The first time that Petunia really met him was when he came to see Lily for her sixteenth birthday. She had seen him a few times before trying to talk to Lily when they went to pick her up at the Train Station, and Lily seemed to hate him. It was a shock to see them almost flirting at her party; when Petunia questioned Lily about her chose in her male friends, Lily just smiled a little and said that he was "alright". That was when she first suspected that her sister was going to end up marring one of her kind. And then she brought him home to meet mum and dad over Christmas and that made it final; they were dating, in love, and going to marry one another some day. What upset Petunia even more then Lily more then likely going to marring this boy was how her parents were so taken with him; how they just seemingly loved him, and how she was finding it hard not to as well. He was charming, sweet, intelligent, and handsome.

When their wedding happened, she was hard pressed to find a time when Vernon ever really looked at her the way James looked at Lily. The next time that they came face to face, he was holding their son, and again, Petunia couldn't remember Vernon ever hold Dudley like James Potter held his son. It was these things that made her grieve slightly over his death along with her sisters. And it was these memories and old thoughts that came to the surface that blocked her judgment about letting a dead man into her house.

"Thank you for taking him in Petunia. I know that you were never fond of Lily or myself and it was very kind of you to take our son in." James said after sitting in Petunia's spotless living room in silence for five minutes. His words weren't spoken with sarcasm laced in; they were spoken very sincere, as if he meant them with all of his heart. And it cut Petunia so deep it felt like she was going to bleed on her white sofa that she was perched on.

"But, from what I've heard, that's just about all I can thank you for. Keeping my son safe, not keeping him happy, treated like a human, just safe." James went on when Petunia didn't say anything.

"But I did! I took him in! Lord knows that money just doesn't grow on the trees. We took him, clothed him, fed him," Petunia blurted out, she would not be treated like this in her own home! Who does he think he is? Coming in here after dumping his child with her after getting himself and Lily…

This thought hit Petunia like a ton of bricks. This man could not be James Potter. James Potter was dead; this had to be one of those men that that Headmaster told her about. Feeling her breathing starting to tighten, Petunia slowly stood up, being very careful not to get any closer to James then she already was. James merely raised an eyebrow at her.

"Who are you?" she choked out as she slowly started to make her way along the couch to the mantel piece where there was many things to throw at him if she needed to protect herself.

"I'm Lily's husband. I didn't die that night, I was put into a coma and only recently I've come out of it. Everyone thought that I was dead." James said, deciding that the cliff-notes version of events would probably work better in this situation. He had to admit, that he was impressed with his self-discipline. How long had he been in the house without causing harm to her?

"What, what about," Petunia tried to say, stopping in her tracks to stare at James with her eyes wide, unsure of what she wanted him to say.

"No. Lily…No, only me." James said looking down, still unable to say the words out loud.

"Severs her right, marring you, you freak!" Petunia yelled, her sense of self-coming back to her. With her insult, she also threw a picture frame that was sitting on the mantel as hard as she could at James. James didn't even get out of his seat; he just moved his head to the left as the picture went sailing by his right.

"You know," James said; rage starting to show in his voice as he continued to sit there. "I haven't even spoken to Harry about him living here yet. So I might not even know everything yet. But what I do know, makes me upset. It would probably do you good not to say that Lily 'deserved what she got' in front of me."

"What do you want from me?" Petunia yelled. "I took him in! I kept him safe! You admit that! Why can't you be happy that I took him in even when my husband said "orphanage"? What do you want from me?" Petunia asked, throwing her hands up in the air out of frustration.

"I want you to spend ten years living in the cupboard under the stairs." James said in a soft, but deadly voice, rising from his seat. "I want you to grow up, not knowing who you really are. I want you, for ten years, to think that you're an orphan because your parents died in an accident, not as heroes, as his mother did. I want you to give up your childhood and give it to my son." James said, taking a few steps closer to Petunia who was rooted to the spot, staring at James with wide eyes. James stopped then added,

"Actually, I take that back. I don't want him to have your childhood, there's no way that it was good enough for him." James looked Petunia over and took in how scared she was. "Calm down. I'm not going to hurt you. I mean, after all, you did keep him safe."

