Family Affairs

"Sugar Quills" said Remus and the gargoyle jumped aside.

Harry and Remus entered Dumbledore's office and saw Dumbledore sitting behind his desk, popping into his mouth a Lemon Drop.

"Ah, Harry. Please have a seat," Dumbledore said jovially.

Harry sat, followed by Remus and the invisible James and Lily. "Lemon Drop?" he suggested they politely shook their heads.

"Very well. Harry, there is a very important matter I would like to discuss with you. There is no easy way to tell you what I'm about to tell you."

Harry looked terrified. He couldn't imagine something bad happening this early. "Some of the teachers asked me not to tell you because we are afraid of your reaction."

"What is it professor?" he asked in fear.

"Well…you see, yesterday in the Hogwarts Express, the Love Time Charm has been cast. This charm is very old and in fact, this is the first time in two hundred and eighty seven years that the charm is activated."

"What does this charm do?" asked Harry.

"This charm brings two people from the past to the present by the power of love."

Harry sat in silence, wondering what this is all about.

"When a person from the present and a person from the past are located in the same place and say the same sentence to another person to which they have a strong feeling of love to, the people from the past comes to the present."

"I'm a little confused professor, what is it has to do with me?" he asked, bewildered.

"Well, you see, your friend Ronald appears to have these feelings to Ms Granger."

Harry snickered and then the snicker became laughter, followed by chuckles from Remus. Even Dumbledore cracked a smile.

After Harry relaxed a bit he asked "Who came from the past?"

"Ah, you see Harry, that is the problem. Your parents came from the past."

A long silence came afterwards "My-My parents are HERE?" he asked in shock.

"Yes. The teachers and I had a meeting this morning. We wondered if we should tell you. We were afraid that you will do something rush."

But Harry didn't hear what Dumbledore said.

My parents are here. He thought in shock, feeling his brain becoming fogged.

Oh my god. It cannot be – fate was laughing in his face.

My parents are here. he kept thinking, trying to get used to the idea.

I can talk to them. Yes he can, and he will, maybe it has some bright sides.

MY PARENTS ARE HERE.

A smile appeared on his face. "Where are they?" he asked in fear mixed with excitement.

"Well…they were supposed to be in the kitchen but I see they can't help but sneak into my office. Finite Incantatem"Dumbledore said pointing at the direction of James and Lily, not looking at all mad.

"Professor, how did you know we were here?" Lily asked in shock.

"I have my ways," he said, eyes wandering to Harry whose mouth was open, and his eyes were wide as saucers.

James looked at Harry in disbelief. He looks like me. But his eyes, Lily's eyes.

Harry's felt an odd lump in his throat.. There was an awkward silence where Harry just stared in shock at James and Lily.

He snapped out of his daze when he saw from the corner of his eye Dumbledore shift a little. Thousands of questions popped up in his head.

"When are they going back?" he blurted without thinking.

Dumbledore and Remus shared a confused look. Why would Harry want them to go back?

"That's a good question sir, when ARE we going back. I don't want to be here too long," James said with tad arrogance.

Lily's blood boiled. He just saw his son for the first time. His orphan son.

And what he thinks of is when is he going back!

"You selfish idiot!" she yelled, making everyone jump and Remus flinch "Is that all you can think of?" she said and stormed out of the office.

There was utter silence when the door shut loudly.

I shouldn't have said that thought Harry desperately she is angry with me now, damn! The first time I get to talk with my mother and she is angry with me. Bravo Harry. You ARE a stupid idiot.

Stupid James! Stupid James! When she starts to like you, you have to return to your stupid behavior! Stupid James!

"Well there is not much to do except placing you in the dormitories," said Dumbledore.

James and Harry nodded and turned to get out of the office. Harry got out but James lingered there a bit longer.

"Professor? We don't have our trunk here" he said a bit sadly.

"That won't be a problem" said Dumbledore with a gentle smile and with a wave of his wand, James and Lily's trunk appeared.

"How-?" he started but Dumbledore stopped him.

"It doesn't matter. Please levitate these to the dormitories. The password is 'Fairy Wings'. I daresay you know the way. Oh and here are your timetables," Dumbledore said with a wink.

