Usual Disclaimer: This world does not belong to me. I just borrowed it along with its inhabitants. Thanks J.K. for lending me your ready made world of magic.
A/N: Hey people sorry I've kept you waiting for so long but here is the long chapter I promised you a while back I hope it isn't a disappointment. Anyway thanks to reviewers: Dirbatua, Silvercrystal177, Monalex Potter, flying-piggy-123 and Siriusforeva.
Any way - enjoy!
Chapter 14
"Gin, open your eyes." Harry prompted her. He had opened his eyes only a few moments earlier to find that the world was no longer spinning around them. Ginny slowly opened her eyes and gasped softly. They were standing in the centre of the Gryffindor common room, only now, there were Gryffindors milling around them, most of whom were leaving through the portrait hole and all were blissfully unaware of the strangers standing in the centre of the room years before they had even been born.
"It worked." Harry said in wonderment, staring around at the unfamiliar Gryffindors.
"This is brilliant!" Ginny exclaimed, finding it weird to talk and find that nobody passing normally by her could hear or see her. Harry smiled at her but after a moment his attention was caught by something else. A voice that sounded remarkably like his own.
"That was hilarious! Best yet." Harry's attention snapped in the direction of the voice and looked up to see his father, godfather, former professor and the traitor enter through the portrait hole. All were grinning from ear to ear except the rat, who was chewing his lip rather unattractively (not that there was anything remotely attractive about him in the first place).
"Professor Memphis was livid." The rat commented in a disgustingly high voice.
"So what? We got both those greasy gits in one prank!" Harry smiled at the grin on Sirius' face as they strolled confidently across the common room. Harry couldn't move his legs, he was rooted to the spot as the original Marauders walked right past them, so close he could have reached out and touched them - but didn't. They dumped their bags at a table at the far side of the common room and Harry could do nothing but watch, mesmerised.
"That's definitely one for the Guidebook." Remus' familiar voice alight with mirth chipped in.
"A whole week of detentions with Memphis." Pettigrew fretted.
"Shut up Peter!" Three exasperated voiced chimed in unison before they continued their light-hearted voices on their way back out of Gryffindor tower.
"Harry? Harry, you okay?" Ginny asked, as Harry remained rooted to the spot, staring at where the portrait had just swung closed.
Harry pulled out of his reverie and stared at his girlfriend. " You okay?" She repeated. Harry nodded speechless and, willing his legs to work as Ginny squeezed his hand comfortingly, they began to move towards the portrait hole themselves.
It didn't take long for them to catch up with the Marauders and Ginny took in the look of excitement and happiness on Harry's face, he was positively beaming, his grin stretching from ear to ear. They reached the Great Hall and stood back to watch hundreds of past Hogwarts students filtered in and made their way to their respective tables for dinner.
The Marauders took central seats at the Gryffindor table and were immediately surrounded by friends and admirers. The scene was so familiar as they laughed and joked, telling stories to a rapt and smiling audience much like the way Harry and Ron had the ability to captivate an audience. Their laid back attitudes and unexplainable appeal made them irresistible company.
"What's he doing here?" Ginny hissed and Harry reluctantly turned away from the Marauders to see what Ginny was staring at. Harry looked over in the direction Ginny was staring and caught the unmistakable, cocky swagger and platinum blonde hair of a Malfoy.
"That's not Malfoy..." Harry explained. "Well... It is a Malfoy, that's Lucius Malfoy." The blonde, flanked by two large, stupid looking Slytherin cronies had slightly longer hair and more pointed features but was living proof that Draco Malfoy was the spitting image of his father at that age.
"Merlin they could be twins!" Ginny breathed.
"Like father, like son." Harry muttered as Malfoy senior clicked his fingers, scaring a couple of first years into moving so that he could sit where he liked.
His entrance into the Hall had caused some hilarity at the Gryffindor table as the clique around the Marauders all watched him as he sat down. He turned briefly, only to give them the patented Malfoy scowl.
The whispering and giggling almost doubled as the unmistakable form of a younger Snape shuffled into the hall, quietly taking a seat, ignoring all around him and never taking his eyes from his feet.
Harry and Ginny moved closer to the Gryffindor table as the last straggling students filtered in and the teachers took their seats causing everyone to settle down considerably. They listened intently to the stories and jokes told by the young and ever-smiling faces of James, Sirius and Remus.
Ginny held Harry's hand the whole time, allowing him to enjoy the experience as he needed but she allowed her attention o wander. She knew how important this was to Harry, to be able to spend time with his real family, all together, for the first and, almost certainly, last time.
