I'm taking a break from The Aftermath of Playing Monopoly to write a few short one-shots. Well here one is.
I really love thinking about Harry learning about his past. So I attempted to write something about it. Here it is- and I think it came out rather well.
Italicized parts mean that it's a memory of Remus', and regular font is what's currently happening. Takes place during Harry's third year, when Remus is his professor.
Disclaimer- I don't own Harry Potter, sadly.
The Things he never knew
"Professor Lupin, tell me about my mum and dad. Tell me everything." A 13 year old Harry Potter asked an aging Remus Lupin, as they sat by the Hogwarts lake.
Remus inwardly smiled as memories began to flood his mind. Memories of a young James, Sirius, Peter, and Lily- but especially of himself. "To explain everything would take up quite a lot of time, Harry."
The boy turned to him and grinned, his only connection to the past. The boy who deserved to know Lily and James the most, but was deprived of that right. "I don't care."
The werewolf sighed, picking through what to tell him. "I probably should begin with young Lily Evans- as she is significant to the story."
He could see the son of the very same girl glance away, as if wondering what he wanted to hear.
"Your mother- was the most lovely witch at Hogwarts. To say she wasn't beautiful would be an extreme lie."
"Hey Moony? How early do you reckon Lily woke up to do her hair?", Sirius Black pestered, as they stared at the back of girl's head during class. Remus only shrugged, knowing James would take over from there. Lily was his favorite topic.
As predicted, he did answer, "Lily has natural beauty."- and his eyes glazed over as he gazed at her.
Remus knew that this was true. Lily was amazing in every aspect.
Harry didn't respond, so Remus took this as an oppourtunity to go on.
"She was incredibly bright, and made sure everyone realized it. In no way was she arrogant, just proud."
"Potter. How many O.W.L.S did you get?" a smiling Lily asked on the train ride to their 6th year at Hogwarts School, settling down in the proclaimed marauder compartment.
James grumbled at what Remus guessed, was the wish to have more to impress her with, "enough."
She nodded knowingly before turning to him, "What about you Lupin?"
Not wanting to show James up, he modestly answered, "Well, I didn't do too well in Divination"
"I take it that means you got O's in everything else?" she grinned, "at least one of the marauders is capable."
The boy beside Remus began to chuckle, and he found himself laughing along.
"No one could deny her temper. Most people would blame it on her red hair, but I see she passed it onto you as well from what I've witnessed" he continued, adding some negativity to Harry's perfect image of his mother.
"Was she that bad?" Harry tentatively asked. Remus wondered if he should have brought it up or not.
"Oh yes" he laughed, "She was- but it never made things boring. No one wanted to be on the end of one of her hexes, though James often was."
"You insufferable prat! How dare you ask me out after I declared my extreme dislike for you!" Lily spat at James in the extremely non-private area of the Gryffindor Common Room.
Remus agreed with the girl in his head, but of course James couldn't know that.
"You know you love me, Evans" the very same boy responded coolly.
Now they were in for it.
"OUT! OUT! You and your groupies!" she shrieked, her voice ringing through the room. He swore her hair turned at red as her hair with her eyes glowing. Dejectedly, they retreated.
"and that leads us onto the topic of James" Remus reminisced. "The boy who outwardly worshipped Lily. The same boy who Lily supposedly hated."
Harry looked up alarmed, surely someone told him of the trials his father went through to win over his mother. But, he realized, there was no one who could have.
"Hate?" the young boy questioned, and Remus oddly felt like he was in a different place, or more specifically time. He remembered seeing the same look on James' face when Lily used the same word to describe their relationship.
"Oh yes! I'd love to date you James Potter!" Lily mocked, and for a moment everyone look her seriously. "Lets go snog in an empty classroom right now!"
Remus saw James staring at the floor with sudden interest, and couldn't tell if he saw tears in his hazel eyes.
"Face it Potter," she dejected, "I hate you. I hate you now, and I will hate you always."
The werewolf could definitely see tears now."
"or so he thought," he continued, not wanting to see the boy hurt. "More or less she found his infatuation with her annoying, and had to have turned him down at least 100 times."
"Before you ask for today, Potter", Lily began as she made her way to the Great Hall for breakfast, "I will not go out with you."
James lead the marauders in the opposite direction, pretending not to hear. But Remus knew he had, and that it hurt just as much as the first time she said no.
"Then how did the end up together?" the young Potter asked, obviously confused, "everyone said they were so in love."
The now old marauder sighed as memories of a very affection James and Lily swarmed through his head, "… and they were, very much so."
Harry was now looking at him as if he was an escaped Azkaban convict who just came up and hugged him, which was highly unlikely as the only escaped prisoner wanted to kill him. The boy had such a rough life, "How does that work?"
"because James changed during our 7th year. He changed for Lily." And Lupin saw Harry gleam, "and before she knew it, she was equally in love- much to everyone's surprise."
"Remus… Why is James so different this year?" a confused Head Girl asked an uncomfortable Remus Lupin.
"You mean why is he more responsible and less arrogant?" he retorted, knowing Lily was curious as to James' reasons.
She looked away, "and why doesn't he ask me out anymore? Has he given up?"
