#whenever he talks with george he always emphasizes that people genuinely have fun in his presence and it's such a nice compliment

[halothenthehorns]

TLTNL- CAREER ADVICE

"Hey!" James spluttered in hurt and confusion. "I was defending Lily-"

"You started it," Harry told him. His tone was trying extremely hard not to sound accusatory, to let James say something for himself, but he could not stop that heavy weighing pit pressing so hard on him. He'd spent his whole life wanting to meet his parents, and now he had, but now, after seeing that... he still couldn't really look at him as he'd never expected his dad to be more like Dudley.

"This was two days after Snape stunned Sirius and left him behind that broom shed for practically a whole night," Remus put in. "James was just offering a little return of favor."

"And the week before you lot cursed him so bad he spent two days in the hospital wing with a cauldron stuck over his head!" Lily snapped. "This fight went on since their first week of school," she finished in only a bit calmer voice towards Harry.

"I never denied I was a touch big-headed," James refused to be side tracked, even while Lily scoffed for his downplay, and to his crumpling heart his son frowned instead of smiling indulgently at them as he did look at him. "I've never hid from you how I, ah, what me and Snape were like to each other. What on earth suddenly has you agreeing with Snape?"

"I, you just attacked him," Harry emphasized. "You and Sirius, you humiliated him, and I know what that's like far more than whatever you were getting him back for. You lot were all so upset whenever Dudley did anything to me when I was little, why's this so different?"

Sirius opened his mouth with a critical eye on Harry, all of them rather hurt and confused why they were defending themselves to Harry of all people. What Harry had grown up with was completely different in their mind's eye, as Harry had never had a chance to defend himself, whereas Snivellus had started those fights as often as they had.

So it was to everyone's surprise when Lily stepped in.

  "Harry, I know that couldn't have been pleasant for you to see, I know it was never fun to watch them in action," she rolled her eyes while Harry looked desperately to her. "Yes they were idiots, they still are, but you know for a fact they're not Malfoy. They did those things to Snape and others because they were arses. I agree it wasn't always right, they should have found better things to do when they got bored, but they never intentionally hurt anyone, you really think I wouldn't have cursed them stupid if they had," she finished with an affectionate smile at them.

Harry still didn't entirely feel better, but he also still couldn't bring himself to say the worst of it to her face. Her eyes were so gentle when talking to him, and still so fragile from being reminded of what a once friend had done to her. She clearly loved these idiots around her...but even watching them interact, it was quite mind blowing to see that hateful redhead turn into what he was seeing in person. He'd gotten a few sparse details, but now he really wanted to know what on earth had changed? He glanced again at his dad though, and he just couldn't bring himself to ask, not yet, not with how sick he was feeling having never seen him in this light before.

He just sighed and gave a jerky nod to his head, still flattening his hair and couldn't quite look at any of them as Lily passed her infant to her husband and went to take the book away from Remus.

The boys still looked extremely put off that had been Harry's takeaway from that instance, they'd thought he'd been enjoying stories of their time at school. The thick layer of tension as Lily started wasn't at all unfamiliar now, but never before had it felt so personal to them in regards to Harry.

Hermione was confused why he no longer had Occlumency lessons.

"That's what she caught on," Sirius demanded, all the more bothered Harry wouldn't meet his eyes as he muttered back:

"I didn't tell her the reason."

Harry said Snape had told him he was good enough with the basics to do it alone now.

"Liar, liar," Remus tried to playfully point out, but frowned all the more when Harry kept studying his nails. The worst part for all three of them was they couldn't tell if Harry was mad at them, or still sympathizing with Snape, or just disappointed. He wasn't telling them, and they'd thought they'd earned his trust more than that. Could one stupid instance really have ruined that?

Hermione was skeptical of this, asking if he'd stopped having those dreams?

Harry agreed he had, mostly.

James didn't even want to play in with the joke. He'd been worried when he'd gotten so upset about Harry for his lying about the Dursley's that he'd irreparably scared his son away from him. Now it turns out he'd accomplished that instead by just being himself.

Hermione insisted he shouldn't stop with Snape until they were completely gone, he should go back and ask-

"Then he probably would kill you," Lily muttered, the sad part was she really meant it.

Harry snapped at her to drop it.

They were on the first day of Easter break, and true to form, Hermione was creating study schedules for them. Harry and Ron let her do it, because there was no point in arguing, and they may come in useful.

"At least you admit to that," Sirius insisted, he'd never let awkward silence hang, and he'd keep at Harry until he really said what was on his mind.

Ron had been startled to discover there were only six weeks left until their exams.

"Because that's really the reminder we wanted," Remus huffed.

Hermione was stunned at his surprise, but tried to remind he'd do fine if he just stuck to the schedule.

Ron at first brightened when he saw he'd been given a night off each week,

"Is it such a surprise she gave him a night off?" Lily almost chuckled.

"Considering this was our OWLs, or the most important day in our lives, yes, it was quite the shocker he got one," Harry told her glumly, though that could have been for the reminder of why he hadn't gotten one, which Lily didn't get until she'd kept going.

until Hermione told him that was for his Quidditch practices.

"Thank you for the reminder," James said bitterly, another thing he couldn't seem to enjoy without wanting to curse something.

Ron told her there was no point, they had as much chance at that Cup as his dad becoming Minister.

"So a very good chance then," Lily said pleasantly, and at least they could all agree on that.

Crookshanks came over and tried to bat at his hand for a scratch, but Harry didn't even seem to realize it until his friends asked what was wrong. He insisted nothing was, then quickly dragged Defensive Magical Theory to him to browse through the index.

Sirius watched Harry with genuine concern, though at least this time it wasn't for whatever was going through his head, mostly that he just still had that book instead of using it for spitballs by now.

Crookshanks gave him up as a bad job and slunk away under Hermione's chair.

Lily got a personal giggle out of that, it reminded her too much of her own cat.

Hermione didn't believe him, telling him that Cho had seemed rather miserable lately, had the two of them fought again?

Harry quickly seized this and agreed at once.

'Ironically, it was a girl that was bothering me,' Harry frowned to himself, wondering how Hermione did that, even if she'd gotten the wrong girl.

Lily just frowned at the pages for an extra moment. It was saddening Harry wasn't telling his friends about what he saw. He should be aloud to talk about it, but then again, he didn't even seem to want to talk about it much in here considering he'd hardly look at any of them.

It had been over that sneak friend of hers Marietta.

Ron burst into a lengthy rant about her, which Harry mostly tuned out and only seemed to agree angrily when there was a pause,

"Happy to note when Ron's being useful," James muttered, tensing himself in fear what Harry was really thinking would come up, he wasn't even sure he wanted to hear his thoughts from what little he'd said aloud.

in favor of continuing to dwell on his father. He'd never for a second doubted Snape's aspersions to his father's character.

James ruffled in frustration that just one stupid memory had really tarnished him so much to Harry. Snape had been the one to insult his mother, what was he being targeted for? The question burned at his throat, but right now he was sure if he let it out he might just yell it in frustration, so he kept himself together.

Hadn't people like Hagrid and Sirius told Harry how wonderful his father had been?

Lily gave him a pitiful look, she couldn't imagine what Harry was feeling at that age. He'd never met his parents, so of course those who had would only tell of his good parts. Who wanted to share with an orphan that their parent used to have some arse like tendencies? Certainly not Hagrid who struggled to say a mean word about anyone, and most definitely not his enabler and best friend who even now was just as hurt and confused why all his words were being thrown out the window just because Harry had caught Snape with his pants down.

Then his mind nagged at him Sirius hadn't been any better!

He'd once overheard McGonagall comparing them to the twins, but he couldn't imagine Fred and George dangling someone upside for fun.

"Oh I can," James rolled his eyes.

Not unless it was someone who really deserved it, like Malfoy.

"Exactly," Remus put his hands up in frustration, they'd really been aghast Harry hadn't seen it that way, but now it was clear the thought had at least crossed his mind, so why was he still looking at them like he'd never seen them before, again.

Harry tried to go back and see why Snape had deserved it then, but then he remembered James' words clearly, that they were only doing this because he existed, the whole thing had been started because Sirius was bored.

James could not hold that one in, even as he tried very hard not to snap at Harry, "well sure, that sounds bad if you didn't already know what we'd already told you." He was even going to keep going, to tell Harry how jealous he'd been of Snape's life having more to do with Lily than him, but was surprised when Harry actually looked at him again, looking outraged.

"You've never said you treated him like Dudley used to treat me."

They looked shocked Harry could say such a thing, James spluttering for some kind of reversal for Harry to see it hadn't been that way at all! "What? No, Harry Dudley's a bully who beat on you, we, I-"

"Okay, yeah, everyone thinks they have a good reason for it," Harry cut in sharply, he didn't want to hear some pitiful excuse like Dudley would sometimes give teachers at his old school.

James couldn't decide if he was going to cry with frustration or just leave the room in shame. He looked back to his baby, which had been a source of comfort to his life since the day Lily had placed his hand on her womb and told him the news. Now though, he was suddenly terrified just to hold the infant, like he too would turn on him and start biting at his throat even without teeth.

Apparently leaving the room won, he got up and left anyways, and Harry watched him go with frustration. Great, now his father was a coward as well who wouldn't even hear what Harry was thinking. He moved away from the other two, to sit in the chair by himself, he needed just to not be around any of them for a moment. He instantly regretted it though, his father's last words echoing in his head from thirteen, James Potter shouting through a dementor for Lily to run. James had sacrificed his life to buy his real life some time, there must be an explanation for this...

