Only Time Will Tell

Chapter 24

It's Good To Be Back?

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny soon found themselves in front of the stone gargoyles that guarded the entrance to Dumbledore's office. And as customary for Harry by now, whenever he needed to speak to Dumbledore, he never knew the password.

"Quick, someone think of a candy!" Harry commanded. No one questioned him on this unusual request.

"Acid Pop!" Hermione guessed.

"Ice Mice!" Ron ventured.

"Drooble's best blowing gum!" Ginny tried, and at her words, the gargoyles sprang apart, and they walked into the staircase that spiraled upwards. Within a few minutes, they had reached the top, and Harry knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Dumbledore's voice beckoned cheerfully from within. They all filed in, and Dumbledore smiled at them pleasantly.

"This wouldn't have something to do with the Marauders traveling through time, would it?" Dumbledore asked genially, and Harry's jaw dropped. Somehow, Dumbledore always knew. "One of my other dear friends has just refreshed my memory of the incidences."

Harry looked wildly around the room for whoever had told Dumbledore. And from one of the chairs, Remus stood up, Harry and his friends noticing him for the first time.

"Remus?" Hermione gasped.

It was the Remus from 1996. The Remus who should have looked young and carefree, but was instead lined and prematurely graying, a quiet and somber man. The last remaining Marauder, as Peter could hardly be counted one of the friends anymore.

"I'm guessing you just got back?" Remus smiled at them. "It's been difficult knowing you all for so long, and unable to make even the slightest indication of the adventure you wouldn't have until now. Sirius and I wanted to tell you so many times."

Harry laughed, trying to imagine keeping an adventure like that a secret for all those years. Waiting for this moment to talk about it all those years. Actually, it probably was more difficult for Remus trying to prevent Sirius from telling them. They had learned that Sirius had a tendency to say something without thinking.

"Professor, why is the Time Elevator broken?" Ginny asked, thinking back to the room they had arrived in. Remus stole a furtive look at Dumbledore, before Dumbledore answered.

"As soon as you all left 1971, Sirius, James, Remus, Peter, and I decided that it was necessary to destroy it. Too much time travel isn't a good thing." Dumbledore explained, and everyone agreed.

"I was just asking Dumbledore whether anyone ever found that book, Unusual Tricks of Our Time. But it was still lost when I was last here." Remus sighed.

"Madame Pince is very interested to know where it is, too." Dumbledore winked.

"Now that we've all had the adventure, there's something I want to give you, Harry." Remus said, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out three envelopes, all addressed to Harry. "One is from me, one is from Sirius, and one is from, well, James."

He held them out for Harry to take, which Harry did very slowly. One of them looked very new, another a little yellow around the edges, and the third looked several years old.

"They're letters we wrote, about the adventure. It was your father's idea. He wanted you to have something from him, in case he wasn't here. So we all wrote one. Sirius's is from the night after you helped him escape to freedom on Buckbeak, the first 'official' meeting between you two. Mine is from today, I wrote it after I wrote a letter to Dumbledore this morning. And your father's letter is from a few months before he was killed."

Harry looked over the envelopes, feeling the smooth parchment between his fingertips. He looked up at Remus in gratitude, and was surprised to see that Remus looked very sad.

"I never imagined I'd be the only one to give you these. Sirius talked about it all the time, saying he couldn't wait to see the looks on your faces." Remus shuddered, and Harry really appreciated all that Remus had lost. "James, too, used to laugh at how you four would look, though he always knew he wouldn't be there to see it."

"Thank you, Remus." Harry said sincerely. Remus clapped him on the shoulder in a warm manner.

Dumbledore spoke with them for a little while longer about the journey, but Harry wasn't really listening. He turned the letters over and over in his hands, wishing Sirius and James were there, too. Finally, he became aware of Ron and the others standing up to leave. Before they had reached the door, however, the door flung open, and in stomped quite an angry sight.

