Return Of The Father (Harry Potter fanfiction) **COMPLETED**

: Chapter 7: The Marauders :

James Potter was, at that moment, a very nervous man. He had been pacing back and forth the room for a few minutes now. Why was he so nervous about meeting his old best friends? They were after all, as close to him as though they were his own brothers. But he couldn't help the feeling of nervousness that crept in. His friends were very clever, and he had to prepare himself for their reactions.

His hazel eyes absently surveyed the room. A room of Padfoot's family home, the place he had run away from after his fifth year. James couldn't imagine what had possesed Sirius to move back to this grimy old place.

James could hear footsteps. They were coming. He stopped his pacing and frantically ran a hand through his already ruffled hair like he always did when he was nervous. The door was pushed open slightly and Dumbledore came in leading two figures.

James let his hand go limp and fall to his side as he stared at the newcomers.

Sirius and Remus looked just like he remembered, but of course, older. Much older. Sirius's hair was slightly longer. Those smoky grey eyes used to be filled with nothing but laughter and cheek, but now it was now cold, wary and gaunt. His old handsome friend was still there, but those features marred slightly, probably as a result of spending years in Azkaban. Remus looked very tired, with lines on his still young face, and flecks of grey on his light brown hair. His intelligent brown eyes were alight with shock.

James watched warily as a series of emotions flashed through their faces. Shock, longing, love, grief and then fury.

Sirius looked capable of committing murder, and the above emotions were most profound in his eyes.

"What the hell, Dumbledore?"

"Sirius--"

He turned to James.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU? IMPERSONATING JAMES POTTER?"

Sirius groped for his wand inside his robes and then turned to a calm looking Dumbledore, enraged.

"Give us our wands, Dumbledore! Have you gone mad-?" he was interrupted by Dumbledore.

"-Alas, no. But if I hadn't taken away your wands, you would have blasted him into a million pieces. Now listen to me-"

"I don't know what spell this man has put on you Albus, but this is not James!" said Remus, his eyes pain filled. "James potter is dead! You have no idea how hard it is to see a James impersonate here." His voice broke at the last sentence.

James was getting tired of this.

"Padfoot, Moony, it really is-"

"HOW DARE YOU ADDRESS US WITH THOSE NAMES?" Sirius roared.

"It really is me! James Potter! Your best friend and a Marauder! I married Lily Evans and I'm Harry's dad! We switched secret keepers to ensure more protection! That rat betrayed me and Lily! Voldemort killed us--"

"Exactly! Voldemort killed them!" Remus said, raising his own voice.

"But hell, I'm alive somehow! I don't know how!"

"People don't mysteriously come back from the dead, you got that?" yelled Sirius.

"Like I don't know that!"

"Then what are you implying?"

"There's some strange magic at work! I'm as clueless as you are!"

"Fine. If you really are James Potter, you know what to do," said Sirius, still furious.

James raised his eyebrows.