Back to You
Part 2 - Magical Puppies and Lost Boys
James stared at the little boy that clung to his best friend's leg. There was something very familiar about him, though how he could tell beneath the layer of dirt was beyond him. His gaze rose to meet Sirius's whom looked just as puzzled as what to do.
Sirius licked dry lips before untangling the boy's arms from around his leg and bending down to his eye level. "You got a name Kid?" he asked.
The answer was muffled but still clear enough for the two to understand, "Harry."
"Where are your parents, Harry? Did you lose them?" he asked after a short pause. The obvious answer would have to be yes, but the only way to get answers was to ask.
Harry rubbed a dusty sleeve across his eyes , wiping away the few tears that had formed there. "My parents w-were killed in a c-car crash when I was a b-baby." he said, stuttering over his words as he shifted his gaze from the dog-man to the other and back.
James' eyes softened in sympathy, but that still left the question of, "How did you get here though?" he asked, glancing about the forest. And that he had survived all the things that dwelled within it.
"I don't know!" he all but cried, "One minute I was in my cupboard and then I was here.. please don't leave me here alone." Harry wrung his hands together. To tell the truth he didn't know what was better, this forest, or his home. One thing was sure though, despite Vernon's girth, he wouldn't ever eat him. And this forest was scary.
James sighed and stepped forward and picked the child up, patting his back as if to soothe away his fears. He had to wonder still how the boy had ended up here. . had he apperated? But he was so young! Then again he was an animagus, something completely impossible of it's own. But what did they do now?
"Do you think we should go tell Dumbledore about this?" he asked, looking down into green eyes that were a shade or two darker than the one's he glared into every morning at breakfast.
Sirius's own eyes widened. "Are you missing a few marbles James? You know he'll ask why we were in the Forbidden forest, which may I remind you has a reason for it's name, not to mention how we came out unscathed."
"What do you suggest we do then?" James asked, eyeing his friend. He knew that look, the one that said that he was going to be drawn into more trouble than he was willing to get pulled into but that he'd do it anyway.
"Well he is kind of small isn't he? He shouldn't be too noticeable. . not to mention your invisibility cloak. We could just watch him for a few days while we wait to see if anyone's missing a relative." Sirius said, fidgeting. They'd been standing there for quite some time, not exactly a good thing.
James looked skeptical but a tug on his sleeve forced him to look downwards once again. "I promise I won't be trouble. . . I won't do . freakish things." he said softly. He felt safe in this man's arms, it felt familiar. He'd never been carried that he could remember when he was perfectly capable of walking. That had always been Dudley's privilege which might have been how Aunt Petunia had received the muscles to heft and fling a frying pan.
That had been the clincher and James groaned while Sirius grinned. "Great! It's all settled then. On to Hogwarts!" he exclaimed, pointing in the general direction before transforming into the look-a-like grim that he became. Harry watched the dog pounce around like a puppy, amusement glittering in emerald eyes, though no laughter left his lips. He'd learned a long time ago to be silent, and before that.. . when had there been reason to laugh?
They reached the Castle in good time, using one of the secret passages, they bypassed both Mrs Norris and Filch. The only problem left was making it through the common room undetected. True, it was generally late for anyone to still be awake, but there was still the possibility and James hadn't brought the invisibility cloak with him.
He set Harry down, letting his feet touch the stone beneath before removing his arms. The boy seemed half asleep. "Harry? Could you become a dog again?" he asked. It was the only solution he could come up with.
The child nodded and where once a young boy stood, a small scruffy puppy sat instead, tail wagging against the floor as he stared up at the two. Sirius smiled before turning to the portrait and giving the password. The painting moved aside and Harry jumped in surprise. He could have sworn that picture had moved. The Dursley's pictures never did anything like that.
"After you," Sirius said, waiting for the puppy to walk in first. Harry obliged albeit slowly and yelped in surprise as he was picked up from behind. James chuckled as the puppy wiggled. As they entered the common room, it would appear that they'd been right for there sitting in the common room was the remaining two of the Marauders and one rather angry Lily Evans.
Lily's eyes narrowed as the two boys walked in, and widened slightly at the bundle of fur that James was carrying. Instead of the angry inquisitive words that before were threatening to escape from her lips, another took up it's stead. "What is that?" Indeed that seemed to be the question on all those occupating the room since the discovery that the two were not where they should be.
Sirius rubbed the back of his neck while James put on a charming grin. "It's my pet of course. Father sent him to me, me and Sirius were just off to the owlery to pick him up."
"But, Dogs aren't allowed at Hogwarts." Lily said skeptically, as James let the puppy down. It crept toward her, and standing upon it's back legs, rested it's paws upon her leg, tail wagging. Who wouldn't melt under that?
"He's a special case. . James' parents are going out of town and they couldn't find a dog sitter." Remus jumped in, gaining a thankful look from Sirius and James. The look he sent back at them though told that they were going to have to tell him the truth. They knew they'd won the girl over when she began to scratch the puppy behind it's ears.
"He has the most unusual eyes. . is he magical?" she asked, glancing up.
"I guess you could say that." James said, humor glinting in his eyes. Perhaps Harry being here wasn't such a bad thing after all, but he had to wonder. . how long could they keep him a secret?
