Many thanks to all my AMAZING reviewers! You guys are my motivation! You keep me writing this story! So this one's for you:)
ARGUMENTS AND ANSWERS-
Dumbledore and the others hurried up the stairs to the frantic yells, but before they even made it to the top of the flight, James came hurtling back down towards them looking petrified.
"It's a clone!" he said frantically, "Something went wrong when I 'spliced'!"
"You mean "splinched" said Mr. Weasley somewhere down along the long flight of stairs.
"Whatever I did, now there's TWO of me!"
Ron stifled a laugh.
"James, calm down-" Dumbledore began, but James was in a panic.
"I knew I felt funny after I got here! Now look at me! I've-I've been split in two!" A look of pure horror covered James's face; he paced back and forth frantically as he ran his hands through his hair.
"James" said the headmaster firmly. "Calm down. Nothing, besides the fact that you are here, went wrong when you splinched."
James looked up at him, still drowning in a pool of panic.
"You, and the boy you encountered upstairs, are not the same person. But you do share the same blood. Come with me." Dumbledore continued climbing the stairs.
"Are you crazy? I'm not going back up there!"
As Mr. Weasley followed at Dumbledore's heels he whispered quietly to the headmaster, "How are you going to explain this to them?"
Dumbledore didn't answer but just continued up the rickety stairway, James reluctantly following.
The headmaster knocked on the door at the right of the hallway. There was a shuffling noise from the inside, but no answer. Dumbledore cautiously turned the rusty handle and opened the door. But before anyone else could enter, James rushed past and into the room.
"Expelliarmus!" he yelled, pointing his wand across the room where a wide-eyed Harry stood. Harry dodged the spell and watched as it's vibrant, red streak struck an old bookcase, causing the books to fly everywhere and the shelve to topple over.
"Who are you?" Said James, glaring threatingly.
"Me?" replied Harry, appalled, "Who are you?"
"Oh, like you don't know." Spat James. "You're a spitting image of me!"
"What? I don't even know you!" Said Harry, drawing his wand as James took a tentative step forward.
"What did you use, a polyjuice potion? That's it, isn't it!"
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Said Harry, aiming his wand at James defensively.
James shot another spell towards Harry that barely missed his shoulder by inches. Harry was fighting every urge to shoot back; the only thing stopping him was the thought of being expelled from Hogwarts. Harry dodged another spell. "Stop it! What's your problem?"
James glared, "What's YOUR problem?!"
"My Problem?" Harry said, taken back. "I'm not the one shooting horribly aimed spells all over the room!"
James yelled back, "Why do you look like me?"
"I think I should be asking YOU that!" Harry said angrily. Perhaps he's a deatheater in disguise, he thought suspiciously… a really stupid deatheater…
"YOU'RE the imposter!" James said accusingly.
Harry opened his mouth to retaliate but Dumbledore had stepped forward and calmly said, "silence."
The two boys looked at the headmaster. "Harry, There's something you need to hear." Dumbledore turned to Mrs. Weasley "Molly, I'd appreciate it if you would escort James downstairs. I'm sure he's hungry." Molly nodded.
"But! -" James began to argue but the headmaster looked down over his half moon spectacles sternly and the boy went silent. He put his head down in defeat and followed Mrs. Weasley back down the musty staircase. The others followed suit until the only people still remaining in the room with Harry and the Professor was Fred and George Weasley. They looked at Harry and Dumbledore eagerly as though hoping for another good show. But as soon as Dumbledore gazed at them sternly they too followed suit, looking disappointed.
"This is ridiculous." Muttered James under his breath. "No one's going to do anything about that guy? You're all going to just let- oh, peanut butter and jelly!" James quickly switched topic at the sight of Mrs. Weasley handing him a thick sandwich.
Determined to keep James off the topic of Harry, Mrs. Weasley quickly looked for a topic to engage him in. He certainly enjoyed talking enough. "So, you enjoy Quidditch, James?"
James's eyes lit up instantly, "Are you kidding? I'm the best on the team!"
"Really?" Said Ron in admiration, "so is Har-"
Hermione quickly elbowed Ron in the gut.
"We're beaters." Said Fred and George proudly.
"That's cool, I guess." Said James; though it was obvious he didn't care. "I'm a Chaser." A smug smile spread across his face.
"Well, it's easy to see where your son gets his remarkable talent from." Said Mrs. Weasley without thinking. Realizing what she had just said, she almost dropped the dishes she had been washing.
James coughed, desperate not to choke on the bite of his sandwich he had been about to swallow, "my-my son?" He coughed.
The room was dead silent. Ron and Hermione exchanged worried glances. Mrs. Weasley bit her lip.
"I think it would be best if Molly and I spoke to James alone for a minute." Lupin said, standing up.
Ron, Hermione and Ginny didn't need telling twice. They quickly hurried out of the room. Finally, after Mr. Weasley dragged Fred and George out, Molly and Remus sat down next to James.
