AN:: So Im writing this one right away again, again I have no reviews to go on, or yeah know, anything. I hope people like it..
You know the drill, I own nothing, that which is bold comes right outta the book.
Enjoy:)
The Boy Who Lived
Hermione had just finished proving she was someone who could be trusted, explaining why she pulled them threw, and a little bit about what was going on. It had taken much more time then she had foreseen and Misty the house elf had just arrived with lunch. As McGonagall of the here and now had explained, house elves were permitted to apparate into the past room three times a day for meals. For now random house elves would be bringing meals, when the time was right, Kreacher would be coming, as he was still here at the castle, Harry being to upset and busy to remove him.
"Hello Misty" Hermione said to the arriving house elf, "Thanks for bringing us lunch."
"Your welcome ms hermy, very welcome. Misty will be back for suppers." Misty said with a low bow.
"Hermy?" Sirius said "Ooh, that is definitely your nick name now."
"I do not think so Mr. Black." Hermione said with as much force as she could muster, without laughing.
After a nice lunch and some casual conversation, everyone was getting a little more comfortable. Severus was still eyeing the three marauders with suspicion, and Lily was still looking at Severus wondering why he was here. Regulus was also confused as to how he fit into this group of people. But all in all, things were getting easier, that is until Frank asked the question Hermione was least looking forward to answering.
"So, you say we are here to learn about the future, the future of the war with voldemort," at this half the room flinched, while the other half of the room rolled there eyes, "you say we all have a part, or children who have a part in it. What can you tell us about that?"
"Well, it all becomes clear in the books."
"Yeah, but can we have a bit of a heads up, like, does any of us die? Or, who has children involved?"
"Oh, well, I'd rather you learnt as time went on."
"So you want to shock us?" James said
"No, no, that's not it. I just, well I don't want to ruin the mood already."
"So obviously someone dies." Sirius said to wish Hermione had to hide her grim face, thinking to herself, only five people in this room are still alive, and two of them are completely incapable of a proper thought.
"Alright, ill tell you a bit. Lily, James, you have a son Harry Potter, these books are told from his point of view, he is also my best friend." Lily brightened up at this, while Severus went white.
"Frank, Alice, you also have a son, Neville, he is also a very good friend of mine, and in my year at Hogwarts." Alice and Frank were beaming.
"Arthur, Molly, Your about to have twins, Fred and George, followed by another son, Ronald, who is my other best friend, and a daughter, Ginny, she's my best girlfriend, though a year younger then myself." Molly was bursting,
"Arthur, did you hear that? We have a baby girl! Oh, a girl"
"That is all im telling you about children for now. As for deaths. Well, Lily, James. Im so sorry, but, you were murdered by voldemort when Harry was one year old." Lily was sobbing into James' chest, while Sirius and Remus looked shocked, as did Severus.
"M - Mur - Murdered? By voldemort himself? But, but why?" James stammered out, trying to fend off the tears that wanted so badly to come
"I, I cant tell you that. You find out though."
"Does anyone else die?" Asked Regulus
"Yes, but im not telling you who. You find out. Now I think we should start reading. How does everyone feel about reading a chapter each, passing them around?" Everyone in the room nodded, eager and somewhat scared to hear what comes. "Alright, Ill start." and Hermione picked up the first book,
Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone
"What's that?" Asked Sirius
"It's a stone that..." But Remus was cut off,
"Id appreciate it if you kept your opinions to yourselves till things are reveled, also, that reminds me, do not judge ANYONE until all seven books are completed." Hermione said before she continued reading.
The Boy Who Lived
"Who's that?" Asked Sirius
"Are you going to ask a question after every line Black?" Severus replied with a nasty look on his face
"Shut up Snivellus" Sirius replied
"BLACK!" Severus yelled
"Boys, Boys, we're not going to get anywhere if you lot cant put your petty rivalries aside." Dumbledore interjected smoothly
"Thank you professor" Hermione said as she again continued reading.
Mr. And Mrs. Dursley
"DURSLEY!?" shouted Lily and Snape
"Why are they mentioned?" Lily asked after glaring at snape
"Well, I don't know Ms. Evans, I daresay if we let Ms. Granger continue reading we'll find out." Dumbledore answered
Mr. And Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense.
"Nonsense, tcha!" Lily spat
"Um? Who are these people, and why does Evans hate them so much?" Sirius asked, really confused.
"Dursley is her sisters boyfriend. Her sister is a really annoying muggle who hates magic cause she's jealous" Snape filled in.
"I have a really bad feeling about this." Lily said, motioning for Hermione to continue reading.
Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills. He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large mustache. Mrs. Dursley was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbors.
