Notice: Nothing in the world of Harry Potter belongs to me, except for the OCs

NT: It's been years since I had this idea in my mind, but the truth is that it took me a long time to actually put together a plan for an English version of my story set within the world of Harry Potter. I really missed writing novels, even though I can be pretty lazy at times, but I always wanted to write something about James Potter. I wanted to mix the wizarding world of Hogwarts with my love of the parallel universe and angel/devil genres. This fanfiction is currently in a draft state, but whenever I post a chapter on my Wattpad account, I usually go back and edit it before publishing. The plot and ending of this novel are already finished in my drafts.

Love,

xoxo.

Genre: Drama/Romance, Parallel Worlds, Angels, Wizards and Demons.

Time: Marauder's Era.

Content Caution: Includes some strong scenes, obscenity, and sensitive topics.

Prohibited: Any kind of copying of this story is prohibited.

Level 4

.

(diffuse auras)

"IT WAS A PLEASURE MEETING YOU TOO!"

James exclaimed with a smile on his face, but inside, he was overwhelmed by a wave of anxious emotions that faded away as the blonde girl disappeared from the scene.

James felt dizzy. Going along with the plan to meet Sheena Foster in the Forbidden Forest was not his original idea. However, knowing that he had to show up at the same place as requested by Sirius to continue discussing the idea of becoming an Animagus, it was an opportunity he thought he should take to dispel his doubts about that strange girl with golden curls.

Sheena's stories about what happened six years ago didn't convince James at all. He mentally scolded himself for overlooking all the mysterious details in the girl's behavior. He was eager to escape the situation so he could investigate on his own later to uncover the truth behind Sheena Foster. He was convinced that the whole truth wouldn't come out of the blonde girl's lips, and although he had more pressing concerns, he knew he couldn't let it go easily. Eventually, Sheena would unknowingly reveal all the answers to his questions.

He had learned that things were not always what they seemed. His initial impression of Sheena was far from normal. James didn't want to leave any doubt about the strange aura he saw in the girl when she saved him. Since Hogwarts didn't always hold the answers to all the inexplicable events around him, he considered Sheena to be just another puzzle added to the list.

"James!"

Sirius's call echoed through the place. James quickly stood up and looked around until he spotted his friends making their way through the trees, with traces of dirt on their robes and leaves in their hair. He chuckled to himself, a mischievous smile curling on his lips, while the four boys looked at him without a hint of amusement on their faces.

"Where were you?" Archie asked with exasperation. "We've been wandering around like idiots trying to find you."

"Not to mention how dangerous it is to wander in this forest without any protection," Remus added, shaking his head disapprovingly.

James rolled his eyes at his friends' dramatic scene and decided to remain silent for now.

"Plus, entering this place is against school rules," Peter chimed in with concern, joining the others' complaints.

Sirius took two steps towards Potter. He then put on a terrified expression and raised a hand, pointing at his messy hair.

"Do you even know how many hours it takes to maintain perfect hair?"

James furrowed his brow at Sirius. Despite wanting to start a defense argument, he thought it would be futile. He wasn't sure if he should tell his friends that he had seen the blonde girl just a couple of minutes ago and that's why he hadn't shown up at the agreed time. Immediately, thinking that he would have to come up with more explanations, he dismissed the possibility of telling them.

James started pacing in circles, now wearing a serene smile and looking at his friends.

"First of all, it was Sirius's idea to talk about this in the Forbidden Forest," he said, raising an eyebrow as he looked at young Black, who flinched at the reproach. "And secondly..." he continued, shifting his gaze from the dark-haired boy to the others. "We came here to discuss how and when to become Animagus. Besides, we're already taking a risk by wanting to do something against the school rules, so being here is the least of our worries, right?"

"Looking at it that way, I guess it makes sense," Peter responded sheepishly, stretching his hand behind his head and scratching the back of his neck.

"Does anyone even know what it takes to perform the Animagus transformation ritual?" Archie asked, confused, turning to look at Sirius.

