The Life that Never Lived ? (Prisoner of Azkaban)

THE QUIDDITCH FINAL

Thank you so much to everyone who submitted last chapter, especially guest reviewers! I personally always send PM's to those I can, so I just want those without an account to know how much I love you all as well. I realize in reading your reviews I may have been underestimating the power of Padfoot the Marauder, no matter how pissed he was he wouldn't go galavanting through the corridors, he still would have been smart about sneaking back out, so thank you all!

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Harry came down the stairs the next day, and realized he and his parents were the only ones up. Remus still had his face burrowed into the couch cushions and looked unlikely to move for days he was snoring so loudly, and Sirius was nowhere in sight probably meaning he was still in his own room. Harry easily spotted his parents talking quietly in the kitchen, with the baby in the highchair at the table.

When Harry walked in though, he found they weren't just whispering in light of the guest on their couch, but found Lily looking rather strained and throwing protective looks at her son while James was fidgeting with unease, but both stopped when they saw Harry and tried for a smile.

"What's up?" He tried for a casual tone of voice, sitting down and watching them, beginning to worry at once what new terrible thing could have happened during the night.

Lily walked over at once and began buttering him some toast that was already sitting in waiting, while beginning in the same hushed tones, "you've ah, you're still adamant dear about us not leaving here, yes?"

Harry found this an odd way to start, but nodded in absolute agreement. He couldn't explain the feeling, not even to himself, or how he could even know such a thing, but every time one of them had made to leave he'd gotten a tingling up his spine, an absolute certainty something would happen to them if they left.

James, while unsurprised at the answer, continued while throwing worried looks back into the other room, "right, didn't really think that had changed, it just brings up a problem tonight is all."

It took Harry a moment for it all to click together, then he gave his own startled look to the huddled figure on the couch. "He, he's going to-" he tried to say, not really even sure how to say it, and the idea still a little so foreign he wasn't even sure if he could have even if he'd found the words.

"Change into a werewolf, yes," James agreed as if this were as normal as walking the dog. His face made it clear though this was not to be taken lightly as he continued, "problem is son, he's never done it here, for ah, obvious reasons." He inclined his head to the toddler in the highchair who was currently playing with mashed cereal, though he was getting more in his flyaway hair then actually in his mouth. An empty bottle on the counter showed that he'd already had his proper breakfast, so the parents seemed content to leave him be for now while they talked.

Lily was quick to jump in at the wide eyed look Harry was starting to get, "don't get us wrong dear, we know how to take the proper precautions, it's just, werewolves aren't to be reasoned with. They're purely violent during that state, so it would be best if he weren't here, but if you're sure he can't leave-"

"I'm positive," he insisted back, for the first time starting to feel guilty for his presence here, which was clearly putting a hardship on his family. He wished he could understand why they couldn't leave, or at least give them a reason, but nothing was coming to him.

The parents exchanged one more look before nodding, and James said, "alright, just have to make do then." He gave Harry a genuine smile, clearly thinking the opposite of his son in that moment, as he excused himself and went up the stairs.

He came back down a while later, Sirius wide alert which meant they must have continued a private conversation upstairs, and while Harry was curious enough he may have asked for details, the two were now gently trying to wake up Remus and Harry staved off his inquires, feeling it improper since he wasn't sure just how much of that conversation without Remus was rude. He'd wait until later, maybe the next meal, when he had no doubts it would be brought up again with Remus himself.