Hindsight

Summary: "Ten years," James whispered to his wife. "We've been dead for Ten years… how is this possible?" Ten years after the tragedy at Godric's Hollow, James and Lily come back to life and find their world turned upside down.

Chapter 14

Despite wanting to sleep for the rest of the morning, James was forcibly pushed out of bed only half an hour later when Albus sent word that they were needed in his office immediately. James and Lily didn't even bother changing out of their nightclothes, worried that something bad had happened to Harry. They practically ran out of Albus' fireplace and up to his desk the moment they got to his office. "What is it?" Lily breathed out. "Is it Harry? Has he been hurt?"

"Not at all," Albus reassured her. He gestured behind them. "Lily, James. I'm sure you recall your Hogwarts professors?" They turned and saw Professor McGonagall smiling kindly at them. Professor Sprout and Professor Flitwick stood there, glaring at them suspiciously. "I apologize about the time, but we couldn't risk you coming any later when one of my students could stumble into my office, nor could I ask so many Heads of Houses to leave Hogwarts grounds to convene at your house."

"You're sure they are who they say they are?" Pomona said coolly.

"They have entered through my secured floo network."

"Because you have given them permission to, Albus," Filius replied impatiently, his hand twitching near a pocket that the Potters were sure held his wand.

"You misunderstand," Albus said, the twinkle in his eyes glowing brightly. "They got through the night they returned. You know the many wards that are on my fireplace. You three have put some of them on there yourself. No one would be allowed through my network unless they were given permission by me, or their magical signatures were recognized."

"But Headmaster," the tiny professor protested. "Surely wards can be fooled."

"Do you have so little faith in your own charm, Filius? The one you set up that would never allow anyone intending harm to enter?"

Pomona considered the suggestion, but Filius still stared at the couple with distrust.

"It's good to see you too, Filly-Flitters," James told him sarcastically.

"Mr. Potter, how many times must I tell you not to call- I…" Flitwick gaped at him, astonished. "My word, James, is it really you?"

Lily shrugged. "I'm not sure we can say much to convince you at this point. You'll see with time. But as to why we're here? If it's not Harry, then have you found out anything about why we're back?"

Albus gestured once more to the professors behind him. "I, well," Flitwick began. "Not much. Some tomes that tell stories of resurrections, but we've read them all as myths for the past hundreds of years!"

"And I've looked through countless herbology books," Pomona added. "There are some texts about plants being able to bring those back from near-death states, but not the dead. Perhaps, if they were to be mixed with other branches of magic however…"

"Minerva?" James addressed. "Did you find anything?"

"Some rituals people have performed to revive the dead, yes, but all have ended unsuccessfully. We did want to go over them with you," she pulled out some rolls of parchment out of her robe pocket and laid them flat on Dumbledore's office. "The stories that Professor Flitwick spoke of are in here too. Did either of you notice any of this when you came out of your grave?"

"Out of your grave?" Pomona said faintly.

Lily glanced up at her with an acknowledging hum. "Did Dumbledore not tell you? James had to crawl out of the dirt before he could help me."

The two doubtful professors looked at each other, wondering if the two newcomers in the room could truly be the Potters.

"It's no use," James sighed. "None of this seems familiar. There were no smells, no symbols on the ground- not that we would have known. Our grave spots were practically obliterated for us to get out so if there were symbols, we wouldn't have seen them."

"No one was there with us and didn't stay to 'bid us welcome as his servants' so this can't be it," Lily said, pushing one of the parchment papers away.

"You don't think Professor Quirrell should be here?" he asked the headmaster. "I mean, I understand why he isn't. Poor bloke couldn't walk around the Leaky Cauldron without looking like he was about to be attacked, but this should be his forte. I can't imagine there being a magic to raise the dead that isn't the dark arts."

"He would be of help, I agree, but there are very few professors I trust with my entire being to keep your resurrection a secret," Albus confessed. "Quirrell, unfortunately, is not one of them."

James rubbed at his temple with exhaustion. "And we're back at a dead end."

"We'll figure it out, love," Lily told him.

He let out a huff but forced himself to smile at the professors. "So? How's Harry? Doing well in his classes, I would hope."

"He's quite polite," Professor Sprout stated happily, forgetting her suspicions for a moment. "And rather eager to learn even though most students judge my class as the boring subject."

"It appears he may not be quite as skilled in charms as you are, Miss Evans," Flitwick said, "but he certainly refuses to give up on a spell that isn't working for him."