"Sounds about right." Lily said
"Ugh, how are you related to that?" Sirius asked
"I just am. But Im REALLY not liking this description, it means. Well. Ugh, just keep reading please."
The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley
"Dudley? What kind of name is Dudley?"
"Mr. Black, could we please get through at least one chapter before supper?" McGonagall asked
"Yes Professor." Sirius responded, cowering under her glare.
And in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere.
The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and theur greatest fear was that somebody would discover it.
"Wonder what that could be?" Sirius asked
"MR. BLACK!"
"Right, sorry professor."
They didnt think they could bare it if anyone found out about the Potters.
"HEY!" shouted James, he then promptly clamped his hand to his mouth at the look from McGonagall.
Mrs. Potter was Mrs. Dursley's sister, but they hadn't met for several years; in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister, because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband were as unDursleyish as it was possible to be.
Both Sirius and James showed signs of interrupting but held back for fear of ther favorite professor.
The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbors would say if the Potters arrived in the street.
"Why on earth would I want to visit you Petunia. You sound like you just get worse over the years." Lily said, ignoring the glare she was receiving from McGonagall.
The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small son, too, but they had never even seen him. This boy was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that.
"A child like WHAT exactly?!" Lily asked to no one in particular. Hermione decided to just keep reading, answers would come.
When Mr. And Mrs. Dursley woke up on the dull, gray Tuesday our story starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country. Mr. Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for work, and Mrs. Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming Dudley into his High chair.
"Brat!" Lily hissed
None of them noticed a large tawny owl flutter past the window. At half past eight, Mr. Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs. Dursley on the cheek, and tried to kiss Dudley good-bye but missed, because Dudley was now Having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls. "Little Tyke," chortled Mr. Dursley as he left the house. He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive.
It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of something peculiar - a cat reading a map.
"Why Minerva, I do think that is you."
"Albus, I think you might be right, unless there is another cat animigus by then."
"What on earth are you doing around my relatives?" Lily asked, with great worry, as what she was worried about became more and more likely.
"Well, I don't know yet, lets read and find out." McGonagal replied
For a second, Mr. Dursley didnt realize what he had seen - then he jerked his head around to look again. There was a tabby cat
"That certainly does sound like me doesnt it?"
"Indeed." Albus replied.
Standing on the corner of Privet Drive, but there wasnt a map in sight. What could he have been thinking og? It much have been a trick of the light. Mr. Dursley blinked and stared at the cat. It stared back, As Mr. Dursley drove around the corner and up the road, he watched the cat in his mirror. It was no reading the sign that said Privet Drive - no, looking at the sign; cats couldnt read maps or signs. Mr. Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind. As he drove toward town he thought of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day.
"Um, this isnt about the future, atleast not our future." Sirus stated,
"Black, don't you pay attention? There's an animigus, most likely professor McGonagall hanging around on that street, and these muggles are related to Lily." Snape said
"Well, yeah. So?"
"Obviously you have not drawn the same conclusions I have."
"Well what is it then, if your so smart."
"Well this Granger girl said those two die when there son is small, hmm, he seems to be small in this description. Im guessing that Harry is going to live with them."
"What!? Where the hell am I!!??"
"What does that matter Black?"
"Well, I uh, would have been god father." Sirius said, then added to James and Lily, "I would have wouldnt I?"
"Of course mate!" James said. Severus looked livid, Lily saw
"What did you expect Severus, after everything that happened. Did you really think I would have made it you?" Lily said
"I just, oh. I wish that never happened."
"I'd say we both do."
"That still doesnt answer my quesiton, WHY is Harry going to live with these insane muggles, why is he not living with me?" Sirius asked, looking pointedly at Hermione.
"Well, your sort of. Busy."
"Busy?"
"Yes. Busy. No more questions!" Hermione picked up the book and began to read again
Bot on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something else. As he sat in the usualy morning traffic jame, he couldnt help noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People in cloaks.
"What's wrong with cloaks?" Sirius asked
"Muggles don't wear cloaks. Remus said.
"Oh right," Sirius said.
Mr. Dursley couldnt bear people who dressed in funny clothes - the getups you saw on young people! He supposed this was some stupid new fashion. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of these weirdos standing quite close by. They were whispering excitedly together. Mr. Dursley was enraged to see that a couple of them werent young at all; why that men had tobe older then he was and wearing an emerald green cloak!
"Why on earth are they being so careless?" Minerva asked.
