a son-exactly like you."
James and Harry stared at each other, open-mouthed for a few minutes. Sirius smiled. "So," He joked, "Does that mean I get to be your son's godfather?" He was just trying to break the thick tension that had engulfed the room. Harry gave Sirius a surprised look, and Sirius's lips curled into a grin.
"Wait-really? I was just joking! I love you, man!" He threw his arms around James, who was still in too much shock to protest.
"Your eyes," James started. "Lily-I mean-that's what you meant when you said that before you fainted!" He told Sirius once his friend let go. "So does that mean that Lily and I-that Lily and I...."
"Get it on?" Harry sniggered.
Hermione and Sirius snorted with laughter at the comment.
"No!" James blushed. "Well-obviously, but-does that mean we get married?"
Harry rolled his eyes. "No," he scoffed. "I'm a bastard child."
"HARRY JAMES POTTER!" Hermione yelled, but no one paid her any mind.
"Headmaster-can we tell Lily as well?" James asked.
Dumbledore smiled. "Yes, James, but you must realize that all of your memories will be modified after they leave."
James smiled as well. "So according to the um-the-well-so we named you Harry, eh?" He asked. "Harry Potter." He said the name to himself. "It has a nice ring to it."
"Harry JAMES Potter," Hermione corrected. She couldn't stop smiling at this point. Harry had to keep himself from crying. If he was upset, they would wonder why, and he couldn't tell them what happened with Voldemort. He couldn't reveal anymore than they already had. Hermione suddenly hugged Harry with a burst of happiness, and kissed him.
"Well, well, well." James teased. "My daughter in-law, are you?"
Hermione blushed crimson and quickly parted from Harry. "Perhaps." She laughed, pulling a strand of hair behind her ear. Harry noticed that she did that whenever she was nervous. Sirius suddenly shouted
"AW, COME ON. GROUP HUG!"
Laughing, James, Harry, Hermione, Sirius and even Dumbledore embraced and it soon ended in fits of laughter. Eventually, the Gryffindor's made their way back to the tower after saying goodbye to the headmaster. Sirius went in to get Lily away from the rest of the Gryffindors so that they could explain things in private. They found an empty classroom (the same one Harry and Hermione had had the bag-experience in) and Harry noticed that sure enough the bag was still attached to the flu pipe.
"What is going on?" Lily asked, seeing her boyfriend's excitement as he wrapped his arms around her.
Sirius jumped up and down, looking like a child on Christmas morning, his teenage immaturity kicking in.
"You get to have se..." Hermione covered his mouth with her hand.
James laughed and then winked at his friend. Lily raised an eyebrow.
"Have what, Sirius?" She asked.
"Se.." Hermione shut him up again.
"Hermione, what are you doing?" Lily wondered.
"Harry here proves that..." Hermione covered his mouth again with her hand.
Lily turned to Harry. "Harry?" She asked with confusion. "I thought your name was Neville!"
James smiled. "No, dear. His name is Harry. Harry Potter."
Lily gasped. "So-is he your cousin or something?"
James groaned. "No. He's my-OUR-son from the future."
Lily sniggered. "Riiiiight. Sure, James."
"I am," Harry insisted. "Hullo, Mum." He greeted.
Lily swallowed. "Y-you're joking, right? You have to be."
"Look at his eyes, Lily. Emerald green like yours."
Lily made the same stuttering sound that Sirius had earlier and she fainted, but James caught her before she hit the ground. "You seem to have that effect on people quite often, huh, son?" He laughed.
Harry laughed too. "You have NO idea how people react when they find out who I am."
James cocked his head to one side. "What do you mean, Harry?"
Harry looked at Hermione, who had her eyes raised, looking at him questioningly. "Yes, Harry," She added. "What do you mean?"
"Um...." Harry paused. "N-never mind-you'll find out soon enough."
