Author's Note: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

I apologize very much for the wait, but this time around year is extremely busy so I have been… busy. But here you go anyway.

Monkeystarz, :), Sara, ViviBlack. gryddindork23, KaoticOreo, s.s.harry, shadow-n-the-dark, Gwynn-Potter, Mrs Raven Wood, thanks for all your kind words!

And I've turned 15. Yay for me! Although I'm having a little of a crisis… holy shit I'm half-way to thirty!

Chapter 4 – And so to Dumbledore We Go

The seven of them walked to Dumbledore's office in silence. James and Sirius both had their wands out, as if afraid that especially Harry, was psychically instable and was going to attack them any second. However, eventually they reached the gargoyle outside the Headmaster office and that without any further… accidents.

"Same password, is it?" Hermione asked James, who nodded briefly. "Whomping Willows", she thereafter said, after which the gargoyle moved aside, showing off the staircase which was pretty familiar to all of them.

"How did you kn…" Harry began but Hermione gave him a look telling him to be quiet, so he looked back down into the floor. "I'm not going to ask", he muttered.

They stepped inside – Hermione going first, with Harry, then James and Sirius behind, now putting their wands back into their sleeves, then Peter, grinning evilly and finally Remus and Ron. The staircase took them all up, and then they entered the office. At first, it seemed empty. There was no sign of Dumbledore being there at all.

"He's not here!" James exclaimed. "I knew it would-"

"Who is not here, Mr Potter?" a calm voice came from behind.

They all span around and looked up. There he was, Dumbledore himself, standing on the balcony. They watched as he slowly made his way down the stairs and sat down in his chair behind his desk. First then, he raised his gaze and took a closer look on the group.

"Professor Dumbledore", James said, "we have something of a situation here."

"I can see that", Dumbledore said. "I'm open to any explanations."

At first silence fell, no one knew really what to say. None of the so called Marauders knew what was actually happening. Neither did Harry – the poor boy hadn't got a clue. Ron was still in shock, probably not able to give a proper explanation. That left Hermione – and she couldn't explain everything with the Marauders there. That would ruin the future, oh yeah.

"Anyone?" Dumbledore said.

Sirius was the first to speak up. "Well, Professor, it was like this. Me and James, Remus and Peter was on our way to the Welcome Fiest, when we bumped into this bloke", he said with a nod towards Harry. "He almost fainted just by seeing us-"

"Totally freaked out", added James, glaring at Harry.

"-and then", Sirius continued, "this other guy shows up – and the only thing he says is 'I'm Ron'. I mean, what's that supposed to mean?"

"So then I hear a giggle", James said, "and around the corner we find Alyssa, who is supposed to be in France. And this Harry bloke, he calls her Hermione. So she tells this story about her having a twin sister caller Hermione, which is obviously a lie."

"Then", Sirius continued, "this Harry bloke, who by the way looks almost exactly like James, if you haven't noticed, insults our friend Peter."

"Yeah!" Peter said.

Hermione rolled her eyes, but was careful so that no one would notice. "So I suggested that we should come here", she finished.

Dumbledore looked at them all from the other side of the desk, and then he said calmly, "I suggest the four of you" – he pointed at the Marauders – "go and wait in there" – he pointed towards another room.

None of the four seemed happy about being left out, but they also had a great respect for their Headmaster and did just as they were told.

"So", Dumbledore said in a low voice when the door was closed, "can anyone of you tell me what this is all about?"

"Professor", Hermione began in a shaky voice, "it wasn't meant to happen." She took a deep breath. "You know the potion, which I got?"

"What?" Harry asked confused. "Could anyone please tell me what is going on here? Why are we-"

But Dumbledore interrupted him by raising his hand. "You will be told later. Right now I need to hear this from her."

"But why did they call her Alyssa?" Harry asked.

"I'll tell you later, Harry", Hermione said. "Okay. The potion – anyway, Harry accidentally drank it, he was looking for a headache potion-"

"What did I drink?" Harry interrupted.

Dumbledore sighed. "Miss Granger, you might as well tell him now."

Hermione bit her lip. She had no idea how Harry would react, but she guessed she'd just have to tell him the truth now. "Well", she began, "it all started with…"

As she told him the story (although not everything – just as she had done to Ron, she left out certain parts), Harry's facial expression changed from curious to shocked to unbelieving.

"You're kidding", he said when Hermione had finished.

"Look in that room", Hermione said and nodded towards the room in which the Marauders currently were situated. "I think you know I'm not kidding."

"But you didn't told us!?"

"I couldn't! I mustn't change the past, you have to understand-"

"Are you telling me you spent the entire fall in the same school as my parents?" Harry interrupted her.

Hermione nodded.

"Which I have never met?"

She nodded again. "Harry, I'm sorry-"

"No!" he exclaimed. "No", he said again, this time in a calmer voice, "I don't want your pity." Then he turned to Ron. "Did you know?"

"She told me when you disappeared from Hogwarts", Ron said quietly. "I think… I think it's crazy."

But Harry just stared out into empty air, probably trying to understand what he just had been told. For a while, no one said anything, but at last Dumbledore broke the silence by clearing his throat. "Miss Granger, you may continue."

"Of course", she mumbled. "Well, Harry drank the wrong potion, and he disappeared an hour later, when we were walking through the entrance doors. Knowing what could happen, I decided that Ron and I must follow, so I quickly told Ron the whole story… and an hour later we were here. Harry had already bumped into those four, and… yeah."

"It's weird", Harry said. "Cause I… I…"

"Yeah", Hermione said. "Um… there's another thing. I don't know if you might already know but… Harry is James's son."

"I thought he seemed slightly familiar", said Dumbledore and smiled.

Hermione wondered if she should tell him that in the future, James was dead, but she decided not to. She mustn't change the past. And for all that she knew, Dumbledore didn't know about Lily and James dying before it actually happened.

"We will make some more of that potion for you three", Dumbledore said. "It will take a month. In the meantime, you will stay here. You will be in Gryffindor, as I assume that all of you are", - they all nodded – "you will take your NEWTs," – Ron groaned – "and more important; you mustn't reveal your true identities."

"But, Professor", Ron said, "anyone would see that Harry looks exactly like James, and they do also recognize Alyssa…"

"Of course, Mr…"

"Weasley", Ron said.

"Not Arthur and Molly Weasley's are you?"

"Yeah."

"Thankfully, neither of them is at the school at the moment. Very nice students, by the way. However, Harry here will have to disguise himself. Blue eyes, a little of a hair dye, perhaps…"

Harry grimaced.

"You will go down to the potions professor later and take care of it. And for Miss Granger, I don't think that would be necessary. Just pretend like you are here for another month, this time with two of your friends, an opportunity which appeared during the holidays."

Hermione nodded.

"You can go now", Dumbledore said. "I will sent a message to our potions professor and alert him. He will expect you arriving there in fifteen minutes. Meanwhile, I will take care of the other four students."

"What are you going to do, Professor?" Harry asked.

"A simple memory charm. Normally, I would have a policy of never using memory charms on my students, but I guess this would be an emergency situation. Oh, by the way Mr Potter, I suggest you change your name. Last name would be enough. And you too, Mr Weasley."

The two boys nodded, and then the trio headed out of Dumbledore's office.

Author's Note: Comments are welcome as always.

However, I'm kind of busy and I have to write on my other story so it might take a while before my next update. Just so that you know.

Take Care!