"He just went to put our son down in his crib," Lily told him as she watched him glare daggers at the staircase. In moments her words spoke true, he was back at her side with a huffy grumble of words. She paused to reach out and take his hand, holding the book a bit awkwardly in place as she gave it a squeeze before having to let go to keep going. Harry still wasn't speaking his mind in here, not really, and she wasn't sure if it was anger or still something else holding him back, so Lily kept going patiently. She hated having to drag answers from the book rather than him and wished he'd just tell them off already, she knew that always made her feel better, but perhaps he was still too muddled to put it all together.

He remembered Lupin's words back in Grimmauld place, saying he'd been made a Perfect by Dumbledore in hopes he'd exercise some control over his friends, but clearly that hadn't worked, as he'd sat around and done nothing.

Remus opened and closed his mouth with unease. He'd stayed out of the fights as often as he'd been involved, it really was dependent on the circumstances. Considering Sirius had been missing for almost eight hours a day ago and scared them all senseless until they'd found him behind that broom shed, he'd felt James and Sirius had a right to this payback.

Harry kept reminding himself that Lily had intervened; his mother had been decent.

James continued to look all the more miserable at Harry's choice of phrase. Snape had been the one to use a dark curse on him, all he'd done was try and get him to apologize, what was so indecent about that? It wasn't at all what Dudley or even Malfoy had ever tried to do, he couldn't figure out where Harry was coming from!

Yet the memory of the look on his mother's face disturbed him as much as anything. Her clear loathing of him, how hatefully she'd shouted at the instance, he couldn't figure out how they'd ever married. He'd even started to wonder if somehow James had forced her into it.

"Hey!" James shouted, now glaring daggers at his spitting image. "Fine, call me what you will, but that's crossing the line Harry!"

Harry finally met his eyes, and shamefully whispered, "I'm sorry," an awkward pause as he wanted James to know he truly meant that, just watching the two beside each other made that clear as day, but he couldn't help finishing, "about that."

"Okay, enough," Lily seethed, snapping the book shut and looking between the two. She'd thought Harry would work this out for himself, but if he was drawing those kind of conclusions, this wasn't to be avoided anymore. "Harry, I detested James because he was acting like an arrogant birk, he was as bad as Dudley and Malfoy in his youth."

"Thanks so much for the defense dear," James put his hands up in frustration, but she ignored him.

"But he was also the same then as he is now, some parts just outgrew others. He's still a proud idiot who stands by his friends, he's still a troublemaker who won't see anyone being picked on without returning the favor."

James was still watching her like he couldn't decide if half of that was supposed to be complimentary or not, but Harry wasn't watching him anymore like he thought he was holding Lily hostage, so he'd take it.

Harry still tried to explain the nasty thought process, "but you-" he cut off with a vague wave back at the book, that memory.

"I only saw the worst parts of him while I was friends with Snape because we were friends and Potter was picking on my friend, something I obviously couldn't stand for. Yet when Snape did that to me, I was forced to reevaluate a lot of things, including him. I saw he hadn't really changed in the next year, but he did continue to grow up."

He nodded, and tried to find the words to explain, "I guess I just, never really imagined," but it was hard, as at fifteen he was still processing it all, making anything he tried to string together in here nay impossible until he'd come to fully grasp it back then. He did feel better he supposed, Lily had married him after all, and the love and care they continued giving to their infant and this life was more than proof enough something had changed in between those times.

He looked back to his dad and said with clear sincerity, "I am sorry."

James nodded, still with a hard set on his jaw, but was forced to acknowledge his son was speaking of someone he'd never even met. That didn't make the hurt any less.

For the past five years of his life he'd thought of his father as a source of comfort, whenever anyone compared him to James he'd glow. Now he just felt miserable at the thought.

James recoiled, suddenly feeling his throat tighten, having to blink very carefully or the hurt of that would spill out. Only days ago, for the first time in his life he'd known how it felt to have his son be proud of him when he'd seen the lengths they'd gone through to help Remus with his transformation. Now that had all been stripped away.

Sirius groaned in frustration, fighting back the urge to snap at Harry like he would anyone thinking like this about James, though the oddity of it being Harry held him back. He couldn't think of anything to say, Harry was clearly still feeling off about all three of them so talking to him clearly wasn't making it any better.

Thoughts like these would not leave him even as days passed, Harry found himself in the library trying to study. He was alone for a moment, as Hermione was doing revision of Ancient Runes, and Ron was at Quidditch practice. Then he realized someone was trying to get his attention, Ginny was sitting across from him.

Harry blinked slowly, unconsciously twisting his ring upon his finger. He felt like this should mean more to him, now that his crush on Cho had been eradicated, but it was far to hard to focus on much of anything except that old look on his mother's face, the sneer upon James he still didn't seem to grasp was so similar to Dudley's the many times he'd socked Harry in the face.

Harry gave her a distracted hi, asking about practice.

She explained Ron had to take Jack Sloper up to the hospital wing.

"Well at least something interesting finally happened there," James mumbled.

They weren't sure what even happened, but they thought he'd hit himself with his own bat.

Remus couldn't help a surprised splutter of laughter that he didn't try very hard to hide, any humor he'd cling to rather than somehow finding himself even lower in Harry's opinion than before, and that had been saying something.

Then she put the reason she'd found him on the table, a carelessly re-wrapped package with a stamp across it declaring it had been checked over by the High Inquisitor.

"Thank you, now I feel all warm and fuzzy inside like she is on the outside," Sirius snipped, and Harry almost smiled again. It still felt awkward, to look at Sirius and think more of Piers Polkiss, but this was his godfather. A man who'd escaped from Azkaban for Harry's safety, the man who was allowing himself to be shut up inside his childhood nightmare all for Harry's sake. If he'd been a prat as a child, laughing along as his best mate hung someone upside down, surely in his adult life in looking after that same man's kid had to make up for it?

Ginny said they were easter eggs from Mum.

Lily made a grumpy little noise, she still remembered Hermione delivering those last year and Molly's actions, but the woman had made up for it since then.

She gave Harry his, which according to the little wrapper would have Fizzing Whizbees on the inside, and the outside was decorated with Snitches. He felt his throat tighten painfully.

"Obviously he doesn't appreciate the reminder he's still banned from the Quidditch team, Ginny coming up there to report as much plus the icing helped nothing," James shrugged, before Harry winced, and he realized his son had actually still been acquitting this to that memory. He couldn't even glance at Harry again to see if he'd fixed his expression, he only had left a burning desire to murder Snape all over again. The man seemed to have a gift for ruining everything in his life.

When Ginny saw the expression, she told him he'd been down a lot lately, surely if he just talked to Cho-

"That is quite a girl," Lily said mostly for herself. "I wonder if she still has a crush on you, but even so, she's still trying to help you out."

When Harry didn't answer, finding Cho the least consequential thing in his life right now, Lily let out a breathy sigh and kept going pitifully with worry growing more all the time. Was it possible, Harry really couldn't see past all that? She could hardly hold the idea his father ruined the rest of his life, if in fact he'd carried this with him right up to the day he'd lost his memories and been transported here. If he'd really grown to hate the idea of her husband? For a moment she couldn't breathe at the idea as she looked at their only child, but then she really saw him. Harry had his hands tucked tight into his lap, only occasionally releasing the grip to flatten his hair. He kept a nervous eye on the tread of his shoes, he'd never liked their awkward silence and of course she couldn't blame him for that, but surely if he'd progressed into outright hating James he'd be showing signs of that. For now he still looked more like he wasn't sure how to react to this news- no! She wouldn't let that happen! She kept going steadily, keeping a watchful eye on him and vowing to put that to a stop if the moment became apparent. James was a good man, Harry must know that.

Harry finally corrected it wasn't Cho he wanted to talk to, but Sirius.

They all looked to him in surprise for that, he'd been the last person they'd been expecting Harry to want to see right now considering he hadn't been looking at his godfather any more than his father.

He knew he couldn't though.

"Well I'm here now," Sirius stated with a critical eye, wondering if Harry was going to pass into a bit of shouting, or...okay he couldn't really figure out why Harry wanted to talk to him considering he was the person who'd started this.

Harry took a careful breath before he tried to start. He couldn't quite meet his eyes, but spoke more to the left of his head as he began hesitantly, "that-" he broke off, he couldn't decide how to phrase it and just hoped he'd understand, "that thing you did to Snape-"

He understood. Sirius' face flushed and he recoiled. He was not proud of almost getting someone killed, by means of one of his best friends. So he had not a clue where Harry was trying to draw lines from there, but he hurried to say, "hey, I never- I mean, look I apologized to the blighter! He didn't think I meant it and he told me to-"

"I just meant," Harry quickly cut off his desperate attempts to explain that, but Harry wasn't holding a grudge for the moment. He'd accepted it for what it was, yet another prank of theirs that seemed to have gone so wrong. He just wanted to know, "I know you regretted it, but when did that happen?"

Sirius exchanged a wary look with his friends before saying, "the previous month, full moon, whatever."

Harry's face puckered, this clearly wasn't the answer he was hoping for, and Sirius' chest hurt as he thought Harry still considered the worst of him for that. "Listen, Moony and I had only just started talking again, and yeah we were all still a little on edge considering I'd only just gotten out of the Hospital Wing from that last Quidditch match that knocked me out. Don't blame Prongs and Remus for all the stupid shit I did."

Harry shook his head slowly as he tried to explain, "I'm just trying to understand, if that didn't make you stop having a go at him, what changed?" They all got so furious when they heard what Dudley had done to him in his youth, what Malfoy continued to do to him and the people in his life, why did they consider themselves better?

Sirius very clearly did not get the question. "I hadn't believed it possible, but he was worse to us after that exchange, always hissing that he knew what we were really up to now. If Dumbledore hadn't threatened to expel him, honestly the only time that man ever used such a threat just to keep a lid on Snape's greasy mouth, Moony probably would have been in Azkaban!"