"Must be something big." Frank said
"Anyone care to have a guess?" Sirius asked the room as a whole
"No. I want to know why my relatives are so damn important!" Lily snapped
"Language Evans." Sirius scolded playfully, but stopped smiling at the glare he was receiving
The nerve of him! But then it struck Mr. Dursley that this was probably some silly stunt - these people were obviously collecting for something...yes, that would be it. The traffic moved on and a few minutes later, Mr. Dursley arrived at Grunnings parking lot, his mind back on drills.
"One track mind that one." Regulus said
"Oh, little brother, I forgot you were here." Sirius said, surprised, "Why are you here anyways?"
"Don't ask me, ask her." He responded jerking his finger at Hermione.
"As I said, he plays an important role in the war with voldemort."
"Ah yes, but is it a positive or a negative role? Cause if im not mistaken there is a lovely little tattoo on his left forearm that would suggest it was negative." Sirius said, it sounded rude, but for those who knew him, knew it saddened him that his brother had succumbed to his mothers pressures.
"Sirius!" McGonagall shouted, not believing that Regulus was in fact a death eater.
"No professor, I know what I know, and I know that he has been marked."
"Hermione? Can you PLEASE help me here, you cant have brought me here for nothing." Regulus pleaded.
"Fine. Regulus does have the mark, BUT," She shouted over the gasps "He sees the error of his ways, and does something very brave against voldemort."
"Does he survive?" Sirius asked, a note of both pride and sadness in his voice
"No, Im sorry he doesn't." Hermione said with a sad look at Regulus
"Its ok," Regulus said sadly, facing Hermione, "I've already seen the error, and I know what it is your referring to, I was already planning to do it, just after the new year."
"REG!" Sirius shouted "What were you going to do? WHY?"
"Im not going to tell you, we obviously find out in the end. And I did it because it was right, and that was the only way out and you damn well know it!" Regulus spat the last bit at the floor.
"Ms Granger, I think perhaps we should go on, we're never going to get anywhere at this rate." Dumbledore said sadly, watching the two brothers
Mr. Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his office on the ninth floor. It he hadnt, he might have found it harder to concentrate on drills that morning. He didnt see the owls swooping past in broad daylight, though people down in the street did; they pointed and gazed open-mouthed as owl after owl sped overhead. Most of them had never seen an owl even at nighttime.
"Careless." McGonagall whispered, more to herself then anyone.
Mr. Dursley however has a perfectly normal, owl-free morning. He yelled at five different people. He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more. He was in a very good mood until lunchtime, when he thought he'd stretch his legs and walk across the road to buy himself a bun from the bakery.
He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the bakers. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didnt know why, but they made him uneasy. This bunch were whispering excitedly too and he couldnt see a single collecting tin. It was on his was back past them, clutching a large doughnut in a bag that he caught a few words they were saying.
'The potters,
"Oh. Oh no." Lily whimpered into James' shoulder
'The Potters, thats right, thats what I heard -'
'- yes their son Harry -'
"What about Harry?" Lily gasped, suddenly worried like only a mother could be,
"Calm down Lil, we'll find out, but im guessing since this girl here know's Harry, he's ok." James said
"Oh, right. Ok." Lily said slightly less panicked.
Mr. Dursley stopped dead. Fear flooded him. He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it. He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his office, snapped at his secretary not to disturb him, seized his telephone, and had almost finished dialing his home number when he changed his mind. He put the receiver back down and stroked his mustache thinking...no, he was being stupid. Potter wasn't such an unusual name. He was sure there were lots of people called Potter who had a son called Harry. Come to think of it, he wasnt even sure his nephew was called Harry. He'd never ever seen the boy. It might have been Harvey or Harold. There was no point in worrying Mrs. Dursley;
"Ok, WHY do they keep calling them Mr and Mrs Dursley, instead of there names?!" Sirius wondered.
"I don't know." Hermione answered simply.
She always got so upset at any mention of her sister. He didnt blame her - if he'd had a sister like that...but all the same, those people in cloaks...
He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon and when he left the building at five o'clock he was still so worried that he walked straight into someone just outside the door.
'Sorry' he grunted
"Well, im surprised he was nice enough to apologize." Lily said, trying not to snap about the wait she is being put through.
As the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell. It was a few seconds before Mr. Dursley realized that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didnt seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passersby stare.
"Squeaky voice, little, think its Flitwick?" Sirius asked
"Probably, but there is no way to no for sure as I doubt Dursley asks his name." Remus responded logically.
"Way to ruin my fun Moony."
"Always a pleasure Padfoot."
'Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice for You-Know-Who has gone at last!
"WHAT!" Screamed all the men in the room aside from Dumbledore.
"Oh my goodness" Murmured Molly, smiling down at her belly, happy that her children would grow up in a You-Know-Who free world.
"Can I continue reading, I don't think you all want to get too excited." There was a collective sigh from all but Dumbledore
Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!"
