Alexandra caught James as he stumbled out of Arabella Figg's fireplace. He heaved, trying to get some air in. His chest hurt and his hands and legs were ready to fall off his body, his head spun and he could see bright white spots.
"I told you, you were in no state to travel." Alexandra muttered angrily, as she shoved three vials of different coloured potions down his throat and performed a number of spells to ease his pain. Sirius and Remus hovered protectively around James, that's how they had always been. In school, James, Peter and Sirius had hovered protectively over Remus after his full moons or Peter, Sirius and Remus had hovered protectively around James during a Quidditch induced injury, James, Remus and Peter did the same for Sirius. All their lives they had protected each other, James' guts clenched with guilt when he realized that he hasn't really apologised to Remus for doubting him and he couldn't understand when Peter became the traitor who snatched Lily from him.
"Let him rest for another hour and he would be good to go." Alexandra told the two men, who nodded and went back to hovering over James. James shook his head and tried to get up; he had to get to Harry. But his arms did not support his weight and he fell back grunting in pain.
"James Potter!" Alexandra said angrily, "You need to lie there to be able to cross the street and get your son. I don't need you to die on him right now. Am I clear?"
"Crystal." James said, his frustration seeping through his voice. For the love of Gryffindor, he hates troubling others, he hates being incapacitated. Lily always complained that he was the worst patient she had ever come across. His breath caught in his throat. He would never hear her shout angrily at him again. He would never hear her laugh. All he had were her memories and even they looked like dim shadows of days that were taken for granted. He tried to remember the big days, the important days but he couldn't even remember his wedding day. Yet he remembered little things, like that day in their seventh year when she had accidentally gulped down the prank pumpkin juice on his bedside table before sleeping in his arms; waking him up a few hours later because she couldn't remember who he was and how she got into his bed. He smiled at that memory. She had looked adorable in the dim, early morning light, with a pout and furrowed brows and sleepy eyes.
James had pulled her in his arms and put her back to sleep with a lullaby his mother used to hum for him. She had been livid after waking up and getting her memory back. James sniggered at the memory.
"What are you laughing at?" Sirius asked from the armchair he had occupied, while Remus lounged at a rocking chair.
"Remember the day Lily accidentally drank the prank pumpkin juice." James said with a wide grin.
Remus sniggered too, while Sirius mock glared at James, trying to fight off a grin.
"Sirius had to hide in a broom cupboard for the rest of the day and well most of the night too." Remus said with a laugh.
"That's because someone here forgot to inform me that Lily had seen the brighter side of things and had laughed everything off by lunch."
"Well, I am not even sorry. I enjoyed the peace so much. And then Pet- Wormtail," Remus grimaced at the word. "Just had to go and tell you that Lily was over it and you could come out."
"Ha. Ha. Moony. That's so funny." Sirius said with a pout. "I am not even ashamed of admitting that I was afraid of Lily. Between an angry Lily and Voldemort, I would have picked up Voldemort."
This had the three men cracking up. Sirius had always maintained that he would pick Voldemort over an angry Lily since their sixth year. Lily had always been proud of this fact, at times she even joked about being the 'Dark Lady' of Sirius' life. Irony was that Lily never really got mad at Sirius at all. The three men looked at each other and it was as if someone had leaked laughing gas in that room. They just kept laughing till tears were streaming down their faces and their stomachs hurt; and suddenly Remus and Sirius leapt out of their perches to go hug James and weep over losing their fiery little Lily.
Alexandra watched the men from the doorway; she had known the boys since they were carefree children intent on making this world a happy place for all. She sighed, walking over and hugging all three of them. She knew she could never care for them like Lily did; Lily was an honorary Marauder, right along with Marlene. But she promised to the two women, wherever they were that she would look after the loved ones they left behind.
James was on his feet as soon as the hour was up. The four of them thanked Arabella for hosting them so late at night and apologised for disturbing her before making their way out of her door. Sirius and Alexandra had already stepped out; Remus was about step out when James caught his sleeve. Remus looked at James, concern written over his face, making the guilty pit in James stomach, boil with shame.
"Remus," He started. "I- I have no excuse for dishonouring our friendship like this. If I could I would tell you that Peter poisoned our ears but Sirius and I chose to believe him. Lily- Lily never believed that you would betray us. She was so angry with us when we made the switch and chose to not inform you. I am so-"
James apology was interrupted when Remus clasped a hand on his shoulder. "Don't apologize. I don't blame you. I know my behaviour was questionable back then, making it easier for Sirius and you to trust Peter than me-"
"No. No! You cannot take the blame for this. You were stressed. You had the most challenging job of us all. You were torn between wanting to correct the injustices done to werewolves and doing what was right and needed. You were not supporting Voldemort but you weren't happy with the way the others were treating werewolves either. I understand that now. I guess Lily understood this then too. Remus, you cannot believe that you were wrong for wanting justice for victims of a terrible curse."