"Headmaster! Headmaster! He's here, I know he is!" It took Harry a moment to realize that the pink-haired, heavily eyelashed, beak-nosed object that had stormed into the room was none other than Snape. Apparently, Harry and James had recently finished his makeover.

"I like your ears that way, Severus." Remus commented quietly, smiling at the livid Snape. Remus was of course referring to the door-knobs Harry had given Snape.

"Who is here, Severus?" Dumbledore inquired politely, looking amused.

"James Potter! He's come to haunt me!" Snape howled, pulling at a few of the long, pink ringlets that hung around him. To his dismay, they bounced right back up with a BOING!

Dumbledore looked curiously at Harry, who was laughing hysterically. Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and Remus were chuckling as well.

"Severus, think about what you are saying." Dumbledore suggested. Snape frowned.

"It was James. I know it sounds impossible, but I know it was James." Snape growled.

Dumbledore chuckled before waving his wand, the pink hair, eyelashes, large nose vanishing. Snape shot a contemptuous look at Remus, before sending a challenging and loathing look at Harry. Still enraged, Snape strode out of the office, grumbling as he went. He didn't notice that he still had door-knobs for ears.

"Poor Severus." Dumbledore sighed with a smile. "First flamingos, and now this. James really had the last laugh."

As they made their way to leave, Harry turned back for a moment, letting Ginny go on ahead of him. He turned back to Remus.

"Do you know whatever happened to that picture you took of me, James, and Lily?" Harry asked hopefully.

Remus's eyes clouded over as he furrowed his brow, thinking back. After a moment, however, he frowned. "I'm sorry, Harry. I don't know where it ended up."

Disappointed, Harry said goodbye to Dumbledore and Remus before hurrying up to Ginny. Ron and Hermione exchanged meaningful looks, before approaching Dumbledore.

"Professor? Could we ask a favor?" Hermione tentatively asked. Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled as he nodded.

"When our children, Annie and Charlie, along with Sirius Potter, start at Hogwarts, would you show them the river in the forest? It can take you through time. Hermione and I used it in the future." Ron explained, and Dumbledore's eyes twinkled again.

"I will be certain to tell Annie Weasley, Charlie Weasley, and Sirius Potter." He reassured them.

Satisfied that their children would be able to help them in the future, Ron and Hermione hurried out to catch up with the others. They were all discussing how great it would be if Snape had to teach the next day with door knobs for ears. Harry let his thoughts drift from the conversation, and didn't realize they were back into the common room until he had sat down in a secluded corner. He glanced around the warmly familiar room. Colin was confronting Hermione about something involving their old Defense teacher disappearing mysteriously a moment ago. Ron was fondly examining one of the pocket watches that had been left on the table. Ginny was apparently lost in her own thoughts, sitting alone on a couch by the fire. Satisfied that no one would take notice of him, Harry took out the letters.

He decided to start with Remus's:

Dear Harry,

It feels very odd that we experienced the same adventure, you returning only a few minutes ago, me returning twenty five years ago. So much has changed since I first met you then, and here you are, not a day older than when I first saw you.

I just wanted to thank you for all of your help, getting us back to our own time, while leaving your own time in the process. It's one of those things that happens once in a lifetime, yet it bridges several lifetimes. Also, I want you to know that you're more like your father than you could ever know. You two are alike in so many ways, it was almost comical watching you two together. I know that if he were here today, he'd be very proud of all your accomplishments and how you've grown up.

If you ever need a friend to talk to, you know, an adult to go to, know that I'm always here for you. And Hermione, Ron, and Ginny, of course. Always remember that, Harry. You're never alone.

Your Friend,
Remus

Harry smiled, thinking of Remus. If he had ever had children, Remus would have been a good father. Sirius, too. In fact, Harry reflected, Sirius and Remus had been sort of paternal figures during different stages of his life. They took good care of me, Harry told himself as he took the next letter. It was Sirius's:

Dear Harry,

It's funny how out of sequence life can get. I first met you when you were 16, then I got to know you as an infant, and now we're being reacquainted, or we were when I wrote this. You're 16 by now, reading this, but you just met me last night at 13. Am I making any sense at all? Oh, well.