Remus flinched hard at the still likely statement for his life, but Sirius was only getting angry while Harry was growing more dispirited Sirius wasn't exactly answering his question, so he intervened. "Harry, after Sirius ran away from home during that summer and moved in with James, glory I can't even describe the state Sirius was in. I only heard about it a few days after and came around, and he was still in a right state. Took the two ages to fully get out telling me what all had happened that night."

"Which was?" Harry felt bad pushing for this, he wanted to respect their right not to have to share something clearly so personal to Sirius, but he just wanted to understand, surely they got that?

James at least seemed to, waiting until it was clear Sirius was fighting up the words to say it himself before James spoke it for him. "His parents were trying to get him to drop out of school, go join the Death Eaters."

Harry spluttered in disgust, James nodding in agreement with that expression at least. "It turned into quite a fight..." he trailed off, and Harry was sure he was still missing how bad that really must have been, what state had Sirius shown up in? When James said a fight, did he really- curses had been thrown around by his own parents?

"After that, well, I just couldn't, seem to, it wasn't fun anymore to-" he broke off with an odd outward gesture, but Harry got the idea.

"I'm sorry." He actually wasn't sure who he was apologizing to this time. James for all the terrible thoughts, or Sirius for his childhood. He wasn't even sure if this made what he'd seen better, but it did give him some sort of understanding at least what made him stop.

"Stop apologizing," James half heartedly scolded. "I can't even imagine you having to see all that for the first time."

"Hopefully you do find a way to talk to Sirius, I'm sorry you couldn't go home over Easter break to try," Remus offered.

Harry nodded with hope he did speak to him, soon, and there was finally a catch of relief from his mind, some kind of promise this would come true, and Lily finally felt a soft bliss brush her words again as she kept going this would all work out.

There was a pause while Ginny considered this and Harry unwrapped his egg to take a bite.

Ginny helped herself to some,

Sirius snorted enthusiastically, well aware the look his mates were giving him was for his doing the same on all foods.

before telling him there was a way.

Harry reminded about all communications in the school being watched.

Harry swiped furiously at the sweat beading up on his forehead. He'd just had a nice moment with his dad and godfather, at least he didn't hate them at the moment, why did his mind have to choose now to thump so hard against his skull. That pain was just unhelpful, it's not like he knew why something he'd said was so wrong...something about Sirius, and a gift...but the idea wouldn't solidify, so unless he could get some use out of knowing the right answer, he forcefully ignored the pressure.

Ginny contradicted that growing up with the twins had taught her anything was possible if you had enough nerves.

"This is true!" James nodded eagerly. If talking to Sirius in here had clearly helped Harry, he was positive the same would happen in his time, and he was all for Harry never thinking anything of his marriage like that again.

Harry looked at her. Perhaps it was the effect of the chocolate -

"I know that always improves my mood," Lily giggled, finally feeling light hearted again now that her son was almost smiling along at the lot of her boys.

- Lupin had always advised eating some after encounters with Dementors -

"In any situation, honestly sweets have been known to stop wars," Remus grinned.

"No they haven't," James countered with an eye roll, "and I don't consider you and Sirius wrestling over a pack of gum a war."

"Well I did," Sirius sniffed, hating how his chest hurt as he remembered who had taken the last piece to stop them while James had been laughing his arse off, but then he'd bought them both their own candy bar at the next Hogsmeade trip just to shut them up.

To Harry and Lily, it was clear something was being untold here, but considering the only times they'd ever held back in sharing was when it involved a particular someone, they didn't ask for details as Lily kept going.

or simply because he had finally spoken aloud the wish that had been burning inside him for a week, but he felt a bit more hopeful.

Harry gave a breathy laugh he wasn't quite sure had all to do with that and something to do with his company. Finally wondering about how Ginny had been the one to make him smile after something so-

Lily had cut off his train of thought quite loudly and he startled in surprise.

A loud, sharp voice shouted at them what they were doing!

Sirius burst out laughing at Harry's jump.

Remus shook his head without remorse. "Honestly, how she even got in there with those I've no clue, normally Pince can scent that out by a mile."

"You were expecting this the whole time?" Harry demanded as he half glared at them all.

"Yep," James agreed, popping the P for emphasis, "we were taking silent bets on how long it would last, and I think Lily won."

Lily rolled her eyes, knowing they'd been far to distracted to be doing any such thing, but it made Harry roll his eyes in exasperation at them again, so she didn't counter him.

Madam Pince rounded on them, screaming chocolate in her library! Then she cursed their books and things to pelt them as they ran from the library.

"I accidentally crushed my egg she startled me so bad," Harry grumbled, "got it all over the book I was reading anyways, so that was her fault." Then he brightened and added on, "but Ginny split her egg with me, told me it was only fair."

It was so sweet to see such a simple smile cross his face again that they all paused for a moment with glee Harry's life wasn't all bad.

The next day, a notice was posted up in all common rooms with the message Career Advice:

"I've been waiting for this one to show up," Remus nodded.

"I still can't believe you argued with McGonagall for your whole time about whether illegal breeding should be made into an actual career," James shook his head at him.

"It was the only thing I could think of at the time," Remus shrugged without remorse. "Hagrid put me onto the idea when he showed up in our last Creatures class talking about how he'd once seen a fire breathing fish, I was really only trying to help him."

"Now you want to work with Goblins instead," Sirius rolled his eyes, before telling Harry, "suppose it's better than his last year of school where he was convinced he could go work with dragons, something like what Charlie does. For some reason he kept thinking I was joking when I wrote out his eulogy."

"At least I've got ideas," Remus scowled at him. "According to you, you spent the whole time with McGonagall telling her what you didn't want to do, I recall your statement 'no homework,' five times when telling us about it."

"Give me a break, I was sick of it at the time, forcing us to do this right before the exams to define those careers!" Sirius grumbled. He decided to inform them though, "you should be even more pleased with me than usual though-"

"Oh this'll be good," Remus rolled his eyes.

"-that I have decided to look into something, I want to meet Arthur for more than the company."

They paused with a curious look at him, his smile widening all the more. "Honestly, it does sound fascinating. May as well do something with my best OWL grade, and it would be a great way for me to spurn my parents all the more, though that's just a bonus."

Harry couldn't help laughing loudly at them again, even at such a detail as hearing their plans for after the war. No matter how unhappy he was at their past actions, he always managed to find just as much joy in their life. He eyed his parents curiously, and Lily happily added on, "it was McGonagall who helped me decide to join the Ministry in an effort to help with their laws, we had a nice discussion about my interests in bettering the wizarding community."

James hesitated at first, he wasn't even sure if Harry still cared enough to hear his, but Harry was still watching him. His expression was a touch weary, did he honestly expect James to declare he'd waltzed in there asking for a professional career in bullying? But all he'd been doing in here was looking to share with his son, so he wasn't going to pass up the opportunity now.

"I had no clue what I was doing going in," James shrugged. "Both of my parents were potioneers, but I never much favored that, so I'd spent the past five years already looking for anything else. It was McGonagall who really gave me the idea of being an Auror though, said a little law enforcement might make me consider all the rules I break," he finished with a smirk. He hesitated, but confessed, "I was going to start training once you were a bit older," he went cross eyed for a moment telling this to his adult son, that never got any less weird, "but I don't know, now I still might try something else. I still like to draw, maybe I'll do something with broom designs." He'd considered it once or twice in the past, but had always had something bigger to keep the idea at the back once it occurred to him, now not so much.

"You certainly made up enough in school," Remus agreed with a smirk. "Though I suggest the first one you offer to any company not be the Lilium model, no one needs to know you dedicated a broom to Lily."

James went wide eyed with innocence while Lily blushed faintly as she demanded, "I never saw that one."

"I still have the drawing," James shrugged without remorse. "I'll show it to you later."

If Harry'd ever had any doubts before, they were dashed the instant he saw the tender look cross her face. He could just imagine his mother at sixteen, watching James do something like this in school, and her realization his love was not some joke.

Feeling slightly flustered now at realizing they still had an audience, Lily kept going loudly.

All fifth years were required to meet with their Head of House to discuss this, and the times of when were posted. Harry's took place half past two on Monday, meaning he'd miss most of Divination.

"What a disappointment," Remus said deadpan.

Pamphlets had been deposited in Gryffindor tower for all the students to see the multiple job opportunity, and the three friends were currently sorting through their own pile.

Ron said he didn't fancy Healing, looking at the requirements and seeing how many subjects they wanted an E in.

"I suppose it's having those grades that's a start to showing you can handle multiple things at once, it's a very responsible job," Lily offered. She'd considered it for a time, but had quickly discovered after helping Madam Pomfrey in the Hospital Wing for a day she didn't handle bodily fluids well. Her shaking from helping with the boy's wounds the other day hadn't all been from stress.

Hermione reminded it was a very responsible job.

"Hush Sirius," Lily told him without looking up.

"You never let me have any fun," he grumbled, "so you really are like Hermione."

Lily did look up then just to sarcastically tell him, "congratulations, you've pointed out we're the responsible ones."

She was looking over one that said, so you'd like to work with Muggle Relations?

"I can see her doing that, she'd make a very good bridge between the worlds," Remus agreed.

She found the qualifications weren't much, all you needed as an OWL in muggle studies; what they were really looking for was enthusiasm, patience, and a good sense of fun.

"Sounds like I'm set," Sirius smirked without realizing he'd said it aloud, and then shrugged to the surprised looks he hadn't at all been joking moments before. "Yeah, so I like the sound of what Arthur does."

"Congratulations," Lily said again without the sarcasm. "Though dear I do recommend you please consider that motorcycle and what happened with Arthur."