"That can not be Professor Flitwick Mr. Black" McGonagall said
"And just why not?"
"Because my colleuge is not careless enough to call a muggle a muggle, in broad daylight with a cloak on." She answered coolly
"Oh, alright." Sirius answered defeated.
And the old man hugged Mr. Dursley around the middle and walked off. Mr. Dursley stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that was. He was rattled. He hurried to his car and ser off for home, hoping was imagining things, which he had never hoper before because he didnt approve of imagination.
"Prat!" Snape spat, worrying for Lily's son, who despite his father, deserved better then these morons.
"Defending Potters son are you Snivellus?" Sirius asked with a smirk
"What makes you say that? I just called Dursley a Prat, nothing to do with Harry."
"You're the one who said he'd be living with these muggles, so by extension, your defending or worrying about Harry."
"Well Black, who knew you could make a reasonable argument." Snape said with a sneer
"So you admit it?" Sirius asked laughing and feeling pretty smug
"Oh you two are pathetic." Lily interrupted, "Cant you just get over it."
"But I don't like him Lil's" Sirius whined.
"Don't call me that! And I don't care, he didnt do anything to start this, and you keep picking on him, its just, SEVERUS you wipe that smirk off your face, your no better these days."
"You know I just do it to defend myself Lily, they've been after me since day one."
"It was too easy!" Sirius chimed in
"All of you, ENOUGH! Ms. Granger brought us all here cause she THINKS we can all work together for the betterment of humanity, obviously theres something your both missing. So hold your tongues and listen!" McGonagall added with a tone so strict even Dumbledore looked mildly concerned. Hermione didnt wait for any objections, and continued reading
As he pulled int the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw - and it didnt improve his mood - was the tabby cat he'd spotted that morning. It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the same one; it had the same markings around its eyes.
"Definitely you Professor." Sirius said but didnt continue, he was getting death glares from both the professor and Lily.
'Shoo!' said Mr. Dursley loudly.
The cat didnt move. It just gave him a stern look. Was this normal cat behavior? Mr. Dursley wondered. Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his wife.
Mrs. Dursley had had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner, all about Mrs. Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learned a new word ("Wont!"). Mr. Dursley tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living room in time to catch the last report on the evening news:
'And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nations owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise.
"That is just, that's, why are people being so reckless?" Arthur asked, speaking for the first time since they started reading.
"I must agree with you Arthur, they seem to have completely lost their heads. Wouldn't that be nice, the day You-Know-Who disappears, the muggles find out about us." McGonagall said
Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern.' The newscaster allowed himself a grin. 'Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?'
'Well Ted' Said the weatherman. 'I don't know about that, but its not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire, and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars! Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early - it's not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight.'
Mr. Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain? Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place? And a whisper about the Potters...
"Well he's not completely daft now is he?" Remus asked the room
"I suppose not, he seems to be putting the pieces together nicely, to bad he's still a prat." Snape answered
"Snape agreeing with a marauder, now I've seen everything" Regulus said over-dramatically
"Boys" Both Hermione and Lily said with a nice little eye roll attached.
Mrs. Dursley came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good. He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously. 'Er - Petunia, dear - you havent heard from your sister lately, have you?'
As he had expected, Mrs. Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didnt have a sister.
"Thanks Petunia." Lily said dryly
'No' she said sharply 'Why?'
'Funny stuff on the news,' Mr. Dursley mumbled. "Owls...shooting stars...and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today...'
'So?' snapped Mrs. Dursley.
'Well, I just thought...maybe...it was something to do with...you know...her crowd."
"He says that like it's a bad thing or something." James said with a tone of disregard, this was one of the few things he had added to the conversation. For you see, James was still digesting the fact that he had a son, with Lily, and he was not there to watch him grow up. No, his son was forced for some unknown reason to live with these terrible muggles.
Mrs. Dursley sipped her teat through pursed lips. Mr. Dursley wondered whether he dared tell her he'd heard the name 'Potter.' He decided he didnt dare. Instead he said, as casually as he could, 'Their son - he'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldnt he?'
'I suppose so,' said Mrs. Dursley stiffly.
'Whats his name again? Howard isnt it?'
'Who in there right name would name their child Howard?' Lily asked
'Not you Im guessing' Sirius said with a cheeky smile.
'Harry. Nasty, common name, if you ask me.'
'HEY!' both Lily and James yelled
'It's a hell of a lot better then Dudley.' Sirius snapped at no one in particular
'Oh, yes,' said Mr. Dursley her heart sinking horribly. "Yes, I quite agree." He didnt say another work on the subject as they went upstairs to bed. While Mrs. Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr. Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there. It was staring down Privet Drive as though it were waiting for something.