I don't think I've ever met a person full of more surprises than you. You surprised me as a baby, a very mischievous little baby. Always a nose for trouble when your father was watching you, though the most innocent of angels while with your mother. Last night, you surprised me with your courage, as well as your mercy on Peter. You're quick thinking, and resourceful. And seeing you and Hermione arrive on Buckbeak was certainly a surprise!

And at 16, when I first met you, you surprised me with your strength, fighting Tom Riddle in the Chamber of Secrets. And your leadership, like James. It's easy to see that you're a natural leader, just like James was our leader.

Writing this now, I can only imagine the fun times you and I will have someday, and you, reading this now, can probably think back to some fun times we've had already. If only I could go to the future and see what these fun times might be, I could write them here. But I think we've all learned our lesson from that!

You were right about our futures: I spent twelve years in Azkaban, innocent. Your father and mother died, betrayed by that foul, loathsome, evil little (well, you know very well who I'm talking about!). And I hope that you are right about me becoming a good Godfather, now that I'm free. Thanks Harry, you're a good man. A good person. And you can yell very loudly (sorry, I just had to compliment you on that one, you definitely inherited that trait from your mother!)

Your Godfather,
Sirius

Harry's eyes were watering now, as they often did with mention of Sirius or something like this. Still, Sirius could make him laugh with the yelling part. Good ole' Sirius. He missed him even more now. But Harry then turned to the remaining letter, the one from James. With his hands trembling slightly, Harry opened it and began to read:

Harry-

I'm writing you this about a month before your first birthday, you're toddling around my legs right now. It 's weird, meeting one's child before they are born, then when they are born you already know them. Kind of nice, actually. I really didn't even need to meet you at 16 to see how great you're going to be, I can tell from the toddler you already.

When you were born, Lily held you in her arms, glowing. You already had a headful of dark hair that was sticking in every direction, and immediately your mother exclaimed, "His name is Harry, after your middle name, and after your cousin Harry." It took me a second to realize who she was talking about, for I didn't think I had a cousin Harry. Then I remembered our charade. So, not only are you named after me, you're also named after yourself, in a way. Actually, Lily wanted to invite you, Cousin Harry, to our wedding, declaring it was you who told her to give me a chance. So, thanks for that, too.

It's funny how little you are right now, sometimes it's hard for me to imagine that it's going to be the same person at 16. But at other times, it's so clear. The other day, Sirius did a belly flop at the lake we were vacationing at, and you thought he was drowning. You fought your mother tooth and nail to try and jump in there to save him, even though you can't swim yet. It reminded me of how you were always ready to save someone, whether it was getting us back to our own time, or saving Ginny's life after Tom Riddle got her.

It makes me feel sad, and silly at the same time, to write you this letter, which you won't read for another 15 years. I always keep hoping that somehow the future turns out different, and when the 15 years are over, I'll be laughing at myself for writing this letter, and you'll be laughing at me, too. Unfortunately, I have a kind of feeling that I won't be around to laugh at myself. But it's going to be worth it, Harry (as you're clinging to my leg demanding, "Up, Daddy! Up!"). If only you could see your mother right now, laughing at the sight of you attached to my leg. I jut can't bring myself to tell your mother of what's coming. I couldn't bear to see her face.

Harry, you're the best son a father could ever have, and I wish you luck on your next adventures. You're always going to have adventures, just like the one you returned from probably a moment ago.

Love,
Your Father,
James

P.S. I just lifted you over my head, and while you were shrieking with delight, your mother began scolding me. "James, he's not a Quaffle! Put him down before you drop him!" Got it, Lily, our son is not a Quaffle.

Harry could see Lily telling James that, and James making a mental note that babies were not good objects for Quidditch. Oh, how he missed his parents! If there had been one thing out of the entire adventure that had been worthwhile for Harry, it had been his parents. If only he had that picture!

