THE TIME ANOMALY

CHAPTER 3

Disclaimer: I own nothing recognizable. All characters, locations and other recognizable objects belong to JKR

The Marauder's Reunion Part 2

James woke feeling well rested and as if all was right. He decided that, as Harry was safe at Hogwarts, he would find Remus. Remus would need an Animagus with him, to keep him company on the full moon. So he began the long process of finding a wizard, which was much harder when said wizard was also a werewolf. It would probably take a long time, but he hoped meet Harry at least by Christmas Eve, so he could have that with Harry. He fully intended to see Harry with both his Uncle Moony and Padfoot.

James would have used the mirrors as Sirius had suggested, but Peter had taken his for communication with Dumbledore when he was sent out on one of his missions just before the attack on Potter Cottage.

There was no real 'lost person' system for wizards, so the next time James visited Azkaban, they brainstormed ways to find Remus.

"You want privacy again?" asked Dawlish as he led James to Sirius' cell, which had been moved (or rather, Sirius had been) when James informed the chief Auror thath e intended to visit Sirius every few days.

"Not necessary, there were a few secrets mentioned last time, is all. You can come in, actually, we need a a bit of brainpower."

"Sure. What for?"

` By this time they had reached Sirius' cell.

"I need help finding Remus," James started, after explaining about the mirrors.

They sat in silence for a bit, until Dawlish, springing up, announced his idea excitedly.

"Patronus! Use your Patronus, and if you can't cast it, let me!"

James stared at Dawlish in amazment. "Brilliant!" he breathed. "Er, is there a rule about casting in Azkaban?" he queried cautiously, his wand half in the air.

"Yes-except the Patronus. How else could we keep the Dementors in check when necessary?" Dawlish grinned.

"Expecto Patronum!" James cried, and the silver stag sprang out of his wand and through the wall, as James told it it's message.

Remus was tired. Tonight was the full moon.

"Moony, you old wolf," he muttered to himself fondly. "At least I have the Wolfsbane this time. Most wolves don't earn enough to buy it at all."

He left the dingy Muggle shop where he worked, and went home for some rest before the moon came out.

As he glanced around the small apartment, a silvery white patronus pranced through the walls. "Prongs..." left Remus lips along with a moan of recollection for his long-lost friend.

The Patronus spoke. "Hello Remus. This is James. I'll explain as soon as you can come to Godric's Hollow. Sirius is innocent-of everything he was not charged with-and I am working on getting him a trial. Meet me soon, I miss you, old friend. Prongs requests that Moony join him tonight for a bit of night howling. Padfoot regrets that he cannot be there, and hopes to be next time."

Remus nearly fainted. As it was, he hardly had the presence of mind to grab the bottle of Wolfsbane for that nights dose before Apparating to the gate of Potter Cottage. There stood James, alive as Remus, and not looking a week older than when Remus had supposed him killed.

They looked at each other for a moment, then rushed into each others arms, and had a nice long hug which hadn't happened, at least in Remus' reckoning, in ten years.

"Padfoot couldn't be here," James said at last. "I've been working with the Head of the DMLE-very good choice, Madam Bones-and she would give him a trial in a moment, if she didn't need that fool Fudge's permission."

"James!" Remus said faintly. "I-I saw your-your body...How are you...how are you here?"

James laughed. "Magic, Remus. Time magic. I got punted in time ten years forward, instead of being killed. I don't know what to be more surprised at - I'm alive, it left a body behind, Sirius is in Azkaban, has been for years, you hadn't been seen by anybody I knew - and niether has Harry! - Just think, that fool of a Dark Lord tried to kill my son! But didn't succeed, and he's dead himself. That may be the biggest-"

Remus came out of his stupor. "Right, that's still new to you," he said dazedly.

"And Remus it's none of your fault that Lily's dead, I know your blaming yourself for being distant and stuff and, well really I'm blaming myself for thinking you were the spy, and it turns out to be Peter!"

"What?"

"Really, you never thought about it? Peter was the Secret-Keeper - "

"James, James! Explain it from the beginning - after Moony takes over," Remus said with a groan, as the moon came out from behind the clouds. "But this time, I've got Wolfsbane." He grinned as Prongs appeared and Remus downed the potion. "I keep my mind now, Prongs!"

As the transformation happened, Remus found it was all he had expected it to be. The pain was still there from transforming, but now he did not feel the same urge to rip and tear at himself or his friend. He decided to put on a show for Prongs-he sat down quietly and glanced around. He grinned at Prongs, and then howled for the fun of it.

Prongs and Moony pranced around, Moony somtimes chasing Prongs, somtimes both howling at the moon together, as well as they could.

At the end of the night, exhausted, Remus transformation ended.

"Wolfsbane is awesome!" James declared as he collapsed on the soft couch. "The only thing missing was Padfoot."

"Can you tell me how Sirius is innocent?" Remus mumbled into a pillow. "Seems rather straightforward, if you ask me."

"Oh Remus. Dumbledore knew there was a spy - several of the Order suspected you - so Sirius said, that as he was the obvious choice, why not use him as a decoy, and someone else for Secret-Keeper? And to keep it secret from everyone that he was the real Secret-Keeper? So we switched it to Remus. Lily did the charm, so only me, Lily, Sirius and Peter knew anything was different. But as Peter turned out to be the spy - Dumbledoer thought there were two, but he didn't account for rat Animagi, did he? - And ratted us out to Voldy. He probably was a Death Eater from the start. Then he went and framed Sirius, before blowing himself up." James sighed. "I think we would have been broken, the Marauders? If the miracle of my non-death hadn't happened. Peter a traitor, and most probably dead, Sirius in Azkaban, and everyone thought he was guilty, you doing who knows what, and me dead? With you and Sirius the only ones among the living, and one in Azkaban, I don't think anything short of...well the miracle that happened, honestly, would have brought the two of you together. And then you'd already have lost two..."

"I hope your testimony, at least, will work in front of the Wizengamot. If not, a Veritaserum trial ought to be sufficient."

"I hope so. If he's not freed, I don't know what I'd do-flee Britain, most probably. Leave Harry at Hogwarts, 'til the holidays, most probably."

"Right," murmured Remus sleepily into the pillow.

Remus and James slept all that day and the next night, too, waking up for breakfast the next morning. James suddenly felt all the harder the blow of her death - not that he loved her as nothing more than a housekeeper, but it had never really struck him as much as it did that morning. There was no smiling face sympathetic for Remus about his being a werewolf; no cheerful good morning; no Lily at all.

Remus came out of his room to find James standing at the door looking rather stricken, and that brought up all the old memories which time had buried, along with his grief for Lily and James' deaths. He had not thought of how recent her demise was to James, and that brought up regret for James' loss.

Eventually both shook themselves out of their thoughts, but the rest of the morning was uncommonly quiet.