The boy pulled the girl into a friendly hug, "He could never give up on you, Lils. He's only stopped chasing after you."
"So they started going out 7th year? When my father stopped being…stupid?", a puzzled Harry put together.
The man nodded, "and it was perfect. The charming and popular Quidditch star dating his so-called enemy, the beautiful girl who everyone thought was too busy with school for a boyfriend. Let's just say many other students were very jealous of the couple."
More specifically, the James Potter fanclub.
Remus wondered if Harry would ever find the perfect girl for him. If he would ever be as happy as his father- even if his joy was cut as short.
"Ah. James and Lily, Head Boy and Head Girl- always together."
Harry grinned, and Remus once more saw more James in him then he would have liked. There was no denying he was the child of his best friend now deceased.
"Good morning Prongs!" a way too cheerful Sirius Black greeted at the start of the day, "and good morning to you, my lovely Lily flower."
James immediately threw the arm his friend had placed on her shoulders off, "Padfoot, stop flirting with my girlfriend- she's mines."
"Yours" the girl smiled warmly, before placing a passionate kiss on her boyfriend's lips- much to the objection of his surrounding friends."
"Before we knew it, our adventures at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry were over" Lupin murmured, trying not to get lost in the past, "and we were all surprised when James told us he wanted to marry Lily."
Remus figured this was a new piece of knowledge to Harry, as the boy was showing signs of confusion again. "They got married at 17?"
"Yes. A rather young age, but James said there was no time to waste with the rising dark times." And all the werewolf could think about, was how right his friend was, "with our blessings, he proposed to her and she accepted."
"Moony! Padfoot! Wormtail! I'm going to marry her! She's finally mine! My Lily!" an estacti James Potter yelled to his best friends while running frantically towards them.
Remus noticed that his eyes were sparkling with happiness. This was what he really wanted.
"Go Prongs!" Sirius shouted back at the approaching boy.
And as he reached them, he pulled each of them into a huge hug, the tears streaming down his face. "I've finally got her. For good."
"What was the wedding like, professor?" the thoroughly interested Harry asked, trying to form an image in his mind.
"Wonderful. On their day, everything was perfect", and it was- the decorations were amazing, and the bride looked like an angel. Remus found himself watching the day all over again, "and it was obvious that no matter their age, they were in love. You could tell by the way James looked at her when she began to walk down the aisle."
Harry stifled what Remus thought must have been a mix between a sob and a sigh. He was learning about his parents for the very first time, and it was hitting him hard, "I wish I could have known them."
The man took a good look at him, trying to figure out what to say in response. He wished Harry could have known them as well, before realizing that he did.
"Harry, you Do know Lily and James. Maybe not directly, but you're connected with them more then anyone else. You're a part of them, Harry, and that will never change", he began, finding his eyesight blurry as he thought about the fact that those people weren't here any longer.
"I know for a fact that if they were here right now, they would be the proudest parents ever", and Remus did know.
"Would they?"
"Yes Harry, they would be. I bet they're watching down on you right now and smiling. They same way they did when you were born."
Remus walked into the private room at St. Mungo's hospital, after spending a day in their waiting room.
An emotional James stepped up to them, eyes gleaming and obviously exhausted, "I'm a father guys, me."
Turning away, he viewed a worn Lily sitting upright on the bed, holding a bundle in her arms. Her smile looked as if it could penetrate the darkest night. James took his place next to her on the bed, sharing a similar smile.
"Meet Harry James Potter", the new mother sighed, pulling back the blanket to reveal a messed haired baby boy.
"A little James", Sirius said, soaking in his new godson.
James looked down at his son, "you haven't seen his eyes."
"Having you changed everything for them", the werewolf continued, "if possible- they were even happier."
And they were- both of them carried the glow new parents share.
Harry faced him, to show he was still listening. It was difficult for Remus to comprehend that this boy was the same one he held so long ago.
"They loved you so much, and showed you off everywhere they went."
The telephone began to ring, and in response a 21 year old Remus picked it up, "Hello?"
"Remus!" a high pitched voice sounded from the other end, "Harry's talking! He's talking!"
The man laughed at the young woman's antics, "You mean he's mumbling incoherently?"
"Yes!", Lily squealed, and Remus could tell she was jumping up and down. Most likely with James behind her.
He smiled into the receiver, "I'll be right there."
"It was never easy for them, raising a child during the rising dark times", Remus said, watching Harry's expression darken, "but they were devoted, and James would have given his life to protect his family."
He didn't know how long he could continue on this topic, but he managed to choke out, "and he did… Lily too."
The 3rd year started into the water by which they were sitting, a solemn expression across his features.
"But good people are never truly forgotten", the werewolf sighed, looking down at Harry's reflection, "They always live on."
A small smile formed at Harry's lips, and his eyes regained some of their lost sparkle.
"They live on through you", the professor said softly, being honest in every way, "Just by looking at you, it's obvious James is there. And through your eyes, Lily shines."
The boy had a full grin on as he saw his features, and for the first time realized that they were their features as well.
"You are truly Harry James Potter."
Well that made me, and all my friends that read it, a little sniffly. It always upsets me when I realize that Lily and James have to die. So upsetting.
Please review!