Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I AM THE WONDEROUS J.K. Rowling. I am making SOOOO much money from this fanfic. Oh wait, I'm just screwing with you.

AN: Hey, this fic hasn't been getting much response. I'm hoping I'll get more for this chapter. It's hard to write when you have no idea what the reader is thinking, or that anyone is reading it all. For those who did review (bless you. Are you the same person?)

Nikki: Yay, thanks!

Nicoletta: You'll find out what James thought of what he saw here. I love AU stories too!

"Hey, morning Mum." Ginny said brightly, as though there wasn't a random boy sitting eating breakfast at the kitchen table.

"Morning to you too, dear." She looked at Harry for a long moment. This boy looks like James Potter! Almost exactly like him... She looked a little closer, even moving towards him, He has Lily's eyes! And a scar...

"Bless my soul!" She said softly, "It's Harry Potter!"

James had cast a spell on himself so that he could roam the streets of London without being recognized. Surely Voldemort and his followers would kill him if they discovered he was still alive. He hadn't been out of the forest in so long, the sunlight nearly blinded him.

He had had a dream a few nights ago. Harry had been alive. He had been lying next to him…in the dream he was the same age he would be now. It had given him a jolt of new energy…to get on the task he was supposed to be doing.

But he also decided to reminisce a bit, while he was in London. He was now a blond twenty something, but it didn't mean he couldn't strike up a conversation with Tom at the Leaky Cauldron, or look at a few books at Flourish and Blots.

"What will ya 'ave?" Asked an old bartender, Randy Flikkopt, an old friend. James smiled at the sight of him.

"A pumpkin tonic, on the rocks, Randy."

The bartender looked at him, his face wrinkling, " 'Ow do you know me name?"

"I'm a seer!" James laughed, pointing at Randy's name tag.

Randy laughed too, turning around to get James a drink, "I can be so daft some days!"

James felt someone sit in the stool next to him, and James turned to look at him. He was a man in his early thirties, with a worried face, and small grey streaks in his floppity brown mop.

For a second, James didn't recognize him. Then it hit him.

It was Remus! Good old Remus, good friend Remus, supposed to be dead Remus!

Voldemort must have lied to him that night. Remus wasn't dead! He sat right here besides him.  

"I'm sorry." Remus spoke, his voice sadder and raspier than before, "But I can't help but notice how you are staring at me."

James sighed, taking a sip of his drink as the man placed it before him, "I'm sorry, mate. You just look stressed. Care to talk about it?"

Remus looked at James curiously, deciding whether to trust him or not, "Well, surely you know of Hogwarts, don't you?"

"Who doesn't know of Hogwarts?"

Remus laughed, "You've got a point there. Well, I'm taking up a teaching position there at the start of this term."

James beamed at his friend, "Why, that's wonderful!"

"Yes, I suppose so. It's just…someone who's particularly loathed me since grade school is teaching there also…"

He couldn't help it. It slipped out, "Snivellus is a teacher??"

Remus narrowed his eyes, his mouth freezing open, and James wanted to punch himself. How could he have been so stupid?

"Who are you?"

James took the last gulp of his pumpkin tonic, "If I told you, you wouldn't believe me."

"Why do you say that?" Remus said, and followed James as he stormed out the back door to the alley to get to Diagon Alley. 

James sighed, running a hand through his presently blond hair, "Gosh, how do I say this…"

Remus narrowed his eyes, "I swear to God, if you are Sirius Black in disguise, I'll hand you in right now!" He said it fiercely, staring at James with extreme despise.

James looked at his friend, confused, "What did Sirius do?"

Remus looked at him again, this time bellowing, "Who are you?!"

"Moony, I assure you I'm not Sirius!" James said quietly, peering at the enraged Remus with big eyes.

"Listen, if this is some kind of joke it isn't funny. There are only three people who would know about Snivellus, and who would know my Marauder nickname. Two of them are dead. So you must be Black!" He pulled his wand out, pointing it at his chest.

"Remus, please, I'm sorry. It's me, Prongs."

Harry felt his insides go all warm. Oh, no. He was caught, and now they were sending him back to the Dursleys.

Ginny gasped, "Oh my Lord, you're right!"

"I'm sorry, I'll go home right now." Harry stumbled out of his chair towards the door.

"But, you're Harry Potter!" Ginny squeeled, and Harry furrowed his brow.

"Yes, yes, that's right. Why does me being Harry Potter matter at all?"

"Don't you know? Don't you understand? You're famous! Dumbledore's been looking for you for years…"

"Looking…looking for me?"