"But that's not all." Minerva's eager voice betrayed the seriousness she was trying to keep on her face. "He had his first flying lessons yesterday. I expect he's written home about this but... well, you won't be getting the news from him for a few days at the rate owls fly."

Lily suddenly felt very worried. "He's didn't fall off his broom or anything, did he?"

"On the contrary. The boy is a natural!"

James had to stop himself from squealing. "Is he really?"

"He starts training next week."

The redhead frowned. "Training? What for?"

"For Quidditch, of course!"

"QUIDDITCH?!" the two parents bellowed with very different tones.

"He's on the house team? Already?!" he was jumping in his spot. "He has to be the youngest in-"

"A century, yes," McGonagall said with a grin. "And with his skills, he'll certainly win us the cup this year!"

"Quidditch," Lily repeated very weakly. "B-but- bludgers! But the bludgers, James!"

James didn't hear her. "What position is he? A chaser like me, maybe?"

"Seeker, actually."

"A seeker! Don't tell me you're going to make your seeker play with a school broom!"

"Certainly not! Albus has already given me permission to ask you both if he can have a broom of his own."

"He already does! Top of the line, no less. A Nimbus Two Thousand."

"You'll send it to him before next week then! So he has time to get accustomed to it while training with his captain."

"Lily, did you hear that? Harry's been allowed to have - dear lord, love, are you alright?"

Lily was hunched over Dumbledore's desk, her eyes clenched shut as she pictured Harry being knocked off his broom by a bludger. "I think I'm gonna be sick."

"You want us to give up?" James gaped. "What do you mean you want us to give up?"

"I didn't say give up," Lily said calmly. "Just hear me out."

It was Halloween night and both of them were feeling anxious without Harry. Since their first meeting with their former professors, James was running himself ragged. He slept during the day and flooed to Hogwarts in the middle of the night to assist the professors in their search for an answer. He was in the library more than he had ever been during his student career. To say that they were concerned for him was an understatement. His behavior was bringing Sirius' waning nightmares back with a fury and Remus was constantly disappearing to libraries around the world, hoping to find something that would ease James' mind.

"Love, look at yourself. You're wearing yourself down. It's not healthy anymore!"

"Lily, it's the anniversary of our deaths tonight. What if the person who brought us back was waiting for today-"

"If they were wait till tonight to do something to us, then it's a bit too late to prepare ourselves for it, don't you think?"

He gave her a scorned look.

"I'm not trying to say we should give up. Of course we need to know why- and how- we're alive again, but not like this. Not with you killing yourself in the process."

"Lily, I'm fine."

"You're not fine!" she argued. "I know you're scared, James, I am too! But look at what you're doing to yourself!"

She shoved him in front of a mirror and for the first time in a while, James saw the physical toll his body had taken from his nonstop search. Dark circles surrounded his eyes and he looked skinnier than he was in the summer, which was saying something since he was already quite thin. "Merlin," he whimpered as he ran his hand through his hair. "I look like Snape…"

"Yes, and if I wanted someone who looked like Snape, I would've married Snape," she snapped. "We'll find out the truth, whether it's through a book or through a Death Eater that's trying to attack us, but the best thing we can do for ourselves right now is be prepared. There are already people looking for an answer for us and I'm sure they'd agree that you're wasting your second chance on this Earth by doing this."

He still seemed unconvinced.

"What will Harry think if you still look this crazed by the time of his first Quidditch match?"

That did the trick. There was no way in hell he'd allow Harry to see him in this state. "I don't know what to do, Lily," James whispered. "If I fail you both again… if he dies this time around-"

"He won't," she murmured resolutely. Lily cupped his cheek and stared deeply into his eyes. "You didn't allow it the first time, did you?"

"I think you had more to do with that than I did, love." He looked at her like he was lost. "What do we do? What do I do now?"

She hummed and laid her head on his shoulder. "What if we just pretended?"

"Pretended? Pretended what?"

"That this isn't part of some nefarious plan against the Potters. That my sacrifice was enough to bring us back too? That the Powers-That-Be gave us life so that we could protect the Savior of the Wizarding World ourselves?"

"I wish it were that simple."

"We can make it that simple. Just for now… We have family and friends who are here to help us, a son who's finally safe in our care. I don't want to be scared anymore, James. I've been scared for four months already. I just want to start living again."

His hand settled on her waist and he rubbed circles into the small of her back. He wanted to tell her it wasn't a good idea- that they needed to stay on guard until they found out who or what resurrected them.