Sirius nodded enthusiastically.

"After James's little theatrics," he began, laughing at the annoyed look James gave him, "I was about to tell you what I've gathered so far."

"And what is that?" Remus asked the black-haired boy, examining him for any sign that he might be joking.

Upon hearing his scarred friend's question and the expectant looks from the other boys, Sirius smiled tentatively and said,

"We know the process is lengthy, although they didn't tell us much about it last year, but all we have to do is hold a mandrake leaf in our mouths for an entire month while reciting 'Amato Animo Animato Animagus'."

"Is that all?" Peter exclaimed incredulously, listening attentively to Sirius's explanation. "That sounds easy."

James chuckled.

"Yeah, it doesn't sound too complicated."

"It's more complicated than getting Lily Evans to pay attention to James than doing that ritual, then," Remus joked.

"Hey!" James protested, feeling offended.

"Listen," Sirius said bitterly, grabbing the attention of the four boys again. "We also have to drink the Animagus potion daily during an electrical storm, and the entire month has to be from full moon to full moon."

While the others seemed surprised, Archie and Remus widened their eyes in alarm upon hearing the words 'full moon' in the conversation.

"Well, I admit that doesn't sound easy anymore," Peter said. "But it sounds quite dangerous."

"Uh... Guys," Remus said slowly, "you know I won't be able to join you because I'm a werewolf, right? A full moon is not pleasant for me."

Sirius nodded and smiled understandingly.

"We're doing this for you, but we'll keep you informed."

"And you can always count on us, don't worry," James added, raising his right hand and making a pledge gesture.

"Thank you so much, guys," Remus said, placing a grateful smile on his lips. The sparkle in the boy's eyes revealed his genuine affection for his friends.

Unaware of the situation and feeling completely distraught, Archie bit his lip hard.

"I think I'll pass on becoming an Animagus, guys."

Both Peter and Remus looked at Archie skeptically, but James and Sirius exchanged concerned glances. However, it was Potter who felt the pang of pain from Archie's words the most. It was a sad fact to know that Professor McGonagall's prodigious son actually suffered greatly behind the image he portrayed to everyone. Potter felt bad knowing that Archie hated himself for hiding that secret from the rest of the group and especially from Remus. He knew that the brown-haired boy feared full moon nights for the same reason as Remus. Nevertheless, James was proud of the trust Archie had in confiding in him and Sirius about his past.

"Why don't you want to become an Animagus?" Peter asked, looking at Archie, who averted his gaze to the ground.

Remus arched an eyebrow with concern and suspicion.

"Is there any particular reason?"

Seeing that Archie only shook his head, Sirius intervened, knowing the true reason for the situation.

"Hey, let's respect Archie's decision. Maybe he's not ready for a change in routine."

"But we promised to do it together," Peter said disappointedly.

"We'll still do it because Archie will witness all our efforts, but we have to respect his decision," James said seriously, wrapping an arm around the mentioned boy's neck and embracing him. "Because he's also part of the group, and we'll always be together, no matter what."

Peter nodded and smiled, embarrassed for objecting against his friend.

"You're right."

"I appreciate it," Archie murmured timidly, looking at his friends and smiling halfway.

"Then..." Sirius said, pausing and trying to break the tension, "let's start the Animagus process on the nineteenth of this month, which will be our first full moon."

"I feel like at this rate, we'll finish next year or until I get wrinkles," Peter groaned while wrinkling his nose. The messy-haired youth wasn't entirely wrong, as the path to becoming an Animagus was very long.

"Nothing that a couple of wrinkle-reducing spellbooks can't solve," Remus replied to the boy teasingly.

"And I'll have to schedule my time to manage it with the upcoming Quidditch match," James said, making a face. He was known as the best Seeker of the moment, so he couldn't hesitate if he wanted to lead Gryffindor to victory in the next game.

Standing in the middle of his four friends, Sirius took a deep breath and said,

"None of you lose faith! We'll achieve our goal before you can say 'Quidditch'."