Just then, another piece of paper fell out of the envelope and into Harry's lap. Curious, Harry turned it over and saw more of James's writing.

Harry-
Check the inside pocket of the invisibility cloak!

-James

Harry bolted up his dormitory steps, blowing past a bewildered Ron. He began digging frantically through his trunk, looking for the invisibility cloak. Where had he put it? He had had it with him before he had been sucked into the time vortex, but after that?

"Looking for this?" Ginny's voice asked from the doorway. Harry looked up, and saw to his relief, that in one hand she held out the invisibility cloak.

"Thanks, Ginny!" Harry exclaimed, taking it eagerly from her.

He hadn't even known that the invisibility cloak had pockets! They were difficult to find, as they were in fact, made of the same material of the invisibility cloak. After feeling his way through it, he finally found it, and stuck his hand in. He pulled out a photograph.

It was the photograph he had been looking for! His mother, his father, and him. A family. Smiling, Harry propped up the picture on his bedside table, admiring it. Ginny smiled at it, too, as Harry took her hand. It was good to be back.

As Annie Weasley, Charlie Weasley, and Sirius Potter made their way back up to the castle in the year 2021, they discussed the unusual arrival of Hermione and Ron from the past.

"Did mom or dad ever tell you about this?" Annie asked Charlie, and Charlie shook his head.

"This probably explains why the first rule our parents taught us was 'Never Meddle with Time'." Sirius reminded them, and Annie nodded, as they entered through the heavy oak doors and began the journey to the Gryffindor Common Room.

"I guess they got back okay." Charlie said as they approached the Portrait hole.

"They must have, because we're still alive, and nothing drastic has changed." Annie told them firmly.

In the Common Room, they made their way to the sofas and chairs by the fireplace. Charlie, being tall and a little awkward with his body, tripped halfway there. Annie and Sirius watched in amusement as he fell to the ground (Charlie was always clumsy, it was always entertaining), managing to kick one of the chairs in the process. The chair moved barely an inch, but Annie noticed the corner of something sticking out, now revealed.

"What is that?" She asked aloud, and she and Sirius hurried over to investigate.

"Don't worry about me, guys! I'm fine!" Charlie called angrily from the floor, where he lay sprawled out.

"That's good, Charlie." Annie told him, distractedly, as Sirius pulled at the corner.

It was a book. A very old and dusty book that looked as though it had been under that chair for a long time, forgotten. Sirius blew on the cover, trying to get some of the dust off in order to read the title.

"Unusual Tricks of Our Time." He read from the front.

"I wonder how long that's been under there!" Charlie exclaimed, coming over to join them.

Sirius flipped through the pages, and the book fell open to a book mark. Sirius began to read aloud the page to the others.

"Vicus Eo, the Time Travel Spell. It has to be performed at exactly midnight, not a second before or after, and depending on the direction you want to move in time, you need to be facing exactly east or west. You need not only to be thinking of how far forward or backwards you want to travel, in hours of course, but also where in that time period you hope to land, adding or subtracting time zones and such. Then you have to say an incantation while still focusing on the number of hours you are traveling by. The incantation is "Vicus Eo", and needs to be shouted at midnight on the dot, but only once is necessary." Sirius told them.

"It's weird, isn't it? That we found this time travel spell after our parents showed up as 16 year-olds from traveling through time?" Annie said, almost in a whisper. Charlie smiled.

"We could try it out, you know. Go on a Time Travel adventure of our own!" He said excitedly, and Annie and Sirius grinned, too. A time travel adventure would be very interesting!

A/n I hope you enjoyed this story!!! It was completed a long time ago and i do plan to make a remake of this story. mostly editing it and extending it a lot!! and possible a different ending and stuff like that! So until then see ya! Oh and if you thought the story was poorly written, which is why i'm going to rewrite it, remember its my first attempt at a story!