Hey! Sorry about the delay! I had to get up early, go to four hour softball practices, then work outside in the yard for two days in a row! Then, today, I was feeling sick so I couldn't work on the chapter much, but I finally finished it! ok here's the next chapter! Enjoy!

Chapter 29

Back at Home

"James, come on. We need to go home," Sirius said. James didn't even acknowledge Sirius' presence. He continued to stare at the lifeless figure lying on the bed in front of him.

"I don't think this will help," Sirius said. "But, when we go back we'll forget what happened here so you won't feel this pain."

"I want to remember," James said simply. "No matter what feelings come with it."

Sirius stared at James. He hated seeing his friend so upset. He could hardly ever remember a time when James was even close to feeling this upset.

"Come on, Prongs. It'll be all right. You'll see."

"I can't get up. I can't move. I have to stay here."

"Moony will get you to come." Sirius stood up to leave but didn't move towards the door. "James, it kills me to see you like this! If I could do anything to change this, you know I would, but the face is, I can't. You can't. Lily can't. Please, James. Everything will be fine. You'll see."

"No, it won't. We've already seen what's to happen and it's not okay. We're all dead."

"James! Your son defeated Voldemort! He killed the most evil being on earth! That's something even Dumbledore couldn't do! Harry James Potter did what was thought impossible! James look at me--no, look at me! The most important thing that we learned from the future is that your son loved you more than anything! Every memory, every story, every picture with you in it was held dear to him! That's all that matters."

James looked up at Sirius, his eyes held tears that refused to fall. "I know you're right, Sirius, but I just don't want to abandon everything that's happened here."

"No, James. Listen, every time a man is about to become a father, he's worried whether or not their child will love them or if he'll be a good father. You know the answer to that question, James. You know! It doesn't matter if you can remember when we go back. No one's going to quiz you about the future!" Sirius grinned. James had to give a weak smile at that. "You know, Padfoot, you're probably the only person who can stick a humorous comment into a miserable conversation." Sirius took an exaggerated bow then asked, "Are you ready to go now?"

James looked at Harry. He looked so peaceful. Helooked as if he were only sleeping. James sighed. "I guess I have no choice, huh?" James stood up and followed Sirius to the Headmistress's office. Remus and Lily were standing next to each other behind McGonagall.

"Potter, Black, now that you have arrived, I believe we had better begin this. The Minister of Magic will be here soon. Remus will be casting the spell." As if on cue, Remus stepped forward and looked forlornly at James and Sirius.

"I have so much I want to say, but I'm afraid there isn't enough time in the world to say it all. I will miss you both more than you could ever imagine. You too, Lily. I'm so glad Harry got to meet you three. I'm also glad you to go meet him. He is--was an amazing young man and a powerful wizard." Remus stopped and walked forward toward the three and embraced them. After a few minutes, he realized what they were there for.

"Right, well, I guess we should get on with it." Remus raised his wand and pointed it at the three as he fought the tears that were threatening to fall. He opened his mouth and whispered, "Peragro temporis," He watched as a swirling red and black cloud engulfed James, Lily, and Sirius and the finally disappeared.

"Ouch!" James said as he landed on the hard ground."

"Get off of me, James!" Sirius called.

"Lily! Where is she?" James said.

"I'm here, James."

"As am I," a softvoice broke through.The three looked up into the eyes of their school's headmaster.

"Professor Dumbledore! Whathappened? How did we get here?" James asked as he and his companions stood up

"I would like to know the same thing, Mr. Potter. You three have been missing for almost a month."

"What?" the three exclaimed at the same time.

"You don't remember?" Dumbledore asked incredulously.

"The last thing I remember is Voldemort standing around me, casting some spell and swirling black and red smoke surrounding us."

"I see. So you have no idea where you have been?" They nodded.

"That's very interesting." Dumbledore paused to think, and then continued. "Perhaps you three should go to the Hospital Wing to make sure everything is alright. I will contact Mr. Lupin and Mr. Pettigrew and let them know you have safely returned.

"I feel fine!" Sirius called. "I don't need to go to the Hospital Wing!"

"It's just a precaution, Mr. Black. We need to be absolutely sure you three are alright. I will come to see you in a few minutes."

The three grudgingly walked toward the infirmary. Right as they reached the doors, they ran into two other people.

"Sirius! James! Lily! Where in the world have you been?"

"Remus, get off me!"

"You too, Wormtail!" Sirius cried. When they were standing once again, Remus and Peter hit them with question after question. James calmed the two and explained as much as he could.

"So you have absolutely no idea what Voldemort did to you?" Remus asked.

"Creepy!" Peter added.

"I agree. It's really starting to bug me," Lily said. "I can't remember a whole month of my life!"

"Dumbledore has been working so hard trying to find you! We searched everywhere! We tried everything! We were so worried that you were...were--"

"Dead?" James finished.

"Well, yeah," Remus said.