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Part 2 - Magical Puppies and Lost Boys
James stared at the little boy that clung to his best friend's leg. There was something very familiar about him, though how he could tell beneath the layer of dirt was beyond him. His gaze rose to meet Sirius's whom looked just as puzzled as what to do.
Sirius licked dry lips before untangling the boy's arms from around his leg and bending down to his eye level. "You got a name Kid?" he asked.
The answer was muffled but still clear enough for the two to understand, "Harry."
"Where are your parents, Harry? Did you lose them?" he asked after a short pause. The obvious answer would have to be yes, but the only way to get answers was to ask.
Harry rubbed a dusty sleeve across his eyes , wiping away the few tears that had formed there. "My parents w-were killed in a c-car crash when I was a b-baby." he said, stuttering over his words as he shifted his gaze from the dog-man to the other and back.
James' eyes softened in sympathy, but that still left the question of, "How did you get here though?" he asked, glancing about the forest. And that he had survived all the things that dwelled within it.
"I don't know!" he all but cried, "One minute I was in my cupboard and then I was here.. please don't leave me here alone." Harry wrung his hands together. To tell the truth he didn't know what was better, this forest, or his home. One thing was sure though, despite Vernon's girth, he wouldn't ever eat him. And this forest was scary.
James sighed and stepped forward and picked the child up, patting his back as if to soothe away his fears. He had to wonder still how the boy had ended up here. . had he apperated? But he was so young! Then again he was an animagus, something completely impossible of it's own. But what did they do now?
"Do you think we should go tell Dumbledore about this?" he asked, looking down into green eyes that were a shade or two darker than the one's he glared into every morning at breakfast.
Sirius's own eyes widened. "Are you missing a few marbles James? You know he'll ask why we were in the Forbidden forest, which may I remind you has a reason for it's name, not to mention how we came out unscathed."
"What do you suggest we do then?" James asked, eyeing his friend. He knew that look, the one that said that he was going to be drawn into more trouble than he was willing to get pulled into but that he'd do it anyway.
"Well he is kind of small isn't he? He shouldn't be too noticeable. . not to mention your invisibility cloak. We could just watch him for a few days while we wait to see if anyone's missing a relative." Sirius said, fidgeting. They'd been standing there for quite some time, not exactly a good thing.
James looked skeptical but a tug on his sleeve forced him to look downwards once again. "I promise I won't be trouble. . . I won't do . freakish things." he said softly. He felt safe in this man's arms, it felt familiar. He'd never been carried that he could remember when he was perfectly capable of walking. That had always been Dudley's privilege which might have been how Aunt Petunia had received the muscles to heft and fling a frying pan.
That had been the clincher and James groaned while Sirius grinned. "Great! It's all settled then. On to Hogwarts!" he exclaimed, pointing in the general direction before transforming into the look-a-like grim that he became. Harry watched the dog pounce around like a puppy, amusement glittering in emerald eyes, though no laughter left his lips. He'd learned a long time ago to be silent, and before that.. . when had there been reason to laugh?
They reached the Castle in good time, using one of the secret passages, they bypassed both Mrs Norris and Filch. The only problem left was making it through the common room undetected. True, it was generally late for anyone to still be awake, but there was still the possibility and James hadn't brought the invisibility cloak with him.
He set Harry down, letting his feet touch the stone beneath before removing his arms. The boy seemed half asleep. "Harry? Could you become a dog again?" he asked. It was the only solution he could come up with.
The child nodded and where once a young boy stood, a small scruffy puppy sat instead, tail wagging against the floor as he stared up at the two. Sirius smiled before turning to the portrait and giving the password. The painting moved aside and Harry jumped in surprise. He could have sworn that picture had moved. The Dursley's pictures never did anything like that.
"After you," Sirius said, waiting for the puppy to walk in first. Harry obliged albeit slowly and yelped in surprise as he was picked up from behind. James chuckled as the puppy wiggled. As they entered the common room, it would appear that they'd been right for there sitting in the common room was the remaining two of the Marauders and one rather angry Lily Evans.
Lily's eyes narrowed as the two boys walked in, and widened slightly at the bundle of fur that James was carrying. Instead of the angry inquisitive words that before were threatening to escape from her lips, another took up it's stead. "What is that?" Indeed that seemed to be the question on all those occupating the room since the discovery that the two were not where they should be.
Sirius rubbed the back of his neck while James put on a charming grin. "It's my pet of course. Father sent him to me, me and Sirius were just off to the owlery to pick him up."
"But, Dogs aren't allowed at Hogwarts." Lily said skeptically, as James let the puppy down. It crept toward her, and standing upon it's back legs, rested it's paws upon her leg, tail wagging. Who wouldn't melt under that?
"He's a special case. . James' parents are going out of town and they couldn't find a dog sitter." Remus jumped in, gaining a thankful look from Sirius and James. The look he sent back at them though told that they were going to have to tell him the truth. They knew they'd won the girl over when she began to scratch the puppy behind it's ears.
"He has the most unusual eyes. . is he magical?" she asked, glancing up.
"I guess you could say that." James said, humor glinting in his eyes. Perhaps Harry being here wasn't such a bad thing after all, but he had to wonder. . how long could they keep him a secret?
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