Chapter 5
Dumbledore turned and saw a gun pointed at Snape and McGonagall's head, the gun at McGonagall's head held by a man with blond hair and blue eyes his body tensed and his other hand slowly removing the wand from her hand. The man pointing the gun at Snape's head did not even make a move his eyes narrowed and his body tensed while his metal arm is removing Snape's wand. Turning, Dumbledore sees that they were not the only ones. Front of the fireplace, stood a man his thumb and forefinger rubbing anxiously while a tinge that appears to be green seems to appear on his skin. A woman with hair colour of darker red than Lily appears to stand in front of Lily as if to protect her. A brunette with a familiar face that Dumbledore has often seen in muggle newspapers stands besides James something red and gold covering part of his hand. Dumbledore said "well, it seems that there has been activity after your master has disappeared. Although I am surprised that you are able to create a Polyjuice potion that gives the same appearance of the people after they are dead. I would like to know how you did that." Everyone's tensed expression suddenly becoming one of confusion.
The woman impersonating Lily said "it seems that you think that my face looks like someone." McGonagall beyond frustrated at this point said "Don't act as if you don't know. You both may have taken Lily and James face but you don't fool us. And don't even think no one will notice we are missing. There are others who are waiting for our return." Both the man and woman impersonating Lily and James looked at each other in confusion. By this time the red-haired woman standing near the fireplace said "it seems that you seem to know them somehow. Why don't we lower our weapons and talk like a civilised people? Captain?". The blond person said "that sounds like a good idea. So why don't we lower our weapons and you all sit in the other sofa?". Snape bit out "Give us back our wands and we will see about that talking." The man with the metal arm clocked his gun on Snape's head. McGonagall moved towards Snape but Dumbledore held her arm. By this time, the man impersonating James left the fake Lily's side and walked to the metal arm man. He put his hand on the metal arm man's chest. As that man looked at that fake James his breathing heavy, he gritted out his words "I am fine." Fake James nodded his head "I know." Walking towards Snape, Fake James said "you shouldn't provoke my partner. He is known for almost sneaking up to them just to dump a bowl of ice cream on their head." The brunette beside Lily snorted while the blond man coughed trying to disguise his chuckle. The metal arm man lowered his gun and looked at the Fake James with an exasperated expression.
Fake James said "let's look at that head. Shall we?" Snape holding his head with one hand said "Don't even come near me or I will make sure you never talk again." Fake James held his hands up and said "your choice mate. But I suggest you look at that head when you get back." McGonagall said "Seems like you do know about us? Who are you?". Fake James taking the metal man's arm guided him towards the sofa gesturing McGonagall and Dumbledore to sit on the other sofa. The brunette shifted standing up and walking to the blond guy who has already holstered his weapon in his arm holster. Fake James puts a hand on Fake Lily's shoulder and a silent conversation could be seen happening between them. Fake James said "I think Lily is better at handling this conversation than me. Meanwhile, anyone wants some snacks. I am pretty hungry." The brunette raised his hand while the blond man looked exasperated. The man with metal arm gave no indication just continuing to glare at Snape while Snape massaged his head. The red headed woman gave her consent and the man standing near the fireplace rolled his eyes, the green tinge still there on his skin and followed Fake James who went into the kitchen without even hearing an answer. Now, as McGonagall looked at Lily she could see that while others have been dressed in casual clothing of jeans and shirts only Lily and brunette seems to be dressed in suits as if they had just come from a meeting.
Ignoring McGonagall, Fake Lily addressed Dumbledore a hostility seen in her expression "let's face it. You could have easily disarmed us or killed us the moment you entered the room. Yet, you didn't. So, there is something that tells you that we are who you say we are." Dumbledore looks at the Fake Lily with a contemplative expression and said "one of the wards surrounding the place is a blood protection ward. It is when an individual has casted a protection charm on a near one by sacrificing or tying the protection to the blood she shared with the near one and is further strengthened when the protected individual stays with a relative related to the original caster. But if the original caster and the protected individual stays together, then only the blood protection spell is at its highest strength. Today, the blood protection spell is at its highest strength."
McGonagall gaped at Dumbledore and looked back at Lily with new eyes. By this time, James entered the living room with the tea tray and behind him the man carried the biscuits tray. Placing it on the table, James sat between Lily and the man with the metal arm and said "So, do you believe that we are what you think we are?" Dumbledore said "why don't we find out. Snape". Snape, still having a disbelieving expression on his face removed the two potions which are blue in colour. He said in a monotonous voice "Pick the finger and put a little blood into the potion. If it turns red, then you are James and…. Lily". The hesitant pause didn't go unnoticed by anyone. Lily took both the potion bottles from Snape and looked at James and the man with metal arm. When both of them nodded, she opened the cork of the bottle. She fisted her other hand and when opened they saw that it held a needle. James took the needle and holding Lily's hand pricked her forefinger and holding the potion below turned her hand gently and a few blood drops fell into the potion. Everyone waited with bated breath and slowly grew stunned as the potion slowly changed from blue to red. James then took the second bottle and Lily again held a needle. Taking the needle, he gave it to the man with the metal arm and as he grimaced he pricked James hand and as the blood drops fell into the potion, the potion slowly turned from blue to red. Silent was the atmosphere broken by the red-haired woman "Well, it seems you are Lily and James." Lily dryly said "well, that's cleared up nicely." And suddenly, a knife appears in front of Snape an inch from his eye.
As Dumbledore sees the memory swirl away, he felt the presence of McGonagall beside him. She said "Should Harry have known about his parents?" Dumbledore said "He has the right." McGonagall said "We don't know them anymore; can we trust them?". Dumbledore said "Only, time can give us that answer. Only time." And both of them stay silently as the memory slowly disappears into the rest of the memories in the pensieve.