A/N: Thanks for everyone who has read or reviewed so far! I think this is the best response any of my fanfics has ever had on the first day! Is that sad? Anyway, thanks in particular to bonfiaco16, who left the first review, and Alex11215, whose advice was very helpful and which I've tried to incorporate into this. Thanks also to hmiller0903, LilyLavender14 and CountDoom who have reviewed the story so far! Now, enjoy!
The Boy Who Lived
"Where are we going?" James asked as the Marauders followed the five children down the castle's many corridors and up a few flights of stairs.
"Room of Requirement." James Jr said cheerily, grinning at him. "So is this cool or what?" He said, looking up at what looked like an older version of himself. "You're my grandpa!" He looked wistful for a second. "I've never met you." Lily, who had been watching the conversation from the corner of her eye, turned and hit James round the head.
"James!" She hissed, and James clapped a hand over his mouth, realising his mistake.
Then he shrugged, "Oh well, they were going to find out soon enough anyway. He turned back to the four men. "You're all dead in our time." His expression was, for once, serious. The Marauders looked at each other, staring. Sirius gulped. His friends were dead? How was that possible? How could anyone live in a world where they didn't exist? It wasn't possible.
Remus, catching on, looked at Teddy. "You've never met me." He said quietly. The man looked down at him, eyes sad and searching.
"Never." He said in a low voice. It was oddly unsettling for him. He's seen the pictures of his dad. Pictures of a scarred, tough looking man. He'd always idolized him, even when he'd never known him. To meet his dad now, and to look down on him just felt wrong. The two stared at each other for a moment longer, before they turned and carried on walking, following the others in an oddly amiable silence.
As they reached the portrait of Barnabus the Barmy on the seventh floor, the group stopped and, as one, began to pace.
I need a place to read the book. They thought. Somewhere comfortable. Preferably somewhere with a punch bag. Al added the last bit in his mind, thinking of the way his father was treated in these books. They'd need a way to relieve their anger. On the third turn, the group stopped pacing, and turned to the wall. Where there had once been just a blank stretch of wall, now stood an ornate door. Al reached out a hand, and pushed it open.
James grinned as he entered the room. It was, by fire, one of his favourite in the castle. It was the place he'd go to hide out if he was down, or even the place the Marauders would go sometimes to plan pranks or hide from Filch. He loved it. Today, it was looking particularly warm and cosy.
Scarlet wall hangings lined the walls, embroidered with golden silk – the Gryffindor colours, he noticed with pride. A soft, orange light filled the room, from no particular source. It was just there. There were four squashy red sofas and one inviting armchair. He blushed when he saw, on the wall, a picture of his favourite red-head, hanging up. He heard Sirius on his right, let out a soft chuckle, seeing it too. He spied a punch bag dangling from the ceiling in a remote corner of the room and frowned. That was weird.
"Let's sit." Said Rose, taking a seat on one of the sofas. Al sat down next to her, grinning as he wiggled around, getting comfortable. James Jr and Lily took the sofa to their right; James Sr and Sirius taking the one to their left. Remus and Teddy exchanged hesitant looks before taking the last remaining couch. Wormtail's eyes darted around the room as he settled into the armchair. His stomach grumbled and he dug around in his pocket, withdrawing some-
"Cheese?" James scoffed, rolling his eyes at his friend. "Cheese, Wormtail? How rat-like of you." Sirius sniggered beside him as Wormtail blushed. The five from the future exchanged knowing looks.
"Okay," Said Rose promptly, taking one of the books from Lily. "I'll read first." She gave a cough to clear her throat before reading.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
"The Philosopher's Stone?" Remus cut in, staring. "Isn't that-?" But Teddy clapped a hand over his mouth.
"Shh!" He whispered, "You'll ruin the surprise."
Rose grinned before she continued to read.
Chapter One, The Boy Who Lived.
Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. Rose giggled as Sirius let out an exaggerated yawn. They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense.
"Really? How interesting." James said dryly, rolling his eyes.
Mr Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills.
"Drills?" James asked interestedly, looking at Sirius, who took Muggle Studies.
"Something boring." Sirius assured, and James nodded, satisfied.
He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large moustache.
"Charming."
"Sounds like Slughorn."
James and Remus spoke at the same time, and then turned to smirk at each other.
Mrs Dursley was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on her neighbours.
"Nosy much?" Sirius muttered.
The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere.
"Dudley?" James screwed up his face in distaste. "Who calls there son Dudley?"
The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but the also had a secret, and there greatest fear was that somebody would discover it.
"Bet it's drugs." Sirius and James said simultaneously.
They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters.
"Oi!" Called four voices at once, and the Marauders glared at the book. "There's nothing wrong with the Potters!" Sirius growled.
Mrs Potter was Mrs Dursley's sister,
"So in answer to your earlier question, your sister-in-law calls her son Dudley." Sirius grinned at James, while the latter looked horrified.