Sirius made a face at her, he didn't want to give up his bike for a job. Maybe he'd find a way to make a career out of wizard auto-parts, or he'd just invent a need for that.

Harry said you needed more than fun to liaise with his uncle, good sense of when to duck more like.

"Well I have that as well," Sirius said with a bitter smile, "so I'm still all set to meet him."

After he'd seen what they'd done to Snape, Harry no longer had any reservations the threat made against his Muggle side of the family were very real, and yet he never really considered them even family to him, not like he did to those around him in his short stay here. It was quite the conundrum in his mind, to see himself in his youth facing Dudley/ James, but at the same time he couldn't feel much sorrow if that kind of attention was turned on Vernon. Did that make him a bully too? Or simply wanting some people to deserve what they get for the way they treated others?

Harry was looking through one for being a Curse-Breaker at Gringotts, the description one full of adventure and dangerous quests, but they wanted Arithmancy, and he told Hermione she could try for it.

"Well when they put it like that, I can actually see why Moony fell for it," James said. "You do know you can still take your Arithmancy OWL right?" James directed at Harry.

"I didn't know at the time," Harry shrugged, remembering an earlier explanation of theirs on how he'd do this. "I'm sure if I bring it up with McGonagall she'll explain it to me."

Hermione didn't even look up, saying she wasn't going to consider banking, she'd instead switched to one about training security trolls.

"Least Hermione's looking at all of her options," Sirius chuckled in surprise.

"She's had enough practice this year dealing with Umbridge," Remus grumbled.

"I think that means she's not very apt for the job though," James smirked, "considering that troll has yet to learn its lesson."

"I'm sure that'll change before the years up though," Harry said darkly.

They were interrupted by Fred and George joining them.

"Always a treat," Sirius perked up.

They spoke quietly to Harry about Ginny talking to them, Fred lifting his legs up casually on the table and knocking several leaflets to the floor regarding Ministry jobs.

"Poetic," Lily giggled. Considering their current climate, she may well have burned them all.

Hermione was stunned to hear the news Harry wanted to talk to Sirius, her hand freezing over a description about the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes.

"Hermione does clean up enough of Harry's messes," James chuckled.

Harry just looked at him in exasperation, which made James laugh all the harder his son didn't deny it.

She told him he was ridiculous, there wasn't a way.

George corrected it was a matter of diversions, and timing. They may have noticed they'd gone silent over the Easter holidays.

"I was rather disappointed to note this, yes," Remus sighed. They'd mentioned mayhem, and then released a spectacular start, but they'd all been a little distracted to realize nothing else had happened. Now they were realizing, and hoping, the twins may have even more up their wands.

Fred agreeing rhetorically what was the point of disrupting leisure time.

"Really? I found that the best time to catch people off guard," James smirked, then winced hard when Harry frowned heavily at him. It clearly wasn't funny to him anymore now that he had an idea of what James really meant by that. He wanted to pull Harry aside, he felt a long overdue conversation was worth it, but Lily was still insistently going, and now that Harry had the opportunity in his time to work this out with Sirius he supposed he understood why. If Harry reached some sort of resolution in his time it would help him in here, so he'd wait till then.

Plus, they'd be remiss to interrupt people studying.

Hermione looked surprised at this thoughtfulness.

"That is so hurtful," Remus rolled his eyes, "in a school so large, I always liked to think others tried to be considerate of everyone else."

"If not, it helped to show them otherwise," Sirius snickered.

"By making twice the disruption," Lily grumbled.

It was back to business come tomorrow when classes restarted though, Fred kept going, and since they were going to cause some uproar, they may as well do it in a way Harry could chat with Sirius.

Hermione fought back with the tone of one explaining something very simple to someone very obtuse,

"I note she uses that tone a lot," Lily rolled her eyes, all the more agitated Sirius so enjoyed comparing her to Hermione, she had never considered herself smarter than others like the idiots around her so often did.

demanding how he planned to do this?

Harry said Umbridge's office.

Harry looked uneasily around like he was expecting to be scolded, but found no one in here found the idea any more harrowing than a trip into the Forest. Dangerous for sure, but the idea of using the woman's own words against her held a rather vindictive pleasure to the lot of them.

He'd been considering it since Umbridge herself had told her fireplace was the only one not being watched.

"Irony in its purest form," Remus declared with that glint in his eyes Harry so often saw in here. He wondered if he'd paid more attention to Remus in that memory rather than the other two if he would have seen more behind the book he'd hidden his face in.

Hermione told him he was insane, how was he even going to get in there?

Harry said Sirius' knife, and she had no clue what that was.

"You had that for over a year and you didn't tell her about it?" Sirius said in surprise.

"I suspected to much of the same reaction I got from all the other gifts I got from you," Harry muttered. She had after all declared the Firebolt and Map unsafe at first and wanted him to be rid of those, he didn't see the point of drawing her attention to another thing from Sirius.

Harry explained his Christmas gift from his godfather last year, that would open any lock,

"Hang on," Sirius' face puckered with confusion, before he snapped his fingers and said, "Christmas this year pup, when you were leaving, I gave you something that you never wanted to open, but you could talk to me with it!"

Harry sat there, flabbergasted with surprise as he said, "I'd, completely forgotten about it. I put it in my trunk, and-" he shook his head miserably at his mind, hating that hateful sting from himself promising he'd regret this even more soon.

Hermione ignored him and then turned on Ron, and Harry was reminded of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

That gave them all a heavy laugh, considering what they'd noticed at Christmas last year between Harry's friends. Harry's shoulders shaking hardest of all seemed an amusing indication to them they weren't wrong in their guess, but they held it in, as maybe it still wouldn't go anywhere. It was still up in the air if they were reading the two right.

Ron looked alarmed at having to give his opinion, saying it was Harry's choice.

"It's all the funnier that's a response I'd expect from Arthur," James pointed out.

The twins seemed to think this was decided, imparting the knowledge of when this would take place tomorrow, as far from Umbridge's office as they could manage, and told Harry he'd have at least twenty minutes once this got started.

It was like a heavy weight being lifted from the room as they all laughed as one. Harry had been living a dream come true being able to spend time with his parents here, but now in his own time when he needed them most, it meant more than words he still had someone to turn to. The way in which he was going to be able to somehow just made this all the sweeter, it was as if James was helping from beyond the grave through the twins.

Harry woke early the next day, the prospect of talking to Sirius about that memory weighing heavily on him, though that wasn't the only thing. He'd also for the first time be back in close proximity to Snape since he'd been thrown out.

Lily went white lipped with fury as she remembered that treatment. It hadn't even phased Harry at the time he'd been so invested in his own mind, but she wasn't the only one who thought Snape should have been fired long ago, now he'd put his hands on Harry like that, and still nothing was going to be done about it! Yes Harry was at fault in that, but if he'd gone to Dumbledore, something would have been done against a teacher leaving a bruise on a student, right?

Harry got up and crossed to the window, gazing out at the lake where it had all taken place so many years ago. He couldn't imagine what Sirius would say as an excuse for his father's behavior, to somehow make all this better.

"Did I?"

Harry considered for a moment. He had the feeling he hadn't pushed Sirius in his own time like he had in here, but he was confident he had spoken to his godfather at least, so he reassured, "I guess, I do understand a bit more, now." He paused and was surprised to see the relief on all three of them, and for a moment he felt ashamed of his anger, he couldn't believe he'd ever made them think he hated them. He continued earnestly, "I'm sure we do talk," he shook his head slightly for being so sure of this too early, but still ignored the feeling, "so it'll all work out."

Sirius beamed! It was hard to put into words the realization Harry didn't hate him, hate his own father because of something he'd done. Finally Sirius felt like he'd done something right!

James shook his head affectionately at the pair, now fighting back the urge more than ever to pull Harry aside so he could have a real chat with him, but now he couldn't bring himself to cut off their moment when Sirius was finally in a happy place about his own life.

Lily kept going with honest hope now, sure that in his life Sirius would help Harry through just like always.

Something caught Harry's attention: movement on the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

Remus shivered in remembrance of the last time Harry had spotted something like that; it had been Padfoot, and they'd all been worried sick about what was going on during that time. Things had somehow steadily gotten worse from there.

Harry squinted into the sun and saw Hagrid emerging from between the trees.

"Well that's nothing unusual," Sirius shrugged. They saw that a dozen times a day on their meanderings of the grounds.

He was limping heavily as he made his way to his cabin, and Harry watched in concern for several moments until smoke came out the chimney, so he couldn't be so injured he couldn't stoke a flame.

All five of them shivered, just a bit, in fear for what Hagrid was up to. Still remembering his words, they forced themselves not to criticize he may be in over his head, but it didn't stop the worry for his well being while he did whatever it was.

He'd expected his talk with Sirius to be on his mind all day, but had no expected the accompanying commentary by Hermione attempting to dissuade him from doing it.

Remus scoffed deeply in disgust, could Hermione really not let Harry ever make his own decision without foisting her opinion.

She wasn't even paying attention in History of Magic, to busy keeping up her stream of worries that Harry tried to ignore.

"Normally I find Hermione's normalness refreshing," James said deadpan, "now I'd rather her go back to whining you don't do your homework to her standards."

Such things as if he was caught, this time Umbridge would force feed him Veritaserum to find out what he was up to!

Harry ducked into himself, shaking furiously for a moment, and they all thought it was from anger, and couldn't really blame him. Aside from the DA, had Hermione done anything this year other than spend her time telling Harry to not have any interaction with Sirius. Even then, she'd spent some of her time not trusting Sirius' judgment when he approved of her plan. Hermione's constant attempts to keep Sirius out of everything spurned them all, but they all kept a tight bottle on saying anything about it. They were in such a good mood for Harry's reconciliation, having a go at Hermione would help nothing. She couldn't stop Harry from seeing Sirius, even if she wouldn't be supportive of it.