"Quidditch," Peter joked and received amused looks from the whole group, except for Sirius, who turned to look at him expressionlessly. "It was a joke."

"I hope so," Sirius said, with a half-hearted attempt to maintain a stern voice.

Remus ignored the supposed argument between the two boys before saying,

"I think we'd better get back to our common room before they notice we're missing."

"I agree with Remus," Archie spoke slowly, breaking the silence that had settled on him during their conversation. "I don't want another scolding from my mother."

"Has it been that long?" Sirius questioned, as for him, it hadn't been more than a couple of minutes.

"We'll talk about this later, let's go," James suggested, scanning the sky for any signs of rain to avoid any mishaps on their way back to the castle.

As they set off to return to the Gryffindor common room, James could see the suspicious looks Remus had been giving Archie. Initially, he sensed Remus's air of mistrust towards the brunette's words, but keeping that secret was becoming increasingly difficult, and he knew that Archie had to take the first step to break that strange tension. James knew that, for now, he couldn't do anything more than offer his support to both boys, hoping that nothing would end up going wrong.

(*)

During the course of the following day, the same routine of attending the first two classes and then going to the Dining Hall for breakfast as usual at school was repeated. James felt exhausted because after the third class, which was Arithmancy, he couldn't keep up with the schedule anymore. The previous night, he couldn't sleep, thinking that it wasn't fair that there was something so simple that he didn't know, especially about Sheena Foster.

In truth, James had to admit that, even knowing that the girl wouldn't dispel the answer he needed, the desire to find out for himself was strong. Whether it was because he noticed that the blonde girl had been avoiding him since yesterday or because he failed to explain to his friends the reason for his distraction and thought that the faster he found the information he needed, the better. Of course, he didn't think twice before telling Sirius that he was sick and asking him to inform the professor and the other guys in the group, but the discovery of secrets was brewing deep in his mind. And, without spoiling the icing on the cake, it was nothing for Potter to miss the Care of Magical Creatures class, as it was never of great use to him. Although he hated the idea of not being able to spend more time with his Lily flower, curiosity seemed to get the better of him.

To James's relief, the dreaded N.E.W.T.s only arrived in the last two weeks of the fifth year. That test was among the required levels of difficulty to take, although they were actually calmer compared to the seventh-year O.W.L.s. James understood that from the explanation they gave at the end of the second year, and he had been preparing to face the N.E.W.T.s since before the school year began. However, that fact wasn't his concern at the moment.

A couple of minutes later, James walked through the corridors until he reached the fourth floor. When he arrived at an old door, he entered to find the vastness of the library; its elongated shelves lined with books, the rustic look of striking brown color, and an impressive staircase that almost reached the ceiling. For a moment, he stood still in the dimly lit place, observing the details up close since he had never been in Hogwarts' striking library for so long. He felt an inexplicable sense of adventure as he set out to explore the library, browsing through the sections for a while to see if he could find something related to human auras. Perhaps if he found something about the auras seen in a person, he could find the answer to all his doubts.

Passing through some sections like the invisible section, James found a division that caught his attention. His eyes explored the finely carved sentences, 'Parallel Dimension Section,' interesting him as he walked directly to the section and read the names of the books until his gaze connected with a hardcover book, purple in color, with embroidered drawings of golden clouds. He was very interested in the appearance of the book and took it from the shelf, flipping it over to read the title. Immediately, James blinked as he read 'Secrets of the Second World' in the center of the cover.

James quickly moved to sit at a library table and placed the book on it, opening it with curiosity to start flipping through each page. He looked at page thirty, which talked about the possible magic that resided in the second world, which according to one of the writings of the great Salazar Slytherin, was referred to as a magic more powerful than any existing wizard in the first world. The book also detailed the discovery of that parallel world and how the first Hogwarts wizard who crossed into that world never returned alive. James furrowed his brow slightly. Did this book have the answer to the Ministry of Magic's fear of beings from the second world?