She found herself gazing from her boyfriend's face to James'. They really were the doubles of each other and if you overlooked the difference in eye colour, the fact that James was wearing slightly more stylish glasses, and of course Harry's scar, it would have been very easy to mix them up.
As she let her gaze wander, her attention was caught by a young couple at one end of the Gryffindor table, oblivious to all around them as they whispered in each others ears, smiling happily. They were undoubtedly the figures of her own parents and she couldn't help but smile at they way they sat together, each with one hand clasped with the other's, eyes and mouths smiling happily. Ginny had often watched Ron and Hermione together like this and knew that she and Harry would often resemble them too, on the days when they spent time in their own little world together.
She switched her gaze from the Gryffindor table to the teacher's table, recognising the younger faces of several familiar teachers. She could have sworn the younger Dumbledore looked straight at her but it was so fleeting she couldn't be sure.
When she turned her attention back to Harry he was no longer staring at his father but instead, was staring across the table at a beautiful young woman with startling green eyes. Ginny knew immediately, without a shadow of a doubt that the figure was that of the young Lily Evans. She ate quietly, discreetly watching the Marauder's every move and listening to every word James uttered. Though she would never admit it. James often threw her lingering looks and smiles but she ignored him, trying as best she could to hide her guilty blushes.
The experience was amazing and neither Harry nor Ginny could feel anything but overwhelmed by it all.
All too soon, things began to spin around them, the world becoming despairingly dizzying.
Harry closed his eyes tight, not from the force of the spell but he felt tears welling and his heart protesting as he left his family behind.
Back in the common room once more, Harry and Ginny opened their eyes to find that this time they were alone again. Harry lifted his glasses and rubbed his eyes. Ginny hugged her boyfriend, knowing that he needed the comfort.
"You okay Harry?"
Harry shook his head. "I didn't want to leave." He breathed hoarsely, holding back tears.
"I know but don't dwell on the past Harry."
"I don't mean I wanted a little longer. I would have stayed there forever."
"Don't think that Harry. You would have been so unhappy. You would have been there but they would never acknowledge you... it would drive you mad."
Harry closed his eyes once more. "I know you're right but..."
"It's hard I know." Harry knew she was right, he had to move on. He gave a small smile and squeezed her hand.
"Come on let's not waste time." He said, pulling her towards the window, trying to judge what time of day it was. Looking out the common room window, Harry couldn't help but feel weird to see himself and Ginny lying amongst the deep snow, kissing as they had done earlier that day.
Harry remembered that Ron and Hermione had just previously left them and gone inside. They watched themselves get up and go for a walk as they had done and as they turned away from the window, the portrait hole swung open, admitting Ron and Hermione into the common room.
Harry and Ginny took seats as Ron and Hermione peeled off their soaked outer cloaks and curled up together in beside the fire.
"Harry's better today." Hermione commented, summoning a brush and beginning to brush her hair out of the ponytail into her natural soft curls. Harry frowned as he heard this, not sure what she was talking about.
"Mmm." Ron agreed. "I think Ginny had a lot to do with it."
"She's good for him. She has far more success in bringing him out of those stupors he gets into than we do."
"He just thinks about stuff a lot." Ron defended Harry.
"I know, it's just not healthy to dwell on things for too long. Have you noticed how he keeps making these cryptic comments about time slipping away from us?"
"It's just his way of dealing with things. Let him work things out on his own."
"At least he's got Ginny to help him."
"He doesn't need help Hermione. Harry's just Harry." Ron silenced her fretting with a kiss.
Harry watched with knitted brows and Ginny waited for his reaction.
"I didn't realise I was so bad, I didn't think it was that noticeable. I'm sorry I made you guys worry."
"Don't be sorry Harry, we're your friends, we'll always worry about you."
"I'm glad I've got you too." Harry smiled. "I don't know what I'd do if you weren't there to keep me sane."
"That's what I'm here for." She grinned.
Ron and Hermione continued kissing and talking softly and Harry and Ginny decided to leave them to it. Knowing they didn't have long, they hurried to find themselves walking around the grounds where Harry was still recounting James' visit. They couldn't help but feel indescribably weird, watching themselves as they had been earlier that day.
Ginny reckoned they definitely looked cute together. The perfect couple. Both smiling, holding hands and walking slowly, content with being with each other and not wanting the moment to end. They sat and watched themselves sit in the Quidditch stands as they had done that day, though it seemed much longer ago. The past forms of themselves, sat silently contemplating life after what Harry had said about time being precious and the time travelling forms of themselves sat similarly. Contented until they felt the familiar spinning sensation and they closed their eyes.