Sirius instead offered up something to distract Harry, "besides, that wouldn't work anyways. I'm in a heavily warded house, I doubt you could just blurt out where I am under magic, that has to be willing information."

Harry gave him a grateful look, the distraction had worked and whatever his mind had been trying to lace together unraveled just as fast.

Ron cut in to demand if she wasn't going to be taking notes, who was?

"Nice distraction," Lily said grudgingly.

Hermione said he could for once, it wouldn't kill him.

"Sadly Hermione didn't take the hint," Harry rolled his eyes, Ron's comment had only saved him one breath, but he had appreciated the attempt.

She continued this even in the dungeons, her hissing breath so forceful others could could hear the noise, and Seamus spent five minutes trying to find a leak in his cauldron for the source of it.

That did get a surprised burst of laughter out of the boys, at least temporarily stopping the near constant eye rolls of Hermione, to which Harry was grateful as he was worried that would soon cause permanent blindness.

Lily wasn't as distracted though, still sitting tense in her seat and waiting to see if somehow Snape would find some new way to torment her son for what he'd done, if he'd go even farther in replicating his revenge onto the James that no longer lived but in his mind.

Snape had found a new way with Harry, by treating him as if he were invisible, a familiar tactic to Harry through Vernon.

"That's," James worked furiously to come up with a nice comment for this instead of the new string of insults he wanted to pour out in regards to the man, but Harry was watching him with a pinched face. He wasn't sure if his sons mood had irrevocably changed and now if he insulted the man his son would turn out worse than Lily curbing them for this, but he wouldn't put Harry so ostracized from him again; so he finished with, "an improvement."

"Better than he ever treated us," Sirius grudgingly agreed.

Remus kept his mouth shut, not trusting he'd say anything that would help, he rarely seemed to do that.

Harry gave them an awkward smile. He wasn't sure what this sudden surge was, something like forgiveness in his eyes when he thought back to Snape...but while watching Sirius he had an even worse omen this was probably the best he should hope for, or even that wouldn't last...

Harry found this an honest improvement over the usual taunting insults, and realized he actually got decently through his potion when left alone. He put a stopper into his flask for today feeling it was at least worth an E.

Lily beamed with pride. She just knew her son could have the potential to be good in this class, he could obviously concentrate as well as had the good intuition and reflexes that came with the skilled in this course.

He put it on his desk, and only turned for a second when he froze at the tinkling sound of breaking glass. He whirled back around to find his on the floor, with Snape's gloating smile on him.

"Oh, so he hasn't quit being an arse yet," Remus said blandly.

"Never could learn his lesson," Lily said bitterly.

James and Sirius exchanged a look before quickly looking to Harry, who felt exasperated and angry all over again. That had lasted shorter than he thought. Snape was still being an utter arse to him, and even if it was his dad that had made him that way, could he really not be the better person now that the man was dead?!

He turned back to his cauldron, determined to grab another vial and force it into Snape's hand for the grade he deserved, when he saw Hermione had already cleaned up everything for him.

Harry ground his teeth in, thinking he'd quite like for Hermione to stop helping him lately.

"Damn," James burst in frustration. Hermione's intentions were always good, and always seemed to cause Harry more problems than he needed.

She tried to apologize, but Harry was at his limit with her and did not speak to her the rest of the day, sitting in between Neville and Seamus during lunch so Hermione could not continue to pester him. He was so angry he walked right into Divination before Ron reminded him of his appointment with McGonagall, and hurtled up the stairs to her office.

"Be glad it wasn't in the North Tower now," Sirius muttered.

He arrived only a minute late and apologized, though McGonagall didn't seem concerned as she asked him to sit.

He did so, before hearing a little sniff of disagreement, and turned to find Umbridge back in the corner with a clipboard on her knees.

Lily's face pinched so tight she looked like she'd been skeletonized.

"What is that doing there," James spat, at least this was someone he'd never have to reconsider insulting to his last breath.

"I'm sure she has a pleasant reason," Sirius snarled.

McGonagall was treating as if she weren't even there, telling Potter to take a seat and beginning with what careers he'd considered so far.

Harry admitted his want of being an Auror, and McGonagall pulled a pamphlet to her and explained they E grades they required. It was a difficult path ahead, none had been taken on in the past three years.

"Tonks, if I remember correctly," Harry recalled with a slight smirk of a past late night dinner at Grimmauld place. "She was chatting how Moody himself had taken her on."

"Well I'm beyond pleased for the girl," Remus grinned. "She watches her feet a bit more and she'll be a right intimidation."

"I'm sure she's already got you shaking in your pants," Sirius snickered.

Neither Lily nor Harry bothered correcting him for the incorrect Muggle phrase, it made them smile too much.

At this moment, Professor Umbridge gave a very tiny cough, as though she was trying to see how quietly she could do it.

"All the easier to ignore her," James said almost pleasantly.

McGonagall ignored her, and began going into more details, such as Transfiguration-

Umbridge gave another cough a touch more pronounced, but McGonagall only closed her eyes for a moment before again ignoring her.

"Ha!" Sirius' sharp bark of laughter echoed loudly in the room, but all of them were grinning anyways for McGonagall's blatant dismissal of that broken purr.

She continued on slightly louder that Transfiguration would require an E to pass on into her NEWT classes, and as of now he was averaging an Acceptable.

James pouted slightly Harry had only the most passable of interest in his favorite subject, but at least they both still had Quidditch, at least if Harry ever bothered to speak to him again.

Then Potions of course, having to emphasize this one to him with a flickering smile for the look on his face.

Considering the face he'd just made in here, no one had to ask why McGonagall had done this one, they'd all made the same face.

Snape allowed nothing less than O grades in his class,

"I think he should have just been teaching those students period," Lily sighed. "He's no patience, maybe he wouldn't be such a bitter arse if he could teach those who could follow along better rather than young kids."

"If you're going to do that for one teacher, you should for all of them," Remus criticized. "I don't see Hogwarts inflating it's teacher population just because one teacher shouldn't even be there to handle all students."

Lily agreed, and honestly wondered why he was even there some days. He clearly had no love for his job, more than likely not even for the place itself. If all that was holding him there was some how connected to Dumbledore and whatever favor he'd done to keep him out of Azkaban for being a Death Eater, she did not find that a passable enough use for what he was doing to all of the students, not just Harry, in alienating them from a whole subject.

but then Umbridge gave her most pronounced cough yet, and McGonagall finally addressed her by demanding if she'd like a cough drop.

"More than I'd offer her," James snipped.

"I'd want to see how long we could go on ignoring her." Sirius wondered. "Would she stand up and start jumping around while doing that stupid cough, or just choke herself trying to do it. I'm personally voting for the second."

Umbridge declined, before asking if she could make the teensiest interruption?

"Clearly she can," Remus said through gritted teeth.

Then she wondered aloud if Potter had the temperament for an Auror?

"Oh?" Lily raised a sharp brow. "I find that he has quite the clear head in most situations, though he could use some improvement on who to dish it out on from time to time, but no one's perfect."

Harry blushed faintly for his mother's words, especially who he'd so recently put it on. He gave his dad another apologetic look, who again met his eyes and nodded in some form of mutual understanding and forgiveness.

McGonagall only gave this the barest of acknowledgments before continuing to Harry this took serious ambition,

"I've never said anything about being an Auror," Sirius went wide eyed in concern. "I'd never deny the world my good looks by taking one too many curses to the face, looking like Moody."

"You could take over Euphemia and Fleamont's business, it currently needs a face of the business now that they've passed on," Remus said with heavy sarcasm for Sirius and a sympathetic look at James; but he offered up a kind smile, knowing his parents would love the idea.

Sirius wasn't actually sure how he was supposed to respond to that statement. He didn't want to hurt Prongs' feelings with some snark nor in any way speak ill of two people he considered far more his parents than his own, so let Remus win this round, for now.

She'd advise him to concentrate as well on bringing his Transfiguration and Potions up to scratch.

"Considering there is no way in Merlin you are going to be able to get any kind of passing grade with Snape at the helm, I wouldn't hold my breath," Remus tisked.

Flitwick had been marking him between an A and an E the past two years, so that seemed good in his Charms work. As for Defences, he'd always been marked generally high, Professor Lupin in particular- was Dolores quite sure she didn't want something for that cough!

Sirius growled louder than ever for this constant interruption by that flea. "I wanted to hear that one!"

"I'm sure it was something more along the lines of what he excelled at in class," Remus shrugged, he'd never intentionally over qualify Harry for something no matter how much he loved the kid.

Umbridge feigned knowing what she meant,

"At some point you must not allow them to make that decision," James said with deadly calm.

"He means force feed the cough drop down her throat," Sirius pleasantly informed Harry like he'd missed the joke.

"Though I'm okay if it's something a bit larger that say, accidentally got stuck," James huffed.

as she mentioned McGonagall might not have the most recent scores of Potter's Defence Against the Dark Arts, she'd slipped something in.

"I'll recognize what that says when you recognize Voldemort's back you trumped up sugar plum," Lily scowled.

McGonagall extracted a pink sticky note from Harry's folder and gave it a dismissive read before continuing that Professor Lupin had found Potter had an aptitude for the subject-

Umbridge finally gave up the formality of the cough as she interrupted to say had McGonagall not understood her note?

"I understand that you need to shove it!" James snapped in outrage. How was Remus the only good teacher Harry had yet had! He didn't even count Moody all the way considering he'd in fact tried to kill his son!

McGonagall managed through gritted she'd understood it perfectly.

Umbridge didn't think so, as how could she give Potter false hope then-

"False hope?" Remus scowled. "Harry could be the next Minister if he wanted to!"