"I did." Petunia said in a whisper, as though she was saying it to both James and herself.

"You did. But, I must tell you, that I will be speaking with Harry tonight about how his life has been living here. Is there anything you would like to tell me before he does? Because, I would hate to have to bother you again. You do seem so busy." James said, letting sarcasm slip into his voice at the end. Petunia paled a little, whether at the thought of James coming back, or at what Harry would say, James didn't know.

"Vernon would be a little, rough with him some times." She squeaked out, surprising herself that she was actually rating her husband out. "He never beat him or anything, he just was, a little harsh sometimes." She hastened to add as James merely stood in front of her.

"Any thing else?" James asked, mentally counting to ten in his head to remain calm. At his question Petunia shook her head feverishly. A few minutes passed in silence as James weighed the pros and cons of cursing Petunia, or her spotless house, off the face of the earth.

"You know," James finally said with a laugh while pulling out his wand, "There are so many spells I could use on you right now, to make myself feel a little better about this whole situation. But, I don't know. For some reason, I feel that if I just leave you, just go back to Harry, it would mess with you more. If I just leave you with the promise that one day, I might come back, maybe one day I'll come back and put your son in the cupboard." James said pointing his wand at the smashed picture behind him and repairing it.

After the picture was rid of rips and tears and the glass flew back onto the frame, James summoned it and looked at the picture of what looked like Dudley's fifth birthday party. It the back round of the picture, behind and to the left of the fat little boy that was opening a large present with his mum and dad surrounding him, a little skinny boy with messy jet black hair, in clothes much to big for him could be seen watching with a look of longing on his face.

Looking at the picture of Harry, James began walking toward Petunia. When he was standing just in front of her he brought his eyes up. She was still rooted to the spot, glancing from the picture, to James, and to the wand that was still in James hand. Reaching over her shoulder, James placed the picture back on the mantle.

"I'm going back to my son now." He said, turning and walking away from Petunia. When he turned back around he asked, "Do you think he's like Lily?"

Unable to speak, Petunia just nodded, remembering all the times Harry did something to jog a memory of the sister she wanted to forget.

"You're lucky then, he might not want me to come back." James said picking up and putting on his coat, which he had laid neatly on the arm of the chair he had been sitting in. "But then again, he's also my son, so he may want to." James added, not wanting her to think that she was off the hook.

"I took him to the funeral." Petunia said suddenly as James began to make his way out of the living room. "I thought he should be there. I stood in the back with him, but I took him." James stopped and stared at her.

"Thank you for taking him in Petunia." James said again turning and leaving the house, pausing only to look at a door that was set into the stairs, which, presumably, opened to reveal a cupboard.

Snape hated children. He really did; they were so naïve, and stupid. Was it really that hard to brew a Wit-Sharpening Potion? As he made his way to the Headmaster's office Snape thought over all the idiotic things that the students had done today, or this morning as it was only now lunch time.

Perhaps it was because he was so wrapped up in his wondering how a student could sneeze and end up ruining not only their own potion but also those around him, that he didn't see the person that reached the gargoyle that led to Professor Dumbledore's office at the exact same moment until they spoke the password before he could. Looking up and cursing himself for losing awareness of his surroundings, Snape's eyes narrowed as they landed on James Potter.

"What are you doing out of hiding? Dumbledore become sick of your presence finally?" Snape asked James coldly, ignoring the fact that the gargoyle and sprang to life, allowing them to pass.

"Now would not be the time to push me Snape. I have much pent out anger right now, and seeing and speaking to you does nothing but add to that anger." James said, just as coolly.

"What? Find out just how much your son is like yourself and are disappointed?" Snape asked, knowing that he was going for a sensitive point. He was wrong, however, in his estimated of how far he would be able to push James, because at his words, James threw a punch that got Snape in the jaw.

"You know, I take what I said before back, you have helped with my pent up anger." James said, pulling his wand at the same time as Snape and squaring off with him. "You've just become my outlet." Snape's jaw was already starting to color were James hit it, but Snape showed no effects from it, his pain would only fuel James.