"And you cannot blame yourself for giving in to the fear that plagued you because a mad man was actively hunting you and your family down. I say we just forget the past and call it even. Okay?"
James looked at Remus, his expression torn, but Remus tilted his head towards the door, towards Harry. James looked back at Remus and nodded. Remus smiled, "Now let's go rescue your son from that bitch sister-in-law from hell." James grinned before stepping out with Remus.
The sun had started to come up as the four crossed the street and approached the Dursley's residence. Sirius snorted at the show of perfection. His parents were just as stuck up, the fools. But before any of them could ring the bell, the door opened to expose Petunia Dursley in a nightgown with her hair in curlers and two milk bottles in her hands that she intended to put out for the milkman. The scream died in her throat, when she saw James Potter and his god awful friends at her doorstep.
"Petunia." James said curtly with a slight nod.
"Potter."
"Black." Sirius said pointing to himself, with a devilish grin on his face. "That's Lupin and this is Potter again. Now that the introductions are done, may we come in? I am sure you don't want the neighbours to see us." Remus smirked, exchanging an amused look with both the Potters as Sirius smiled charmingly at Petunia. She considered it for a minute, almost on the verge of telling them off before she changed her mind and stepped aside, letting them in.
James walked into the living room, where a cot lay in a corner with a baby standing on it. The moment Harry saw James, he stretched his arms out beckoning him.
"DA! Da! Up! Haeee Up! Nana. Nana." Harry demanded for his favourite fruit, rubbing his stomach again and again. James swooped Harry in his arms; who laughed and clapped his hand before tapping his cheek. "Mum?" He asked, looking around for Lily. James suppressed a sob and touched his forehead with Harry's blowing a Raspberry on his nose, Harry giggled. That's when James noticed that Harry was wearing ratty clothes, his looks spoke of neglect, and James' insides burned with anger. If Lily knew how Petunia had treated their son, Lily would have hexed her to the next century, because had the tables been turned around, Lily and James would have brought up her child like their own. He growled and turned around, his face contorted in anger.
"James?" Remus asked tentatively, "Is Harry alright?"
James said nothing, as Alexandra checked Harry. Petunia made to protest but was silenced by warning glare from Sirius. James looked at Alexandra, concern winning over his anger. Alexandra looked around the room and noticed that the rest of the marauders were just as tense.
"He looks fine. He is a little hungry and there are some bruises on his chest and arms but they are fading, so maybe he got them that night. Apart from that he is perfectly healthy." She told the men who visibly relaxed.
"I guess our work is done here." Remus said quietly, "We will be taking Harry with us. Thank you." He stepped out followed by Sirius and Alexandra. With one last disappointed look at Petunia, James made for the door.
"Wait." Petunia called from behind. James turned and gave her a curt look. "I am sorry- about- about Lily. We might have had our differences but this was not how she was supposed to go." James nodded before turning to leave.
"Wait." She called again. "I- I- I- would-" she stammered as James gave her a questioning look. She looked at him and shook her head. With a last curt nod James walked out of her door with Harry in his arms still demanding for his mum and bananas.
Petunia watched the four of them cross the street to Arabella Figg's house. When Harry had arrived at her doorstep with a letter explaining that Lily was murdered by a lunatic and was survived by her husband who was fighting death at the moment and son, Petunia's world had turned upside down. She grieved for Lily that night, remembering their childhood when they were best friends. She regretted pushing her sister away out of jealousy and spite. She was so angry at Lily for having the best of everything. For being prettier and smarter, for having magic, for being unique, for her loving and loyal friends, for a husband who would die for her but Petunia had never in her dreams thought that all of these would come at the price of her life. Harry was a lot like his mother. Lily was never a fussy baby, she was always happy, curious about the littlest of things, she could keep herself amused on her own. Harry was just like her, he delighted in finding bugs on her carpet, he was fascinated with Dudley's broken talking parrot and he never fussed, not even for his mother, he only asked for her but it was easy for her to distract him.
Petunia was on the verge of asking James to permit her to be a part of Harry's life but Petunia did not want a part of that life. She did not want Dudley to be envious of Harry's gift and wealth. She did not want to care about that boy to lose him like she lost her sister. If she had any control over it, she would ensure that the boy lived a miserable life if that's what it took to keep him alive. But words failed her and so she watched James Potter whisk away the only remaining link to her sister, the baby boy with his mother's green eyes and intelligence.
AN: Sooooooo another chapter done. In other news, Welcome Home Harry my first ever fic, is reaching a 100 followers. Yeah, that's pretty neat, though I don't understand why no one ever reviews it. Anyway, new chapter. You know what to do. Read and Review.
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Happy Reading
Much Love
The fishes