"Those things are my family?" He said, disgusted.
But they hadn't met for several years; in fact, Mrs Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister, because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband
"Oi!" The Marauders chorused again.
Were as unDursleyish as it was possible to be.
"UnDursleyish." Sirius grumbled. "That's not even a word."
The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbours would say if the Potters arrived in the street.
James rolled his eyes. "Nice to know we're welcome." He said, at the same time that Sirius said, "As if they'd want to come."
The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small son too,
"Harry." James said proudly, and the children (and man) from the future grinned.
But they had never even seen him.
"Good. I don't particularly want you around my son." James growled.
This boy was another reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that.
"Hey!" James snapped. "I don't really want my child mixing with a child like yours either, but at least I'm nice about it. The Potters from the future smiled. Their dad would have been touched by that.
When Mr and Mrs Dursley woke up on the dull, grey Tuesday our story starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country.
Sirius grinned. Finally something fun was going on!
Mr Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie
James rolled his eyes.
For work and Mrs Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming Dudley into his highchair.
None of them noticed a large tawny owl flutter past the window.
The Marauders exchanged a look.
At half-past eight, Mr Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs Dursley on the cheek and tried to kiss Dudley goodbye but missed, because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls.
"Wonderful child." James said sarcastically.
"Little tyke," chortled Mr Dursley
"Okay, spoilt brat." James muttered. Remus chuckled at his friend's antics.
As he left house. He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive.
It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of something peculiar – a cat reading a map. For a second, Mr Dursley didn't realise what he had seen – then he jerked his head around to look again. There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet Drive,
"A tabby cat?" Sirius asked slowly, "But that sounds like…"
But there wasn't a map in sight. What could he have been thinking of? It must have been a trick of the light.
"Yeah," James, who seemed to have taken a sever dislike to this man, snorted, "Because the light always looks like a map."
Sirius smirked. "Don't worry mate, we'll prank when we meet him." James grinned.
Mr Dursley blinked and stared at the cat. It stared back.
"Ooh, staring contest!" Sirius grinned. "Go cat!"
As Mr Dursley drove around the corner and up the road, he watched the cat in his mirror. It was now reading the sign that said Privet Drive – no, looking at the sign; cats couldn't read maps or signs.
"That's what you think." Sirius grinned.
Mr Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind. As he drove towards town he thought of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day.
But on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something else. As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help but notice that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People in cloaks.
"What's strange about that?" Wormtail asked, confused.
Lily scowled at him, "People don't wear cloaks in the muggle world." She said shortly, and left it at that.
Mr Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed in funny clothes –
"Wow, he must be a bundle of laughs on Halloween." James said sarcastically. He really didn't like this man.
The get-ups you saw on young people! He supposed this was some stupid new fashion. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eyes fell on a bunch of these weirdos
"You're a weirdo." James grumbled.
Standing quite close by. They were whispering excitedly together. Mr Dursley was enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all;
James muttered something that sounded like "Rhinoceros".
Why, that man had to be older than he was, and wearing an emerald-green cloak! The nerve of him!
"Butt out of other people's business, Dursley!" James growled and Rose sighed.
"Much as I'd hate to hex one of my cousin's grandparents, I will if you don't stop interrupting!" She threatened, and James quietened down. Even if the girl was at least four or five years younger than him, she was still scary looking.
But then it struck Mr Dursley that this was probably just some silly stunt – these people were obviously collecting for something… yes, that would be it. The traffic moved on and a few minutes later, Mr Dursley arrived in the Grunnings car park, his mind back on drills.
Mr Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his office on the ninth floor. If he hadn't, he might have found it harder to concentrate on drills that morning. He didn't see the owls swooping past in broad daylight,
The Marauders all blinked and stared at each other. The owls were usually so careful!
Though people down in the street did; they pointed and gazed open-mouthed as owl after owl sped overhead.
The Marauders frowned, picturing it. "Something pretty big must've happened for the owls to be behaving like this." Remus said shrewdly. The others nodded.
Most of them had never seen an owl even at night-time.
"But how did they send their post?" Wormtail looked confused.
"Don't be an idiot Wormtail!" James sighed. "The muggles have different ways of sending messages. The postal service I think it's called." He looked to Remus and Sirius for confirmation, both of whom nodded.
"Oh."
Mr Dursley, however, had a perfectly normal, owl-free morning. He yelled at five different people. He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more.
"So a very productive day then." James muttered. Rose sent him a warning look and he quickly snapped his mouth shut.
He was in a very good mood until lunch-time, when he thought he'd stretch his legs and walk across the road to buy himself a bun from the baker's opposite.
James opened his mouth, possibly to say something about just how little the man needed to be fattening himself up even more, but Rose reached into the back pocket of her jeans and took her wand out, pointing it threateningly at him. He quickly shut up.
"You know, you shouldn't keep your wand in your back pocket." Sirius said well, seriously. "You could lose a buttock."
