Time Turner Mishaps {Under Editing}

Chapter 15

James' POV

*In this chapter I'll refer to the future parents as Uncle or Aunt____, since this is in James' pov and anyone from the past as 1995___ or past___. For this reason I'll also call future Harry, Dad, and past Harry...well just, Harry*

The attic is what I could only assume to be the equivalent of the Chamber of Secrets when Dad found it in his second year, minus the basilisk skin. Although, I wouldn't be surprised if we did find something like that.

The room was shrouded in cobwebs and dust. Everytime we took a breath we inhaled mold and a putrid smell coming from the old rickety wardrobe, which Davina and I both silently agreed to leave alone.

We had been working for about twenty minutes now, but with the lack of windows and candles acting as the only lightsource, it felt like hours had passed.

We had joked around at first, attempting to make the other sneeze, trying on old fashioned hats left in a box by Davina's sweet, darling, great grandmother Walburga and great grandfather Orion. But, eventually we both grew tired and put all our efforts into getting the work done. Neither one of us wanted to stay in the musty attic any longer than we had to.

"This is child abuse." I grumbled, holding in a gag as I pushed a trunk aside to find a mouldy box of knick knacks sitting in a puddle. The cardboard had begun turning green, but I could still make out the faint, bleeding writing on the side, For Sirius (1979).

Taking a step closer to clear the box away, and to whatever hidden disease I may contract from it, I realized that the box was still sealed. The tape intact, and the string of twine never cut, now causing indents on the soggy sides.

If someone wanted to give this to Sirius why put it in the dingiest part of the attic?

What were they trying to hide?

As more and more questions began running through my mind, a smirk began to grow on my face. It's always the things that people try to hide that are usually the most interesting.

Pirates bury their treasure, Al puts his galleons inside the fifth floorboard to the right of his bed, Filch hides people's confiscated items in his bottom, left-hand drawer, and Dad locks his office because he has trinkets that are so incredible that we've literally landed in the past.

Discreetly looking over my shoulder, I made sure Davina wasn't looking as I slowly pulled the string loose, giving it an extra tug as it had crusted over from the leaky pipe above. I knew what she would say if I told her about the box, 'James someone clearly didn't give it to Sirius for a reason!' or 'Quit being nosey! It's none of your business, and if anything we should just give it to him'.

 But, if the box just happened to be opened already when I 'found' it...

A wide grin spread across my face and I eagerly reached to rip off the tape, when something fell from above and landed on my hand with a loud splat.

I flung whatever it was to the floor and quickly stood up, holding my hand as if it had just been severed off.

This was it. This was how I would die. Contracting HIV from whatever filth just landed on me. All I wanted to do was dig through someone's personal belongings without them knowing! Was that too much to ask?

Karma was a bitch.

Finally looking down to what I threw on the floor, I sighed in relief realizing it was just a rag. But when I took a breath to calm myself down, I smelled something foul coming from my hand and began to gag. I looked up and realized that someone must have tied the rag around the leaky pipe to fix it, and karma decided to get back at me and have it fall onto my hand for prying.