"Wingardium Leviosa,"James muttered and the trunks jumped to the air James walked his way to Gryffindor tower in low spirits.

Harry didn't feel well. He saw his mother and father today but he did not feel happy anymore. His mother hated him. It was almost ironic that the day he last saw her she died for him and today she hated him.

I have to find her. I need to explain. He thought desperately.

He went to his dormitory and pulled out from his trunk the Marauders Map. "Come on mum, where are you?" he said franticly as he scanned the map. Then he spotted her in the seventh floor in – "The Room of Requirement! What is she doing there?"

He tucked the map into his robes and jogged all his way to the Room of Requirement.

When he got there, he saw the wooden door. He opened it and gasped in shock and relief.

Every wall in this room was covered by dozens of posters of James. Each of them carrying a swear word.

Lily was there. She sat in the middle of the room on a red sofa thinking ad occasionally glancing at the portraits.

"Lily? Harry said in hesitation.

She jolted up, "Harry…how did you know I was here?"

"The Marauders Map," he answered simply and she nodded in understanding. She once heard Peter talking about the map too loudly and demanded an explanation from the marauders.

Harry looked of one of James's posters with a large and flashing 'Twit' on it and chuckled.

"What are you laughing at?" she snapped in annoyance.

"Nothing" he answered quickly and stop laughing.

"Right. How weird is it to you?" she asked suddenly "I mean, seeing your parents even though you never met them". Harry considered his answer.

"I don't know," he said. She looked at him oddly, "I still cannot believe it. I don't want to believe it. I don't want to get too attached to you," he said.

"I understand," she said "Tell me about you."

"I can't. It'll change the past." He said.

"Don't you want the past to be changed?" she asked gently. Harry got up quickly. This conversation wasn't going to where he wanted it to.

"I'm going. I'll see you later Lily," he said before storming off the room. Lily sighed. It's the Potter temper.

It's not only the Potter temper it's a redhead temper as well said the annoying voice in her head

Stuff it she answered it briskly and walked towards the Great Hall for dinner.

"Hi Ron, Hermione, Harry" she said, not acknowledging James in the least. Professor Dumbledore stood.

"I know this wasn't an ordinary first day of school to you but I have an announcement to make. We will be having two new students here. Please welcome Lily Evans and James Potter," they stood up and whispers began as they saw James.

"He looks just like Harry,"

"Do you think they are relatives?"

"He is SO handsome!"

"She is a BABE!"

They sat down. James grinned in pleasure of the attention, and Lily had a bright blush on her face.

"They were sorted into Gryffindor. I hope you will welcome them graciously to Hogwarts. Now, Tuck in!" Dumbledore said.

The school turned his attention immediately to the food.

After they finished their meal James, Lily, Harry, Ron and Hermione got up the table and went to Gryffindor tower, not acknowledging the stares they've been given the moment they got up.

"Um…Ron, we should go," said Hermione suddenly.

"Oh, right, we have a prefect meeting. See you later," Ron said and he and Hermione went.

There was an uncomfortable silence between them. Neither knew what to say to the other.

"Lily! Lily!" someone called. Lavender and Parvati came running "Lily, do you want us to show you where you are sleeping?" Lavender asked eyeing James.

"Erm...sure" she said "See you later Harry."

"Damn" James said after she entered the girls' dormitories "the moment I get her to like me I screw it all up!" he said.

"I'm sure you'll find a way James. Come on we need to go to sleep," Harry said.

"Yeah…yeah…" they entered the dormitory and James went to his bed."Harry" he said "Are you very sad about Sirius?"

Harry frowned how did he know? "How did you know?" he asked with suppressed anguish.

"Lily and I were looking at the enchanted yearbooks," James said.

"Enchanted yearbooks? What –?"

"They show the exact details about the person. They are also quite funny sometimes you know…almost as if Dumbledore wrote them. The same sense of humor, honestly." James said as he shook his head.

Harry nodded "Yeah, I do miss him. Night." he said curtly.

"Night."

