Is it bad that I do this instead of my homework? Thanks for all of the great reviews and for the one mean one. ;) I really appreciate them, and look! You all get a reward. Chapter two!
James froze. It was as though he were looking in a mirror. This kid didn't just resemble him. He was him, from head to toe. Same hair, same nose. He just couldn't believe it. He had a kid in the future.
James was in shock. Remus was notoriously shy on occasion, and Lily was staring at her boyfriend's son as though he had four heads. Sirius took it upon himself to speak up.
"Well," he cleared his throat and let out a slight laugh. "You must be James Jr. Pleased to meet you. I'd better be your dogfather, or I'm going to have to kill my friend over there." At which point Sirius had to stop talking and instead moved toward the back of the group to laugh in private.
Remus moved forward to speak, but Harry was only half listening. They shouldn't have been there. None of them should have been there. This was wrong. How did they get there, anyway? The chain and hourglass still in plain sight around James' neck caught Harry's attention.
"Hello?" Remus said almost annoyed at Harry's inattention.
"Sorry, Remus," Harry said, still staring intently at the chain around his father's neck. "What did you just say?"
"Well, I asked if you knew who were are, but I guess you answered that." Harry drew his gaze toward the werewolf. He looked so young. Older than the others, Harry thought, but so much younger than he did now. Then again, he hadn't been through everything that the Remus Harry knew had.
"Yeah," Harry nodded. "I know who you are, and that you are a couple of decades away from where you are supposed to be right now."
"Come on," James scoffed. "Like you aren't curious about you future."
"No, I'm not," Harry said guardedly. "And you shouldn't be either. Now stay here. I'll be back in two minutes. Don't even think about sneaking off. I'll find you in a matter of seconds."
With that he hurried up the stairs to his dorm room. "Prongs," Sirius started, "your kid has got a major stick up his butt. Who is up for sneaking out?" Sirius rubbed his hands together in an anticipatory way, looking around for takers.
"He said he could find us, and I don't doubt it. I'm staying here. No offense, but he is so intense it's a little scary," Remus replied with an apologetic look at James.
"I'm up for it, Padfoot. Let's go," James said as he headed for the door.
Meanwhile, a little ways up the staircase.
"Ron!" Harry said as he shook his sleeping friend. "Come on, Ron, wake up! I need your help. Come on!"
Ron opened one eye. "I was having a really good dream. This better be good."
Harry rolled his eyes. "I'm sure Hermione would be happy to reenact it later," Ron and Hermione had been officially together since the middle of summer, and Harry couldn't seem to stop teasing either of them about it. "Right now I need you to go get Professor Dumbledore."
Ron forgot to be embarrassed as he hurriedly got up and grabbed his robe. "Is it You-Know-Who?" he asked quietly, his eyes wide in terror.
"No, not this time," Harry replied as the made there way out of the dorm. "My parents, Sirius, and Remus decided about twenty years ago to time travel forward to see what their lives are like."
"Wow," Ron whispered. His look of concern focused hard on his friend. "Do you want me to stay? You can go get Dumbledore."
"You are the prefect. I'm not allowed out. Besides, having to keep an eye on them will be better for me than walking the quiet halls with nothing but my frantic thoughts to keep me company." He stopped abruptly at the bottom of the stairs, causing Ron who was behind him to do the same. "Where are they?" Harry seethed as he took in the two nervous Gryffindors in front of him.
"They left," Remus said with a resigned sigh.
Harry turned around with a growl and looked at Ron. "Watch them for a sec. I'll go get the map."
Ron, Remus, and Lily all stood awkwardly in the middle of the room as they waited. "You're a Weasley, right?" Remus asked, trying to fill the time until Harry got back. "Do you know Billius? He's a year ahead of us."
"My uncle," was all that Ron could get out as he nodded. It was amazing to him just how many people from their generation weren't around anymore because of the war.
"Let's go," Harry snapped out as he barreled through the common room to the portrait whole. The others followed after him trying to keep up with his grueling pace.