"Well, we're obviously not dead!" Sirius said. "So let's go find something to do!"

"I don't think our healer has released you three yet," Dumbledore said coming up behind them.

"Professor, please!" James begged.

"We need to make sure there is nothing wrong with you. We have no idea where you've been."

They finally submitted and followed Dumbledore into the Hospital Wing.

The next day, Sunday, the newly reunited friends spent the day speculating on what might have happened to James, Lily, and Sirius and warding off others who were curious about what had happened to the three. Dumbledore was still wary and was unsure whether or not to send them to classes the next day, though he had finally given in to their pleas (even though he found it quite odd they were begging to go to class).

Their ideas about what had happened became wilder and wilder throughout the passing hours. Remus and Peter had also told them what had happened after they had disappeared. They hadn't missed much. The school was the same except for the fact that the Divination teacher was considering retirement, though James couldn't say he cared.

Their jokes and laughter went on to the late hours of the night when Remus' voice of reason broke through.

"Don't you think we should go to bed now? We have classes tomorrow."

"Aww! Moony! It's Defense Against the Dark Arts. We don't need to show up for that class on time! We know everything you could possibly know about that stuff!" Sirius said.

"Still, I think Remus is right. It's our first day back. We've missed a month of school and we have N.E.W.T.S. soon. We need to catch up!" Lily said.

"Fine, then, Lils. You win," James said, faking an upset face. He followed Sirius up the stairs dragging his feet in disappointment, but smiled when he heard Lily laughing.

Oh! What a laugh! James thought. He changed into his pajamas and climbed into bed after saying goodnight to his closest friends and then closed his eyes awaiting the pleasant dreams he would be engulfed in.

But it was not so...

He was flying over houses on a broom with Lily. There wasone broom on each side of him, each broom carrying two people. There was also a broom in front of him. It was carrying a boy and a girl. The boy was shaking and accidentally pushed the girl. He watched asthe girl fell offthe broom andthe boy flew after her, trying to catch her...

"Crucio!" James heard someone scream. He turned around and started screaming as the curse hit him, but as suddenly as it had started, it stopped. James turned around and saw Sirius had stunned the Death Eater...

He sawthe same boyhe had earlier fall to the ground next to Sirius. Sirius stood up and faced the Death Eater. Just then, the hooded figure threw back his hood to reveal that he was not a Death Eater, but Voldemort. "No," James whispered to himself. He sawthe boyroll across the floor dodging a green flash of light coming from Voldemort's wand...

A very angry Remus was standing in front of him screaming at the boy next to him. "YOU COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED! SIRIUS, JAMES, OR LILY COULD HAVE DIED! YOU PUT EVERYONE'S LIVES AT RISK! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS? HOW COULD YOU LIE TO ME LIKE THAT?"...

There was a sign in front of him that read "Certain Death Awaits Anyone Who Passes Here. Turn Back Unless You wish To Face Your Fears And Perish"...

The boy he had seen earlier appeared in front of him. "You should have been there! It's your fault I have this stupid life and this scar on my head! It's your fault I have the most feared wizard trying to kill me!"...

"You think you can fight me?"Voldemort laughed. "I don't. You wouldn't dare. Especially since I have possession of the two things that you care most about in the world." Voldemort waved his wand and Lily and a baby appeared in front of him, bound...

Voldemort grabbedhalf ofa sword with the handle and ran at the same boy. He didn't have time to get out of the way, sothe boyrolled hunched over, exposing his back and Voldemort plunged the weapon intothe boy'sback. Rage filled James, though he wasn't sure why.He ran at Voldemort, but couldn't get any closer.He was screaming as he watched Voldemortpull the broken sword from the boys back.

"NO!" he cried.

"James!" he heard someone call. "James!"

He realized who was calling. It was Sirius.He looked around, but didn't see him.He looked again and finally saw him coming into focus.

"James!" Remus cried. "What's wrong?"

"Thatmust have been some nightmare!" Siriussaid. Jamessat up and pulled his glasses on.

"No, it was too real to be a nightmare," he said shakily.

"Do you think it had anything to do with last month?" Remus asked. James looked at Remus, then at Sirius. "If it does, we've forgotten a lot of stuff. A lot of important things. There were Death Eaters and Voldemort and other people I've never seen before, though they all seemed slightly familiar. It was awful..."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Peter asked.

"No, no not really. What time is it?"

"It's almost six," Sirius answered, still a bit worried about James.

"I think I'll just stay up then."

"I'll stay with you," Remus offered.

"I will too," Sirius added and Peter nodded to show he would be willing as well.

"No, you can go back to sleep if you want."

"Well, after you get woken up by a screaming friend, it's kind of difficult to get back to sleep!" Sirius said, grinning. James didn't return the smile, causing Sirius' smile to vanish quicker than you could say Quidditch. He watched his friend as he stood up, dressed quickly and walked out if the dormitory.