Back in the girls' dormitories, Lavender, Parvati and Lily were having a very heated discussion about James and Harry.

"James is far more muscular than Harry. He is so cute." Lavender cooed while Lily wrinkled her nose.

"No way! Did you see Harry after Quidditch practice? All of his cloth stuck to his body and-" Parvati shivered "he is so brave you know, all of the things he's done…"

"What did he do?" asked Lily, hoping to know more about her future son.

"You don't know the story of Harry Potter?" asked Lavender, astonished.

"I know the basic story. I am a muggleborn so –" she stopped as Lavender and Parvati nodded in understanding.

"Don't worry, we'll tell you" Parvati said.

"Harry defeated the dark lord when he was one year old. You-know-who killed his parents and all Harry got was this scar on his forehead. He was raised by muggles. His aunt and uncle from his mother's side I think. Horrible people," shuddered Parvati.

"What! His aunt and uncle? From his mother's side?" Lily yelped

Oh my god, Petunia must have abused him.

"Yeah, Harry doesn't talk about them much you know, but from what I heard from their conversations, they barely giving him something to eat, no wonders he eats like a pig in the first week of school," Lavender said shaking her head.

"Anyway," continued Parvati, "He didn't even hear about the magical world until he came to Hogwarts. He knew nothing. Like a complete muggleborn," she said "No offence of course"

"None taken," answered Lily quickly, planning her revenge on Petunia

"In out first year, Harry saved the Philosophers Stone from you-know-who's hands. Our professor was a Death Eater you know, he died that day,"

"Harry saved, the PHILOSOPHERS STONE! WHEN HE WAS ELEVEN?" Lily yelled. Lavender shushed her.

"Yeah, but that's not all. You know the legend about the chamber of secrets?"

Lily nodded. of course she heard about it, it was written in many history books.

"Well, in out second year we discovered he is a Parseltongue and we don't know what happened there, but he somehow entered the chamber of secrets and saved Ginny Weasley – Ron's sister. Nobody except Harry and Dumbledore knows exactly what happened there."

"In our fourth year he was the fourth participant of the Triwizard Tournament. I think you know about that. Some people from your school were there"

Lily nodded, wondering what he was doing in the Triwizard Tournament.

"Our Defense teacher turned out to be a Death Eater under Polijuice Potion but we don't really know what happened there too. The third task was this maze and all we know Harry showed up in the middle of the maze holding one of the students' dead body. He said you-know-who was back."

Lily's eyes widened.

"Nobody believed him really, besides Dumbledore, Ron and Hermione but it turned out to be truth in the end of fifth year. We don't know much about it too because Harry never spoke about it. All we know that he stated screaming in the middle of the History of Magic OWL exam and shoed up in the hospital wing two days later."

"Oh my god" Lily whispered.

"Yeah, but that's not all. We never in our whole life saw Harry cry but in the end of fifth year we saw him at the lake crying."

"That was horrible," said Lavender in undisguised sadness "He looked so miserable." Parvati nodded gloomily.

"In sixth year nothing important happened except Harry looked like he hadn't eaten the whole summer."

"And his eyes were swelled like he has been crying nonstop," added Lavender

"Oh my god, what happened to him?" asked Lily despite the fact that she had a suspicion.

"Nobody really knows I think beside Dumbledore, Ron and Hermione."

Lily sat there in silence.

Oh, my god, no wonder he looks so skinny and sad. Wonder what happened.

"Thanks for telling me guys, look, I think I'm going to sleep now, it's been a very long day." Lily said and rubbed her eyes.

"Night Lily."

"Night."

In the mean time, Ron and Hermione were running a very successful prefect meeting.

"Okay," said Ron "so we decided on having a Halloween ball and Christmas ball. What about Hogsmede dates? We can do only 5 in a year you know." He said

"I think we should do one this month before Halloween" said a Ravenclaw sixth year.

"Yeah, and one before Christmas too," said a Hufflepuff fifth year .

"Whatever. Any more?" said Ron waving his hand dismissively as Hermione wrote.

"What about in Valentines Day Weasel King? Never crossed in your mind?" said Pansy Parkinson nastily.