"Um... Harry, mate, where's the fire?" Ron asked as even his long legs were having some trouble in keeping up with Harry. Harry handed Ron the map, and Ron let out a world that would have been completely inappropriate were it not for the fact that the dots marked Sirius Black and James Potter were far too close to the dot marked Severus Snape.
"What?" Lily asked as she hurried up next to them. "What is that?"
"It's our map," Remus said with a slight tone of astonishment. "It shows where everyone in the castle is. Filch took it from James at the beginning of the year."
"Is something wrong? Where are they?" Lily asked. She was really starting to get worried.
"They don't know this castle," Harry said. "They don't know what has changed, and they don't know who is in it. Sorry, but your boyfriend is an idiot."
The four of them charged down the staircase to the dungeon and heard voices. "I am truly going to enjoy this," a slow and creepy voice sounded from down the hall. Harry charged down the hall and stood in front of Snape's raised wand. He glared hard at the older man, who only squared his shoulders and smirked as he began to cast his spell.
"Thank you so much professor," Ron interrupted, bumping into the potions master as he moved to help James and Sirius to there feet. "I was trying to get them to Professor Dumbledore, and they ran off. I appreciate you finding them for me."
Snape snarled, returning his hard glare to Harry. "They deserve everything that they get," he growled
"They're sixteen years old, Professor. You're a grown man. Why can't you act like it?" Harry said softly. Snape stared a moment longer.
"You will serve a week's detention with me for your cheek, Potter. Be in my office immediately after dinner or you will regret it. Get them to the office now, Weasley, or I'll have your badge," he growled. He swooped off in the opposite direction of the stairs, leaving the students to themselves.
Harry stalked to the stairs in an angry way that forcefully resembled Snape's. "Come on!" he shouted at those behind him who had yet to move. Ron shoved them along with a dark look of concern for his friend.
The walk to the headmaster's office took place in silence. Harry stopped in front of the gargoyle and Ron supplied. "Moon pie." The stairway opened and Harry impatiently began climbing.
Reaching for the knocker, Harry made his presence known. "Come in," the headmaster's ancient voice sounded from beyond the door. "What can I do for you at such an hour, Mr. Potter?" Dumbledore asked as Harry moved to stand in front of him. He was sitting at his desk, still dressed in the clothes that he'd had on at dinner, surrounded by paper work.
Harry looked at the door way in response as Ron filed into the room behind the others. "Ah," was Dumbledore's only reply. He stood and walked around his desk to stand in front of the young time travelers. "Mr. Lupin," Dumbledore said in a calm voice, "would you care to explain to me what happened?"
"Not really?" Remus said, quietly reciting the line he had been giving since his first year. Dumbledore gave him a small smile, but he too followed tradition and remained silent until Remus had reluctantly finished his tale. "James, Sirius, and I were curious. We stole Lily's time turner. She caught us as we were leaving, so she came to keep us out of trouble." Remus stopped as though he were going to leave it there.
"Was that all?" the headmaster prompted Remus, even though his eyes never left Harry.
"We ended up in the common room here. Harry is it? He found us. Then Sirius and James ran into some trouble, sir," Remus replied. Harry rolled his eyes and Ron moved to stand next to him. Everyone else just stood stoically awaiting their punishment.
"They ran into Professor Snape, sir," Ron offered.
"May I see that time turner, Mr. Potter?" Dumbledore asked as he stretched his wrinkled hand out toward James.
"You're going to send us back? Just like that?" James asked indignantly. "We came to see what the world is like twenty years in the future. All we have gotten to see that Snape just as big a pain in my butt as he was when we were in school, and that my kid is in serious need of a sense of humor." James pulled the time turner from around his neck. "I don't think we're ready to leave yet." A loud shout issued from his friends as James threw the delicate device to the floor and stepped on it. Harry shook his head and looked away. Ron stared in shock. Lily and Remus cried out at James, as Sirius slapped him in the back of the head.
