What if James and Lily lived?

Chapter 17 ~ The Birthday Suprise

James and Harry walked up the stairs together in an awkward way; since Harry was two and walking, he wasn't the tallest, and since James was 22 and six foot and three inches, James had to walk at 'slightly' sideways to help his son up the stairs. "You know my child, I can't wait for the day that your tall enough to walk up these stairs on your own. It's breaking my back!" He exclaimed.

Harry who was giggling, started hitting his dads legs, thinking he was helping him up the stairs. "Daddy."

"Yes, my little Marauder?"

"I've explored a bit around the house. I went into your old room, and Sirius'. I even made my way into Remus old room."

Tears started to brim in his eyes. Harry; he's little boy, he's little Prongs was becoming more and more like him and each day passed. "Harry. Instead of exploring this house, I'm going to show you something. But first we have to go to my room, and then we'll go to yours."

Silently, James still walking lop-sided and Harry walked into James old room. He sat Harry up on his bed, while he looked into his old dresser. From there he produced two things. A piece of paper and a clock. "Harry my child, when you start school, I will be gifting you this. It's an invisibility clock, that I used many a times, and a map that shows you everywhere in the castle. It shows the names of people, so you'll for sure never be caught. Okay?"

Harry, was shocked by what he saw. All he could do was shake his head. Granted he barley understood, but he could tell by the tone, that it was good.

"Now Harry. This is the fun part. And for this, we need to go into your bedroom."

*****

"Now, if you press on this brick, and then this break, the wall will slide open, it creates a passage way, which leads to the kitchen. This used to be my play room, and I loved it. I accidentally discovered it, when myself and Sirius had discovered the muggle sport of wrestling when we were twelve, but that's a whole other story for another day. Sirius said I can't talk to you about any other sports, because your mind has to permanently focusing on one thing."

James turned to look at his child, expecting him to be standing up nodding, but he found that he had climbed into his bed and had fallen asleep. Laughing quietly, James bent down and kissed his son on the forehead before heading out of the room. It was enough exploring for one day, after jumping down the "slide" on the stairs.

James started humming as he walked down the hall. As he grew nearer and nearer to the end of the hallway, he heard a bizarre sound. Upon further inspection he found it was Remus' room. Knocking on the door James was surprised when he heard no reply. "Umm. Remus I'm coming in."

The sight shocked him.

He saw Remus bunched up in the corner, pale face - his heart sunk. How could he have forgotten? He felt so selfish. "Remus. Oh Remus," he exclaimed. "We need to get you out of here."

He grabbed Remus by the shoulders and practically carried him down the stairs and into the back yard. He sent a patronus to Sirius and screamed at a concerned Lily to stay inside. As he carried Remus safely into the forest, Remus transformed, and scattered. During this time, Sirius came running into the house like mad man. One look from Lily informed him all he needed to know. He took of like an aeroplane rising into the air, shouting for Lily to lock the doors.

It was unbelievable, but it was almost as if he sensed where Remus was. He ran deeper and deeper into the forest, only stopping when he finally spotted James. "Prongs?" Sirius called. "What's happening, it's not even a proper full moon, and it's still light outside?"

"I don't know Padfoot. I found him in his room, and I knew I had to get him out of there. I should have noticed the signs earlier. He hasn't been out of his room since dinner."

Dumbfounded, Sirius stuttered, "But, but what could have triggered it? He's was perfectly fine this morning, and that was only what maybe eight, nine hours ago?"

Shaking his head in dismay, James changed to his animagi, which he has yet to inform the ministry about, and ran of into the heart of the forest, following Remus cries, shortly followed by Sirius.

*****

"Mummy," Harry softly yelled down the stairs. "When's daddy coming back?"

This almost broke Lily, as sweat exude down her forehead. What should she do? She couldn't lie to him, for not only would It break his heart, but also hers. It was not nearly ten o'clock, and she had yet to receive word from either James, Sirius or Remus. She knew herself that she could not go wandering into the woods alone, for who knew what lurked in the unknown. She knew her husband, and she knew that she simply had to wait, patiently, and that everything would be alright. Arising from her seat, Lily shook herself down, looked to her baby in her arms and Harry standing on the stairs. "Daddy's is going to be gone for a bit, along with uncle Sirius and Remus, but they'll be back for supper."

Lily looked at Marlene in disbelief. She had almost convinced herself that it was the truth, but the truth submerged once more. What was most puzzling for her, and what was floating around in her head was, what could have caused him to change when a full moon, wasn't even close?

*****

"But why did he change, Prongs?" Sirius panted. "A full moon isn't until two weeks!"

Both boys looked at Remus in unison as he half heartily rise his head. "Thank you for coming out with me." It was the first time that he had spoken since the day before - unless, you counted his excruciating howls.  "I, I received a letter. A letter concerning my parents." He stopped and looked into his friends faces. Fear, turned to sadness in seconds. "It finally killed him," was all he could muster, before he let the sobs overcome him.

Remus' father had been attacked, and placed in St Mungo's Hospital, less than a year before Harry was born. Having already lost his mother, Hope, the year before, Remus was overcome with distraught. It had been over two years since the incident, that occurred, and it was only now, that he had lost the fight,

"Remus." James uttered softly. "You're not on your own, you have us, and Lily and the kids." it was almost as if he had read his mind.

"Yeah, don't ever think that for a second. Marlene loves you and so will our baby!"

Remus sighed, "I know that, but, but I just wish that I knew why he was there, and who placed him there. They told me I might never get an answer. They told me when he first went into the hospital that I might not ever see him again, but he fought it! I just wish I had of said goodbye."

Sirius looked at James; this was hitting home big time; they were all twenty three, and had lost both parents. The difference was, James' parents died after a rare case of dragons pox, which them contracted while on a mission for the Ministry, and so did Sirius, but his father died for fighting on the opposite side, and his own mother may as well be; at last he was not the favourite child. No that title was held by the younger deatheather brother. Not very noble things.

"C'mom, lets get back, Marls will have my head in," chuckled Sirius, who was trying to overwrite the tension.

"Yeah, I think Harry will be more worried though in my case."

Hey guys, short I know, but I really just wanted to get this up, becuase I felt bad about not putting one up. Over this weekend I'm going to write an abundance of chapters, and then I shall set days when I will be uploading them, so then it's not as stressful on me, and your no longer left in the dark. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed.

~MrsAllAustralianxoxo