NOTE: Completely AU. Don't own the characters, don't think I ever will. Oh, well.
The Past Becomes the Present
Chapter 4
Recap; "You…" Hermione started again, tears coming to her eyes. "You're dead"
"DEAD!" Severus shouted.
Hermione nodded, tears falling silently.
"How?" gasped Lily, also tearing up.
"Voldemort," was Hermione's answer. "He killed both you and James October 31, 1981. Your son, Harry, survived the killing curse which rebounded on Voldemort, who didn't quite die" She paused to breath and dry her eyes. "Harry's the only one who witnessed Voldemort's return at the beginning of the summer."
"I have a son?"
"Yes. He will be coming in a few weeks. He looks just like James. That is why I had hugged him before. They even have the same shape glasses. But he has your eyes," Hermione said. "Anyway, you're wanted in the kitchen."
They made their way solemnly down the stairs. Severus had his arm around Lily's shoulders in silent comfort. As they passed the living room, they stopped.
Hermione walked in and said, "We're ready for you."
"Finally," said Sirius, standing up. "I was beginning to think you forgot about us."
Remus asked, "What is today's date?"
"August 2th, 1995," answered Miss Weasley, surprising everyone.
"Ginny!" exclaimed Hermione. "You startled me!"
"Sorry. They sent me to find you – something about taking too long or needing to find Lily and Snape."
"Well, Lily was wondering about some of the future, so that took some time," she explained.
"Does she know about Harry?"asked Ginny.
"A bit. Anyway they're waiting, so let's go."
James looked at Lily and saw Severus's arm around her then noticed she looked like she had been crying. "What did Snivellus do?"
Ginny and Hermione exchanged a look at that.
"I did nothing," Severus snapped back.
"Then why was she crying?"
"That was my fault," Hermione broke in. "Some of what I told her, disturbed her, making her cry."
James looked taken aback. "Well, I … I apologize," he stammered.
Severus had a sneer on his face and simply replied with a, "Whatever."
Hermione turned and led everyone to the kitchen. When they entered, the people inside went quiet. The people from this time watched silently as the group took seats at the table.
Molly Weasley started the introductions to break the ice. "I'm Molly Weasley. That is my daughter Ginny you came in with. She is a fourth year." Pointing to a tall, lanky red head, "Ron is my youngest son, a fifth year like you. The twins are Fred and George, older brothers to Ron and Ginny. They are seventh year students and pranksters."
James and Sirius looked at each other and grinned.
"Remus Lupin is over there by the fireplace, along with Sirius Black," Molly continued, pointing at each of them. "Hermione Granger is the girl that brought you here. Severus Snape will be your Potions Master at school. Besides him, everyone else will reside at this house the rest of the summer. My husband, Arthur, will join us later. And, Harry will join us in a few weeks. If you have any questions about anything, feel free to ask."
Remus took up there, saying, "Today we will let you settle in. Everyone will gather tomorrow to start sharing the future. You can talk to your future selves for more private questions."
"I thought each would talk to their older counterparts," Hermione interrupted confused.
"We were, and then we decided some of you may loose your temper at those with no future selves here to keep the peace." Remus responded. "For now, let's eat. I'm sure that everyone from this time is hungry and I'm pretty sure that Peter is as well," he finished with a knowing glance at Peter.
The aforementioned boy nodded his head bashfully.
"I'm making sandwiches," declared Molly, as she started to get food out. "Anyone that wants to help, feel free."
The older Sirius, both Remuses, Ginny, and Hermione followed Molly's example.
--
Lunch was a subdued affair. The time travelers seemed to be suffering from a form of jet-lag, seeing as they would now be asleep in the time where they were from. When everyone had eaten their fill, the older Sirius showed the new-comers to their rooms.
"Lily, you can bunk with Hermione and Ginny," he said, pointing to the room.
She went into the room, leaving the Marauders and Severus to be assigned to a room.