But their door swung open and all thoughts about trying to sway Lily's mind went flying out the window at the grave look on Sirius' face.

"It's Harry."

Harry was nowhere in sight when they arrived at Dumbledore's office, but his Head of House was there, as well as a surly Snape and a very concerned looking Albus. "What is the meaning of this?" James hissed angrily. Sirius had to hold him back from grabbing Severus by the lapels of his robes. They both could have been foaming at the mouth with how livid they were to see each other again. "This was you, wasn't it? Sending my son in the wrong direction so he'd be confronted with a mountain troll?!"

Snape looked like he could sock James in the mouth. "Believe what you want, you fool, but it was your arrogant, idiotic spawn-"

"How dare you!"

"-that thought himself a hero and went chasing after the troll himself!"

"You know that isn't the full story, Severus," Dumbledore admonished gently.

"Like we should all believe Granger's lies. Potter's been strutting about with nary a care in the world from the moment he got here!"

"My son does not strut!" James seethed dangerously. "And who is Granger?!"

"Oh, has he not been writing home to tell you about his many followers?"

"If I may explain what happened with my students, Severus?" McGonagall snapped. "Harry did indeed run in the direction of the troll instead of his common room, but only because a fellow housemate, Miss Granger, very foolishly went after the troll herself. Harry, along with Mr. Weasley and Mr. Longbottom, were trying to stop her."

"And how exactly did a troll get into the castle in the first place?" Lily fumed. "It didn't wander in! Those things are duller than drywall!"

Dumbledore heaved a heavy breath and nodded in agreement. "We believe it was a distraction so that someone could try to find something we've hidden deep within Hogwarts." They waited for an explanation. "I'm not sure if you've been keeping up with the papers, but there was a report about Gringotts being broken into?"

"We all saw it," Sirius answered. "The idiot went into an empty vault. What about it?"

"The vault was empty because the day you went to Diagon Alley with Hagrid, he was on orders to retrieve the parcel within that vault and return it here where it could be properly guarded."

James felt his head throbbing with anger. "And what exactly was it?"

Severus and Minerva looked at the old man, wondering if he was going to tell them the truth. "The Sorcerer's Stone. We believe Voldemort might be out there, looking to use it to revive himself."

Their jaws dropped at the revelation. "That's impossible," Sirius deadpanned. "The Sorcerer's Stone is a myth."

Snape glared at him. "So, you think we're guarding an empty parcel, then?"

"And I suppose it was your brilliant mind, Snape, that thought it would be a good idea to hide the bloody rock in a school full of children?" he spat back.

"You miserable-"

"That's enough!" Dumbledore's voice grew very deep and they knew better than to fight when he was angry like this. "Indeed, Sirius, it may not be the best plan we have, but Hogwarts is greatly protected, as is the Stone now that it is with us. This was our only choice."

"Greatly protected?" James scoffed. "Someone let a troll into the castle so you'd all be led astray while they went looking for the Stone!"

"On the contrary, Potter." Snape spoke to him like he was stupider than dirt. "I knew exactly what was happening and headed him off before he could get anywhere near the Stone."

"Headed him off? You know who's trying to do it?"

"I have my suspicions."

"Well?"

Snape looked away disdainfully. "Quirrell."

Even Lily wanted to laugh. "Quirrell? That stammering man that looked like he would pass out after meeting an eleven year old?"

His hard face twitched as though it were trying to keep it's guarded anger but he visibly softened when Lily spoke. "It would be in your best interest not to underestimate anyone. The Dark Lord chooses those who are well versed in the art of lying. Or have you forgotten your dear friend, Pettigrew?"

Sirius crossed his arms over his chest and tensed in his spot.

"So, Quirrell," James muttered. "I assume you'll be keeping a closer eye on him from this point on?"

"Obviously."

"And if he is working for Voldemort?"

Lily reached out and squeezed James' forearm. "Then he might just have the answer we we've been looking for."

"Hello, Severus."

Snape froze. He had been the first one to leave after the meeting in Dumbledore's office, unable to stomach watching James and Lily interact with one another. He hardly thought he'd be followed. The Potters and company were far too busy ensuring their brat's safety to notice him slip out the door.

"Lily," he greeted softly. "I thought better than to hope you would visit me."

Lily remained quiet. Despite the coolness on her face, she still looked as radiant as he remembered.

"So," she said finally. "You switched sides, did you?"