Dumbledore raised his hand to silence them. He spoke calmly, but all present could tell that he was angry. "Time is precious, Mr. Potter. The sands of time are quite difficult to reign in, and a single time turner can take years to make. To get a replacement to take you back to your rightful place in time could take a while." Remus looked worried and Lily was biting her lip. James looked smug, and Sirius was shifting his wait from one foot to the other, looking torn. "In the mean time, you will stay here. There are two options as to how this will work. You will either stay locked in a set of rooms where you will continue your studies independently without the majority of the school knowing of your existence until you can be returned to your year, or you will be allow out in the school. Your memories will simply be erased before you are returned." Indignant cries came from James and Sirius. "I am leaving the choice up to Harry." He turned to Harry again at this point to wait for an answer.
Their looks of anticipation were met with only silence at first. It took Harry a while before he actually spoke. "I don't want them out in the school. That is too dangerous, and I won't risk it. They already know too much, though. They shouldn't even know my name." His voice shook only slightly as he said this. "Lock them away. Don't let them wander, but erase their memories anyway," he told Dumbledore with an intense look.
"Alright," the headmaster nodded solemnly. "I will make the arrangements, but remember, Harry. Time is precious." Dumbledore turned away. A house elf appeared near him when he reached the other side of the room, but none of the teenagers noticed. As soon as he had left them they began to argue animatedly.
"Lock us away?" James shouted at Harry. "What? I didn't get you want you wanted for Christmas last year, and now you get a chance to get at me without getting punished? Is that what this is? You have power over dear old dad, and you are going to use it, huh? Why would Dumbledore turn the decision over to you anyway?"
Ron started toward him. "Don't talk about things that you don't understand, you stupid arrogant little..." Harry cut Ron off there with a hand on his chest.
"He doesn't understand, and I don't want him to. Okay?" Harry said, completely ignoring everyone in the room except Ron.
Ron shakes his head slightly. "No, it's not okay, Harry, but yes I'll play by your rules," he replied, turning to stand behind Harry and shooting a glare at James.
"Mr. Weasley, may I have a word?" the forgotten adult across room called out. Glaring as he turned, Ron made his way to Dumbledore.
"You are actually going to lock us in a room for an indeterminate, but apparently long, amount of time?" Remus asked with a nervous edge to his voice.
"Its not like we're going to lock you in a closet, and the moon isn't full for about a week and a half yet. We'll be able to make accommodations if this takes longer than that," Harry said, trying to calm down the frightened boy. Talking to Remus didn't feel as odd as talking to the others to Harry.
"Moon?" Lily asked as Remus blushed. Professor Dumbledore and Ron approached the group, drawing everyone's attention.
"Mr. Weasley will take you all to your rooms now. Harry, if you would please stay a moment?" Dumbledore said. The four tired time travelers followed the redhead down the spiraling stairs and out into the hall.
"I agree with your assessment of the dangers that being out in the school could produce. I also think that you should take advantage of the situation, Harry. This is more than likely a once in a lifetime opportunity. I recommend not letting it pass by with out giving it serious consideration. Having said that, I will leave the rest up to you. I will contact the ministry and request another time turner now. I do have one more suggestion however. That is that you limit the number of people who know about our guests, and I shall do the same."
"Thank you, Headmaster. I don't plan on telling anyone that I don't have to. Would you please let Professor Snape also know that those are your wishes?" Harry's conversations with Professor Dumbledore weren't usually so formal, but the whole situation made him tense.
"Of course, Harry. Go and get some sleep now. You have classes in the morning if I'm not mistaken." Harry nodded and left.
Several corridors away.
Ron led the students down the hall in silence. He looked back occasionally in make sure none of them had snuck off, but everyone seemed to be playing by the rules for the moment. They approached a wall about halfway down a simple and unassuming corridor. He pressed in hard on an unusually circular stone. It sunk slightly into the wall, and he looked over at the others. "Put your hand there. Say your name and the word admittance."