Ron blushed and Hermione looked furious, "Valentines Day it is then," shooting a glare at Pansy "Anymore?"

"What about in the beginning of April? You know…before the exams," said Hannah Abbott anxiously.

"Yeah good idea" said Ron "and how about after the exams, a day after?"

There were agreement murmurs.

"Okay than. You are not to tell anyone about the balls. Ron and me will plan this and give you assignments about food, music and other stuff. You can go now."

There was silence as the prefects came out. Only Malfoy stayed.

"You love that don't you Weasel King? Being Head Boy with the stupid Mudblood. You love her don't you Weasel?"

"Shut up Malfoy," said Ron as his ears turned pink.

"Why? What are you going to do to me Weasel? Potty is not around to throw hexes at me," Malfoy drawled.

"Twenty points from Slytherin Malfoy for insulting the Head Boy and Girl. Go before it will be a week of worth detention." Hermione said coolly from the corner of the room.

Malfoy's face twisted in anger but he didn't say anything. He shut the door and left.

"Thanks Hermione," said Ron, not looking at her.

"No problem Ron" she said as she got near. Ron swallowed. Hard.

"So…Herms…what do you think Harry will do now, that his parents are here and all?" he asked shakily.

"I don't know," she said quietly, sending shivers down Ron's spine "I just hope he won't be too sad when they leave"

"I know…do you think they'll erase their memories?" he asked.

"They have to, it'll change the history," she said, back to her businesslike tone.

"I know I know, heard all about it 'you can't change history or it'll have serious conseque-"

However, he didn't get a chance to finish his sentence because Hermione kissed him. His eyes widened, but soon he shut his eyes and devoted himself for the kiss.

They didn't know if they were there minutes or hours but the large clock above the fireplace suddenly chimed.

Midnight.

The two teenagers jumped apart and started blushing madly.

"I think we should go" said Hermione, the blush still bright on her face,

"Yeah- yeah- go" Ron said, too astounded to make a sentence right.

They walked to the common room in a stunned silence.

"Well, good night Ron, I had fun," Hermione said

"Yeah- yeah- me too" Ron mumbled.

She giggled and pecked him on the jaw "Night."

"Night" he said in wonder, staring into space with a dreamy look.

He almost skipped back to the boy's dormitories.

"Hey! Lily! Wake up honey! You have Snape first thing in the morning." Lavender yelled into Lily's ear.

"Huh? Snape? What are you talking about?" Lily asked sleepily in annoyance.

"Professor Snape is the most evil teacher at Hogwarts. He especially hates the Gryffindors, no Idea why, though," Parvati said "Hermione wake up honey," she turned to Hermione

"Ron-" they heard Hermione mutter.

"OH MY GOD Lavender get here quick! Hermione's lips are all swelled! Who did you snog yesterday Hermione?" Parvati asked slyly.

"Leave me alone," Hermione said, the blush spreading over her cheeks.

"Well, wake up anyway you have Snape first and it's 10 minutes to breakfast. Lily's in the shower" Parvati said.

"WHAT!" Hermione cried in alarm and ran to the showers.

Lavender and Parvati giggled. "Who do you think snogged her yesterday? She kept muttering Ron in her sleep, do you think?"

"Oh god! Ron snogged Hermione! And it's about time too!" Lavender yelped in joy.

"What?" asked Lily, already dressed "Ron snogged Hermione?"

"Yeah! They have been friends from day one, but always fighting and bickering one another. Everybody knew they like each other. It was obvious."

Lily giggled but something happened in her mind

Why is this situation so familiar?

Maybe because of James?

This has nothing to do with Ja- Potter

Denial again

"Lily? Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I just dozed off for a minute. Let's just go to breakfast," she said.

"Wait for me!" Hermione yelled from the shower.

"Hurry up then!" Lavender yelled. Two minuets later Hermione came out.

"I'm coming, I'm coming" she said. But ran into three girls, who looked at her open mouthed "what?" she asked, annoyed.

Hermione no longer had her bushy hair. Her hair seemed to have deflated and was up in a ponytail.