Was he imagining things? Could all this have anything to do with the Potters? If it did...if it got out that they were related to a pair of - well, he didnt think her could bear it.
The Dursleys got into bed. Mrs. Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr. Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even it the Potters were involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs. Dursley. The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about them and their kind....He couldnt see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on - he yawned and turned over - it couldnt affect them....
How very wrong he was.
"Oh." Lily mumbled, her suspicions coming true.
"Why?" James asked Dumbledore
"Why, Mr. Potter, do you think I had something to do with it?" Dumbledore asked in response
"Of course you have something to do with it. McGonagall wouldnt wait all day for anyone else. Why would you send him there, where's Sirius? Moony? Hell, I would rather Snape had him!!!' James finished, his voice rising into a shout
"Me?" Severus asked, mildly shocked.
"Of course you. Havent you been listening, I don't want any son of mine being raised by these bloody muggles!"
"Language Mr. Potter." McGonagall interrupted, "Albus, I must agree, you must be involved some how."
"Well, I think we should continue reading for our answers, Ms. Granger?"
"I do agree sir" Hermione said before she continued reading, glad that things were already beginning to change, at least between James and Severus
Mr. Dursley might have been drifting into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness. It was sitting as still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Privet Drive. It didnt so much as quiver when a car door slammed on the next street,
"Jeez professor, lighten up." Sirius said with a smile, trying to lighten the mood
nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all. A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground.
"Its called apparateing people." Sirius said, still trying to alleviate the tension his best friend was feeling
The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed. Nothing like this man had ever been seen on Privet Drive. He was tall, thin, and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak that swept the ground, and high-heeled, buckled boots.
'Dumbledore!" Sirius cheered happily, at that however James and Lily both looked sadder yet. The appearance of Dumbledore only proved their suspicions further.
His blue eyes were light, bright, and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice. This man's name was Albus Dumbledore.
Albus Dumbledore didnt seem to realize that he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome. He was busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he didnt seem to realize he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat, which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and muttered, 'I should have known.'
The real Albus Dumbledore was chuckling to himself at this as well.
He found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter. He flicked it open, held it up in the air, and clicked it. The nearest street lam went out with a little pop.
'Wicked!' Both Sirius and Regulus said with excitement
"What's it called Professor?" Regulus added
"I have no idea, it seems I have yet to invent it."
He clocked it again - the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer, until the only lights left on the whole street were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him. If anyone looked out of there window now, even beady-eyed Mrs. Dursley, they wouldnt be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer
"That sounds like a terrible name for that thing." Sirius interjected.
"I daresay Mr. Black, that is just the name the author used." Dumbledore responded, he then turned to Hermione and asked, "Ms. Granger, who is the author of these seven books?"
"Well sir, there is no official author, but if I was to make is someone, it would be you. See, you created a potion that would allow the drinkers memories to be transferred to print. Most of the books are from Harry's point of view, though McGonagall of my time did add bit from herself, and a few others she tracked down."
"Hmmm." Was all Dumbledore said, Hermione took this as an ok to continue reading.
Back inside his cloak and set off down the street toward number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didnt look at it, but after a moment he spoe to it.
'Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall.'
He turned to smile at the tabby cat, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She too was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled.
'How did you know it was me?' she asked
'My dear professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly.'
'You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day,' said professor McGonagall.
'All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here.'
Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily.
'Oh yes, everyones been celebrating all right,' she said impatiently. 'You'd think they's be a bit more careful, but no - even the muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news.' She jerked her head back at the Dursley's dark living room window. 'I heard it. Flocks of owls...shooting stars...Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent - Ill bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense.'
'Now now professor, play nice." Sirius snickered.
"Actually Black, she's right.' Arthur added with a tone of authority, "People are being reckless, the ministry will be in chaos trying to cover everything up."
"I meant about Diggle, but thanks for the info Weasley." Sirius added
'You cant blame them,' said Dumbledore gently, "we've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years."
"Eleven years..." Severus said, drifting off, figuring it out. "That means, the dark lord will fall in just three years." He finished.
"Three years..." Molly said with a note of joy, rubbing her protruding belly.
'I know that,' said Professor McGonagall irritably, 'But thats no reason to loose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in muggle clothes, swapping rumors.'
She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didnt so she went on.
'A fine thing it would be it, on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really has gone, Dumbledore?'
"Nice way to slip that in there, professor." Sirius said with a smirk
'It certainly seems so,' said Dumbledore. 'We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a lemon drop?'
"A what??" Said the room as a collective, save the muggle-borns, Snape, and Dumbledore himself. Hermione was giggling as she read the next line.