Lily approached the wall and placed her hand on the sunken stone. "Lily Evans. Admittance." She stumbled a bit as the wall gave way beneath her hand. She gave a quick look to Ron who nodded her on. She vanished through the stone, and James walked up to the wall. Repeating the procedure with his own name he walked though the wall, followed by Sirius and then Remus. Ron shook his head and placed his hand on the sunken stone. "Ron Weasley. Admittance and exit."
Lily, James, and Remus were looking around the room when Ron entered. Sirius had already collapsed onto one of the couches, and looked ready for a nap. "This is the common room. It's basically a smaller version of the one in Gryffindor Tower, so I'll assume you know where everything is." It felt as though he were giving the tour to the first years again. "Your room is through there, and, Lily, your room is right there," he said pointing at the doors where the stairs would have been in the larger version of the room. "If you need anything pull the cord next to the fireplace. A house elf will be happy to get a message to Dumbledore or bring you food or something. I've got to go get some sleep because my charms class is going to be the death of me. Goodnight."
Ron turned to leave, but didn't make it four steps before Lily grabbed his sleeve. "We can't get out?" Ron shook his head, and Lily looked behind her to where James was quite loudly attempting to roll Sirius off of the couch.
"You can always just go sound proof your room," Ron offered.
"And not be able to hear them sneak up on me? No way," Lily laughed. "Are you and Harry going to be able to come and visit?"
"I'll try, but I can't promise anything about Harry," Ron offered with a sympathetic smile.
As they were talking, James walked quietly up behind Lily with something between a smile and a sneer on his face. He threw his arm over Lily's shoulder and said in an annoyingly friendly voice, "Hi."
"Hi," Ron replied with a furrowed brow.
"You want to stop hitting on my girlfriend, because that would be great?"
Lily rolled her eyes and Ron's jaw dropped. "I wasn't hitting on her. I've got a girlfriend, and she's my best friend's mother, you big freak." Ron shook his head with a disgusted look on his face. He turned and walked back through the stone wall, leaving the others alone.
James nodded his head as though he had just won a battle. "Keep it up and you won't have to worry about anyone flirting with your girlfriend anymore," Lily said as she began to walk off.
James looked up at her in shock. "Wait!" he said startled. She looked back at him. "I'm Harry's father," he said slowly. Lily nodded, unsure of where this was going. "You're Harry's mother?" She nodded again, getting a bit impatient. "So that means..."
"Argh! We are stuck twenty years in the future and all you can think about is the fact that you will at one point loose you virginity? Why am I dating you?" she screamed as she stormed into her room.
James slid down the wall and sat staring at his shoes. He looked up as two shadows moved to stand over him. "Lily and I are going to have a baby."
"Probably not soon, Prongs, but yeah," Sirius smirked.
"Lily and I have a future together. We're going to get married. We're going to have a son. I'm going to be a father." James shook his head and resumed staring at his shoes. It hadn't hit him before, but the thought of such a future was almost too much for such a child to consider.
Meanwhile in Gryffindor Tower.
"You alright, mate?" Ron asked as he fell onto the couch next to Harry.
"Nope," Harry replied, picking at a loose thread at the hem of his sleeve.
"Your dad and I don't get along real great," Ron offered.
"Nope," Harry agreed, still not moving his eyes from the string.
"Madam Hooch is dance naked on the table in the corner," Ron tried.
"Happens," Harry replied, before lifting his head to give a slight grin to his friend. "It's been a long night, Ron."
"It'll be an even longer day if we don't get some sleep," Ron said as he rose from the couch. He offered a hand to Harry, who accepted and pulled himself up.
"Sorry I took you away from that great dream earlier," Harry smirked.
"That's alright," Ron returned the expression. "I'll get Hermione to reenact it later."
They had reached the bottom of the staircase when a familiar voice called out to them. "Good you two are awake. I had planned on studying by myself this morning, but since you are up you can join me," Hermione said as she descended from the girls dorms.
Harry and Ron laughed hollowly as they continued on to their beds, desperate to get in the two hours and a half hours that they had left until they were late.
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