Severus rushed out from behind his desk. "The moment I found out he was after you." She still seemed withdrawn. "Lily, I swear. When I heard what he wanted to do to you-"

"Yes, Severus, to me," she barked. "But who cares about all the other innocent lives, right? All the other blood traitors and mudbloods like me-"

"Don't call yourself that!"

"You never had a problem calling me a mudblood before."

He stood struck once more. "You know I never meant to say that to you… You know how sorry I was."

"So sorry that you became a Death Eater?"

Severus couldn't look at her any longer. "And so you went to Potter?" he asked bitterly. "When you knew what he was like?"

Lily locked her hands on her hips and he nearly flinched. He recognized that stance. It was what she did when she was ready to tear someone apart limb from limb. "I went to James because he showed me that he was more than a bully. He grew up, Severus. He changed. You on the other hand." Her face twisted in what looked like a mix of sadness and disgust. "You proved to be exactly who they said you were."

His dark eyes snapped up and met her vibrant, green ones.

"Bullying my son? For the sins of his father? For reasons he doesn't even know?"

He grew angry now. "So he ran to mummy and told on me, did he? I'll have you know that the boy is just as spoiled, just as full of himself as his father was when he was at Hogwarts!"

Lily whipped her wand out and in two giant steps, stood right in front of her old friend. She jabbed the wand into his throat.

"Lil-" he choked out.

"Don't you ever speak about Harry like that again. You think you can lie to me, Snivs? You know where he grew up. You know exactly what Petunia was like and how she would've treated him. You're not stupid enough to think he was spoiled or pampered. You just can't stand the sight of him because he looks exactly like his father."

She shoved him away and he crashed into his desk.

"Harry did tell us about you, yes, but he's too smart to do it again. He doesn't like upsetting us, you see? He refuses to tell us how he was really treated by the Dursleys because he hates causing trouble. If he thinks sleeping in a closet for all his life isn't worth mentioning to us, then I can't imagine he'll say anything more about you."

Lily calmly walked away from him as she pocketed her wand.

"But I'm not stupid enough to think you've stopped and if you keep picking on him, Severus, I'll shove your head so far up your ass you'll be able to taste the inside of your throat."

She slammed the door on her way out.

AN: Ok, after this, this discussion is being dropped like a hot potato.

all right guys, I'm really happy to see there's a lot of Ron supporters like me, but everyone's getting some stuff twisted.

When I said someone made a review on guest, I wasn't trying to wage an all out war on them, wasn't thinking they were trying to bully me, I was just saying it as it was. Someone wrote a review as a guest so I wasn't able to have a debate in private. At the same time, the guest wasn't the only one and I've written stories before where a handful of people have had to say that they were disappointed with Ron's presence. That rant wasn't against the guest. My mention of that was to say the reason why I was about to explode with the need to defend a character.

I didn't take it as a personal attack, I don't know why anyone would think I did, because I am not Ron Weasley (and I'm laughing really hard just writing that).

All I really have to say about people saying I didn't list any of Ron's bad qualities is obviously I didn't list his bad qualities. We all know his bad qualities. I don't have to list those because that's the parts of him that are highlighted. I listed and focused on the good parts of him because those are the parts that are ignored.

And just a reminder, one of the two main characters in my story (James Potter) as well as his best friends were bigger fucking prats than Ron Weasley ever was and went out of their way to bully and prank people, but it's the good parts of them that are focused on.

Ron can be a douche. I never denied that. But he's one of the most human characters and everyone misses that when they read him as just a douche and don't look at the way the good and bad interact in him.

Also, I'm not discussing JKR saying Ron and Hermione shouldn't have ended up together because that's a piss poor argument that does nothing to shed light on his overall character. JKR also said that Ron, Harry and Hermione compliment each other as a group of friends.

They all of their asshole moments and they all have a way to balance each other out.

And I'm not saying this because Ron Weasley is my favorite character. Effing Remus Werewolf McWerewolf Lupin is my favorite character and even he has his flaws. If Harry Potter was black and white to you, then I suggest rereading it again because one very important point of the series is that we all got "light and dark" in us (Sirius Black, bruh, look it up) and that doesn't mean straight up evil and right. That means we all have our good and bad and have to act on the right side.

Kid's sardonic and sarcastic and insensitive as hell sometimes, but don't write off his good traits just because he can be a bit of a prat. He's put his life on the line to save the wizarding world plenty of times.

AND now this is done. Ron will be a part of my story and he isn't going to get dropped by Harry, if you don't like that then i'm obviously not gluing you to your laptop to read this story.