There was a certain monstrous characteristic when his professors defined the creatures from that alternate world. And James was concerned about the fact that he only knew about one being from there, Archie's father, but he never really knew the man, and the little he knew about him was that he was the leader of one of the werewolf packs in the second world, so he deduced that the werewolves in that world lived in groups like ordinary wolves and had a less bestial appearance than those in the first world. For example, even if Archie and Remus were werewolves, there was a big difference in appearance between them.

Despite that deduction, James didn't know if this book talked about all the creatures that inhabited the second world since that kind of information has always been vague at Hogwarts.

A strange sigh of exasperation interrupted James and caught his attention. A few meters in front of him, he found a young blonde girl surrounded by books, sitting near a table, frustratingly holding her head with both hands. There was Sheena Foster again. In the distance, Potter could see how the girl made expressions of confusion and then understanding as her gaze focused solely on one of the open books she had nearby. The strange faces the blonde girl made were quite a comedic spectacle for James.

"Do you need help with something?" James asked, his lips curving into a mocking smile.

In the face of the shattered silence, Sheena raised her fearful gaze towards him, although her expression of fear transformed into anger when she noticed the presence of the dark-haired boy more clearly. James chuckled softly, rising from his seat and walking slowly towards the girl. Finally, he stood face to face with her as she seemed to try to push him away with her gaze. There was something distinctive about Sheena Foster that made James want to get closer to her, even if it was just to bother her for a while. In contrast, Sheena always had the same expression of wanting to be anywhere but near him.

Dropping her arms and staring at him intently, Sheena spoke in a low voice:

"Why do you have the habit of showing up wherever I am?"

James shrugged.

"I don't know. I could say that destiny wants us to be friends, or it could just be that you came to read stories when I was looking for something important in the library," he explained, then smiled. "What a coincidence, right?"

"Weren't you supposed to be sick?" Sheena asked challengingly, as if all she needed to do was silence the bespectacled boy.

James choked on his saliva upon hearing the girl's question, and he thought of a million answers as to how the hell she knew that information.

"I-I just came to read a little," he stumbled. "The truth is, I just have a cough," he confessed, feigning a cough at the end of his response.

"I see..." Sheena said doubtfully. "But I recommend you work on your lying skills for next time because even a guinea pig can act better than you."

"That's not true!" James exclaimed under his breath, receiving a serene smile from the girl. "What about you? Aren't you supposed to be in your fourth class too?"

"I asked the teacher for permission before coming," Sheena responded nonchalantly, shrugging her shoulders.

The air fell like cold water on James, who looked frantically at the girl with some embarrassment and blurted out:

"I could have done that too, but I needed to find information about something quickly."

"You don't need to explain to me," Sheena said as she turned to continue reading her book. "Now you can go back to your business, I won't rat you out if that's what you're thinking."

"Do you think I'm afraid of being ratted out? You don't scare me because it wouldn't be the first time I got punished," James replied bravely. "Besides, how much do you read?"

Sheena turned to look at him bitterly.

"That's none of your business."

James lifted his head slightly and looked around the table where the girl was, locking eyes with the titles of the books as he was surprised to see that they were from subjects ranging from first to fourth year. Although it was normal for the girl to start studying all that because she had just arrived at Hogwarts at the age of fourteen and was allowed to attend fourth year with the condition of keeping up with the coursework. Still, it was hard for him to understand what that had to do with her avoiding him all the time. James Potter was an expert at deciphering gestures, but the expressions Sheena gave him led him to speculate that the girl was going through a great fear, which she hid behind a false mask of bitterness. What exactly was Sheena Foster afraid of? And why did she seem to express it only when she crossed paths with him?

Looking at her this time, James asked:

"What's the reason you're avoiding me?"

Sheena was dumbfounded by the question and then shook her head, letting out a nervous laugh.

"No one is avoiding you, Four-eyes."

"Four-eyes?" James asked, confused by the nickname. "And if you are avoiding me, I've noticed it in your behavior since we saw each other again."

