What if...

Extra Classes

"So, tell me again why we're walking towards the student smasher six hundred?" Neville asked, eyeing the tree warily. "Professor." He added hastily as he remembered Remus, who was at his side.

"Well, you chose to accompany your friends." He shrugged.
"How do you get past it?" Harry asked curiously.
"Is there a special kind of spell?" Hermione asked. "Never mind, it can't be that simple."

Remus looked around.
"Well, yes." He pulled out his wand from his shabby robes. "Immobulus."

The branches froze in place, unable to move, as if time itself had frozen. Though the teacher and students were not, so they were able to pass through a small, hollowed out tunnel that wound through the ground, and eventually deposited them inside the Shrieking Shack.

"Couldn't he have hidden somewhere a little more... sanitary?" Hermione asked, ducking a cobweb.
"Or s-somewhere less s-scary?" Neville asked.

"I know you're here!" A crazy-sounding voice echoed around the shack.
"Oh, be quiet, you old bat, it's Moony." Remus called back. Something in the next room must have fallen, if the loud thump was anything to go by. The students quickly figured out who the man was.

Sirius cursed, throwing away any signs of being too far gone.

"Well? Aren't you going to arrest me, old friend?" Sirius called maniacally.
"Not really, no." Harry answered back. Another thump coupled with another colourful curse.

"Some things never change." Remus muttered dryly.

"Now I know I'm crazy." Sirius murmured. "I could have sworn I just heard James."

"Actually, that would be Harry, your godson." Remus interjected. "Now could we enter the room, or would you prefer to fall over again?"

"Can you give me a moment to decide?" Sirius asked dryly.

Remus accepted the invitation, walking under the battered door frame, followed by the students, only to be met by a wand to the neck.

"What was the name James wanted to have that he told us about in our fourth year at Hogwarts under the Whomping Willow?" Sirius demanded unflinchingly, a crazy look in his eyes.

"Zirius." Remus sighed. "He thought it sounded hot." Sirius made to lower his wand, but Remus raised his. "And what did he originally want to name his first child?" He countered.

"James Junior." Sirius barked. "But Lily shut that idea down rather quickly."

Then, they exchanged a tight, meaningful hug. The students couldn't help but smile at the repaired bond.

"James Junior?" Neville guffawed.
"Ha ha." Harry muttered.

When the hug had finished, Sirius looked at the group of students, and his heart stopped. They looked exactly like he, James, and Remus did back when they were younger. Especially Harry, he was the spitting image of his father.

"I suppose you'll be tired of hearing this." Sirius started, twelve years short of conversation starters. "But you look so much like your father." A tentative, pained smile stretched across his face. Harry smiled too, which Sirius took as a good sign. With each word, they slowly moved closer. "Except from your eyes of course... completely identical to Lily's." He continued.

"Yeah, I've been told a lot." Harry said. "You... don't exactly look like you do in the picture." He tried to say.

"Well, the camera adds a few pounds." Sirius allowed. "I just... can't believe I missed so much..." He trailed off, looking at the ground.