'A what?'
'A lemon drop. They're a kind of Muggle sweet im rather fond of."
'No, thank you." said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didnt think this was the moment for lemon drops. 'As I say, even if you-know-who has gone –'
'My dear professor, surely a sensible person life yourself can call him by his name? All this 'you-know-who' nonsense - for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: Voldemort.' Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore, who was unsticking two lemon drops, seemed not to notice. 'It all gets so confusing if we keep saying 'you-know-who.' I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemorts name.'
'I know you havent,' said Professor McGonagall, sounds half exasperated, half admiring. "But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one you-know- oh, all right, Voldemort was frightened of.'
'You flatter me,' said Dumbledore calmly. 'Voldemort had powers I will never have.'
'Only because you're too - well - noble to use them.'
'Its lucky its dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs.'
At this, Sirius burst out laughing. Hermione chose to ignore him and continued reading, hoping to get through just on chapter before dinner.
Professor Mcgonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said, 'The owls are nothing next to the rumors that are flying around. You know what everyones saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?'
It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold, hard wall all day, for neither as a cat, nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now.
"I bet we've seen worse, eh Prongs? Moony? W - HEY! Wheres Wormy?" Sirius finished, surprised.
"You've just noticed Pettigrew is not with us? How thick are you Black?" Snape asked maliciously
"Shut up, Snivellus. Granger, where's Wormy?"
"He, he was not needed." Hermione answered, not happy where this was going on.
'What do you mean, not needed? The marauders stick together!' Sirius said, high-fiving James and Remus. Hermione was racking her brain for a way to explain this, without giving too much away, it wouldnt do for them to solve the whole thing in the first book. She was however saved by Lily who snapped,
"Can we worry about Peter later, I'd like to know what happened to James and I, thanks!"
It was plain that whatever 'everyone' was saying, she was not going to believe it untill Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore however was choosing another lemon drop and did not answer.
'What they're saying,' she pressed on 'is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumor is that Lily and James Potter are - are - that they're - dead.'
Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped
As did everyone in the room. This was closely followed by Lily sobbing into James' shoulder, Sirius pounding his fist into the palm of his hand, Remus shaking rather uncontrolably, and Severus going a sickly shade of green. The rest of the room watched in sadness, without knowing what to say. Finally Hermione spoke up,
"This is what we are here to change you know. Im here to save you. Im here to save a lot of people, But your near the top of my list, for Harry."
"Thank - Thank you..." Lily sobbed, signaling for Hermione to continue reading.
'Lily and James...I cant believe it...I didnt want to believe it...Oh, Albus...'
Dumbledore reached out and patter her on the shoulder. 'I know...I know...' he said heavily.
Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. 'Thanks not all. Thay're saying he tried to hill the Potter's son, Harry.
Lily was sobbing harder now.
But - he couldnt.
The whole room gasped at this.
He couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke - and that's why he's gone.'
Everyone in the room was waiting, on the edge of their seats, Lily wasn't even breathing.
Dumbledore nodded glumly.
"Bloody hell..." Sirius murmured
'Its - its true?' faltered Professor McGonagall. 'After all he's done...all the people he's killed...he couldnt kill a little boy? Its just astounding...of all the things to stop him...but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?'
"That's what I'd like to know!" Lily said
'We can only guess,' said Dumbledore. 'We may never know.'
Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch. It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge. It must have made sense to Dumbledore, thou, because he pit it back in his pocket and said, 'Hagrid's late. I suppose it was her who told you I'd be here, by the way.'
'Yes,' said Professor McGonagall. 'And I don't suppose your going to tell me why you're here, of all places?'
'I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now.'
"HEY!" Sirius shouted "What am I? Better question, WHERE am I?"
"Mr. Black, I assume Dumbledore of the future is about to explain himself, as I doubt I don't ask." McGonagall answered.
'You don't mean - you cant mean the people who live here?' cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four. 'Dumbledore - you cant. I've been watching them all day. You couldnt find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son - I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. Harry Potter come and live here!'
'It's the best place for him,'
"Best place my arse!' Sirius said.
"Im sure I have my reasons Mr. Black"
"But - but Professor, you cant think they'll treat him well, you know how much my sister hates me" Lily said sadly
"I can hardly think your sister would hold that against an innocent child." Dumbledore said
"Professor! The only reason she hates me is because im a witch. Harry will be a wizard, and a pretty powerful one by the sounds of things. What makes you think he'll be treated fairly?"
"You'll have to forgive Albus, Lily. He has a tendency to allow trust where it is not always deserved." McGonagall answered for him.
"Pfft." was all Lily could manage.