"I'd like to see him force Fudge out of office," James agreed with this idea, while Harry's face was turning more red than ever. McGonagall in her office, now those around him, he really didn't know how to handle people complimenting him so much.

McGonagall still hadn't even looked around at her as she demanded back what false hope? He'd achieved high marks in all Defence classes.

Umbridge said she was terribly sorry to correct her,

"No, no she's not," Sirius contradict just as pleasantly.

but her marks clearly showed his poor results while she was putting the class under correct tutelage-

"I wouldn't be surprised if she loses more of his grades than Snape, and that's saying something!" Sirius burst out.

This time McGonagall interrupted to clarify, he'd made high marks in all classes set by a competent teacher.

They all laughed in pure appreciation for McGonagall in that moment, but Remus utterly took the piss out of it. He began laughing so hard he nearly fell right out of his seat.

Sirius watched him indulgently until he'd subsided into a conversational level of giggling again before demanding, "care to share the joke?"

"That had to be the most insulting thing McGonagall ever could have said," Remus insisted, looking around at all of them like he couldn't understand why they hadn't already shared in the joke. "You do realize she just implied, as Harry has passed every exam up until this point, she meant all the previous DADA teachers were more competent than her." He paused, watched them do a head count, and then his grin somehow got wider. Even though they'd clearly taken the hint, he couldn't stop himself nodding and stating, "Lockhart trumped Umbridge, never thought I'd live hear it."

Sirius and James promptly started laughing just as hard as Remus had.

Professor Umbridge's smile vanished as suddenly as a light bulb blowing. She sat back in her chair, turned a sheet on her clipboard and began scribbling very fast indeed, her bulging eyes rolling from side to side.

"Warms my heart she finally has no response," Lily smirked all the wider, still somehow managing to make herself heard through the boys buoyant giggling.

McGonagall turned back to Harry, her nostrils flaring but forcing a calm voice as she asked if he had any questions.

Harry asked what would come after NEWTs?

McGonagall explained he'd need to demonstrate the ability to react well under pressure,

"Been there, done that," James mock yawned, finally recovering from McGonagall's wit, only to encourage this further.

as well as an extra three years in training. A lot more work and study will be going into this even after school-

Umbridge interrupted again, now in a cold flat voice,

"Argh, she couldn't just admit defeat and run off with her tail between her legs," Sirius grumbled.

"Toads don't have tales," Remus reminded. "Though I suppose her tongue would fit the scenario," he finished thoughtfully.

to remind that the Ministry also considered criminal records before hiring for this, which meant he had as much chance of being an Auror as Dumbledore coming back to this school.

"Ah, so by the end of the year then?" Lily happily stated.

"I wouldn't be surprised if Moody took him on now," James agreed without remorse. "If he came out of retirement for the war effort and is helping along Tonks, I'm sure he'd be all the more thrilled to pass along to Harry as well."

"My little cousin could be your partner," Sirius perked up at the idea.

Harry grinned at all of them, wanting to tell them they were getting far to ahead of themselves, but he couldn't seem to pull it together, just enjoying watching them all laugh again for something he could definitely join in on.

McGonagall said a very good chance then.

Umbridge shrilly returned Potter had a criminal record!

"He was cleared of all those wasteful charges," Lily declared acidly. "You can't just keep bringing them up at your leisure!"

"She was one that voted not to have them dropped at all," James needlessly reminded, a dark tone creeping back into his voice. "So I'm sure in her rainbow tinted world, they never were dropped."

McGonagall replied loudly he'd been cleared of all charges!

Umbridge took to her feet then, but she was so short this hardly made a difference, except now her demeanor somehow made the flabby face oddly sinister.

Remus cocked his head to one side, then the other, before saying, "nah, can't picture it."

"Don't underestimate her," James scolded, a calculating look in place. "I doubt she got where she was without hexing a few people along the way."

Remus still sniffed, he had trouble picturing anyone much of a threat against McGonagall.

Umbridge stated in no uncertain terms Potter held no chance of being an Auror.

McGonagall took to her feet as well, but in her case, it was a much more impressive display, she towered over Umbridge.

"I'm positive most first years do," Sirius sneered.

She returned she'd train Potter day and night to become an Auror, she'd coach him until he achieved every required result!

Far from blushing all the more as they would have suspected, Harry looked genuinely touched at the declaration. Of all the teachers there, he'd had the most interaction with McGonagall, the good and the bad. If she was declaring this, Harry had no doubts he had gone through with this career he'd so wanted at that age. Though he supposed, McGonagall could have wiped anyone into position for this job, Hagrid could become an Auror under McGonagall's tutelage.

Umbridge shouted the Minister would never employ Harry Potter!

"Then it's a good thing he won't be around long," Lily said flatly.

McGonagall shouted right back Fudge may not be Minister by the time he's ready to join.

Umbridge waved a stubby finger at McGonagall, a shriek of triumph taking place as she told this was the true answer! McGonagall wanted Fudge gone, so that Dumbledore could replace him! Then Minerva would have the Senior Undersecretary job, and Headmistress job all to herself!

"She's mad," James stated.

"We were well aware," Sirius rolled his eyes.

"No, I mean it," James insisted, dumbfounded his friends were missing the point. "Before, we knew she was a tyrannical scum coated bigot, but she's utterly lost her mind!"

"She can't lose what she never had," Remus huffed.

McGonagall dismissed Harry from the room then,

"Congratulations Harry," Sirius said, still a little too wide eyed, "yours was far more interesting than ours put together."

"That seems to happen to me a lot," Harry muttered.

and Harry wasted no time exiting as McGonagall's and Umbridge's continued shouts echoed down the corridor behind him.

The Marauders looked just a touch frightened at this. They'd never seen McGonagall utterly lose her temper into shouting no matter what they'd ever done, and for this to have occurred was yet another new level of low on that webbed sugar-cookies part.

Umbridge still seemed in her foul mood as she strode into class that afternoon.

"Considering who left whose office, I can only imagine who won that fight," Sirius said with a shark like smile.

"Don't start celebrating to early Padfoot," Remus shook his head miserably. He might not find Umbridge the proper threat in being sinister on any level, but he'd never deny, "she does have the power to throw teachers out, and now permanently. I'm surprised there hasn't been another scene of her pressing a boot to Trelawney now that there's no one around to stop her, and McGonagall may be next sooner than Hagrid with this going on."

"She can't get rid of McGonagall," James said flatly at once. "There would be an absolute uprising, there's just too many who wouldn't stand for it."

"I would have thought the same about Dumbledore," Remus said with a creased brow, "but there hasn't been a peep from the outside world saying anyone disagrees with it."

They all paled in genuine fear now. Umbridge had complete and utter control of the school by its neck, but at least with McGonagall there it felt like there was something holding the woman's noose back. If McGonagall was gone though...

Harry by far looked the most upset at this idea, helping Lily to pull herself together first to keep going. She just couldn't entertain that idea, surely something of their school must remain until Umbridge could be foisted out of it.

Hermione hadn't let up her mission yet, leaning into Harry and telling him to reconsider already, Umbridge was clearly in a bad mood.

"As opposed to?" Lily rolled her eyes.

For just a moment, Harry was tempted not to. After what McGonagall had just pledged for him, to imagine the look on her face if she realized what Harry was doing mere hours after she'd stood up for him...

"Uroh," Sirius winced, for the first time reconsidering himself this idea.

"I honestly think she'll understand though," James said with a sideways look at Harry. "All she'd have to do is work out who you're talking to, she must know Harry wouldn't do this unless it was an emergency."

"I'm not sure I find your attitude as a teenager an emergency," Lily snipped, but there was no force to her words. Harry couldn't wait another month and a bit to see Sirius, or his thoughts about his father could grow worse. None of them could live through it if Harry somehow couldn't find it in himself to forgive James at fifteen like he was starting to in here.

The plan was already in motion though, and there was no sense in letting the twins distraction become fruitless. He did already have the knife and Invisibility Cloak in his bag.

James felt a grin accompany the light hearted feeling he always got when his son mentioned his cloak. He'd always imagined passing that onto him, seeing the childhood delight on his face and growing up learning how best to use it. Surely Harry couldn't find him all bad if he still treasured something like that same look on his face suggested.

Hermione was still going, reminding him Dumbledore had sacrificed himself so Harry could stay in school, was he really going to just throw that away for nothing!

"I disagree, at some point this school wasn't worth staying in," James scowled.

"Right around the time students were getting their hands sliced open," Sirius agreed.

Lily spent a moment wondering if Hermione would have been less reproving of this plan if she'd known the reason, but then, maybe even still. She got angry enough hearing this one talk about one of her friends, she didn't like to think what Hermione would say about her husband in that light, even if she would have said it all herself in the past.

He could wait of course, talk to Sirius this summer, but then he remembered what Sirius had said to him, that he was less like his father than he'd thought.

Sirius actually felt like he was kicked while down. "I, I never meant-" he couldn't find the words. He hated what he'd said to Harry then, he'd never want to pretend Harry was James for even a second, that would not bring back his dead brother no matter how much he wished it, but this was now. Maybe then...

Harry couldn't think of anything to say. He felt like he'd let Sirius down by worrying so much for him, but at the same time could not force the feeling to leave him alone either this was for the best. If Sirius did come back out- he stopped his thoughts cold, he couldn't imagine the worse outcome, he wouldn't!

But did he want to be like his father any more?

"I-" Harry began, but seemed as lost for words as Sirius. His initial feelings for the memory had faded mostly, but he still had no answer for that at fifteen. Here though, the man he'd met, he knew he loved his dad without a doubt, so he did speak with sincerity, "certainly the father I've met."