"Oh honey, I don't think we're the best people to explain these things to him. I'll have to get Dumbledore."

Ginny looked at her mother pleadingly, but she gave her a firm look.

"Fine."

Mrs. Weasley scooted into the next room, and Ginny walked toward Harry.

"Why did you lie?" She asked, looking up at him.

"I didn't mean to." Harry said, nervous at having a girl so close to him, "The Dursleys, I mean the Dodeys changed my name. They hid me. I still don't understand."

She reached up and lifted his hair off his forehead, tracing her cool finger along his scar.

"I can't believe it!" She whispered, and Harry felt relief as she stepped back, sitting down in the chair behind her.

"My scar…how did you know about my scar?"

"Well, everyone knows, Henry." She sighed, "I mean Harry."

"But why? Why does everyone know?"

"I think I will answer that question, Mr. Potter." Harry looked over to see a bearded man with happy blue eyes staring at him kindly, "It's good to have you back. If you'll excuse us, Ginerva."

Remus looked at him, "How am I supposed to believe you?"

James sighed, looking around. Seeing no one was present, he pointed his wand at himself, and lifted the curse. Remus gasped as he looked into the hazel eyes he hadn't seen in twelve years.

"How?" He gasped, backing up into the brick wall.

"I-I don't really know. I think I was dead for a few moments…but I just…Got back up. I wanted to save them…but they died." He said this all in a soft, small voice.

"James, where have you been?"

"Wandering…I thought you were dead, Remus. That's what Voldemort told me, before he died…Remus! Remus! I just remembered…Peter. You must know where Peter is!" He pleaded, and Remus bowed his head, bitterly.

"Peter…poor Peter, he died, Prongs." James looked at Remus, but didn't feel a wave of grief, as one usually does for a lost friend…no, he felt…relief.

"Good. The bloody git got what he deserved."

Remus looked up, shock written on his face, "What? How can you say that…"

"Peter was the secret keeper, Moony. We switched…before…"

"Without telling me. I see. So, I suppose…" Remus gave a slight sigh, looking to his feet, "You thought I was the one?"

"I'm sorry, Moony. I don't know why I did it. I feel so stupid. But Remus, if you are alive, and Peter…you need to tell me. I need to understand what's happened."

"All right. You'll need to get back in your disguise. People would be in great shock if they were to see you." James nodded, shortly mumbling the spell that made him another passing face to the world. "We'll apparate to Hog's Head. No one's ever there."

James nodded quickly, and Remus grinned, not holding back on giving his best friend he thought he had lost forever a big bear hug.

"But me? What's so special about me that I stopped V-voldemort?" Harry inquired, after Dumbledore had explained Harry's past and the world he was supposed to belong to.

"I myself believe it was the love that your mother offered to protect you…love is a very powerful thing, Harry."

Harry felt his insides dancing around like Mexican jumping beans. He was a wizard! He was famous! There were people out there who didn't hate him, all these things he couldn't explain…there was a place where he belonged. And someone was actually talking to him about his parents.

It was all so wonderful; Harry didn't know what to say.

"I'm sure this is all a shock to you. Mrs. Weasley has offered you spend the remainder of the summer here at the Burrow, if that's all right with you?"

Harry grinned, and nodded fiercely, and Dumbledore smiled lightly.

"Well, then. Everything will be sorted out when the term starts. I'll be happy to see you then. You'll be seeing some…interesting new things, and meeting strange people. If you have any questions, I'm sure Mrs. Weasley or Mr. Weasley can answer them, and if not, I'm only a flue away. See you soon, Mr. Potter."

Dumbledore swished away, and Ginny's red head and big eyes darted around the doorway, "Coast clear?" She giggled, and Harry nodded, standing from the table and stretching.

"Oy, it's almost eight. Some of my brothers will be up soon." Ginny smiled, leading Harry into the living room again, "Gosh, they'll be surprised. Everyone will be so surprised."

Harry placed himself on the tattered coach next to Ginny, biting his lip, "It's all just so strange. So sudden."

"Everyone thought you were dead, you know." She said, shaking her, and smiling, "It is strange. So you'll be going to Hogwarts, then?"

"Suppose so."

"Oh, that's so wicked! You'll love it, Harry. It's such a wonderful place…"

"Who's this?" A boy with footy pajamas, flaming red hair and a yawning mouth about Harry's age asked, and Ginny giggled again.

"Ron, meet Harry Potter. Harry…well you get it!"