"James," began Lupin sternly, "the boy you met… the one upstairs…he's your…well, he's your son."
James looked at him with wide-eyes, his half-eaten sandwich now sitting forgotten in his right hand. Suddenly, he let out a small chuckle. And then that small chuckle turned into an outburst of laughter. "hahaha! You've got to be kidding me! I don't have a son!" His laughter suddenly ceased at the serious looks on Mrs. Weasley and Lupin's face. James stood up so quickly it looked as though he had sat upon a needle. He's amusement quickly turned into panic. "I-I'm only 15! Well, I'll actually be 16 in a few months… but that's beside the point! I-I can't have a kid!"
"James, please, calm down." Whispered Mrs. Weasley reaching out a hand of comfort towards him.
James pulled away, "I still have my whole life ahead of me!" He began to pace back and forth behind their chairs, running his fingers through his hair (that was in desperate need of a comb). "There's no possible way I could be a-"
"-Father." Said Dumbledore, "I'm afraid I speak the truth, Harry."
Harry dazedly sat down on the edge of the musty bed across from the old professor, year's of dust billowing off the sheets around him as his body made impact with it. "Your serious then… He splinched here… my-my dad." It felt to weird to be saying that. It was so hard to take in all that Dumbledore had just told him.
Dumbledore nodded, studying Harry closely as though afraid he'd over-react. "I know this must be difficult. The whole situation itself is very strange indeed." The headmaster gazed out the musty window for a moment in a silent reverie before looking back at Harry and continuing. "You've never met your father."
Harry looked down at his worn shoes as though he suddenly found them very interesting. He didn't want to talk about this… about his parents.
"This is a tough circumstance that's being thrust upon you."
"Yea, well, I'm used to those." Harry muttered, not taking his eyes off his old sneakers.
The Headmaster once again waited as though searching carefully for the right words to say. "This is your father at a younger age. He's a brilliant boy, but he has not yet become the great man he was before he left us. Due to his youth and inexperience he still has much to learn before he becomes that man. Before he truly becomes your father."
Something about those words almost made him feel upset. He had dreamed since he was little of meeting his father… of actually getting to speak to him. But not in his father's adolescence. He wanted to meet the brilliant man everyone at the Order had always spoken so highly of. The man who had defied Voldemort multiple times… the man that had been there… had protected his son before giving up his own life… for him… for Harry. To think that that loud-mouthed teenager downstairs was his father, bothered him. But Dumbledore was right, he had not yet become the man he was before he had died… but he was still his dad. He, Harry, would become that boy's-
"-Son. He's-he's my son…" James looked at Lupin, astonished. "I-I'm a dad?"
"Well, you'll become a dad." Corrected Lupin. "But, yes, Harry is your blood. Your future son."
James collapsed back down into his chair. "So… if that boy-"
"Harry." Interrupted Molly.
"Yea, Harry, if he's my kid… I must be married, right?" James didn't wait for either of them to answer. "Please, please tell me it is who I think it is!" He looked at Lupin, half-excited, half scared.
Lupin hesitated. He wasn't exactly sure how much the headmaster wanted him to reveal. But James gazed at him pleadingly. He could tell James was hoping with all his heart he would marry the girl he thought about even when he dreamed. The girl he had sought after since the first day he had spotted her at Platform nine and three quarters.
"Moony, come on, please tell me it is who I think it is." James gazed at him with a hopeful smile.
"Alright, Prongs. Your really want to know?"
James nodded vigorously.
"Victoria Midgen."
James went slack-jawed. "The stubby little blond girl from Potions class?!" James's face went white. "The girl with that annoying laugh that follows me everywhere? Your-your kidding… right? You had better be kidding with me, Moony!" James stared at Lupin hard, a horrified look in his eyes at the thought of spending life with Victoria Midgen.
"Lucky for you." Said Lupin with a wide smile.
James horrified expression slowly turned into a small smile, "Moony, you-you!" becoming so infuriated he couldn't find the words. Then, James slowly began to laugh, "you think that's funny, eh? You haven't lost your humor after all these years apparently, You bloody git! You had me going!"
Lupin's face went red in laughter. "I'm sorry, really, I am. I can't recall the last time I've ever seen you go so pale-" flash! James Potter's pale face stared up at him from a coffin.
"…"
"…mny…"
"Moony?"
"Moony!"
Lupin quickly pulled himself away from that painful memory.
"Moony, are you okay?" James asked, looking concerned.
"Yea… yea, James… I'm fine." He rubbed his tired eyes and then smiled wearily at James in reassurance.
Molly looked worried.
"You sure, mate? You looked upset about something for a moment there." James asked.
"It just… made me remember something-"
"What was it?" asked James curiously.
Lupin stared into the bright eyes of James Potter. He was alive… he was breathing… and he had no idea what kind of fate was waiting for him in his future. "It doesn't matter." Lupin said quickly, anxious to change the subject.
