Timeless Escapes

Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I love Harry Potter, but it's not mine...

AN: Wow... (looks at the updating board)... I'm really sorry it took me this long to update, but obviously I've been very busy. I've just had one thing after the other... what with DECA competitions (I won and get to go to California!)... and all this other stuff, I just haven't had anytime for anything! I hope that this chapter was worth the wait, I tried to make it really long just for you guys!

Timeless Escapes

Shocked faces turned up to meet Harry's as he walked unsteadily into the room, James Potter looking like a fish out of water. If he hadn't been to upset, Harry probably would have found it very amusing. Harry gaped as Sirius looked down at the photo album and then back at him.

"Who are you?" he demanded, his face paling considerably as he clutched the invisibility cloak in a tight fist. He was shaking. "WHO ARE YOU?"

Harry could feel the tears prickling at the back of his eyes, protesting at being held in. Sirius and Remus were just starring at him... like he was some sort of — of...

Freak

"What are you doing!" Harry choked out, reaching out to the wall for support. "What are you doing in my trunk?"

James lifted his head from the photo album, his eyes flashing behind the rounded glasses. The photo album fell with a clunk to the ground as he let the book fall carelessly out of his hand. Harry started as the book sounded sharply in the dorm.

James was seething. "What are you, some sort of stalker or something? Do you think that it's fun? Do you get some sick perverted pleasure from seeing Lily hanging on to like she's your bloody nurse? Or maybe you just want to create a bunch of faulty pictures? You sick minded idiot! This is what I think of you!"

There wasn't anytime. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as James Potter abruptly stood and grabbed the fallen photo book. Remus and Sirius both were shouting as James trying to grab him by the arms, but his movements were quick and fluid. In no time at all, he had reached the other side of the room where a roaring fire was blazing in the grate, and tossed the book straight into the flames.

"NO!"

Harry scrambled forward, his legs finally seeming to come under his control again, and knelt down by the grate. He tried to reach into the fire and grab the book, but Remus and Sirius were suddenly by his side and dragging him backwards, even as Harry fought desperately to regain control of his most treasured possession. He was crying openly as Remus seated him on the bed and Sirius stared in shock at James.

Harry glared at James through watery eyes, "Why? Why did you do that! Do you even know what you've done? That was the only thing... the only thing I had of them, ALL of them! And you just — just..."

The bottom seemed to have fallen out of his stomach and he felt feverish as his scar started to pulse in pain. Tears were falling down his cheeks in rivets, marring the soft dark fabric of his school uniform. Sirius was just about to speak when the door slammed open.

"What in the name of Merlin is going on in here! Can't you boys just — "

Lily Evans assessed the situation with one sweep of her green eyes. She started as her eyes caught sight of Harry siting on the bed then to what seemed to be a mass of burning pages in the grate. Lily rushed over to the bed and pulled Harry into a hug. She glared over at James who was gaping at Harry and Lily on the bed.

"What happened?" she asked, turning her sharp eyes onto Sirius and Remus. "What did you do?"

James spoke up, his eyes regaining some of their fierce sparkle. "They were fake anyway! How would he be able to get pictures of us when we were twenty? He just wants attention..."

"You idiot!" Lily hissed at him, clutching Harry tighter as he seemed to be going into shock. "You've done nothing but bully him since he came, what do you have against him, anyway? If you're jealous and trying to right something, Potter, you're doing an absolutely horrible job of it, because now I hate you even more than I ever have in my entire life! YOU MAKE ME SICK! And I am so glad that I have friends like Harry and Severus to keep me happy."

James didn't have an answer to that one. His jaw dropped open as voices sounded out downstairs in the common room.

"Excuse me, but can anyone tell me where Mr. Prowner is?"

"We're up here!" Lily screamed, as Sirius and James turned towards the door. "We're in the boys dorms, Professor Dumbledore!"

Dumbledore swept into the room, followed by a dusty brown haired man who seemed much older that he was sure to be, his clothing was frayed and patched, with dark circles and lines of worry marring his face.

Once the man had looked around the room, he noticed the boy with raven black hair sitting on the bed in Lily's arms.

"HARRY!"

He darted to the other side of the room and swept Harry up into his arms, feeling the hotness of his forehead and taking into account the despair in his eyes. Harry looked up and said one thing before he passed out into unconsciousness.

"Remus?"

There it is! I hope you enjoyed it! Please review!

Saph Starlet