'His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him hen he's older. I've written them a letter."
'A letter?' repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. 'Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand him!
"Thats an understatement." muttered Lily.
He'll be famous - a legend - I wouldnt be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in the future -
"Wicked..." Sirius said, more to himself.
There will be books written about Harry - every child in out world will know his name!'
"Prongs, mate! Your son is famous!" Sirius said, holding his hand up expectantly, but James never returned the gesture, he was still reeling over the idea that his son defeated voldemort.
"Wait!" James said, without meaning to, though now that everyone was looking at him, he felt he should elaborate, "If Harry broke Voldemort, why are there six more books, what more to the war is there?"
"Obviously," Snape sneered, but was cut off by Dumbledore.
"I don't think Voldemort is gone, just, broken as you said. Am I right?" The last was meant for Hermione.
"Well, yes. He is not gone for good. But he is gone for a while..."
"Oh." said James, defeated.
'Exactly,' said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. 'IT would be enough to turn any boy's head. Famous before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he wont even remember! Cant you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it?'
"But he's FAMOUS!" Sirius said in awe.
"Didn't you listen Padfoot?" Remus asked
"Well, yeah."
"Then you should understand, Dumbledore makes perfect sense."
"But - But. Who wouldn't want to be famous?"
"Not everyone is a shallow as you, Black." Snape spat
"Enough!" McGonagall shouted, snuffing out the argument that was forming
Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed, and then said, 'Yes - yes, you're right, of course. But how is the boy getting here, Dumbledore?' She eyed her cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Harry underneath it.
Everyone in the room began to chuckle softly at that.
'Hagrid's bringing him.'
'You think it - wise - to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?'
'I would trust Hagrid with my life,' said Dumbledore.
"Me too." James said simply.
'Im not saying his heat isnt in the right place.' Said professor McGonagall grudgingly, 'but you cant pretend he's not careless. He does tend to - what was that?'
"Hagrid!" cheered Sirius
A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky - and a huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them.
"HEY! That's mine!" Sirius shouted "Why's Hagrid got my bike? Where the HELL am I?" Hermione felt she better fill in some of the blanks, or there was going to be a lot of interruptions in the coming chapters, books even.
"Well, right now, I think your either in London, or on your way too London." Hermione answered.
"To do what exactly? What is more important then my godson?!" Sirius asked, panicking, he was starting to see what he might have been doing. He had always had a hard time NOT seeking revenge on people.
"Well that's a long story. And Im not jumping ahead for anyone, but I will tell you this. Whatever you were doing, it kept you - uh - otherwise detained, for a long time."
"Oh this is ridiculous!" Shouted Snape surprisingly. "You have all these details, yet you cant even tell us where we all are?"
"Yes, I think I'd like to know where I am, seeing how I could have taken Harry if Sirius couldnt." Remus added.
"Fine!" Hermione snapped, defeated. "Well, as you know, James and Lily are - well you just read it. Frank, Alice, your fine right now, at home with your one year old I assume, Sirius, Im unsure of your entire whereabouts for this chapter, but shortly after this day you are in...Azkaban."
"WHAT!?!?" The Marauders and Regulus screamed.
"Why..." Lily whispered, horrified at how this future was turning out already
"For the murder of twelve muggles and one wizard." Hermione said, stone faced.
"I - I didnt." stammered Sirius.
"I think you must be mistaken." said Snape, surprising everyone in the room.
"Th - thanks." Sirius said
"I am not, that is why you are in Azkaban, HOWEVER," Hermione shouted trying to shut off the interruptions. "You were wrongly accused, and your name is cleared in the end."
"Oh thank Merlin." Sirius said
"How was he wrongly accused?" James and Snape asked together, shocking themselves. While Lily smiled to herself, happy that the future was already changing.
"That's a long story, and Sirius himself explains it to Harry, myself, and Ron in the future much better then I ever could. But lets just say, he went after the man who betrayed Lily and James to Voldemort, and things got a bit confused, and Sirius was blamed. Even Dumbledore was fooled. This was a very sneaky, conniving plan.
"WHO!?" Sirius shouted.
"Peter." Hermione barely whispered, preparing for the outburst.
"WORMY!?" Sirius and James screamed, while Remus sat there pensive, fearing a future where he lost everyone he ever loved either to death, darkness, or Azkaban.
"That explains why im not there to take Harry..." Remus muttered more to himself then anyone else.
"What?" asked James, momentarily side-tracked
"Well, I just lost everyone I ever cared about, I doubt Im in any fit state to care for a child."
"Oh." was all James could say
"I think, Ms. Granger, you should go on, allowing everything else about this to be reveled with the books."
