"James, we need to get back to the common room!" Rose said as students began to scramble to classes. "They're on break now, our parents, they'll see we aren't there!"
"I can't believe it," James said, staying rooted to his spot. "How come dad never told us about this "Dark Wizard" he defeated?"
"This actually explains a lot," Albus said thoughtfully. "This must be the reason so many witches and wizards seem to know dad before he even introduces himself."
"Yes, but we really need to get back," Rose said urgently. "Our parents are bound to be nearly back up to the common room.
"Right," James mumbled, still looking distraught. "Let's go."
"How are we even going to get back into the common room?" Albus asked as the children quickly made their ways through the corridors. "The Fat Lady won't let us in, remember?"
James stopped in his tracks. "Oh yah… Didn't think about that."
"What!" Rose exclaimed. "James, this is probably the most stupid thing you've done!"
"Shut up will you and help me think of a way to sneak in!" James snapped. "You're supposed to be the smart one."
"There's no way to get in without going through the portrait door," she retorted hotly as the neared the common room. "We'll just have to wait until our parents get back, and then you can tell them what we we're doing out."
"It's not all my fault," James shot back. "You could've tried to stop me before we snuck out."
"I did!" Rose exclaimed, exasperated. "I swear, James Potter, you are the most idiotic fool I've ever met! I wouldn't have believed even you could be this stupid-"
"What are you lot doing out here?" came a voice behind them.
The five turned around to see Neville coming towards them, looking confused.
"Thank god," James breathed in relief. "We, er sort of got locked out Neville, you think you can somehow manage to sneak us back into the common room without our parents knowing?"
Neville raised an eyebrow at him. "And what exactly were you doing out here in the first place?"
"Oh you know," James started sheepishly. "Just, er, stretching our legs, having a nice little stroll… So, can you get us back in?"
Neville stared hard at James for a moment, and then sighed in defeat. "You're bloody lucky," he said. "The Fat Lady and her friend, Violet, had a bit too much wine to drink last night. She's suffering from a really bad hangover, she probably let anyone who has the password in."
"Excellent," James grinned. "We're saved. What's the new password, it changed this morning, didn't it?"
"Er, I think it's Hippogriff," Neville told him unsurely. "I'm not great at remembering theses…"
"We'll just try it out then," Albus decided. "Come on…"
They reached the portrait; Neville was indeed right, the Fat Lady was leaning on the side of her tapestry, a look of drowsiness on her face.
"Hippogriff," Neville said clearly.
"Yes, yes, go in," the Fat Lady slurred, opening up without paying any mind to Neville's five accomplices.
Luckily, the common room only had a few students sitting by the fire, all too occupied by their massive assignments to even look up, so James, Rose, Albus, Lily and Hugo were able to rush behind the couch unseen, just as Harry, Ron and Hermione stepped through the portrait door.
"I think you're getting a bit obsessed with the whole Malfoy ordeal, Harry," Hermione said in a hushed tone as Harry crammed a piece of parchment into his pocket.
"I'm not obsessed," Harry retorted. "You're telling me you're not the least bit curious about what's going on with him-"
Hermione shot him a glance to be quiet, as the few students who had been working looked up.
"'Lo Neville," Ron said, spotting Neville standing by the couch.
"Hi," Neville replied. "Flitwick's lesson was really hard today, wasn't it?"
"Yup," Ron agreed. "I reckon my bullfrog won't ever be the same…"
"We'd better get started on our Transfiguration essay," Hermione said, pulling out her book and settling at a table. "We don't want to be rushing to do it tonight, when we, er, have more important things to do." She added the last part in a whisper so that only Ron and Harry could hear her. They knew she was talking about the potion.
"Yah, all right," Ron sighed, taking a seat next to Hermione. "Though I really have no clue what I'm supposed to be writing about."
"Haven't you been paying attention to what Professor McGonagall has been teaching?" Hermione inquired.
"Well, I've tried, but you know, it gets kind of dull after a while, really."
"You're unbelievable," Hermione said, shaking her head. "Utterly unbelievable…"
Meanwhile, behind the couch, the five children were quietly discussing their newfound knowledge.
" I can't believe dad is some huge hero and he never even told us," James said. "I mean, that's the sort of thing you might want to mention to your kids!"
"I'm sure he had a good reason for not telling us," Rose put in. "Anyways, what I really want to know is what's going on between Severus Snape and Dumbledore. They seem to be planning something."
"Yah, but what?" Lily asked.
"Probably something to do with this war that's going on," Rose told her. "They're on the same side, after all."
"So we think," Albus muttered darkly. The others stared at him.
"What?" Albus said defensively. "You don't think there's something odd about him? Why was he trying to help Malfoy's dad with some plan in secret? Doesn't that seem a bit off?"
"Al, it's probably nothing," Rose said. "He's a teacher after all."
Albus said nothing, but simply shrugged his shoulders. "Anyways, we'll be able to ask our parents everything we want to know when we get back." Rose said. "Let's just wait until then."
The next morning, Harry, Ginny, Hermione and Ron dressed early and snuck back down to Moaning Myrtle's toilet, where the potion to reverse the effects of the Portural Revinsive were brewing in one of the beat-up stalls.
"Hand me that jar of Doxy Clippings, Ron," Hermione instructed him as she began to stir the concoction. "I need to add them on the fifteenth stir."
"So," Ron said, handing the bottle to Hermione. "Who do think Lupin gets married to? The kids never told us."
"I don't know," Hermione said, measuring the correct amount of armadillo bile. "I don't think he's ever shown a love interest in anyone."
"That's not important," Harry said. "Am I the only one who's curious to how we win this war?"
"Of course we are Harry," Hermione said in a patient voice. "But I've told you that once this potion is done, all the effects of the Portural Revinsive will be reversed; we won't remember anything they told us."
"Well then why are we sending them back?" Harry said angrily. "They're the answer to getting rid of Voldemort!"
"And how exactly do you think you'll react in the future when all of the sudden your children disappear into another time?" Hermione pointed out.
"Besides, if we haven't even told them about You-Know-Who in the future, we obviously haven't told them how we won the war," Ginny said.
"Fine, fine," Harry said, defeated.
"Whose there?" a voice from the next stall called over. Ron, Harry and Hermione exchanged glances. They knew the voice.
"It's us, Myrtle," Hermione called out, unsurely.
"Oh, you again," Myrtle said in a dry voice, gliding through the stall wall to face them. "I thought that it was, never mind, he wouldn't be in this bathroom anyways."
"Who wouldn't be?" Harry questioned. "Someone else comes in here?"
"No," Myrtle said, "But I thought maybe he'd want to visit me, I did like him an awful lot."
"Wait, you're not going into the boys toilets, are you Myrtle?" Ron demanded.
"I go wherever the U-Bend takes me," she replied simply. And with that, she dived into the toilet, creating a big splash.
"Blimey," said Ron. "We're not safe anywhere from her!"
It was well past midnight, and the common room was empty, except for, of course, James, Albus, Rose, Hugo and Lily.
Albus, Rose, Hugo and Lily were all asleep, curled cramped together in the small space behind the couch. James, however, felt wide-awake.
He had just found out that his father was a widely known hero, who evidently held the power to save the wizarding world from some all-powerful sorcerer. Twelve years he had known his father; his whole life. And not once, had his father made any mention of this. Why? James thought to himself over and over again. Does he not trust us? Does he think we're too childish for this information?
Sighing, James rested his head on his knees. What else didn't he know about his father?