Easier Time

Chapter 5: Father Figure

While wiping his hands on a napkin, James stood up proudly and as he finished cleaning his hands, he threw the napkin haphazardly at his plate. At the same time he gave Lily a dazzling smile, "Let's get to it, shall we?"

She smiled back sweetly, copied his movement and stood up as well. Her elegance rivaled her male counterpart.

Harry watched them leave, feeling slightly dumbfounded. He had finally met his parents and yet he didn't feel as happy as he had expected. The conversation had been nothing more than sharing awkward and stale comments with his mother, while not even that much with his father; their talk had been nonexistent besides stating their names.

As James and Lily headed over to the first years, Remus looked over at his confused face. Misunderstanding what his confusion was about he said, "They're the Gryffindor's Head Boy and Head Girl, so they're supposed to go over the rules and take the first year students to our dormitory."

"I saw their badges..."

Lupin slapped his hands together in joy at that comment, "Ah yes exactly! I've got one too, look here," He pointed at the yellow-red badge with a huge "P" placed on his chest, as if Harry hadn't been able to see it before. Harry would have rolled his eyes if it had been anyone besides Remus.

"Oh wow," He exclaimed in false disbelief, acting like it was somehow impressive to him.

"It's an achievement for the best students-"

"What he means to say is that if you become boring and do everything the teachers tell you do, then you might have been able of becoming like them and get that tiny ornament to prove it," Sirius declared, barging in on the conversation with smugness while biting down on a cheese roll.

"No what I meant to say, was that I'm a prefect so I'll give you a tour Harry." Lupin huffed out. Testily adding, "And you don't need to be boring to receive this position. You just need to stop hexing other students while teachers are watching."

"As I said, boring."

"How is that boring? It's simply not being stupid."

"Booooring," Sirius said, dragging out the word in exaggeration.

Harry laughed at their bickering, but his bright mood was quickly switched off when he saw that Pettigrew was laughing at their exchange as well. Suddenly he didn't have an appetite anymore and he put down his cutlery.

"You're finished?" Remus asked kindly.

"Ah yes, the food was delicious but I can't eat more."

"I'm done too, so I can show you the way to Gryffindor's common room and dormitory." Then he childishly sticked his tongue out in the direction of Sirius, "Let's leave this clown behind."

"I'm hurwt, absowlutely suwffering!" Sirius yelled out with food stuffed in his mouth.

Harry and Remus both giggled as they walked away.

The hallway was the same as it had been during Harry's time and it almost made him believe that everything had been a crazy dream.

He breathed in the air as they got closer to Sprout's magical garden. The scent of fresh summer rain mixed with spices and exotic flowers tinged the air with a lovely smell. Inhaling deeply, he almost wanted to slip away from Lupin to leave the castle for a walk under the moon, surrounded by nothing but the subtle aroma of magical herbs and sleeping plants.

However, he no plausible excuse so begrudgingly he trudged along towards the Gryffindor tower. He sighed as the scent disappeared while a winding mahogany staircase appeared.