"You should be thanking me on your knees Potter." Snape spat, waiting for James to make the first move as then he could use the excuse of self-defense. "I kept your son from falling off his damn broom from a height that would surely have killed him. I protected him from that and many other things as well. And I must say, it was rather tiring work as your son is so draft that he walks into dangerous situations with his eye's closed and his head up his-"

James didn't know what the hell Snape was going to follow that with, but he didn't care, there was no way that he was going to allow Snape to talk about Harry like that. Raising his wand, James opened his mouth to shout a hex when a voice boomed out,

"James! Severus!" Both, with wands raised, stopped and looked at the place where the gargoyle usually sat to see Albus Dumbledore standing there, looking between them. "You are both guests in my school, I will hate to have you removed." Dumbledore said, twinkle gone from his eyes. "Now, if you'll both follow me into my office," And with that he turned and stepped on the revolving stairs, knowing that both of his former students would do the same.

"Now," Dumbledore said once he had reached his office, not turning around as he spoke, making his way to his desk. "Severus, you did not come to see me last night. All is well I hope?" Dumbledore asked as he finally turned so that he could seat himself. He was greeted with the sight of James and Snape both sitting in chairs as far away from each other as they could.

"Yes." Snape said with a curt bow of his head. "I returned to Hogwarts rather late and felt that my report could wait." He went on, hoping that Dumbledore would not point out the fact that he was lying, because the truth was that, while coming back to Hogwarts at 2:30 in the morning, Snape never waited to give Dumbledore a report, no matter what it consisted of. Snape's had in fact come to the door of Dumbledore's office and his fist was raised to knock when he heard the voices of Potter, Black and Lupin inside. Not wanting to have to deal with them, he returned to his dungeons planning on speaking with Dumbledore during his lunch break.

"I see," Was Dumbledore's only reply. Moving his eyes on to James on, he calmly questioned, "Are you dressed in muggle clothes for a reason James?"

"Yes, I made a visit to a muggle town and didn't want to stick out. I asked one of the House-Elves to get them for me." James answered, knowing full well that Dumbledore would know where he was.

"You went to Privet Drive?" Asked Dumbledore with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes," James answered, feeling as though he were a student again and was being interrogated about some prank that had been pulled on Snape. "I went to go speak with Petunia." He went on, wanting to show that he had nothing to hide from, this, visit.

"And is the Magic Reversal Squad currently at number 4 Privet drive, James?"

"No, Petunia, and the house were left as found."

"Very well." Dumbledore said standing. "The room you will be staying in has been prepared and you may go there now. It will open with your name being the password for now. You may change it once you reach it. Fawkes will led you there." He went on as he walked over to Fawkes and stroked his feathers. Taking the hint, James rose from his seat and walked out of the office, followed by Fawkes who would take the lead once outside. Once James had left, Dumbledore turned back to Snape.

"He wants to know how young Potter is handling this." Snape said, not needing Dumbledore to ask the question.

"Did he give any reasoning behind it?" Dumbledore asked moving back to his desk.

"No. He just told me to report to him with how they are interacting with each other."

" I see. And as for the rest of the orders he issued?" Dumbledore asked sitting once again behind his desk.

As James followed Fawkes through the school to the place where he would be living for the rest of the year, and maybe even longer, James listed the things that he would love to do when he gets Snape into a corner in the dungeons. The list was so involved and James was so immersed in his thoughts that he hadn't even realized they had reached their destination until Fawkes cuffed him in the head with one of his wings. After sending a glare at Fawkes, James turned to look at the Portrait that was covering the entrance, and smiled when he saw what it was.

It was a large painting of a jungle scene, currently at daytime, and swinging from trees and running around were groups of boys, the Lost Boys in fact. Like most muggle fairy tails or stories, the one of Peter Pan was real in the Wizarding World. There was a wizard who took a De-aging Potions on his birthday every year to keep himself young forever, leading many of his friends and boys to follow the same path. But then he met a young girl named Wendy, with whom he fell in love with; Wendy, however, would not take any De-aging Potion, as she wanted to grow up. And so she did. Peter was so heart broken that he began taking Aging Potion so that he could gain that years that he had prevented. He's hopes were futile in the end though, as Wendy had just gotten married once he rejoined the Wizarding World. The muggle version was made into a more of a happy end.