James raised an eyebrow. "Who do you know that's lost a buttock Padfoot?" He grinned.
Sirius pouted. "Just giving some friendly advice." He said. The people from the future grinned at each other, exchanging humorous looks. That sounded familiar…
He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed.
"None of your business Dursley!" James sang. Rose rounded on him, but Teddy got there first.
"Oh for goodness sake!" The youngest Lupin snapped. "Silencio!"
Remus stared at him. "Good one son!" He grinned, and Teddy blinked swiftly, before grinning back. Lily's eyes filled with tears. James meanwhile, was glaring at Moony and mouthing what the latter guessed to be profanities at him. Remus stuck his tongue out at the fellow Marauder before turning to Rose and nodding at her to keep reading.
He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy.
James mouthed something at this, but Rose merely smirked and read on.
This lot were whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin. It was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in a bag,
"Fatty!" Sirius muttered, seeing as James couldn't do it himself. The stag animagus sent the other Marauder a grateful look.
That he caught a few words of what they were saying.
"The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard-"
The Marauders all turned to look at James, who shrugged.
"-yes, their son. Harry-"
The Marauders looks became a little troubled.
Mr Dursley stopped dead. Fear flooded through him.
"Drama queen." Remus couldn't help himself but mutter. He had a strong suspicion that the word James was mouthing at him was "Hypocrite." Remus smiled beatifically at the boy, doing his best to seem innocent.
He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it.
He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his office, snapped at his secretary not to disturb him, seized his telephone and had almost finished dialling his home number
"Whoa, major over reaction." Sirius muttered, having taken over James's role as the most annoying, in Rose's eyes.
When he changed his mind. He put the receiver back down and stroked his moustache, thinking… no, he was being stupid.
"Big surprise."
Potter wasn't such an unusual name.
"Not in the muggle world anyway." Remus said.
He was sure there were lots of people called Potter who had a son called Harry. Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure his nephew was called Harry.
"He doesn't even know his nephew's name?" Sirius looked disgusted.
He'd never even seen the boy. It might have been Harvey. Or Harold.
Sirius began to grumble something about just how terrible those names were, while James had a look of pure repulsion on his face, which was screwed up rather comically. Lily giggled.
There was no point in worrying Mrs Dursley, she always got so upset at any mention of her sister.
"Coward." Sirius muttered.
He didn't blame her – if he'd had a sister like that… but all the same, those people in cloaks…
He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon and when he left the building at five o'clock, he was still so worried that he walked straight into someone just outside the door.
"And they survived?" Sirius asked. James tried to chuckle, but glared at Rose when no sound came out. He settled for giving Sirius a hearty high-five, before concentrating on the story again.
"Sorry," he grunted, as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell. It was a few seconds before Mr Dursley realised that the man was wearing a violet cloak.
"That shouldn't make him any less sorry." Sirius scowled. The man reminded him of a muggle version of his parents. Teddy, getting tired of the continuous interruptions again, silenced Sirius too, who scowled and pouted but couldn't get him to change it back. Remus reached over to give his son a high-five.
He didn't seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passers-by stare: "Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!"
There was a split second of silence, then Pettigrew squealed. James and Sirius got up off their sofa and began to do an enthusiastic (but completely silent) victory dance around the room. Remus however, saw that none of the future people looked at all happy and narrowed his eyes, deciding to save his celebrating until he had some solid facts. As for the people from the future, they were marvelling at the irony that Wormtail seemed so joyous about it, when in fact, it was his fault that Voldemort came back to life.
And the old man hugged Mr Dursley around the middle and walked off.
James and Sirius looked like they would have been laughing, if they could have. Everything suddenly seemed five times funnier now that the threat of Voldemort was no longer there. Remus narrowed his eyes at the looks on the other people's faces. Lily looked like she was about to cry. Albus was staring at his grandfather, a terrible sadness in his eyes. Rose was staring at the two who were silently laughing in the sofa, looking stricken. Even James looked solemn. His eyes were oddly glazed as he put a comforting arm around his sister. The werewolf snuck a quick glance at his son out if the corner of his eye. The man looked extremely depressed. His eyes were turned toward the floor, and even the ends of his electric blue hair seemed to wilt with sadness. Remus gulped, sensing trouble on the horizon.
Mr Dursley stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he'd been called a Muggle, whatever that was. He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set off home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn't approve of imagination.
At this last statement, Sirius stopped miming things at James (they had long ago developed there own secret sign language that was now paying off) and stared at the book in horror. How could anyone not approve of imagination? He suddenly felt that Harry was very lucky the Dursleys had never met him.
As he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw – and it didn't improve his mood - was the tabby cat he'd spotted that morning. It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the same one; it had those same markings around its eyes.
At that, James jumped, and mimed something at Sirius. "McGonagall?" Sirius nodded. James grinned. "Dursley is so dead."
"Shoo!" said Mr Dursley loudly.
The cat didn't move. It just gave him a stern look.