Sirius continued on to the next floor. The room across from Fred and George was open. Even though he knew it would be an all out prank war with both the Marauders and the twins, he gave the room to the Marauders. They entered the room to start plotting against the twins. With just Severus left, and no other room with empty beds, Sirius showed him Ron's room, which was just down the hall.
"I'm sure that if you don't want to stay with Ron, you could stay with your other," he told Severus.
After a moment, Severus decided. "I will stay with Ron for now. If things don't work out, then I will talk to my older self," he declared before entering the room and took one of the empty beds.
--
A few hours later found the Marauders and the twins along with Ron in the living room sharing prank stories. Fred and George were absolutely thrilled at finding that Remus, Peter, Sirius, and James were the Marauders, seeing as they looked up to them as their roll models and source of inspiration.
"Have you ever heard of the Marauder's Map?" James asked suddenly.
George and Fred looked at each other and grinned.
"Yep!" they replied.
"We figured it out-" started Fred.
"All by ourselves," finished George.
"And gave it to Harry," responded Fred.
"Who is this Harry that we keep hearing about?" asked Sirius.
"Well," George started.
"Harry is James's son," finished Fred.
"Looks an awful lot like him too," stated Ron, who was silent most of the conversation.
"Except his eyes," Ginny said as she entered the room, with Hermione following behind. "He has his mother's."
"Who's his mom?" questioned James.
"We'll probably talk about that tomorrow," Hermione put in.
Just then a giant, orange animal launched itself at Peter. Peter, even though being a fairly large boy, jumped quite high, screaming, with the cat attached to his shirt. The twins, James, Sirius, and Ron burst out laughing.
"Crookshanks! Get off of him!" yelled his owner, Hermione.
Crookshanks gave Hermione a look, not so willingly let go of Peter's shirt, and jumped off. The older Sirius ran into the room with the other Remus, Lily, and Severus close behind.
"What happened?" asked Sirius, quite panicked.
"Oh nothing! The kneazle- cat just attacked me," grouched the victim of the cat attack, making every one laugh and Severus to smirk. Peter turned to Lily. "Why did you bring your beast with you?"
"I didn't," replied Lily.
Hermione and the others from this time were confused. Only Hermione voiced it.
"But Crookshanks is mine," she said.
"Really?" asked James. "Lily has an identical animal that always attacks Peter."
The older Remus broke in and said, "I think that Crookshanks is Lily's originally. Both are part kneazle, the same color, personality, and temperament."
"When I walked past him before," Lily remembered, "he took one look at me and ran in the other direction, like he had seen a ghost. It was almost as if he knew who I was and what had happened."
Remus said, "When the Potters were…," he trailed off before continuing, "No one found their cat, so it is entirely possible."
"When the Potters were what?" asked the younger Sirius.
"We'll talk about it tomorrow," replied the older Sirius, covering for his friend's slip-up.
"We better," was all that the younger one said.
At that point Molly came in.
"Dinner is ready," she announced, then immediately moved because her boys took off running for the kitchen, with the younger Sirius and James close behind. Peter waddled quickly after them, but even so the others that walked, got there before him.
--
Dinner was quite a bit livelier than lunch.
Both Snapes were there talking to each other. The younger one seemed surprised he was a teacher, but not so surprised it was potions.
Peter was too interested in food to talk to anyone.
Nymphadora Tonks, who just arrived for the meeting after supper, was entertaining James, the young Sirius, Ginny, Hermione, and the twins by changing her face into different things. Sirius was shocked at first that this was his little cousin, before realizing that in this time she would be all grown up.
So, in short, the time travelers were pretty well adjusted.
Molly was just bringing out desert, when her husband, Arthur, came though the Floo Network in a panic.
The first thing he said sent everyone into a panic.
"Harry's been attacked by dementors."
TBC
Final note: Thanks again for reading and the reviews. Sorry for the lateness of the chapter. I'm still taking prank ideas, so let me know if you have a good one you want in here.