James jerked in surprise, he hadn't dared look at Harry for that answer, and was so overcome by the shock of that warmth going through him now he was the one who was failing English.

Harry realized he'd struck him dumb, and turned to Sirius, "and I was only ever afraid of disappointing you, because I could never be like that."

Sirius choked how Harry could ever draw that conclusion, and drew himself up proud before stating, "absolutely impossible. You'll always be my godson, even if you'd turned out like Moony instead."

"Hey," Remus frowned, while Sirius smirked at getting a real laugh out of Harry again.

"Be grateful, he could have said me," Lily pointed out, though that only made Remus look at her with even more offense as she kept going.

Ron finally told her to give it a rest, he could make up his own mind.

"I miss watching Ron stand up to her," Remus said. "I don't think he's done much of that since the Yule Ball."

"I think it's good for them, helps keep in mind how they became friends in the first place," Lily chuckled.

The bell rang, people began filing out of class, and not moments later there was a tremendous shake that seemed to rain across the whole castle. Umbridge went past them, pulling her wand as she went, it was now or never.

"Even if you don't go through with it," James said heavily, forcing himself to say something that tore at his soul, "the least you could do is check out what the distraction was." He probably wouldn't hear a word of it anyways, he genuinely feared if Harry didn't go through with this he'd really grow up hating him...but he'd never wish for Harry to go through with this either if he had any doubts about Sirius as well. If his own memory had to be tarnished for Harry to somehow find peace in talking to Sirius later, he'd just have to accept that.

Harry laughed freely, but then blinked in surprise as he registered the tone. He looked worriedly to both his parents, only understanding that they were worried about him getting caught.

Hermione tried one last time, but he'd made up his mind;

Lily made a small squeaking noise to hide her glee, beyond elated Harry was pushing through with this. If anyone could talk to Harry now, it must be Sirius, he'd set him right!

Pushing through crowds until he had a second alone, he donned the cloak and went to Umbridge's office, easily inserting the knife, and the door swung open.

"I never suspected it wouldn't work," Remus said with a toothy grin, so much of this trying to cause flashbacks to the time they'd snuck into Professor Eros' office for entirely different evidence of something, but quite the familiar set up.

He went to work at once inside the kitten and pink laced office, going straight to her fireplace behind the desk and finding the pot of green ash that was the Floo powder. He'd never done this before, but he had the idea of it. He bent down on his knees, activated the network, and shoved his head in, shouting his desired address.

"Oh," Sirius hated to interrupt even in surprise, but couldn't stop his mouth saying, "I honestly thought you were going to appear there and come back, but I guess this works too."

"I'm enjoying it all the more," James suddenly let out a burst of laughter. "Can you imagine your reaction?"

It was a very curious sensation, usually his whole body was spinning like a top through the magically connected fireplaces, but now his knees remained firmly grounded as his head hurtled through.

"It's not a feeling you exactly get used to either," Sirius rubbed at his neck in remembrance.

Harry was just all the more impressed Sirius put up with doing it then, especially repeatedly several times in one night just for a quick chat with Harry like he'd been known to do.

It stopped soon enough, and Harry was looking at the legs of the chairs and table of the familiar kitchen, with a man sitting at said table looking over some parchment.

"Seems you actually interrupted him doing something for once," James said with a small smile, at least it was better than seeing him passed out at the table.

He called to get Sirius' attention, but was just as surprised as Lupin was to hear his voice.

Four of them let out a surprised laugh, it was like gaining an extra unexpected gift for Moony's timing!

Remus didn't exactly feel like joining in, but he certainly had a bemused smile on his face for this set of circumstances.

He demanded at once if Harry was alright.

"Worry wart," James rolled his eyes.

"I don't blame him," Lily shook her head. "There's not a whole lot of reason for him to be showing up like that unless something did happen."

"Then you're both worry warts," James decided, while Lily ignored him.

Harry said he was fine, he just wanted a chat with Sirius.

Still looking perplexed,

"I don't blame you," Lily insisted while both James and Sirius were fighting back smiles.

he said he'd go fetch him, he was looking for Kreacher in the attic.

Harry shivered deeply, he did not like that response at all! Then he realized he gave them quite the wrong impression, clear worry back at once Sirius may say something all the worse for this day. He tried to think of something to say, but could offer nothing from his cursed mind.

He only had to wait moments, but even still he began shifting his knees uncomfortably back at Hogwarts, why hadn't Sirius ever mentioned how uncomfortable this was?

"I wouldn't dream of it," Sirius scoffed, replaying the few conversations he'd had with Harry in his time, and the thought of complaining of a single moment of them for his knees sake was sacrilege.

Sirius came back right on Lupin's heels, both now demanding if he needed some kind of help.

Harry said no, and only stalled for a moment before saying he'd just wanted to talk about his dad.

Lily couldn't help but pause for a moment to just appreciate how out of the blue this would be for the two of them. Harry had given no indication he'd at all brought this up in the almost two years he'd known Sirius, and now out of nowhere he was begging for answers from them in this situation. She'd be on edge if she didn't know what was going on as well.

Refusing to let himself paused any more in embarrassment, he launched into the story he'd seen in Snape's Pensive.

"Oh I'm sure they loved that," James ruffled up his brow as he knew that would only feel all the harsher to them fifteen years later. The day had not been one of particular note to the Marauders, but they'd well remember what it was for Lily, and it would only cause a stirring in them for other things their life was now without.

When he finished, Lupin began Harry shouldn't judge him too harshly, he'd only been fifteen-

Harry heatedly interrupted so was he!

"That wasn't the best way to start," Lily agreed with that protest.

"You try defending this git," Remus tried to poke fun instead of wincing for not starting off that well.

"I'd have thought you'd have more practice," Lily tried to mimic his fun, though both quickly stopped as James couldn't even muster up a smile.

Sirius cut in by choosing to explain it as Snape had hated James from the moment they'd been in the same room. James had been popular, good at Quidditch, good at everything, and Snape had been the exact opposite.

"I'm not actually sure that's helping Padfoot," James told him even as he smirked from atop his pedestal.

"Shove it before I take a pin to your head," Sirius told him pleasantly without a hint of remorse, as that's how Harry should always remember a father who couldn't be there for his child.

He was an oddball who was only good at the Dark Arts, and no matter what that memory implied, James always hated the Dark Arts.

Harry didn't disagree with that, but he couldn't understand why they'd done it just because Sirius was bored.

Sirius at once said he wasn't proud of that!

"Aren't you though?" Lily couldn't help the ice chipped tone.

Sirius opened, then closed his mouth, considered his words carefully for once in his life because of that fragile look still on Lily's face, and stated, "in a way. Seeing Harry like this," he gave a wave to the still unpleasant frown on him. "I'd never wish what Dudley did to him on anyone. I'd never want to be thought of as someone's Dudley, but-" he seemed to have no ability to stop himself saying, "I can't pretend like I'd go back and change anything. He was just as at fault as the lot of us, and it gets really sickening watching you pretend he was always the victim."

"I never said he was," Lily shook her head sadly, now looking more imploringly at James than anyone even as she answered Sirius. "I told him off weekly for being as bad as you, I just wanted one of you to step up and stop." Finishing with a furling grin at her husband, "guess it's obvious who did," before looking to Harry, who nodded slowly as he accepted all this.

Lupin looked sideways at Sirius,

"Probably for everything he just said," Remus shook his head fondly, it was a nice change he still knew what Sirius was thinking on some level, and he could easily imagine all he'd just said to Lily had passed through his head. Even without having full knowledge of Dudley, that accusatory look lingering on Harry's face the past hour in here would be heavier than ever while facing the two of them.

but also said that James and Sirius had been the champions of the school, sometimes they got carried away-

Sirius cut in to repaint themselves as arrogant berks.

"There it is," Lily couldn't help but say affectionately.

"I'm the one who said it!" Sirius protested.

"I know," Lily told him with a fond scold.

Lupin did not disagree, but smiled.

Harry painfully told of his dad messing up his hair.

Sirius and Lupin just laughed.

None did in here. They were all used to his habit of that, but it caused a dead feeling in them to suddenly recognize all over again how long it would have been for those two to have seen that.

Sirius said he'd forgotten he used to do that,

Sirius's eyes stung hard for a moment. The thought of Azkaban hanging over his life felt like a death sentence more than ever if he could ever forget something so common place of his brother...

When Harry agreed, Lupin asked for more, had he been playing with the Snitch? Harry agreed again, and the two smiled even more with reminisce as Lupin concluded he'd thought him an idiot.

"I am no such thing!" James mock huffed.

"I still do," Remus said as if he hadn't spoken.

Sirius agreed of course he was, they all had been, though Moony the least of all.

Lupin did not agree, saying he'd never told them to lay off Snape.

"On a rare occasion," James disagreed with a nostalgic shrug.

"More for the times where he didn't feel like having to put up a counter curse for us that day, then if we still ignored him, he still wouldn't do it," Sirius smirked.

"We never did learn our lesson of heading him though," James finished with an easy smile once again for Harry looking on at them bright eyed for their old life again.

Sirius agreed with that, but he had made them feel ashamed sometimes.

"Usually after the accidents where someone got hurt we hadn't meant to," Remus told Lily and Harry. "Like that time they tried out some new hex on Aubrey Bertram and her head inflated, when they had no clue what it would actually do."

"Hey, we got detention for that one!" Sirius protested, "I didn't think that lecture on using new spells on the students was necessary," he finished petulantly.

Harry cut in though, determined to say all that was on his mind, about Lily hating him! Why had she married him?

Lily looked pitifully to her son. She wished more than anything he'd grown up knowing how untrue that was...for the last few years of her life anyways. She wanted to take the chance and answer him now though. "You know, he stopped asking me out in our sixth year."