James and Sirius grinned at each other and looked like they were trying to chuckle. Al, still staring at his father, looked like he wanted to put his hand through a wall. It wasn't fair, what was going to happen! Someone this normal, and happy, and vibrantly full of life shouldn't die! It wasn't right!
Was this normal cat behaviour, Mr Dursley wondered. Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his wife.
James rolled his eyes. "Coward." His expression clearly said. Wormtail snickered.
Mrs Dursley had had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mrs Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learnt a new word (Shan't!).
"Lovely." Remus said.
Mr Dursley tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living-room in time to catch the last report on the evening news.
"And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern." The news reader allowed himself a grin.
"Do you think he knows?" Remus said speculatively at that, eliciting shrugs and thoughtful looks from everyone.
"Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?"
"Well, Ted," said the weatherman,
Sirius jumped. Hadn't his cousin Andromeda just married a muggle-born called Ted? Hmm. It was a possibility…
"I don't know about that, but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain I promised yesterday they've had a downpour of shooting stars! Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early – it's not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight."
At that last sentence, Sirius nudged James and wiggled his eyebrows, looking like he was trying to snigger. James rolled his eyes and shot him a look that said clearly "Get you head out of the gutter." Sirius sighed.
Mr Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain? Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place? And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters…
Remus began to listen intently at the mention of his friend. He had a bad feeling about this.
Mrs Dursley came into the living-room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good. He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously. "Er – Petunia, dear – you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?"
As he had expected, Mrs Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sister.
"No," she said sharply. "Why?"
"Funny stuff on the news," Mr Dursley mumbled. "Owls… shooting stars… and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today…"
"So?" snapped Mrs Dursley.
"Well, I just thought… maybe… it was something to do with… you know… her lot."
"Her lot?" Said Peter, looking insulted. "What are we, animals?" The rest of the Marauders nodded along vigorously, and the future kids marvelled at the camaraderie between the four, particularly where the traitor was concerned.
Mrs Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips. Mr Dursley wondered whether he dared tell her he'd heard the name "Potter". He decided he didn't dare.
James flashed them his "Coward." Look again, and Remus rolled his eyes.
"Lovely marital dynamic they have there." He said sarcastically, trying to edge out the worry in the back of his head that said the Potters had way more to do with what was going than any of them thought… and not in a good way.
Instead he said, as casually as he could, "Their son – he'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?"
"I suppose so," said Mrs Dursley stiffly.
"What's his name again? Howard wasn't it?"
"Harry. Nasty, common name, if you ask me."
"Yeah?" Said Peter, glaring at the book. "Well, Dudley is a nasty uncommon name if you ask me!" James shot him an appreciative look, to which he grinned.
The future children looked on in disgust. Albus shuddered, imagining the look on his father's face if he could see the rat-man sticking up for him. It wasn't pretty.
"Oh, yes," said Mr Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. "Yes, I quite agree."
"And he still doesn't say anything?" Remus asked, exasperated. "You're right James, he really is a coward."
James grinned at him in a way that said, "I'm always right." Remus rolled his eyes. He briefly noticed that James Jr was staring at his grandfather with an odd sense of loss.
He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed. While Mrs Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there. It was staring down Privet Drive as though waiting for something.
Was he imagining things?
"You don't approve of imagination." Remus replied, and Peter snickered.
Could all this have anything to do with the Potters? If it did… If it got out that he was related to a pair of –
James bared his teeth, looking like he wanted to growl. Peter decided to do it for him.
Well, he didn't think he could bear it.
The Dursley's got into bed.
"Ew!" Sirius signed to James, screwing his face up in horror, "Do not want to know what goes on in there!" James sniggered silently, ignoring Remus's disapproving looks.
Mrs Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters were involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs Dursley. The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about them and their kind…
"Their kind!" Remus scoffed, trying to lighten the mood (James was glaring at the book so hard that he was surprised it wasn't burning before his scornful gaze) "You'd think we were a whole different species, the way he talks about us!"
He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on. He yawned and turned over. It couldn't affect them…
How very wrong he was.
Remus didn't like the sound of that one bit.
Silently, so that no one would hear him, Teddy removed the silencing spell from James and Sirius. They had the right to be able to talk when they found out about James and Lily's death.
Mr Dursley might have been drifting into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness.
James and Sirius, neither of whom were aware that the spell had been removed, sent knowing looks at each other.
It was sitting as still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed in the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead.
What's she waiting for? Thought Remus, who, like Sirius and James, had come to the conclusion that McGonagall and the cat were one and the same.
In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all.
A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground. The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed.
Nothing like this man had ever been seen in Privet Drive. He was tall, thin and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt.
Remus grinned. He was starting to get a hunch about who this man was. His grin suddenly froze on his face. What did this mean? Why was Dumbledore popping up on pretty much the Dursley's doorstep?
He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak which swept the ground and high-heeled, buckled boots. His blue eyes were light, bright and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice.