The reason this painting made him smile was because Lily had once called him Peter Pan, and his friends the lost boys as they always acted so childish. Once they started going out, she often called him her Peter Pan because he had grown up for her.

His smile faded slightly as he thought of Lily and how much he loved her and missed her. Sighing and knowing that he wouldn't be good to have an emotion break down in the hallway, James stated his name to the Portrait, hoping that one of the Lost Boys would be able to hear him. To his surprise, the one boy that was seemingly missing popped out from behind a bush in the front of the painting.

"Yeah, that's what they told me the Password was. Will you be the one to change it then?" The painting of Peter Pan asked James, coming out from behind the bush.

"Yeah, make it Wendy." James said, thinking of how Lily had been his Wendy. He watched as the painting laughed and said,

"I have a Wendy too!" as the Portrait opened and allowed James to enter. Once inside, James was greeted with the sight of Sirius and Remus, have what seemed to be a very heated argument, completely unaware of James' presence in the room. While his friends were fighting, James took looked around.

It was a large room with forest green walls (not Slytherin green James happily noted), and set into one of the walls, surrounded by a comfortable looking couch, love seat, and two armchairs, was a fireplace. On the other side of the room was a kitchen set-up. There were cabinets lining the walls, with granite-topped counters underneath them and a wooden table with four chairs. Looking back toward the living room part of the large room, and looking past Sirius and Remus (who were still arguing over what sounded like how far one of them had once thrown a garden gnome) James saw stairs cases, one leading up, and one leading down.

"Oi!" James said to his friends, walking over to them. "Since you two broke into my living quarters, have any clue where the stairs lead?"

"James, tell Remus that when we were in 5 year summer break, that I did throw that bloody gnome over 100 feet!" Sirius said, completely ignoring James' question.

"Mate, you must be thinking of the gnome that, I, threw." James said, making his way over to the staircases and taking the one that led down. At his words James heard Sirius start yelling about how he really did throw one that far and that James was crazy to think that he hadn't, and Remus yelling at Sirius to stop yelling.

At the bottom of the stairs, James found himself in a sitting room similar to the one above him. This room differed by having all the walls white with an assortment of different colored furniture, and by having a door on every wall. Walking over to the one directly to the right of the entrance, James found one of the bedrooms.

Before James stepped into the room, it was bare master bedroom save for the furniture (which consisted of a large bed, two nightstands, a dresser, a desk with a desk-chair and a chair), but when he took a step inside, the room was painted a very dark blue, the floor was covered with a black carpet, the windows that were in the room had curtains that matched the carpet, the chair and now become very comfortable looking, much like those up stairs, was a deep red color, and the bed had a comforter and sheets that matched the color of the chair. Smiling, James looked up and saw an enchanted sky on the ceiling. It was just like his room as a kid. He closed the door and guessed that he had found which room was his. Walking over to the next door, James found the bathroom, which was a lot like the perfects bathroom except there was no swimming pool size bath. Waving at the painting of a mermaid that giggled at him, James closed the door and looked at the last three doors, wondering what they led to.

"That one," Sirius said, coming down the stairs and pointing to one of the doors. "Is mine. Stepped in to look around and it made itself to how I would want my room."

Walking over to the door and reaching it at the same time as Sirius, James gestured to Sirius for him to open the door. Walking inside the room behind Sirius, James was a little surprised at Sirius' subconscious choice of a room. It was very nice looking, but, very grown up looking.

The walls were a pale green, and seemed to have an ivory glossy paint sponge painted over it; something that Lily had done in some of the rooms in their home. The bed had a comforter that was a tan color and lots of decorative pillows in different shades of green and tan. The types of furniture were the same as what James had, except, these seemed like antiques. A part from how grown-up Sirius' room was as apposed to James, now seemingly childish room, Sirius' room also differed in its windows. James' bedroom had two windows, one above his desk and another one on the same wall, Sirius had one very large window, which the lake and the forest could be seen from.

