Chapter 15 – Final Goodbyes

Harry, James, and Remus sat on the floor on the second story of the Shrieking Shack, the Invisibility Cloak stuffed into Harry's bag. "I remember the transformation when Peter got trapped inside the piano," Remus said with a short laugh. "And neither of you could transform to get him out for fear that I would bite you." He sobered a bit. "That's not actually very funny, but it was at the time."

"This is where I met Sirius," Harry mused absently, remembering Scabbers' transformation into Wormtail and knocking out Snape.

"You never told me what happened to Wormtail, Remus," James reminded him. "What happened?"

"No one's heard from Wormtail for awhile," Remus said, giving Harry a look. Though Harry knew that telling James about Wormtail's betrayal would prevent his and Lily's death, he knew that there would be huge downsides to preventing it. Harry nodded in agreement just as they heard a crash from below.

"What the hell was that?" James yelped, as Harry and Remus, as a reflex from the final war with Voldemort, drew their wands and pointed them, stonily, at the door, but lowered them with a smile as they saw Ron, Ginny, Hermione, and Lily emerge through it, Lily clutching what looked like Honeydukes' entire supply of Chocolate Frogs. "Evans, what-" James began as Lily sat beside him, but he stopped at a stern look from Hermione and instead patted Lily awkwardly on the shoulder.

"We saw you go off this way on the map," Ron explained as they all made a circle and Hermione conjured some blue fire in a jar for warmth. They stayed there for hours, talking, laughing and eating all of the Chocolate Frogs. Finally, Harry checked the watch that had belonged to Fabian Prewett and realized that it was a quarter to six.

"We should get back to the castle," he said with a sigh, and they left most reluctantly, Harry, James, and Ginny under the cloak and Ron, Hermione, Remus and Lily casting Disillusion Spells on each other.

When they reached the castle doors, they saw Dumbledore standing in the entranceway, looking very amused. "I know you're there," he said as the seven approached, and they revealed themselves. "Do I even want to know where you were?"

"Probably not, sir," Harry responded. He was usually the one who had to deal with Dumbledore, being the closest to him.

Dumbledore smiled. "Well, come along to my office. There are some people there to see the two of you off."

They climbed staircase after staircase until they reached a griffin, and Lily pressed a roll of parchment into Harry's hand as Dumbledore gave the password ("Licorice Wand"). "Open this after we leave," she said as they spilled into the office, then said to Dumbledore, "Professor Snape might need some attention, Professor. He's a little upset."

Waiting for them to leave were Professors McGonagall, and Flitwick, and Remus. Lily and James said goodbye to each one of them, hugging Remus and Flitwick tightly before getting to McGonagall.

"Well…goodbye, Professor," Lily said, sticking out her hand, but McGonagall made a strangled, gurgling sort of noise and pulled James and Lily to her. Everyone tried not to laugh as James and Lily exchanged "What the hell?" style expressions. They shook hands with Dumbledore, whose eyes were glistening, and Ron, who hugged Lily and slapped James on the back.

Lily hugged both Hermione and Ginny tightly. "Thank you for dealing with all my meltdowns, girls," she said. "I wish I had you back in my own time to help me deal with things."

"We'll never forget you," Hermione promised, as Lily and James made their way to Harry.

"I guess there's not much left to say," Lily said with a smile, before opening her arms and enveloping Harry in a hug. "I'm going to miss you so much. Don't forget to read the letter." She kissed him on the cheek and went over to stand next to Dumbledore.

James slapped Harry on the back, and gave him a hug. "See ya, son," he stated before laughing. "That still sounds weird to me." He went to join Lily, and Dumbledore hung the chain on the Timeturner around both of their necks, turning the little hourglass twenty times.

"It goes without saying that you can never tell anyone what happened," he said, before standing back. Lily and James nodded as McGonagall, Dumbledore, Flitwick, Remus, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny watched as Lily and James faded, calling "Goodbye!" and waving until they were completely gone, and then Harry went back downstairs and shut himself in the boys dormitory to read his letter. It had two passages, one from Lily and one from James.

Dear Harry, Lily wrote, There's not really much I can say to you that's very motherly, seeing as I'm the same age as you right now. But just know that the time I've spent here with you has made me really excited to have children...have you. God, this is bizarre. I'm proud to see how you grew up, and relieved to see that I did okay as a mom. When you grow up and have children, tell them all about their Grandma Lily, and tell them how much I wanted to meet them. I know that I can never see you again, because this sort of Timeturner accident can have disastrous consequences, but as soon as they develop magic to send me into the future I'll be there. If not, see you on the other side. I love you. Never forget me. Lily.

James' handwriting was slightly messier. Dear Harry, he wrote. Evans is making me write this while I climb the stairs to Dumbledore's office. I looked at you walking ahead of me, and for a minute I thought I was looking at myself. You are so much like me - in looks, in flying skill, in love of breaking the rules. It's strange to see but at the same time, I really like it. I should tell you, after you left Dumbledore's office, he sat me down and told me to try to be a mature father figure towards you. I hope I did okay, and I'd like to think that I changed for the better. I'm not really mature enough to say I love you, even though I probably do. Does that count as saying it? I'm looking forward to meeting you. You're a good guy. James.

Harry smiled as he folded the parchment. "He did okay," he said aloud, and then noticed with a start that Dumbledore was sitting on Ron's vacated bed, watching Harry read. How the hell does he do that? Harry thought in wonder. I didn't even hear the door open!

"Hello, Harry," Dumbledore said with a smile. "Are you all right?"

"I'm…okay, I guess," said Harry. "I didn't want them to go back, but I'm glad that I got to meet them."

Dumbledore started reassuring Harry that he would see them again one day, but Harry's mind was remembering something that Dumbledore had said to him almost four years ago, in Remus' empty office. 'You think the dead we loved ever truly leave us?...Your father is alive in you, Harry, and shows himself most plainly…." Harry smiled, remembering his stag Patronus. His parents would always be by his side, if not in forty or seventeen-year old forms. Dumbledore had stopped talking, and knew what Harry was remembering. He smiled, laid a hand on Harry's shoulder, withdrew it after a moment, and left the dorm to go find Snape.