James and Sirius grinned, catching on, "Dumbledore!" They both yelled, then turned to grin at each other in astonishment.
"You can speak!" Said James.
"So can you!" Said Sirius.
They looked at each other. "Whoooo!"
Remus sighed, and leaned over to talk to Teddy. "You see what I have to put up with?" Teddy grinned, eyes sparkling. He'd just shared a joke with his father! This was more than he'd ever dreamed about.
This man's name was Albus Dumbledore.
James grinned, "No, really?" He said, making the most of his returned voice.
Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realise that he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome.
"Just didn't care, more like." James grinned.
He was busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to realise that he was being watched, because he looked up at the cat, which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and muttered, "I should have known."
He had found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter.
Remus didn't like to think what it meant that James didn't have to ask what a cigarette lighter was.
He flicked it open, held it up in the air and clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop.
"Cool!" Said James and Sirius at the same time.
He clicked it again – the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer, until the only light left in the whole street were the two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him. If anyone looked out of their window now, even beady-eyed Mrs Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street towards number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it.
"That's odd." Said Peter, who seemed to be the only person who had not caught on. The others rolled their eyes.
"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."
"I knew it!" Yelled Sirius and James at once, while Remus just smiled.
"It's Minnie!" Sirius cried, grinning widely. The kids from the future raised their eyebrows but decided to let it pass. In the brief time they'd been in the past, they'd already decided that Sirius was mad.
He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, and emerald one.
At this, James looked over at the picture on the wall, staring into Lily's eyes as he remembered her for the first time. The picture winked at him, and he grinned back, in a somewhat troubled manner, wondering who the person was that had taken Lily's place in his heart. He frowned. Whoever it was, he already didn't like the sound of her. If she wasn't Lily, then he wasn't interested.
Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled.
James and Sirius exchanged looks at this. "We've never seen Minnie look distinctly ruffled." Sirius said, looking like he was missing out of something wonderful.
"How can Dumbledore do it when we can't?" James said, expression equal to Sirius's. Remus snorted. Idiot friends.
"How did you know it was me?" She asked.
Sirius snorted. "Well, it was fairly obvious."
"My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly."
"You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day," said Professor McGonagall.
Sirius gasped. "How come when I call her 'my dear' she gives me detention, but when Dumbledore says it she doesn't do anything?"
For a moment, James looked insulted, then he gasped. "You don't think there's something going on their do you Pads?" He asked, grinning.
Sirius chuckled. "It's a possibility." He said. He turned to the other two Marauders.
Remus sighed. "Mr Moony presents the idea that Mr Padfoot is barking up the wrong tree." He smirked. "And would like to add that Mr Flitwick would be a more likely source of the Mr Dumbledore's infatuation."
James snorted at the implications, and quickly added his input. "Mr Prongs agrees with Mr Moony and would like to suggest the furthering of investigations."
Sirius grinned. "Mr Padfoot would like to register his satisfaction with conclusions drawn up so far."
They turned to Peter, who grinned, "Mr Wormtail bids his companions goodbye, and adds that he agrees wholeheartedly with suggested proceedings.
"Awesome." Said Sirius, grinning at the other three and ignoring the looks they were all receiving from their future family. "Let the reading commence."
"All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here."
"That reminds me!" Said Sirius, grinning broadly, "We should celebrate too, when this chapter's done!"
"Yeah!" James nodded along excitedly. But there enthusiasm was quickly put to an end.
"I don't think that's such a good idea." Said Albus slowly, not meeting his grandfather's eyes.
"Why not?" James asked, looking put out. Albus exchanged a quick look with his older brother (one that Remus did not miss) before turning back to looking at the patch of wall over James's shoulder.
"You'll see." He said simply, some kind of emotion bubbling under the surface of his voice. Remus gulped. Something told him that that didn't bode well.
Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily.
"Oh yes, everyone's celebrating, all right," she said impatiently. "You'd think they'd have been a bit more careful, but no – even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news." She jerked her head back at the Dursley's dark living-room window. "I heard it. Flocks of owls… shooting stars… Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent – I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense."
"Dedalus Diggle?" James grinned reminiscently. "I remember him!"
"Sirius's face scrunched as he tried to remember. "Wasn't he that Hufflepuff bloke who set off those fireworks in the Great Hall on his last day?"
"That's the one." James grinned, thinking of the over-excitable, incredibly cheerful Diggle. "I liked him."
"You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We've have precious little to celebrate for eleven years."
"Eleven years?" James said, awestruck. "Blimey, that long?"
"I know that," Said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But that's no excuse to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumours."
Remus straightened up. Now this was the bit he'd been waiting to hear about.
She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something,
Remus stared intently at the book, hoping that too, though half-afraid of what he might hear.
But he didn't, so she went on: "A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all.
Sirius and James stared at the book in disgust. "She says 'You-Know-Who'?" He asked, revolted. "My respect for her has just entirely evaporated."