Harry didn't open his eyes when he felt the world steady around him; he didn't want to, yet.
"Oh Harry." Ginny breathed and his eyelids slowly fluttered open.
In front of them stood the most perfect little cottage they could ever have dreamed of and, looking around, it seemed that they were situated deep in the countryside. The sun was shining and the air was warm and full of the smells of the country. Harry once again felt rooted to the spot as a little girl ran giggling from the front door of the cottage. She looked to be about six or seven and was immediately followed by a boy of the same age.
"Oh Harry!" Breathed. "Do you think they're ours?" The question however needed no answer. Girl had long red hair and familiar emerald eyes and the boy - well he was the spitting image of his father - messy black hair and green eyes.
"I don't think they could be anyone else's." Harry managed to say. His throat was tight with emotion as he watched his children run and play together. Both he and Ginny held their breath as the little boy seemed to look straight at them. His piercing gaze was held on them for what seemed an eternity before a stunning young woman emerged from the cottage and took a seat on a small garden bench. The children immediately turned and ran to her. "Ginny." Harry breathed, overwhelmed by the beauty of the mother of his children.
Seeming to read each other's minds, they moved closer to the grown Ginny and her children.
"Mummy is daddy still fighting?" The little boy asked tentatively, the same piercing gaze now turned on his mother.
"Yes darling."
"Is he coming home soon?" The girl asked.
"I don't know Hannah, I really don't know." The young woman looked so sad as she pulled her children close to her.
"He is." The little boy stated, his unnerving gaze sweeping the garden but not settling on the time travelling visitors but far in the distance.
The older Ginny sat bolt upright searching her sons eyes.
"Do you mean it Michael? Do you See it?" Harry and Ginny looked to each other, confused by her words, by her reference to her sons gift.
"I feel it." His eyes rested on Harry again before he turned them back to his mother. "I confuzzed."
"Confused about what?" Her voice held a note of desperation as she tried to draw information from her son.
"I think he is here but... I don't see him. I See he is travelling too."
"Michael, you're not making any sense..." Tears glistened in Ginny's desperate eyes.
"No cry mummy." The little girl tried to comfort her mother. "Be shooshed Michael."
Michael seemed to fall into one of the same states of deep thought as his father was prone to.
"There two of him." He stated finally.
"You See two of him?"
"No I See one. He is coming home but he is here too!" Michael insisted, clearly wishing he could make himself understood better.
"How close is he Michael?" Ginny asked searching her sons eyes in confusion.
Her question did not require an answer however as a loud pop resounded in the quiet countryside and all five occupants of the garden (A mother and her two children along with two young time travellers) turned to face a sixth.
A young man stood unsteadily at the garden gate his robes torn and soiled with blood and grime, his body unbearably thin and fragile. His face, covered in dirt, was bruised and bloody but despite this, he was easily recognisable. Harry watched the weak, almost crippled form of himself as he took as staggering step forward. His wife and children ran to him and engulfed him in tearful hugs and kisses. Tears silently rolled down the young man's cheeks as he held his family close to him, enduring the pain of his broken ribs and plenty of cuts and bruises for the sake of having his family close to him.
Harry and Ginny watched the grown versions of themselves in their tearful reunion. Questions tearing through both of their minds as they waited for the scene to unfold.
'How long has he been gone?' Ginny wondered.
'Is he gone? Have I won?' Harry asked himself frantically.
"No!" Harry said in a panicky voice as time began to swim around them. As they began to spin, Harry strained to hear the question the grown Ginny whispered almost fearfully to her husband.
"Is it over Harry? Please tell me it's all over..."
"No!" Harry pleaded with time again, wanting desperately to stay for just a few seconds longer to hear the answer. The Ginny beside him squeezed his hand as they were pulled back to the present, the scene of their family huddling close together disappearing completely. "Just a few more seconds." He pleaded to nobody in particular as he crumbled into Ginny's arms, barely registering the present time, early morning common room settling around them.
"Shh. It's okay." Ginny whispered, holding back her own tears as Harry let his fall freely onto her shoulder for the first time.
"I think a 'welcome back to the present' is in order." Came a soft voice from an armchair in front of the fire and it was only then that Harry and Ginny looked up to find that the were not alone.
Extra A/N: Only one more chapter to go! I hope to get it posted in a fortnights time so I thought I'd let you all know so you know when to look for the update. I also hope to get my 'Hermione goes wild' story posted at that point too. It has take a little longer than expected but hopefully things will move along a bit quicker from now on. Thank you all for being so patient.
McGonagalls-Biscuits. x