"It's…"

"Odd." Sirius finished for James, falling onto the bed and looking around.

"You sure this isn't Moony's room or something?" James asked, walking over to the wardrobe and looking at the craftsmanship.

"Yeah, cause he walked in first, I came in after and it changed to this." Sirius said sitting up. "You know," he began to say, then with a quick look at James added "not a word though," and only after James nodded, signaling he would say anything, Sirius continued, "It reminds me a little of Paige's bedroom in that flat she used to have."

"Really now?" James asked, picking up one of the many pillows and raising an eyebrow, Paige never seemed like the person that would have a bedroom like this, then again, neither does Sirius.

"Yup. My room at Grimauld Place is really dark, guess that's why I got a room in my head that's really bright." Sirius said, nodding his head and looking around. James wanted to make some scathing remark about Sirius being in his old partner's rooms, but Sirius, maybe knowing what James was going to say, spoke ahead of him.

"The last bedroom didn't change for Moony though, we don't know who it's for."

"Harry maybe?" James asked, hoping that was the case. Sirius just shrugged.

"Come on, I'll show you upstairs." Sirius said getting off the bed and leading the way back up the stairs.

The floor above the living room and kitchen was a large study. Two of the walls were lined with book shelves, though no where near being as full as those in Dumbledore's sitting room, and there was a desk that greatly reminded James of the one that his own father used to sit at, that was stationed across for the door so that the person sitting there could easily see who was entering. There was also a sitting arrogant in this room as well, though a little more formal looking then the other two. While the couches and armchairs in the other two rooms were made out of material, these were brown leather.

"Reminded me of your dad's study." Sirius said, walking over to the desk and sitting on it, much like the manner he used to that annoyed James' father so much.

"Yeah, reminded me of it too. He used to living in there I tell ya." James said looking around.

"There you two are." Remus said, walking into the room. "A House-Elf was just in the living room, the one that's going to be taking care of things here and bring food and stuff like that. He said that if you need him, just call him. His name is Dobby. He's the one that's really fond of Harry." Remus went on speaking to James.

"Yeah, Harry told me about him." James said nodding.

"That's the one that's kind of crazy right?" Sirius asked, examining a letter opener that he had found on the desk.

"Yes Sirius." Remus said dryly, then he turned to James who was smirking at how Sirius never fails to annoy Remus with stupid questions. "I have some of your old stuff at my cottage James, if you want I could get bring it here for you." Remus said making the smirk that James had been wearing fade off his face.

"What kind of stuff?" James asked.

"Some picture, some little knickknacks, some books, basically stuff that had survived the, err, attack." Remus said.

"Alright." James said, remembering the state the house had been in and wondering just what hadn't been destroyed.

"Okay, then I'll be back a little later. Try not to destroy this place, alright?" Remus said to James and Sirius with a smile before heading out of the room.

"Why don't you go with him James?" Sirius said, jumping off of the desk and making his way over to James.

"Why?" James asked a little confused.

"It'll give you guys a chance to talk." Sirius said with a shrug of the shoulders.

"Good idea." James said, getting exactly what Sirius meant by talk; then hurriedly he walked back up the stairs to catch up with Remus.

"Hey, Remus, wait up." James said once he reached the main floor; Remus had just reached the Portrait hole when James called out to him.

"Yeah?" Remus said, adjusting his cloak.

"I'll come with you. Give you a hand bring everything over." James said walking over to Remus.

"You sure?" Remus asked, sounding a little doubtful. When James nodded he said, "Okay, were gonna have to walk to the edge of the grounds so we can apperate though." James nodded again but asked,

"Is it alright if we make one stop first?"

"Mister Potter," Professor Umbridge said in that simpering voice of hers, leaning over Harry's desk so not to disturbed the class, even though everyone knew that everyone was listening.

