Then a thought came to Harry, Remus; he had to see them! "You all have to come with me."
Sirius put on a silly grin and crossed his arms, "And why would that be? We just got reawaken from the dead. You just met your parents. Don't you want to sit and chat a while?"
"Moony's back." Was all Harry had to say for his godfather's face to change in an instant.
"He's back! Why?"
"No one else wanted to take the job." Harry said, shrugging his shoulders.
"Would one of you care to fill in?" James said, looking from Sirius to Harry.
"Moony taught Defense Against the Dark Arts in my third year. Then Snape blabbed to the school that he is a werewolf. So he had to resign. Then, this year, no one wanted to take the job and Dumbledore wanted an extra pair of eyes on the school. So, he came back."
James was laughing, "Moony a professor?" Then he turned serious; "I could kill Snape. Wait a minute, Snape? He's here?"
"Unfortunately, he's the potions master."
"And just as mean and slimy as before," Sirius said with an evil smirk.
"Play nicely Padfoot," Harry said with a smile.
James suddenly looked at Harry like he had grown an extra head. "You said Padfoot, and Moony!"
Harry and Sirius looked at each other then at James like he was the one with the extra head. "Yes." He said slowly, not knowing where this was going.
"Ah, Prongs? Are you feeling ok?"
"You found it!"
"Found what?" Harry said, then a light clicked on in his head. The map, James was talking about The Marauder's Map.
"Oh, you mean this?" Harry pulled the map out of his robe's pocket. James's face lit up. Harry handed it over to his father.
James took it like it was made of glass. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." he said touching the map with his wand, and watched as the familiar lines spread out over the old piece of parchment.
"Where?"
"Long story; in my third year, I could not go to Hogsmeade, mainly because some mad murderer had escaped from Azkaban and was out to kill me." Harry looked Sirius with a frown. "So the Weasley twins gave it to me, they found it in their first year. So I could sneak out and go with Ron and Hermione."
Lily looked from Harry to Sirius. "Sirius, what's he talking about? What mad murderer?" A note of panic was in her voice.
"It's also a long story, we'll tell you later. Harry, do you just carry it around with you?" Sirius said, gesturing towards the map.
"No, Hermione had us doing our holiday homework. And Ron and I got kind of hungry last night. I forgot to put it in my trunk." Harry said with a shrug.
"Then I wager there is something else in one of your pockets that Prongs would be very interested in?
Harry smiled and pulled out the invisibility cloak.
"My god," James gingerly took the cloak. "Dumbledore kept his word" He was looking over the cloak with a kind of glazed look.
"Um, sorry to interrupt this reunion with your old stuff James, But weren't we going to visit Remus?" Lily said with a smile.
"Oh sorry," James looked up with a sheepish look on his face.
They walked out of the room, into Dumbledore's office, and over to the door, leading down to the hallway. On the door there was a note:
Merry Christmas Harry!
Sirius you will be sleeping in the boy's dormitories with Harry and Ron. No one else is staying over for the holidays.
Lily, James, I have added a bedroom onto the Gryffindor common room if you choose.
James, Sirius, I suggest you change into your animagus forms when walking around in the halls, at least till I can inform the staff. People would not appreciate running into you when you are supposed to be dead.
Lily, I believe Harry has a certain cloak he'll let you use.
-Professor Dumbledore
James turned to Sirius with a murderous look in his brown eyes. "Which one of you prats told!" He asked in a deadly whisper.
"Um . . . That kinda slipped out in Harry's third year." Sirius said, looking at a very interesting part of the floor.
"Are you going to explain now or later?" James growled, still glaring at Sirius.
"Um . . . later? Moony and Harry's friends can tell the whole story I only know parts."
James nodded sharply.
The group walked down the spiral staircase and out into the hallway. James handed Lily the cloak and gave Harry the map. In the next moment there was a massive stag and huge black dog on either side of Harry.
Harry studied the stag long and hard, recognizing it from his patronus. Though this stag was not a blinding silver, it was a deep brown with chocolate eyes, its antlers where huge and Harry instantly realized why his fathers nickname was Prongs. The stag turned its beautiful head to look at Harry. Harry checked the map and they started out towards Remus's office.
When they were about half way there, something appeared on the map that made Harry say, "This is not good." Harry wiped the map clean and put it into his pocket just as . . .
"Potter!"