James nodded fiercely. "Fear of the name increases fear of the thing itself." He recited, shaking his head at his second-favourite teacher (Dumbledore holding the top spot at number one or course). "Surely she knows that by now?"
I suppose he really has gone, Dumbledore?"
"It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore. "We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a sherbet lemon?"
James chuckled. Dumbledore and his sweets.
"A what?"
Again, James chuckled, remembering the time he'd asked Professor Dumbledore that very same question.
"A sherbet lemon. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of."
Doesn't change much, does he? James thought to himself, grinning.
"No, thank you," said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for sherbet lemons.
"She'll regret it." James sighed. "They're delicious, they are." Sirius chuckled, and he and Sirius exchanged looks, as though remembering something that happened long ago.
Albus felt a sharp bolt of pain shoot through his stomach. He didn't know why, but seeing his grandfather and his best friend sharing private jokes somehow made the two seem more real. After reading the books, he and his siblings had become much more attached to the two than ever before. It caused him physical pain to know that in a few years, they wouldn't be able to share private jokes ever again.
But no, he thought, shaking the thoughts from his head, we're here to change that! And damn it, we will! And he turned back to Rose, who was reading again, determination glinting in his zealous green eyes.
"As I say, even if You-Know-Who has gone-"
Once again, James and Sirius grimaced at the use of the name "You-Know-Who".
"My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this 'You-Know-Who' nonsense – for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name – Voldemort."
"Exactly!" Sirius and James said passionately. James from the future looked proudly at his grandfather, glad he had more backbone than most.
Professor McGonagall flinched,
James Sr sighed.
But Dumbledore, who was unsticking two sherbet lemons, seemed not to notice. "It all gets so confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who'. I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name.
"Hear, hear!" Cheered Sirius heartily.
"I know you haven't," said Professor McGonagall,
"And you shouldn't either Minniekins!" Sirius cried. "What?" He said, catching the looks coming his way.
"Minniekins?" Said Remus. "Come on Padfoot, that's just a whole new level of weird!" Peter nodded fervently, and even James didn't jump to his defence. Sirius pouted.
Sounding half exasperated, half admiring. "But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know-Who – oh, all right, Voldemort –
"Whoooo!" James cried, and the whole room began to applaud.
"That's right Minnie, face your fears, my dear!" James chuckled and shook his head at Sirius's over-enthusiastic response.
Was frightened of."
"You flatter me," Said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will never have."
"Only 'cause you're too … good to use them!" James told the book ardently.
"Um… James does know he's talking to a book, right?" Sirius asked Moony, looking worried.
"Oh, leave him to his hero worship." Moony smiled. "I think it's nice."
"Only because you're too – well – noble to use them."
James stared at the book as Rose kept reading. Sirius chuckled.
"Alright, Prongs!" He laughed, clapping his friend on the back. "You got Minnie's response almost spot on!"
James blushed, but didn't look altogether displeased.
"It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs."
Chuckles were heard all round the room at this, especially from James, who shook his head, grinning at his hero's… quirkiness.
Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said, "The owls are nothing compared to the rumours that are flying around. You know what everyone's saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?"
Once again, Remus's interest peaked. He stared intently at Rose as she read the book. He could sense an odd vibe in the room from the future people and he didn't like it.
It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold hard wall all day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was clear that whatever 'everyone' was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore, however, was choosing another sherbet lemon and did not answer.
James frowned at that. It sounded like Dumbledore was stalling. Now, he didn't know what that meant, but he was sure it couldn't be good.
"What they're saying," she pressed on, "is that last night Voldemort turned up at Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters.
Rose did her best to ignore the heavy silence that had filled the room, and read the next bit as quickly as possible, as thought that would make the pain more bearable.
The rumour is that Lily and James Potter
James took in a quick intake of breath, but was much too tense to do much else. In any other situation he would've been celebrating. But now… Lily and James Potter what?
Are – are – that they're – dead."
The silence was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Then –
"No!" Sirius gasped, and suddenly, the silence was gone. Wormtail was shaking and a strange squeaking noise was emitting from his mouth as he cried. Remus was frozen where he sat, shoulders tense and breath stuck in his through. Sirius was staring at James, tears blurring his vision as he chanted "No, no, no, no!" Under his breath. James was frozen, staring straight ahead and letting his friend's reactions roll over him. He felt his own tears glaze his eyes, but they weren't for him. They were for her – Lily. And-
"Harry?" He said, staring up at the future children beseechingly. The rational side of his mind knew that the boy was alright, that he'd lived a long life, married and reproduced. But a kind of blank denial was forming a block to these happy thoughts. It was possible. If Voldemort wanted Harry dead, then Harry was dead. Right?
In answer to James question, Rose just kept reading.
Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped.
"Lily and James… I can't believe it… I didn't want to believe it… Oh, Albus…"
"She really cares." Said Remus softly, letting his own tears fall without shame.