"Yes, Professor?" Harry asked, trying to keep his temper in check, he didn't want to have a detention tonight as he was planning to see James again.

"I have heard that you have been reunited with your father recently and I would like to offer you my congratulation." She said in sugary, fake, sweetness. Harry raised his eyebrows; he knew that she had to have more to say then that.

"And now that you have a guardian in the Wizarding World, I wish to have a meeting with him to discuss your behavioral problems. I will be sending him a note shortly, or giving it to him directly, but if you would be so kind as to pass his response back to me, that would be very beneficial on your part." She stated, smiling as though she were giving Harry a treat.

"And will you be discussing the detentions that you have been having me serve at this meeting?" Harry asked before he could stop himself.

He hadn't told James about the detentions yet, and he was slightly worried that Umbridge would get into contact with James before Harry could, but Harry was sure that his father would take his word over Umbridge's.

"Of course we will be discussing them Mister Potter. You peculiar habit of self-harm must be noted." Umbridge said as though she was shocked Harry had asked such a stupid question.

"Self-harm? What do you mean self-harm? I don't hurt my self." Harry said, unlike Umbridge, in a normal voice so the class didn't have to strain to hear him.

"Mutilating your hand with a quill Mister Potter is something that I believe falls under self-harm." She said, ending just as the bell rang, leaving Harry unable to answer her.

"Why that little," Ron began saying the second they were out of the classroom and out of hearing range, but he was stopped by someone behind them reprehending Ron before Hermione could.

"Now, now Ron. I do not believe you mother would like you speaking like that." Turning, the three saw Lupin standing close to the wall with his hands in his pockets smiling at them.

"But you have to hear what Umbridge said," Ron stated, believing that it would justify his choice in language. To there surprise, it did, because Lupin just nodded his head and said,

"Well in her case, I'm sure such language can be over looked. But, that is off topic. Harry, could you come here for one second, there is someone who would like a quick word with you." He said, gesturing toward an empty classroom. Having a slight idea of who might be in the room Harry said,

"I'll catch up with you guys," to Ron and Hermione and made his way into the room. He found, just as he thought he would, his father waiting for him.

"Hey." James said, hopping off of the desk that he had been sitting on. "I just wanted to tell you where I'm going to be staying. Do you know the painting of the Lost Boys on the sixth floor? To the right of big portrait of that old, fat Monk that's always sleeping?" James asked.

"Yeah," Harry said slowly, thinking of the painting that usually catches his eye as he makes his way to the common room.

"Well it's the Lost Boy's painting and the password is Wendy." James said.

"Alright. Do you want me to come to night?" Harry asked.

"If you want, and by that I mean if you're not swamped with homework, have tests tomorrow and want to." James said smiling. Harry smiled too.

"I'm going to be over Remus' getting some things for a while, but Padfoot is there now if you need him." Said James, trying to think of what else Harry should know.

"Okay," Harry said, then after taking a glance at his wristwatch he added, "I have to get going, or I'm gonna be late. I'll see you later," waving good-bye as he hurried out of the room. Once Harry was gone James turned to Remus who had been standing out of the way while Harry and James talked.

"Thanks, I just wanted him to know where to go in case he wanted to see me or something." James said.

"Not a problem. But lets get a move on now so that by the time we get back Sirius will have asked the House-Elves for some dinner and we can steal it from him." Remus said, opening the door that Harry had closed behind him and leading the way out of the castle.

A.N- Well look at that, I updated before I said I would. And in do so I haven't really study. Do you feel the guilt readers whom I love so much I updated sooner for? j/k, I wouldn't have studied a lot any way, with this I just have an excuse.

This chapter turned out to be kind of transitional, but, like a true transitional chapter, it's setting up for the next chapter, which a lot of stuff will be happening in. I was going to add some of that stuff into this chapter, but it would have taken longer to get out. So, it's in the next.

You guys know the drill. Please, please send me lots of reviews cause they make me so, so, soo happy and cause I love to know what you think and cause I love seeing review alert in my mailbox! Again, think of me on the 16, 17, 21, 22, and 23 because I definitely won't be updating before then.

Till next time!