"Let's assume that's the case," Sheena said, raising one eyebrow. "What's wrong with avoiding you? Did you ever think it might be because I don't like you?"

"Let's see, are you avoiding me because you don't like me?" James asked tentatively, mapping out a tactical plan in his mind to get the truth out of the blonde girl.

"Yes," she affirmed confidently.

The bespectacled boy scanned Sheena with his eyes, noticing how she fidgeted with her hands under the table while biting her lower lip. That act didn't go unnoticed by James, as he had previously seen the same behavior during their encounter in the Forbidden Forest.

"You're lying," said the dark-haired boy, pointing at the girl as if he had discovered a treasure.

"For God's sake!" Sheena exclaimed in a low voice. "Stop scanning my every move every time I speak, I'm starting to hate you for doing that."

"Unfortunately, for you, Miss Golden Curls, you lie worse than I do."

Offended by Potter's words, Sheena wrinkled her nose and replied:

"Don't call me 'Golden Curls'."

"You call me 'Four-eyes,' so isn't it fair that I give you a nickname too?" James asked, smiling mischievously.

The curly-haired girl opened and closed her mouth again, ending up letting out a sigh.

"You've achieved your daily quota of being annoying, can you leave me alone now?"

"There's so little that bothers you, isn't there? I mean, I just came to say hello and you treated me as if you didn't want me here," James said, pretending to be hurt.

"I reiterate, I don't want you here," Sheena said, rolling her eyes. "Would you kindly do me the favor of leaving, Mr. Four-eyes?"

"I love how you have humor behind that mask you wear."

Sheena frowned at the boy's response and the strange smile he had on his face.

"Do you even listen, or does the jerkiness seep through your eardrums?"

"I ignore all the negative stuff," James corrected. If he were one of those who listened to all the mean things people said to him, he would have given up on his attempts to win over Lily Evans long ago. "So, I suppose you can't get rid of me, Golden Curls."

Sheena's face hardened, and looking directly at the floor, she let out another sigh.

"As you wish, Potter. Anyway, I'm leaving," she grumbled, getting up from her seat and adjusting her Hufflepuff robe.

Hastily, James stepped aside as he watched Sheena with curiosity, feeling confused about why he was so intrigued by the girl.

"No goodbye like before? How rude."

"You... Ugh," Sheena squealed, spinning on her heels to look straight at the boy. "Goodbye."

There was a funny second as Sheena disappeared beyond the library door. With a quick movement, James looked at the open book on the table, previously occupied by the Hufflepuff girl, and was astonished to read 'The Foster Legacy' on the left page. The boy's eyes quickly scanned the contents of the page, overwhelmed by the information it contained.

[The Foster surname was the oldest among all the pure-blood families. However, the surname was crossed off the list after a strange event occurred in a distant century. On a rainy night of January fourteenth, people claimed to see dark auras in the sky and chilling black smoke roaming the streets. It is said that this smoke was seen surrounding the Foster family's house, gradually increasing like the storm on that icy night. All that has been recorded of this event is that the next day, all members with the Foster surname were found lifeless, their corpses piled on top of each other as if they were mere boxes. But what had the most impact was that the bodies appeared as if their souls had been sucked out of them.]

Time seemed to stand still for a bewildered James, who, with millions of questions swirling in his mind, had stopped reading. For many years, he had refused to find out what had happened to that family. On one hand, he was curious to understand how an entire family could be annihilated in one night; on the other hand, he was terrified of discovering the reason and suffering the same fate. What was Sheena doing, investigating the dark past of the Foster surname? Didn't she know what had happened before? What had truly frustrated the young blonde about the book?

James's mind was spinning so much that he felt he hadn't made any progress in Sheena Foster's investigation but had returned to the beginning of it all.

(*)

After a long day of worries, James decided to go to the Gryffindor tower and return to his dormitory, which he shared with Archie and Remus. He entered the seventh-floor staircases and made his way to the corridor of the Fat Lady, walking straight to the end to find the familiar portrait of a plump woman that concealed the entrance to the tower.

