They're Back

James meets the group

The embrace a mix of joy, disbelief, and sorrow. Around them, the others watched, their own emotions swirling in the tumult of the moment.

After what felt like an eternity, James pulled away slightly, his eyes searching Harry's face as if trying to memorize every detail.

"You've grown into a fine young man, Harry," James said, his voice choked with emotion.

Harry nodded, unable to speak as tears welled in his eyes.

Scorpius shifted uncomfortably, feeling out of place, but Albus squeezed his hand reassuringly.

"Dad," Harry said, his voice catching slightly, "These are your grandchildren: James Sirius Potter, Lily Luna Potter, and Albus—er Severus Potter..."

Harry wavered saying Albus' name, and this time it was Scorpius' turn to offer comfort.

"Hey," he whispered in Albus' ear, feeling the tension in his grip ease, "it's okay. If James is half the man people say he is, I don't think your name will affect much."

Albus managed a small smile, grateful for Scorpius' support.

Marlene shifted her weight from foot to foot, her eyes wide with a mixture of astonishment and uncertainty. Hermione stood nearby, her disbelief as she struggled to comprehend the impossible.

Ember, though she wouldn't admit it, felt a flicker of hope. Could her parents return too? The possibility seemed both exhilarating and terrifying, but she forced herself to remain cautious. After all, disappointment could be even harder to bear than the absence itself.

James Sirius stood frozen, his mind unable to fully grasp the magnitude of what was unfolding before him. To see his grandfather, whom he had only heard stories about, standing there alive and breathing—it was beyond anything he could have imagined.

In contrast, Lily's eyes sparkled with excitement as she looked up at her grandfather. Despite never having met him before, there was an undeniable connection between them, a shared bond that transcended time and space. To her, Grandpa seemed like a legendary figure come to life, ready to embark on a new adventure with his grandchildren by his side.

"Hey Marls?" James inquired suddenly 

"Yesssss, Jamie-boy?" Marlene replied with a childish grin.

"Do-do you think we'll ever see the others again?"

Marlene's head dropped slightly "I wish I new, James." 

As the conversation turned to the possibility of seeing their loved ones again, Scorpius felt a pang of empathy for James. The longing for lost family members was something he understood all too well. He tightened his grip on Albus's hand.

Albus glanced at Scorpius, his heart full with gratitude for his unwavering presence. In Scorpius, he found a source of strength and comfort—a reminder that they were not alone in their struggles.

Meanwhile, James Sirius remained lost in his thoughts, grappling with the idea of the family he had never known. And the others? Would he get to meet them too?

Lily watched her brother with a knowing smile, sensing the whirlwind of emotions that coursed through him. She reached out and gently squeezed his hand, offering silent reassurance.

Ember stood nervously, trying her best not to feel envoys of Harry. She wished she could she her dads

Marlene's heart ached at James's question, knowing that the uncertainty surrounding their loved ones' fate weighed heavily on all of them. But she refused to give up hope, clinging to the possibility that one day they might be reunited with those they had lost.

Hermione, ever the pragmatist, spoke up, her voice steady despite the turmoil in her heart. "We don't know why this is happening but I-we will get to the bottom of this" she said. 

Harry nodded, but his mind was somewhere else, overcome with emotion. My dad. My dad is standing in front of me. Alive. 

Then sudden realization struck James. Lily. He was standing here In front of his son but....Lily wasn't there. The girl he had loved since he was eleven years old. He wanted to cry, but couldn't, he had to be here for Harry. 

"Well...." Harry spoke, his voice shaking "I...suppose I should....introduce....everyone else..." 

"This is Ember Lupin-Black." A girl with sandy hair and glittering silver eyes stepped forward, bearing two silver scars across her face, similar to Remus. She waved tentatively. "Hello..."

A smile spread across James' face. "Lupin-Black?" He asked, grinning. "They have a kid?" Ember nodded, and James jumped up, pumping his fists in the air. 

Ember  smiled tentatively at James' reaction to her name, her silver eyes gleaming with a mix of curiosity and apprehension. "Yes, they have a kid," she confirmed, her voice tinged with a hint of pride. James' enthusiasm was contagious, and Ember found herself smiling more genuinely than she had in a long time.

"Hermione Granger-Weasley," greeted a woman with honey-colored hair cascading in waves and warm brown eyes, smiling at James.

Albus moved forward, wordlessly guiding a blond boy with grey eyes by his side. There was a familiarity about the boy that stirred unease in James' memory, though he couldn't place it. "Grandpa, this is Scorpius Malfoy, Lucius Malfoy's grandson... I believe you've met?" Albus spoke cautiously.

Malfoy! That was it! James couldn't fathom why a Malfoy would be present, yet the boy seemed different, lacking the typical air of arrogance associated with his family. His soft, tousled hair contrasted sharply with Lucius Malfoy's always immaculate appearance.

James arched an eyebrow in surprise. Albus took Scorpius' hands, turning to him with a gentle smile. "He's... my boyfriend," Albus confessed, his voice filled with both bravery and vulnerability.

James was shocked for a moment "I'm sorry, boyfriend?" 

Oh sweet Merlin that came out wrong 

Scorpius glanced down, his expression nervous and apprehensive, but Albus squeezed his hand reassuringly.

"Oh, Merlin, no!" James hurriedly corrected himself. "I didn't mean it like that! I'm not... homophobic or anything! Just a bit surprised!" After all, he couldn't very well be homophobic, considering his two best friends were dating... Well, they were gone now.

Scorpius visibly relaxed at James' clarification, a hint of relief in his demeanor. 

Albus pressed his forehead against Scorpius' "see? That wasn't too hard was it?" He asked gently

Scorpius sighed with relief, a clear no I guess not.