parents after all

chapter 20

Chapter 19 - Truths and Lies

James's words reduced them to silence. Sirius's eyes widened in shock, a vein in his temple throbbed dangerously as if it might burst any second; Harry, Ron and Hermione were completely stunned as they exchanged glances of shock and fear.

'Must you say it in front of everyone, James?' Remus's voice rang brightly in the silent room. He looked grey and defeated, yet there was a steely touch to his voice that no one dared to contradict him. 'I have tried hard enough to pass it off as a harmless love letter, and you just let it all out.'

James took a step forwards. 'You can't hide it forever, Remus. He, and we all, have every right to know the truth.'

'I only wanted to protect him –'

'I don't need your protection!' Sirius snarled. He lunged at Remus and gripped his tie, pulling him towards him. 'Why, you think you're doing me a favour not telling me you're talking to myself so that in future my dirty criminal hands will not get back at you? I knew you love lying, but I didn't know you're actually more skilled at it than I thought –'

'Shut up, Sirius!' James shouted. He and Harry leapt behind Sirius and Remus respectively, pulling them apart. Seizing Sirius's hands, he wound them behind his back. 'I might not agree with Remus, but you didn't have to talk like a twat –'

'THAT'S ENOUGH!'

James and Sirius closed their mouths in unison. Looking alarmed, Harry released Remus as James pushed Sirius to his bed, forcing him to take a seat. Peter hurried to Remus's side and placed a comforting arm on the trembling boy, whose face was as red as a tomato and covered with sweat.

'No one is lying, but no one is going to hold back anything either,' said Lily, her voice shaky and hoarse at the same time. 'I think, now that we all know a piece of the truth, this is when we all be honest tell each other what we think has happened in the future.'

Harry raised a hand. 'Don't, Lily, you don't have to –'

'I know what I'm doing, Harry,' Lily's hands balled into fists. 'I assume that many of us have done our research in secret –' she shot a glance at James and Remus – 'but it seems that we all get different information. This... this not only concerns Sirius, but us all, you three included, and I'd like to clear it up once and for all. Why don't you go first, Remus?'

Remus bit his lips and stole a peek at Sirius, who refused to look at anyone at all but the floor. 'Sirius,' he said, trying hard not to let the immense sensation of hurt fall out. 'Sirius,' he called again, 'You're innocent. You didn't do what you were imprisoned for.'

Sirius stirred, but still he avoided eye contact.

'I first knew about it when Professor Sprout asked me to regrow my Sleepyberries. She gave me a newspaper to wrap the plant, and that piece was exactly what Hermione had refused to let us see that day after Harry became the Hogwarts champion.' He pointed at the newspaper on the floor. 'It introduces Harry's background, and that naturally includes what had happened to him. D'you remember you asking specifically what "The Boy Who Lived" meant, and that Skeeter claimed he entered the Tournament for his parents?'

'Harry is orphaned,' Lily offered an explanation as she turned to James and Sirius, and then Harry, her expression soft and eyes gleaming with tears. 'James and I were murdered by Voldemort when he was one. We sacrificed ourselves to protect him, and somehow, perhaps the curse rebounded, Voldemort was defeated by Harry, a defenceless baby.'

James stared at Lily, and she stared back. Both didn't speak, yet a million words seemed to have passed between them in just few seconds, pulling them closer than ever.