"Leonis iuba!" exclaimed James in front of the portrait.

In an instant, the portrait swung forward, revealing a round hole in the wall. James smiled before entering the Gryffindor common room, a circular room filled with comfortable armchairs, reddish decorations, a large fireplace, walls adorned with scarlet tapestries, and many windows overlooking the school grounds. Continuing his journey, he climbed a spiral staircase, adorned with crimson and gold, which led directly to the entrance of the dormitories. Each room had a central stove and a four-poster bed for each student, as well as windows and spaces for personal belongings. Without much hesitation, James entered his dormitory and closed the door before collapsing onto his bed.

"Isn't it too early to go to bed? Even Remus went out for a while out of pure boredom," asked Archie, who was sitting at the foot of a messy bed, looking at James with curiosity.

"You have no idea how exhausted I feel. It's like I've fallen off the broom a thousand times," sighed James. "And that's not to mention all the unnecessary information I gathered at the library today."

With more confusion from the black-haired boy's response, Archie raised an eyebrow and said, "Weren't you sick?"

James let out a frustrated sigh before sitting on the bed and looking at the brunette. "It's a long story, alright?" he replied defeatedly. "Now I need you to answer if you know anything else about the Second World."

"Why the sudden interest in that world?" questioned Archie.

"Archie, please," James exclaimed.

"Alright," Archie said, raising both arms in surrender. "I absolutely don't know anything more than what you already know, but I have this symbol on the necklace that my dad left me before he abandoned me," he recounted, bringing his hand to his neck and stretching the necklace to show an infinity symbol carved into the pendant. "I never knew the meaning, as my mother doesn't want to talk much about my father either."

Frustrated and tired, James lay back down. "That doesn't answer anything," he said in a lamenting voice. "And do you know anything about what happened to the Foster family?"

"Um...," said the pensive brunette, pausing. "The other day, I overheard my mother talking to Dumbledore about it and the strange appearance of Sheena as a member of that family."

James sat up once again and turned to Archie. "What did you hear?"

"Well," Archie murmured, feeling uncertain as he recalled what he had heard. "Dumbledore said he found it impossible for a member of the Foster family to still be alive, preserving the purity of their blood. That night, when the Fosters' bodies were found, they were all lifeless, and there were also some rather strange claw marks on both the bodies and the walls," he explained, making fearful expressions as he imagined it. "And my mother responded that she also found it so strange that Sheena spent her whole life almost locked away with her aunt in a house as if they were hiding from something."

Meditating on his friend's explanation, James crossed his arms, deep in thought. "Do you think the reason they're hiding has something to do with the cause of the death of the other members of her family?"

Archie shrugged.

"I don't know, but I always knew there was some mystery surrounding Sheena's arrival at Hogwarts since I heard she was a Foster."

"It's just that according to that book in the library, the clues left by the killer of the Fosters were on a supernatural level, like You-Know-Who. The book talked about a dark aura," said James, his voice becoming more serious. "And when I remember Sheena in my dreams, she had an aura too, but it was clear and different."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Archie, his voice faltering and filled with confusion.

"It means that Sheena Foster's witch magic seems to be on a level as high as the killer of her family, but obviously, her aura is clear and nothing like the dark one that was recorded that night," James assumed.

"But I don't understand, what do you plan to do with this assumption?" questioned Archie, with a voice full of confusion.

"I want to get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding Sheena Foster," said James, receiving a surprised look from the brunette.

James knew half of the story, but he still felt like he had to keep investigating and go as far as possible. It was a dangerous and thrilling challenge. However, his curiosity was like Quidditch; he couldn't give up until he reached his goal. Yet, he still didn't understand why he was so concerned about uncovering the truth and whether it was worth letting his curiosity guide him. If the fear of the entire magical world was Voldemort, why did no one care about that other being that killed an entire magical family? And why was he the only one determined to find the answers on his own?