Eventually, James got Lily over to the couch and woke her up. She blinked, and the world slowly came into focus. "James?" She asked quietly. "I had the most curious dream. I dreamt that you and I married and that we had a child named Harry."
James laughed. "Well-we haven't gotten married and we don't have one- yet. But look." He pointed in Harry's direction. "We have one in the future."
Lily blanched. "Your-eyes." She fainted again. This only caused Sirius to burst into laughter and he doubled over before pretending to faint himself.
"Oh James!" He squealed in a pathetic feminine voice. "Catch me, you big hunk of man!" And he fell, but James stepped back. THUD. Sirius hit the ground on his back.
"Owwwww...." He gasped. "Some friend you are!"
Hermione and Harry chuckled as James spoke again, "I made you as Harry's godfather, remember? I could change my mind at any time."
Sirius sat up quickly. "Nuh uh!" He argued. Then he turned to Harry. "Harry-aren't I the coolest godfather in the world?"
Harry sniggered. "Yep. Especially with that criminal record you have- nobody messes with me at school."
Sirius stood up again, and folded his arms. "Criminal? What's that supposed to mean?"
"Um-you're not really one," Hermione insisted. "It was just a joke." She nudged Harry's arm. "RIGHT?" She asked in a serious tone.
Sirius still didn't believe them. "Wait-am I or aren't I?" He asked.
"No," Harry said decidedly. "But it'd be funny if you really were criminal-type."
"You mean I'm NOT?" Sirius asked. "Darn it!" He cried in disappointment. At that moment Lily moaned and her eyes fluttered open.
"She lives!" Sirius let out a meniacal laugh and pranced around the room. James sat beside Lily, enveloping her in his arms.
Harry did the same to Hermione and kissed her.
"Are you sure you're not my daughter-in-law?" James asked.
Harry laughed, his arm still around Hermione's waist. "Do we LOOK that old?" He teased.
James laughed. "Well-you are kind of short you know."
Hermione giggled. "He gets it from your side of the family. And his good looks."
Harry smiled at her. "Thanks, love." He whispered.
"Wait'll we tell Peter and Lupin!" Sirius said.
James gasped. "Oh crap-we left them out on the grounds!" He cried.
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" Sirius took off out through the portrait hole, leaving the rest of the group standing in surprise behind him. He reappeared again a few seconds later and put his hands on his hips. "Wait a minute. What's the big deal? I mean-they can take care of themselves." He paused. "Can't they?"
James nodded. "Oh-yeah."
Harry suddenly had a thought. "You can tell Lupin," He started, "But don't tell Peter anything."
James and Sirius looked at him strangely. "Why can't we tell Peter? He's one of our friends too."
Hermione grimaced at the word "friend" when associated with Peter Pettigrew, James Potter, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin.
"Um-just-just trust me on that one, all right?"
James nodded. "All right."
Sirius then grinned. "So," He started. "Imagine-the two of you having se..."
Hermione covered his mouth with her hand.
"PLEASE," Harry begged. "They're my parents! The thought is disturbing!"
Everyone laughed.
Professor Dumbledore sat at his desk, working on the time-turner, his spectacles perched on the end of his nose. He was just about to re-attatch the golden chain when the door to his office burst open and Harry and Hermione flew in.
"What on Earth is the matter? And how did you know my password?" Professor Dumbledore asked in a calm voice with a raised eyebrow.
Harry took a deep breath before he began. "We seriously screwed up." He gasped, placing both of his hands on the desk. "And we um-we guessed the password."
Dumbledore stood up. "Relax, dear boy and explain clearly to me what happened."
Harry looked at Hermione who shrugged, before he spoke: "My father found out that I am his son." He paused. "Does that make sense?"
The headmaster looked from one teenager to the other, frowning. "The only thing I can suggest is modifying their memories."
Harry looked down at his feet. He didn't really want his father to forget about him. Not this way at least.
"Harry," Hermione said quietly, "It is the best thing we can do. Dumbledore's right." She touched his arm.