"What have you done to your hair? It looks wonderful" whispered Parvati in awe.

Hermione blushed "Well, I found during the summer holiday a Hair Flattening Charm so I thought…"

"Ron will have a fit" said Lavender, smiling. Hermione who was already red, now had a deep crimson color on her face now "Let's go"

Harry, James and Ron were already at breakfast. As Hermione, Lily, Parvati and Lavender walked to the great hall, they caught the eyes of many people.

When they entered the great hall. The chatter immediately stopped; Ron, Harry and James lifted their heads and Ron and Harry's mouths were threatening to touch the ground.

"He-He-Hermione is t-that y-y-you?" stuttered Ron.

"Ah, yes."

"You might want to close your mouth; there are a lot of flies in Hogwarts, some of them may slip in," said Lily with a mischievous grin.

They immediately closed their mouths.

"Morning Lily" said James chirpily.

Lily decided to ignore James's greeting, not noticing the look on Harry's face.

"So…Lily…did you know that Snivellus teaches potions?" James asked in arrogance.

"Yes," Lily answered. James was taken aback by her cold attitude.

The rest of the meal passed silently.

"So…the Mudblood Head Girl decided to change her look? You know Granger; looks does not change your blood." Malfoy's voice drawled behind them.

"Malfoy, I will have to take 10 points from Slytherin for assaulting the Head Girl and because we warned you yesterday you have also a week of worth detention," said Ron coolly, face burning from rage.

Malfoy was furious "You'll pay for that Mudblood lover," and went.

"Thanks Ron," said Hermione weakly.

"That stupid git, anyway, no problem," he said, now embarrassed.

They went to the dungeons and James mumbled "Wonder if Snivellus washed his hair."

The group snorted with laughter but only Lily and Harry didn't laugh. Lily frowned and Harry had an apologist smile on his face.

James studied them both;

Harry looks like he wants to laugh but something's bothering him.

"What's up Harry?" he asked as they entered the classroom

"Wha- nothing James, nothing" he said because Snape just entered the classroom, his black robe bellowing behind him.

James sniggered "Potter something is funny?" Snape glared at his old enemy.

"No nothing PROFESSOR" James said, glaring back.

"5 points from Gryffindor Mr Potter, for your insufferable arrogance," he said with a smirk. He obviously wanted to do this for a long time.

"Now, this is a NEWT level class, and I expect you to do everything perfectly. I have no idea how some of you were able to enter that class-" he shot a glare at Harry and James "but I don't want to have any... slip-ups," he said

"Today you are about to brew a Truth Potion. Anyone care to explain?" Hermione raised her hand. "No one?" he asked.

"Oh well, never thought I would meet a class who doesn't even know-"

"Professor, Hermione raised her hand, why don't you let her talk," asked Lily in surprise.

The classroom was silent in shock. Harry stared open mouthed at Lily while James looked at her with something like pride and disbelieve.

Snape seemed to swallow a big lump in his throat and the vein in his head was visibly pumping. "Ms Granger" Snape said in distaste.

"Well, the Truth Potion, also known as Veritaserum. He is a very powerful potion and used only after a permission from the Ministry of Magic." She said quickly looking at the floor, afraid of Snape's reaction.

"Yes. Now the ingredients are on the board you have an hour and a half," he said coolly "you will work in pairs. Evans-Malfoy, Potter-Goyle, Potter-Crab, Weasley-Nott, and Granger-Parkinson," he continued to pair the class.

Harry went towards Crab with a sigh. The lesson continued reasonably well and the best part was as well as Harry was concerned, was when Snape stood near his cauldron and didn't say a thing. It was in the exact color it was suppose to be.

Harry flashed a smile towards Hermione and she returned it somewhat hastily.

James however was in trouble;

"Potter, what exactly is that suppose to be?" Snape sneered at James.

"Veritaserum SIR," said James with a cocky smile.

"Potter, can you read?" Snape asked with such a poisonous voice that took James's smile off his face.

"Yes professor," he said, trying to sound conceited.