"Snape" Harry muttered.
The spoken Professor came around the corner, his black robes, billowing out behind him. He looked long and hard at Sirius "What is the meaning of this zoo in hall?"
"Professor Dumbledore can explain, sir." Harry said, knowing that his chance of Snape excepting that as an answer was a million to one.
"I want to hear it from you Potter! And don't you dare try to making up an excuse like you're good for nothing father."
Harry had to resist a huge urge to hit Snape with a good jinx. Instead he put his hand on the stag's shoulder who was pawing at the floor with his front hooves, looking ready to charge at Snape. Sirius was no better; his hackles were raised, and barring his teeth at Snape.
"And twenty points from Gryff-"
"Ahh, Severus, just the man I was looking for. Excuse us Harry." Dumbledore gave Harry a wink and walked off with Snape following, fuming to him self.
"That was close, come on." Harry got the map back out. They were all most to Remus's office when there was another out burst of "Potter!"
Harry turned around, "What Malfoy?"
"What are those animals doing in the school?"
"None of your business."
"I'll tell fa-"
"Your father is currently locked up in Azkaban. I doubt that he cares what animals are doing in the halls at the moment." Harry spat.
"Because of you!"
"I did not make your father a Death Eater Malfoy! That was his own stupid thinking that one-day Voldemort will rule. Not very bright is he?"
"Well, at least I have parents! To bad about your stupid godfather, Potter."
Harry took out his wand, "Take it back."
"Are you going to duel with me Potter? Ha!"
"Need remind you? I've dueled with Voldemort four times Malfoy, and I'm still here. I don't think you'll be much of a challenge after that." Harry said coldly.
Draco seemed to consider that and decided that it would not be wise to fight Harry. He brushed by them, muttering under his breath.
"Stupid git." Harry said angrily, shoving his wand back into his robes.
The stag was staring at Harry with a worried expression.
They continued to Remus's office, thankfully not running into anyone else along the way.
The strange group reached the office door. Harry knocked.
"Come in." Remus's voice came through the door.
Harry looked at them then opened the door and walked in. Sirius and James came next. The door shut its self, so Harry assumed Lily was also in. Remus had not looked up yet, he was finishing grading a paper.
"Um . . . Moony?"
He looked up. "Yes Har-?" he saw the stag and dog by Harry's sides. The werewolf went as white as a sheet. "Padfoot? Prongs?" Remus whispered.
The spoken two transformed and stood in front of the last reaming Marauder. Lily also took off the cloak and layed it on one of the desks.
Complete silence.
James raised an eyebrow. "Harry,"
"Yes . . . Dad." That felt so good to finally be able to say after 15 years.
"When is the next full moon?"
Harry looked at his father "Two weeks."
"Well, that rules out that idea. Remus is usually only this quiet the day of the full moon." Sirius said.
James moved to stand in front of the desk. He waved his hand in front of Remus's face. "Hello? Moony? Are you in there?"
Remus slowly stood up and walked around the desk.
"James?"
James raised his other eyebrow. "I thought that was already implied."
Remus wrapped his friend in a hug. "Merlin it's good to have you back."
"I'm so sorry Moony." James said.
"It's all right Prongs."
Then the werewolf turned to Sirius.
"I could lecture you about how you were to listen to Dumbledore and stay in the house. Not out risking you neck and getting shipped off to Azkaban, again."
Harry stood beside his professor. "I've already lectured him, but he could always use another reminder." He crossed his arms, staring hard at his godfather.
"Sorry?"
Remus kept his stern look a moment longer then dropped it and hugged Sirius. "Don't ever do that again."
Remus mumbled something else that Harry had to strain to hear. "If you leave me a third time, I'm coming after you."
"Lily?"
"Hi, Remus."
"But . . . but . . . how?" Remus stammered, looking in awe at his old friends.
"Dumbledore." Harry said, he did not know any more.
Remus nodded. "He's been walking around the school with a secretive smile on his face and that annoying twinkle."
James looked at Remus in shock. "Did Moony just put down the great Dumbledore?"
Harry snorted.
Everyone looked at him.
Harry just shook his head. "Dumbledore's not all that great."
James looked at Harry confused.
He shook his head and looked at his watch, "Hey, its all most dinner time. Ron and Hermione won't be happy if I don't show. I'll leave you all to catch up. Be back as soon as I can."
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