Harry looked up again. "Well-can we at least wait to do it before we leave?"
Professor Dumbledore walked out from behind his desk. "I suppose that wouldn't hurt." Then he paused. "I am guessing that you are Jame's Potter's son then?"
Harry nodded. "Is it that obvious?" He asked sheepishly.
"You look like his twin." The headmaster chortled. "I had my suspicions at the beginning."
Suddenly, James and Sirius burst into the office, out of breath.
Dumbledore smirked as he saw the two boys. "Does EVERYONE know my password now? Dear me-I must have it changed."
Harry smirked, but then he saw his father and then looked down at his feet again. He could feel James and Sirius's eyes on him and he so wanted to hide behind Hermione. "YOU." Sirius pointed at Harry. "Are you really-I mean.." He looked at Professor Dumbledore, wondering how much he should say. Dumbledore put a hand on Harry's shoulder before he began.
"Congratulations, James." He laughed. "It looks as though you have a son-exactly like you."
James and Harry stared at each other, open-mouthed for a few minutes. Sirius smiled. "So," He joked, "Does that mean I get to be your son's godfather?" He was just trying to break the thick tension that had engulfed the room. Harry gave Sirius a surprised look, and Sirius's lips curled into a grin.
"Wait-really? I was just joking! I love you, man!" He threw his arms around James, who was still in too much shock to protest.
"Your eyes," James started. "Lily-I mean-that's what you meant when you said that before you fainted!" He told Sirius once his friend let go. "So does that mean that Lily and I-that Lily and I...."
"Get it on?" Harry sniggered.
Hermione and Sirius snorted with laughter at the comment.
"No!" James blushed. "Well-obviously, but-does that mean we get married?"
Harry rolled his eyes. "No," he scoffed. "I'm a bastard child."
"HARRY JAMES POTTER!" Hermione yelled, but no one paid her any mind.
"Headmaster-can we tell Lily as well?" James asked.
Dumbledore smiled. "Yes, James, but you must realize that all of your memories will be modified after they leave."
James smiled as well. "So according to the um-the-well-so we named you Harry, eh?" He asked. "Harry Potter." He said the name to himself. "It has a nice ring to it."
"Harry JAMES Potter," Hermione corrected. She couldn't stop smiling at this point. Harry had to keep himself from crying. If he was upset, they would wonder why, and he couldn't tell them what happened with Voldemort. He couldn't reveal anymore than they already had. Hermione suddenly hugged Harry with a burst of happiness, and kissed him.
"Well, well, well." James teased. "My daughter in-law, are you?"
Hermione blushed crimson and quickly parted from Harry. "Perhaps." She laughed, pulling a strand of hair behind her ear. Harry noticed that she did that whenever she was nervous. Sirius suddenly shouted
"AW, COME ON. GROUP HUG!"
Laughing, James, Harry, Hermione, Sirius and even Dumbledore embraced and it soon ended in fits of laughter. Eventually, the Gryffindor's made their way back to the tower after saying goodbye to the headmaster. Sirius went in to get Lily away from the rest of the Gryffindors so that they could explain things in private. They found an empty classroom (the same one Harry and Hermione had had the bag-experience in) and Harry noticed that sure enough the bag was still attached to the flu pipe.
"What is going on?" Lily asked, seeing her boyfriend's excitement as he wrapped his arms around her.
Sirius jumped up and down, looking like a child on Christmas morning, his teenage immaturity kicking in.
"You get to have se..." Hermione covered his mouth with her hand.
James laughed and then winked at his friend. Lily raised an eyebrow.
"Have what, Sirius?" She asked.
"Se.." Hermione shut him up again.
"Hermione, what are you doing?" Lily wondered.
"Harry here proves that..." Hermione covered his mouth again with her hand.
Lily turned to Harry. "Harry?" She asked with confusion. "I thought your name was Neville!"
James smiled. "No, dear. His name is Harry. Harry Potter."