James forced out a watery smile. "It's all Lily of course." He said softly, letting out a chuckle. Beside him, Sirius was still crying. He put a hand on his friends arm, as if to reassure him that he was still there, before motioning for Rose to continue.
Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "I know… I know…" he said heavily.
Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. "That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potter's son,
"No!"
Harry.
"If that snake faced bastard has harmed my child I will personally rip out his heart and smear if across my bedroom wall!" James snarled.
But – he couldn't.
James blinked.
He couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke – and that's why he's gone.
James stared at the book, eyes wide as galleons, and held his breath.
Dumbledore nodded glumly.
"Whoooo!" James yelled, punching the air with his fist, all sadness suddenly gone. Everyone stared at him. "My son defeated the Dark Lord! Yes! This proves that only good things can come of me and Lily reproducing! Whoooo!"
As one, everyone blinked.
"It's – it'd true?" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's done… all the people he's killed… he couldn't kill a little boy? It's just astounding… of all the things to stop him… but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?"
"Because he inherited my super awesomeness!" James crowed, but then stopped when he caught sight of the poster on the wall, and remembered Lily. He suddenly felt cold all over.
"We have to show this to Lily," He said.
Remus nodded. "After this chapter. She can read it to catch up, then she can join our group reading." Liking this idea, James nodded, but he still felt awful. He wanted – no, he needed – Lily there now. He needed to see her beautiful face, needed to look into her bright green eyes, needed to touch her soft, pale skin. He just needed to know she was alright. His right leg began to jiggle, something it had a tendency to do when he was anxious. Every breath he breathed out, every heartbeat that pounded inside of him, had a name.
Lily. Lily. Lily. Lily.
"We can only guess," said Dumbledore. "We may never know."
Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it.
James smiled sadly at the mention of the sniff. It was nice to know that his hero cared. He just wished it didn't have to be under those circumstances.
It was a very odd watch. It had twelve hands and no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge.
"What's odd about that?" Peter asked half-heartedly, but nobody could bring themselves to answer the question. They just weren't in the mood.
It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, "Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?"
"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me why you're here of all places?"
"Yes," said Remus, who'd been wondering about that too. "I'd like to know that myself." He had a sneaking suspicion though, and it wasn't good. The book had said that the Dursley's were Harry's family. Maybe… But no, Dumbledore wouldn't do that. Would he?
"I've come to take Harry to his aunt and uncle.
"No!" Remus shouted, making everyone jump. "What's Dumbledore doing? Is he insane?"
"Moony, what-?" James began, but then he broke off, eyes widening and flashing with hazel-coloured anger. "No way in hell!" He yelled, glaring at the book as though hoping Dumbledore could hear him. "Don't even think about it Dumby!" He roared.
Rose looked quite honestly scared, and she read on in a small voice.
They're the only family he has left now."
There was another roar as Sirius caught on, and Rose began to trip and stumble over her words as she read.
"You don't mean – you can't mean the people who live here?" cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four.
Wormtail gasped and swore loudly, while James and Sirius shouted simultaneously, "You tell him Minnie!"
"Dumbledore – you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son – I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. Harry Potter come and live here!"
James growled loudly.
"It's the best place for him," said Dumbledore firmly. "His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've written them a letter."
"A letter?" Repeated Remus faintly, staring at the book as though he could see Dumbledore through it, "He thinks he can explain all this in a letter?"
No one replied.
"A letter?" repeated McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter?
No one commented on how similar Moony's words were to McGonagall's. They didn't have the heart.
These people will never understand him! He'll be famous – a legend – I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in future – there will be books written about Harry – every child in our world will know his name!"
"Exactly," said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any boy's head. Famous before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he can't even remember! Can't you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it?"
"It doesn't matter," said James, frowning, "He'll probably get all that big-headed stuff from me anyway." He sounded honestly upset.
Rose decided it was probably best just to read on, since no one seemed to have anything to say to that.
Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed and then said, "Yes – yes, you're right, of course. But how is he getting here, Dumbledore?" She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Harry underneath it.
"Hagrid's bringing him."
"You think it – wise – to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?"
"I would trust Hagrid with my life." All the Marauder's said at once, both solemn and perfectly honest. Rose let out a weak chuckle. The four boys looked at her, and she read on as an explanation.
"I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Dumbledore.
Even James managed a small chuckle at that.
"I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," said Professor McGonagall grudgingly, "but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to – what was that?"
A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky – and a huge motorbike fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them.
"Cool!" James said.
"I want one!" Said Sirius at the same time, looking enviously at the book. James grinned at him.
"I'll get you one for Christmas
"Yay!" Sirius yelled, pulling him into a brotherly hug. "I knew there was a reason I like you!" James chuckled.
"If that was the only reason you liked me Sirius, I think we have some serious friendship issues."
Sirius chuckled and released James from his hug as Rose kept reading.
If the motorbike was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild – long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of dustbin lids and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins.