"Alright Professor," said Hermione, picking up the book, intending to read on, only to be stopped by Snape.
"I want to know where the rest of us are!"
"Oh. Right," Hermione said "Well, Remus, I have no idea where you are, or were for a long time, but you do come back. Severus, you become the potions master at Hogwarts."
"Oh thank goodness," said Lily, shocking Snape.
"Why?" He asked
"Because, you can look out for Harry when he gets to school." she answered simply, shocking Snape
"But - but, you hate me."
"Obviously I don't, because you obviously didn't succumb to the dark side, your at Hogwarts, we must make up." She finished with a smile.
"I - Oh...Of course I'll watch out for Harry." He said, also with a smile. Hermione had to hold back a snort of laughter here.
"Right, that leaves Regulus, who as I've told you, has passed on. The professors who are both still at Hogwarts. And Arthur and Molly, who are working and raising their children. That's all I know of that time period. More will be told if we continue reading. This is all taking much longer then I thought. I do hope your prepared for many long days."
"Of course." Dumbledore answered for the room as a whole, "Read on."
If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild - long tangles of bushy black hair and beard his most of his face, he had hands the size of trach can lids, and his feet in there leather boots were like baby dolphins.
"That's our Hagrid." Sirius said,
In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.
'Hagrid,' said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. 'At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?'
'Borrowed it, professor Dumbledore, sir,' said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. 'Young Sirius Black lent it to me.
"I must of been really out of it..." Sirius mumbled more to himself then anyone
I've got him, sir.'
'No problems, were there?'
'No, sir - house was almost destroyed, but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol.'
Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.
'It that where - ?' whispered Professor McGonagall.
'Yes,' said Dumbledore, 'He'll have that scar forever.'
'Couldnt you do something about it, Dumbledore?'
'Even if I could, I wouldnt. Scars can come in handy. I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground. Well - give him here, Hagrid - we'd better get this over with."
Lily had begun to sob.
Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned toward the Dursleys house.
'Could I - could I say good-bye to him, sir?' asked Hagrid. He bent his great shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog.
'Shhh!' hissed Professor McGonagall, 'you'll wake the Muggles!'
'S-s-sorry,' sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large, spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it. 'But I c-c-cant stand it - Lily an' James dead -
Everyone's face blanched at this, they were all so sad at the idea. James however was seething over his best friends betrayal.
an' poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles -'
'Yes, yes, its all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we'll be found,' Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Harry gently on the doorstep, took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside Harry's blankets, and then came back to the other two. For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously, and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out.
Lily was sobbing rather uncontrollably at this point, and Molly, who didn't even know Lily Evans very well, was becoming quite unbearably upset at the thought of any child being without their mother.
'Well,' said Dumbledore finally, 'that's that. We're no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations.'
'Yeah,' said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, 'I'll be takin' Sirius his bike back.
He's not going to find me, thought Sirius.
G'night Professor McGonagall - Professor Dumbledore, sir.'
Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorcycle and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night.
'I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall,' said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply.
"Nice." Sirius said, in hopes to alleviate the tension in the room, but his heart wasnt in it.
Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four.
'Good Luck, Harry,' he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.
A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Harry Potter rolled over inside his blankets without waking up. On small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was famous, not knowing he would be woken in a few hours time by Mrs. Dursleys scream as she oped the front door to put out the milk bottles, nor that he would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley....He couldnt know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: 'The Harry Potter - the boy who lived!'
"That is the end of the chapter," Hermione said "Do you have any questions before we go on?"
"Do you really think we can change the future with this knowledge?" Regulus asked
"Im certain of it, assuming you want to."
"Of course we want to!" Sirius said a little hysterically
"Mr. Black," Dumbledore said, "Ms. Granger is right, we may choose to keep this future, after we hear all the facts."
"How could you possibly say that Dumbledore!? How could we keep a future where Lily and James die, where Im in Azkaban for merlin knows how long, where my brothers only option is to die, where Moony is left all alone, where Harry is raised by Muggles -"
"Sirius! Calm down. I don't think Dumbledore was saying those things should happen, just that, in the end, one persons death is not the biggest worry. What if we change the future, and more innocent people die, or voldemort holds power longer, or anything else terrible happens." Remus reasoned
"But, Moony!"
"No, Padfoot, we have to hear all the facts, see all that happens before we decide to take action."
"Right, so, who'd like to read the next chapter?" Hermione asked, trying to change the subject.
"I will." Remus said. And Hermione passed the book across the table to him.
AN: That was insanely long to write. Holy. That being said, I am loving this story, so I should be able to keep up a pretty steady pace. Id really love a review tho :) please? :)
thanks for reading!!