"So?" snapped James, becoming excited again.
"Er, so what?" wondered Lupin.
"So, who is she? The girl I marry?" James looked back and forth between Molly and Remus impatiently.
Ron and Hermione sat outside the kitchen door watching Fred and George working quickly to try and untangle their set of extendable ears. "Why did you have to shove them in your pocket all bunched up like this, Fred?"
"Don't blame me, they were already tangled."
"Honestly, Fred, you call yourself my twin-"
BANG! The kitchen door came swinging open so hard it shoved Fred right into George causing them both to get knocked to the ground.
James stood in the doorway. "I don't believe it! I MARRY her!"
"Who?" asked Hermione curiously.
"LILY EVANS!" James yelled excitedly. "I knew it!" He ran up to Ron and began shaking his shoulders, "it had to be her! It HAD to be!"
"Oh, yes, Harry's mother." Hermione whispered to herself. It took a moment for her to piece together just who this Lily was. Harry never talked about his parents. He hardly ever mentioned their names. A babbling James running over and kissing her on the cheek in happiness pulled Hermione out of her train of thought. To everyone's surprise, she blushed. Ron's ears went red, he pulled his gaze away from Hermione, and Lupin thought he saw Ron give James a bit of a glare out of the corner of his eye.
James continued bustling around the room in frenzy, bursting with happiness.
Fred and George had regained their stance and were now brushing themselves off. "Lily who?" they asked in unison.
James's eyes lit up. "Lily Evans! The most beautiful, most gorgeous witch that ever walked the floor of Hogwarts!" His face began to turn a bright red. "Eyes so green they make the Slytherin banner look dim! Long red curls flowing down her back… even redder lips…" he let out a sigh.
"Are you two dating or something?" Asked Ginny.
"No." Said James shortly, regaining his normal care-free composure, "She hates me." He smiled and shrugged his shoulders as though he could care less. "But I knew I'd get her in the end!" he said proudly. "No one can resist the Potter charm!"
For some reason these words caused Ginny to blush.
"Lily Evans." James whispered. "I marry Lily Evans." It was the sort of thing he had dreamed about. "Moony, if your pulling my leg again…" he pointed an accusing finger at Lupin who was still standing in the kitchen doorway. "So, where is she? Is Lily away too?" He looked around eagerly at everyone.
The mood in the room changed instantly. No one answered; no one would even meet his eyes.
The silence was disrupted by footsteps on the staircase. The wood floorboards were letting off creaks and moans as though the were in pain. Harry and Dumbledore entered the room. Harry and James glanced at each other, but the moment they saw that they had caught one another's eye, they quickly looked away.
The headmaster confronted James, "James, I'm afraid you'll have to stay here until I am able to find a safe way to get you back to your time. It's a miracle enough you survived such a rare form of Splinching. I'll have to find a different way to get you back. But I promise I will do everything in my power to do so." The headmaster smiled reassuringly and James gave a small smile back. Then, Dumbledore turned to Harry and whispered, "I'm not trying to put you in such an uncomfortable position. I know this will be difficult-"
"I'll be fine. Really." Harry smiled.
Dumbledore gazed at him long and hard before nodding. "I'm afraid I must begin looking into a way to solve this matter immediately. James, I hope you'll feel comfortable here." He then directed his attention to everyone else in the room. "I think it would be best for everyone to not say anything that would cause any… discomfort… towards our guest."
Everyone got the hint immediately. But it made Harry wonder… what if he did tell his father about his future… about what was going to happen to him, about Peter, about everything… could it perhaps change the way things would turn out?
"Fate is a deadly and dangerous thing to meddle with. People who have tried to avoid their fate, or change it have all met an even more horrendous end. Harry, fate has no forgiveness for those who dare stand against it…"
That was what Dumbledore had told him when Harry had suggested the same thought when they had been talking upstairs. It was risky and unwise… yet the thought that maybe there was a chance that he could actually have a life with his parents made it a tempting matter to look into… but Harry had promised Dumbledore that he wouldn't say anything about James's future, no matter how much James asked or begged. Perhaps it was better to let fate be.
Dumbledore began to walk towards the front door. Harry and James looked at each other. Neither of them were quite sure how this was going to work out. But they both trusted the headmaster. It certainly was going to be an interesting week…
Lupin followed Dumbledore towards the door. As the headmaster grabbed the handle Lupin whispered, "Albus, what how long do we have?"
Dumbledore did not meet his gaze. "Not long. It's only a matter of time before these two worlds violently collide."
"And if James is un able to make in home in time?" Asked Lupin, unsure if he wanted to know the answer.
"Then James will no longer live within his own time. If that happens he will never marry Lily and so Harry will never be born, causing Harry's former self to vanquish entirely. And since Harry is his blood connection to this time… James too will cease to be."
