To the guest who just posted a review today (December 2nd 2019). I apologize but I have other way of replying to you since you don't have an account. James and Sirius were suppose to be in for 7 years for being an animagus. But Dumbles got it extended to 17 with his influence. The got released 5 years earlier for good behavior, reducing 17 years to 12 years. Hence their out 12 years later in 1993 (from 1981). Only the few court members at the trial knew and Dumbledore used his influence to convince them to be silent. Prisoners are isolated in Azkaban. Even if they knew, they don't have means of revealing James was alive from their prison cell.
"Snivellus hasn't changed a bit has he?" said Sirius with disdain after Dumbledore and Snape had left. Harry sniggered, but wondered where the nickname came from. James and Remus groaned at the thought of Snape.
"How pathetic of him to take out his hatred against me on my son who never did a thing to him," said James disgustedly.
"Dad, what exactly went on between you and Snape? I mean, everything I do or say seems to remind him of something he hated about you," asked Harry.
"You've heard of love at first sight, but for your father and Snape, it was hate at first sight. And I hated him just as much," said Sirius.
"I heard him saying he wanted to be sorted into Slytherin. I was spoilt, self-righteous kid, so I couldn't help but be stereotypical that Slytherin was the evil house. I said I'd leave if I was sorted into Slytherin and he made fun of me for wanting to be sorted into Gryffindor. That's how I came up with Snivellus," said James with a hint of regret.
Harry chuckled. He remembered being stereotypical himself, and pleading with the sorting hat to sort him anywhere else but Slytherin.
"So that's it?" asked Harry.
"I also despised him for being fascinated with the Dark arts and being friends with Slytherins that I knew would become Death Eaters, especially Lucius Malfoy. I knew Lucius Malfoy for the prat and pureblood supremacist that he was, having encountered him several times at social events before I attended Hogwarts. But I was a prat myself though," James looked down in shame.
James, Sirius and Remus began telling Harry a summarized version of how James and Sirius used to bully Snape and hex students for fun. Harry was at first overwhelmed by his father being a bully, but he relaxed when they said James and Sirius cleaned up their acts by their 7th year and when he saw that they seemed remorseful about their actions.
"So, you stopped bullying Snape by your 7th year?" Harry asked hopefully.
"I did, but he wouldn't let it go. He never lost an opportunity to curse me in our seventh year. And I couldn't take it lying down that I'd hex him back in retaliation which resulted in us having a back and forth feud in our seventh year," said James.
"Dad, I heard that you saved Snape's life once. How did that happen?" Harry asked curiously.
"I'm afraid that's my fault," said Sirius ruefully as he told Harry how he tried to play a nasty prank on Snape by sending him down the Shrieking Shack during Lupin's transformation and how James risked his life to pull Snape out of harm's way.
"And Snape's not at all grateful?" asked Harry disbelievingly.
"He tells himself I did it to save my friends and my own skin. I partly did it for Remus, but I would never have sat back and let him die. As much as I hated him, I never wanted him dead," said James. "And I guess I can't really blame him since I was still a git to him after saving his life. A part of me wanted to teach him a lesson for trying to expose Remus".
"Alright, enough about Snape. Let's show Harry his room," said Sirius.
Harry was slack-jawed when he was brought into a room with marble flooring and Gryffindor themed walls. The room was filled with Gryffindor and Quiditch themed decorations. The bedspread was scarlet red and gold with a large golden snitch on the bedspread and pillows. He marveled at the room even more once James, Sirius and Remus had cleaned the room up a bit, using cleaning jinxes.
"This used to be my room, but you can redecorate or pick another room if you want," said James.
"It's perfect as it is. But maybe I'll make a few adjustments," said Harry, still admiring the room.
"I'm famished. Let's have lunch at Diagon Alley while the maids clean up the house. I've been dying for a good meal in almost twelve years," said Sirius.
"Me too. I think I lost the taste in my tongue after all that Azkaban food", said James.
The Marauders and Harry had lunch at Diagon Alley and they insisted Harry be bought new, fashionable clothes to wear instead of the hand-me-down clothes the Dursleys made him wear. Harry was given a tour of the mansion after they returned and he had never seen a more magnificent house. The house came with a swimming pool, home gym, dueling room, library and Quiditch pitch. He especially loved the Quditch pitch. His most interesting visit was to the home library.
Harry and James entered the home library but there was some sort of a barrier that came up as Sirius and Remus stood at the entrance. James cast a charm with his wand which got rid of the barrier and enabled Sirius and Remus to enter the home library.