"I was beginning to wonder." Sneered Snape "Since there is no use on this potion we can vanish it," he vanished the potion "such a waste of ingredients. Write me a two foot essay about this potion, its ingredients and what you did wrong," he said to a shocked James

"Five points from Gryffindor Potter, those of you who have been able to brew a proper potion, give me a sample of your potion and class dismissed."

James cursed and rushed out of the class in angry, living a smirking Snape sneering after him.

"That was really unfair of him! His potion was better than some of the Slytherins'!" yelped Lily after they were out of Snape's earshot.

"Yes, well, Snape wasn't really fair to Gryffindors to begin with. Every lesson since first year he took points from Gryffindor. Especially from Neville and Harry," said Hermione.

"But Harry isn't so bad," said Lily in confusion.

"Yes, well, I could've been much better if it wasn't for Snape" Harry said from behind them.

"Thanks for standing for me Lily" said Hermione suddenly.

"No problem Hermione." Said Lily with a smile.

He wasn't fair to James. His potion was not so bad. And James just stood there. Lily thought as they kept walking.

Well, Snape is a professor now, he can't really be an insolent to him right?

Yes, I guess you are right. But what did Harry do to him?

He is his son. Your son. Snape is angry with James for stealing you away from him and James always hexed him.

Oh god. For once, you are right. He is mean to Harry because of James.

"Lily? Are you there?" Hermione waved her hand in front of Lily's face.

"What-yes I'm here," she said.

"I've been trying to get your attention for five minutes now. We have transfiguration."

"Right, let's go" she said

When they got into class, James was already there. He sat in the front line. Harry sat next to him.

"Hey, are you alright?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine" James grunted.

Professor McGonagall entered the class. "Welcome to NEWT transfiguration. This class will demand a lot of work from each and every one of you. This is not going to be easy, even for the more talented students between you," she stole a glance at James

"We are going to start with transfiguring a table into an animal…," the lesson continued and by the end of class only James, Lily and Hermione were able to transfigure it completely. Harry's table became a phoenix but instead of wings, there were the table's legs.

When they left to lunch, James was in much higher spirits. Only a transfiguration lesson and a trip on full moon were able to lift his spirit that way.

In lunch Ron surprised everyone "Hey, Hermione and I decided that the next Hogsmede date is on September 26th. He said out of the blue and Hermione smacked him "Ouch!"

"You weren't supposed to say that! The notices are only two weeks from now," hissed Hermione, much like Crookshanks.

"Sorry" Ron muttered, rubbing his arm.

James coughed as everyone continued talking. Harry immediately pricked his ears "So, Lily, who are you going with to Hogsmede?"

"I don't know Potter, I just heard the date," Lily said in annoyance. Suddenly, Lily started hearing some strange noise in her head, like a radio.

"So…do you want to come with me?" he asked, not even taken aback from the chilly attitude.

"No Potter, I don't think I will," she said icily, ignoring the buzzing sounds she heard.

James was in bad spirits for the rest of the day.

A/N: Thanks for your reviews again, I got 20 reviews this time -cheers-. For the readers of 'Children' (past readers) I've almost finished chapter 6! And to this story's readers (past ones) I started chapter 19, and I can't tell you what I've decided (soeven if you beg -wink-). Now, let's get on to your reviews, shall we?

Dani Necho- I agree, it doesn't matter how many reviews you get. But still...-groan-. I agree on the Year Book part, the last one sucked.

Jinxeh- Lol...thanks for correcting me...I fixed it as soon as I got your review. I love reading long chapters too...writing them however...

darkshadowlils - You have no idea how hard I laughed at your review...I still giggle thinking about it. 'You make Harry sound like a wimp'...I agree, he does sound like a wimp, especially in this chapter. -giggle-

Steelo, Weasely, rosiegirl, amrawo, Tirionelf, sara, Prongs J. Potter, Topstar00, Mrs.Poynter and Mrs.Judd, The all mighty and powerfulM, shiri (I love you!), Ihateharryandhermioneshippers, Mrs.KristinePotter, Jasmine-enimsaJ, astronomylover, Dranzen, EmotionalSoul.

Till next chapter guys, please review.

Lily