"Whoooo! Go Hagrid!" James and Sirius yelled.
In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.
"Whoooo! Go Harry!" Sirius yelled, but James was silent. He was looking eagerly at the book, leg jumping at twice the speed as before as he stared intently. It was easy to see the love he had for the boy already, before he'd even met him.
"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did you get the motorbike?"
"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir," said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorbike as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black leant it me.
"Yes!" Sirius yelled, punching the air with his fist. "Woohoo!" He picked James up from his spot on the sofa and spun him round in the air, much like you see couples doing in the movies who on the dramatic run up to each other at the airport. James chuckled but pushed him off, deciding it had gone far enough. He had the distinct impression that some of his grandchildren were beginning to doubt his sexuality.
"You kept your promise then?" Sirius grinned. The bike was his. His.
"When have I ever broken a promise?" James grinned back, but turned back to Rose, gesturing for her to continue reading. He wanted to hear about his son.
I've got him, sir."
"No problems, were there?"
"No, sir – house was almost destroyed but I got him out all right before the Muggles starting swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol."
James's face was grave and solemn at the first bit, but his expression got softer and softer as Hagrid kept speaking, and once he was done, a gentle smile was on his face.
Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep.
James let out a soft gasp. Harry.
Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously-shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.
James smiled, a tender look in his eyes, but the expression hardened at the mention of the cut. Voldemort had better hope we never come face to face! He thought savagely. How dare he mutilate my child?
Next to him on the sofa, Sirius flinched. The look on his best friend's face was murderous.
"Is that where-?" whispered Professor McGonagall.
"Yes," said Dumbledore. "He'll have that scar for ever."
James growled.
"Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?"
James nodded vigorously.
"Even if I could, I wouldn't.
James glared at the book. The next time he saw Dumbledore, the old man was going to have hell to pay…
Scars can come in useful. I have one myself above my left knee which is a perfect map of the London Underground. Well – give him here, Hagrid – we'd better get this over with."
Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned towards the Dursleys' house.
"Run Harry, run!" Sirius whispered, and James couldn't help the chuckle that slipped from between his clenched teeth.
"Could I – could I say goodbye to him, sir?" asked Hagrid.
James smiled softly.
He bent his great, shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss.
James's smile faltered. Maybe not…
Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog.
"Shhh!" hissed McGonagall. "You'll wake the Muggles!"
"S-s-sorry," sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it. "But I c-c-can't stand it – Lily an' James dead – an' poor Harry off to live with Muggles-"
James smiled again. Hagrid really was the best person he knew. A little rough and over-enthusiastic at times, but he had a heart of gold.
"Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we'll be found," Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Harry gently on the doorstep, took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside Harry's blankets and then came back to the other two. For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulder's shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out.
"Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations."
"Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice. "I'll be takin' Sirius his bike back. G'night, Professor McGonagall – Professor Dumbledore, sir."
Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself on to the motorbike and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night.
"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply.
"Lovely." Remus muttered half heartedly.
Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer, He clicked it once and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four.
"Good luck, Harry," he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak he was gone.
"He just left him there? On the doorstep?" James whispered, eyes narrowed to slits. "The bloody doorstep? Oh, I'm going to kill Dumbledore the next time I see him!" He made a loud growling sound, and turned back to Rose who, it appeared, hadn't finished.
A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Harry Potter rolled over inside his blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on, nor knowing he was special,
"Of course he's special," James whispered to himself, emotions he'd never felt before flooding through him and over-whelming him. No one heard him.
Not knowing he was famous, not knowing he would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs Dursley's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles,
James scowled.
Nor that he would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley…
James's scowl deepened, and beside him, Sirius growled.
"Stupid prat." He grumbled.
He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter – the boy who lived!"
Remus blinked as Rose came to the end of the reading. Everyone looked so over-whelmed. James was staring blankly at the opposite wall, looking proud, happy, angry, and sad all at once. Sirius, beside him, looked crazed.
"People were celebrating?" He growled dangerously. "You were dead and your son was being carted off to live with those brats and people were celebrating?" An angry shiver passed over his face.
James blinked, realizing something. "We didn't even get to see Voldemort's end," he said blankly, "Lily and me, we were killed just before he was destroyed. How much does that suck?" His friends stared at him, clearly at a loss for what to say, before Al cleared his throat.
"Um… should we go find Lily?" He asked and the other's (James in particular) nodded fervently. "Well, let's go." They all stood up and left the Room of Requirement, feeling as though the weight of the world rested upon their shoulders.
Thanks for reading! You have no idea how long that took to write! Unless you've written one of these fics before and are currently thinking I'm a complete wuss for complaining about it. But, bloody ow! My back's sore from hunching over my computer, and my chin hurts (for some other, completely unrelated reason, but I just thought I'd throw it in there! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading, and did I mention that I love reviews? *Hint hint*
Your favourite fanfictioner, rawr52 :)