"It's a charm my great-grandfather placed on the library. Only Potters can enter at will," said James at Harry's puzzled look.
"But why place that charm on the library?" asked Harry.
"Most wizarding families with a home library use that charm, including mine," said Sirius.
"Family libraries usually contain the family's ancestral research work and old, limited edition books that other families don't possess. In order protect them from other families, the charm enables only family members and people allowed by them to enter the library," James explained.
Harry looked around the library. It was as magnificent as the rest of the house and was almost as big as the library at Hogwarts. Most of the books looked more than centuries old. The walls and flooring were marble.
"Hermione would love this," said Harry gleefully.
"You can show it to her during Christmas break. We're planning on having a Christmas party and inviting the Weasleys and Grangers," said James.
"Brilliant!" said Harry.
Harry was delighted to meet his grandparents through their talking portraits in the library. The portraits of Fleamont and Euphemia Potter were just as furious with Dumbledore when they were filled in but were pleased to meet their grandson.
"Is there a talking portrait of mum?" Harry asked hopefully.
"Sorry son, we never got around to making one of your mum," said James ruefully.
At 12 am, Harry was woken up by exploding fireworks to find the three Marauders grinning cheekily at him.
"Happy Birthday!" they chanted together.
"I almost forgot it was my birthday," said Harry who both puzzled and pleasantly surprised that he was being wished for his birthday for the time since he could remember.
Harry was presented with a cake, gifts and a promised celebration later that day. He received 2 gold rings with his name engraved on bottom from Sirius (one had its top shaped like a snitch and one had diamond cut stripes), a cherry box with his name engraved on it and Quiditch themes keychains from Remus, and to his delight, a Firebolt from James. Harry emotionally hugged and thanked each Marauder. He felt a warmth spread over himself as it was the first time that his birthday truly felt like his birthday.
This was made even better when three owls appeared at his window, bearing more Birthday gifts and letters.
Harry relieved the tawny owl that he knew came from Hogwarts first. He opened Hagrid's package to find a book titled the "Monster's Book of Monsters." The book immediately scuttled sideways on the floor and shuffled rapidly across the room. James, Sirius and Remus tackled it, shut the book and magically bound the book with a rope.
"What in the world?" asked Sirius, disbelievingly.
They then read the note from Hagrid saying that Harry would find it useful nest year.
He opened his Hogwarts letter which came with a permission slip to visit Hogsmeade Village.
"Ah, Hogsmeade," Sirius tilted his head back in pleasure.
"The trouble we used to get ourselves into," said James reminiscently.
"Good times," said James, Sirius and Remus together, reminiscing their Hogwarts days.
He then freed Hedwig with a letter and gift from Hermione. Hermione's gift was really heavy. Harry expected it to be a book full of difficult spells but was pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be a Broom Servicing Kit.
Lastly, Harry freed Ron's family own, Errol. He received a Pocket Sneakoscope from Ron and was delighted that Ron's family had won 700 galleons and was vacationing in Egypt. James, Sirius and Remus looked intently at the picture of Ron's family.
"It's him" said Sirius darkly as James and Remus nodded in agreement.
"Who?" asked Harry.
"Peter Pettigrew," they said with utmost loathing.
"That rat's his animagus," said James
"But that rat's Ron pet, Scabbers," said Harry.
"He's been disguising himself as a house pet," said Remus.
"But how can you be so sure he's Peter Pettigrew. There must a plenty of rats that look the same," Harry appealed.
"Oh, we've been with him enough to recognize his form. It's exactly the same color and markings. We're a 100% sure it's him," said Sirius.
"He even has a toe missing," James pointed out.
Harry couldn't argue with that determination.
"Let's get him right now," said Sirius determinedly.
"But Ron's in Egypt. He only gets back in three weeks," said Harry.
"We've waited for almost twelve years. We can wait for another three weeks," Remus reasoned.
"Alright. Harry, write to Ron and ask to him keep 'Scabbers' locked up," said Sirius.
"When he gets back, Peter will have hell to pay," James swore.
Harry wrote a letter to Ron, giving him a summary of the situation and begging him to keep Scabbers locked up.
Please review! Am I going too slow or too fast?
I usually summarize some of the events to make it less draggy. The Birthday gifts from Hagrid, Ron and Hermione were in the book, so I really summarized the event.
Please give me at least 2 weeks to upload the next chapter. Thank you!