Lily gasped. "So-is he your cousin or something?"
James groaned. "No. He's my-OUR-son from the future."
Lily sniggered. "Riiiiight. Sure, James."
"I am," Harry insisted. "Hullo, Mum." He greeted.
Lily swallowed. "Y-you're joking, right? You have to be."
"Look at his eyes, Lily. Emerald green like yours."
Lily made the same stuttering sound that Sirius had earlier and she fainted, but James caught her before she hit the ground. "You seem to have that effect on people quite often, huh, son?" He laughed.
Harry laughed too. "You have NO idea how people react when they find out who I am."
James cocked his head to one side. "What do you mean, Harry?"
Harry looked at Hermione, who had her eyes raised, looking at him questioningly. "Yes, Harry," She added. "What do you mean?"
"Um...." Harry paused. "N-never mind-you'll find out soon enough."
Eventually, James got Lily over to the couch and woke her up. She blinked, and the world slowly came into focus. "James?" She asked quietly. "I had the most curious dream. I dreamt that you and I married and that we had a child named Harry."
James laughed. "Well-we haven't gotten married and we don't have one- yet. But look." He pointed in Harry's direction. "We have one in the future."
Lily blanched. "Your-eyes." She fainted again. This only caused Sirius to burst into laughter and he doubled over before pretending to faint himself.
"Oh James!" He squealed in a pathetic feminine voice. "Catch me, you big hunk of man!" And he fell, but James stepped back. THUD. Sirius hit the ground on his back.
"Owwwww...." He gasped. "Some friend you are!"
Hermione and Harry chuckled as James spoke again, "I made you as Harry's godfather, remember? I could change my mind at any time."
Sirius sat up quickly. "Nuh uh!" He argued. Then he turned to Harry. "Harry-aren't I the coolest godfather in the world?"
Harry sniggered. "Yep. Especially with that criminal record you have- nobody messes with me at school."
Sirius stood up again, and folded his arms. "Criminal? What's that supposed to mean?"
"Um-you're not really one," Hermione insisted. "It was just a joke." She nudged Harry's arm. "RIGHT?" She asked in a serious tone.
Sirius still didn't believe them. "Wait-am I or aren't I?" He asked.
"No," Harry said decidedly. "But it'd be funny if you really were criminal-type."
"You mean I'm NOT?" Sirius asked. "Darn it!" He cried in disappointment. At that moment Lily moaned and her eyes fluttered open.
"She lives!" Sirius let out a meniacal laugh and pranced around the room. James sat beside Lily, enveloping her in his arms.
Harry did the same to Hermione and kissed her.
"Are you sure you're not my daughter-in-law?" James asked.
Harry laughed, his arm still around Hermione's waist. "Do we LOOK that old?" He teased.
James laughed. "Well-you are kind of short you know."
Hermione giggled. "He gets it from your side of the family. And his good looks."
Harry smiled at her. "Thanks, love." He whispered.
"Wait'll we tell Peter and Lupin!" Sirius said.
James gasped. "Oh crap-we left them out on the grounds!" He cried.
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" Sirius took off out through the portrait hole, leaving the rest of the group standing in surprise behind him. He reappeared again a few seconds later and put his hands on his hips. "Wait a minute. What's the big deal? I mean-they can take care of themselves." He paused. "Can't they?"
James nodded. "Oh-yeah."
Harry suddenly had a thought. "You can tell Lupin," He started, "But don't tell Peter anything."
James and Sirius looked at him strangely. "Why can't we tell Peter? He's one of our friends too."
Hermione grimaced at the word "friend" when associated with Peter Pettigrew, James Potter, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin.
"Um-just-just trust me on that one, all right?"
James nodded. "All right."
Sirius then grinned. "So," He started. "Imagine-the two of you having se..."
Hermione covered his mouth with her hand.
"PLEASE," Harry begged. "They're my parents! The thought is disturbing!"
Everyone laughed.