Harry looked to her in genuine surprise for that, as she nodded slowly, now lost back in thought. "I noticed it at once, and I was so confused, and after the first month, I was even jealous. I couldn't understand, had he finally moved on? He actually did it, he went a whole year and left me be, and I actually missed the wanker, well when he wasn't being a wanker. He still had his moments like when he told Professor Vector the wrong calculation on purpose just so he could insult the subject, for the umpteenth time."

Harry burst out in surprised laughter as she affectionately recalled. "I was feeling really alone that year, not having made many very good friends outside of Snape, and now that he and I weren't speaking I'd gone back and subconsciously been expecting at least one thing to remain normal. Potter didn't though, and for once I started watching him instead of the other way around. I saw him actually interacting with his friends outside of insulting the student body, I watched him teach this little first year how to fly in a secret flying practice because he was crying he didn't want to be made a fool of. I actually watched James, instead of Potter." She finished with a winning smile at her suddenly flustered husband, he'd never realized that!

She finished with nothing but love in her tone, "that's why the next year, when I heard him talking about Nick's Deathday Party, I put myself into the conversation. I got a reflex reaction," she busted out giggling upon remembering his face when he'd been talking to Peter about this thing, both had gone silent as if struck dumb. "It worked of course, he asked me if I'd like to go with him, and I couldn't help but say yes."

"You nearly gave the poor man heart failure," Remus told her happily. "He wouldn't speak for the rest of the day, then he convinced himself all the next day you were pulling his leg, then-"

"Let's just say your first date with Cho wasn't even as bad a build up as poor Prongs'," Sirius finished with an old chuckle.

"Then I got to dance with her," James finally got his want back, as she curled back into his side, her red hair falling across his chest as she closed her eyes for a moment in contentment. "Glory I was living a dream come true, still am honestly," he finished with a peck to her temple.

Harry watched all of this as if living out his own dream, a childhood one he'd envisioned many times. Any kid at his school could tell a story of how their parents met, apparently it was quite the common thing for a child to know, but he felt like for the first time in his life he was really getting that answer.

Lily lazily opened her eyes back up to look at his hazel ones, but she did force herself to turn back to the book then. She considered it a mission success, if Harry still harbored any bad feelings towards his father after that, than they certainly couldn't see a trace of them now.

Sirius dismissed this, Lupin agreeing they'd started going out in their seventh year, Sirius agreeing once James had deflated his head a bit, Lupin adding on once he'd stopped hexing people for fun.

Harry confirmed even Snape?

Lupin was slow to answer this one, pointing out Snape never missed a chance to curse James, and his father couldn't take that lying down.

"I thought you'd already realized this from all we've said," James said uneasily, he hadn't been shy of sharing those kinds of facts in here, so Harry's extreme reaction again was bothering him for that.

"I guess I didn't put together how, dirty it got," he tried to explain. "I don't know, when you guys tell it, it sounds like you were just goofing off. That, wasn't," he finished bluntly.

James held his hands up in surrender, not looking for another fight with Harry, and if he hadn't spoken both sides fairly enough he supposed that was impossible anyways and done with.

Harry asked his mother was okay with that?

Sirius wasn't aware she even knew anymore,

Lily made a very obvious noise as she looked at him, and Sirius just looked at her dumbly.

"Did you think I was oblivious?" She demanded of him. "Yet I also got a far more, perspective look on them," she conceded.

"I never hid anything from her," James agreed, still watching Harry. "If we still dueled now and again, she was the first one at the hospital wing to tell me I was being an idiot."

"Rather than in the bed next to him like those idiots," Lily shook her head.

James had hardly taken Snape on dates to jinx him for entertainment for her.

"I suggested he should once," Sirius told her pleasantly. "It would be the perfect way for the three of you to really reconcile-"

He stopped with a sharp smack to his head from Moony telling him to shut up, sometimes that did work after all.

Sirius frowned when Harry still didn't look convinced, so he emphasized his best friend had been the best man in his life, a good person.

Lily couldn't stop her throat tightening off for a moment, she could feel the weight of those words, how true Sirius would always mean them. He loved Remus and Peter, but James was the first person he'd ever considered family. She just couldn't imagine for him what it would be like to lose that.

Harry finally agreed with this, saying he'd just never expected to feel sorry for Snape.

Lupin decided to change the subject by asking how Snape had reacted to find Harry in that thing?

Harry gave an indifferent answer that he'd just shouted he'd never teach him Occlumency again, not like he was disappointed-

Sirius shouted that back so loudly Harry coughed ashes.

Lupin demanded if Harry was serious?

Lily kept reading loudly over her obnoxious friend, she didn't want to hear any variant of the same joke in two breaths, honestly thinking no amount of time should have stopped Remus from losing track of that joke.

Harry looked at the two overreactions in surprise, saying he found it a relief-

Sirius declared he was going up there, even getting to his feet as if to do so that moment, but Lupin pulled him back down;

"Wow," James said the word slowly and carefully.

"I, think we've been underestimating this crap," Sirius agreed with a creased brow.

"I think Dumbledore was really confident Occlumency was supposed to help more than we were thinking," Remus corrected. "So if we believed him," he trailed off with a miserable shake to his head, though at least their past actions made a bit more sense now. Taking Dumbledore at word would mean sharp fears of what was happening to Harry now they were hearing otherwise.

"I'm not sure why you stopped him," James told Remus with a slight pout, then he quickly stopped the rest of his train of thought escaping, now very much aware James provoking a fight between Snape and Sirius would not be received well by his son.

Saying firmly if anyone was going to have words with Snape, it would be him.

"I wouldn't recommend that one anymore though!" James said with honest fear. Not after the last time Snape had been around Remus, or almost Moony.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Remus demanded. "I can handle myself just as well."

"Sirius has more practice," James said shrewdly.

First though, Harry was to go back and tell Snape he was not to stop! When Dumbledore heard-

"He'll sack him?" Sirius offered hopefully.

"How would that fix his problem of, he stopped giving Harry lessons," Lily reminded him of why he was being an idiot.

"I can still dream," Sirius huffed.

Harry said back he couldn't do that, Snape would kill him!

Lupin was being stern though, there was nothing more important than this!

Lily still couldn't help but frown at the intensity of that. Rather than that tone, she wished Remus would just explain already why Dumbledore was so convinced Occlumency would work, that was the only thing she could put together for Remus' tenacity of the same.

Harry agreed, if still annoyed doing so.

"Doesn't seem to have had much of an impact," Remus said tersely, clearly Sirius should have been the one to say that.

Sirius looked to him in sympathy, many things he wanted to say to Moony for this moment bouncing around in his head. He wished as much as him Harry felt more for James' last friend, he knew he felt plenty of gratitude that clearly Remus was still coming back in to check on him. That killing blow of a reminder James may not always be in his life left him more grateful than ever to still have Moony even in this bleak future, but he held himself back for the simple wish this would never have to come true, they would always be around for none of this to ever have to take place.

Then he heard footsteps, and asked if that was someone coming into the kitchen?

Sirius said no in surprise, must be from his end.

"Bloody hell," James yelped in a sudden upsurge of fear.

Harry's heart skipped a beat as she shouted he had to go before wrenching his head back.

"Bloody hell," Sirius couldn't help but parrot, but he had quite a look on his face that wasn't all fear for Harry. "You do realize," he told Remus, "he actually didn't explain much of anything to us about why he was there. Just stop for a moment and think what we would have said to each other when Harry just popped out like that."

Remus did smile, for just a moment, at imagining him and Sirius reminiscing for hours about their good times, trying to even move past that and make even better plans for their future. This finally was that warmth they'd been missing between them since that third book, some promise their lives couldn't ever break apart. James had been the glue to pull them all together in school, and Remus knew he'd still be enough to do the same without even having to be there.

He bolted at once under his cloak as Filch muttered to himself just outside the door how grateful he was she'd left it open.

"But she didn't!" Lily squeaked in concern. "Now she'll know someone was in there."

"She's no proof it was Harry," James tried to placate, though that made none of them feel better, as Umbridge had never needed more than a passing glance to go after Harry after that first day.

In an honest effort just to distract the two, Sirius instead offered the question, "what if the door wasn't open for him though, how would Filch get in for, well whatever even he's there for."

"If Umbridge sent him there, that means she's got a reason for not doing it herself," Remus reasoned out slowly. "Perhaps in her haste of casting him off, neither of them realized the roadblock of her magicking her door shut."

"He'd just have had to turn around and go get her anyways," James agreed with the logic even if he was still on edge.

"Still a warning I would have heard," Harry told soothingly, he had an odd smile on his face. It was very clear that just talking about all this with Sirius had helped Harry out of his misgivings with his dad, and now there was going to be something quite savory to finish off this night...

He rummaged through Umbridge's desk, Harry staying where he was, crouched and invisible as Filch muttered to himself to find the form for approval of whipping, they'd had it coming to them for years!

Lily inhaled sharply as she read that. Of all the laws the Ministry had been passing of late, even the stupidest of them all, she still hadn't believed they could ever approve of something so cruel!

"He wouldn't really go through with it though," for the first time, James sounded uncertain, this was just so above anything he'd coped with at school, "right?" He finished pitifully towards his friends.

Neither had the breath to answer him, the idea of actually whipping a student wasn't bearable, and they'd thought they'd hit that limit after what Umbridge had done to Harry!

He finally seemed to have found it, as he grasped a paper and began kissing it before shuffling back away faster than Harry had ever seen him move. He waited carefully before following, waited until he was a safe distance from Umbridge's office, and then took off the cloak to continue following him to the Entrance Hall, and found a scene very much like before when Trelawney was being sacked. The two differences were Peeves floating above the crowd, and the twins in the center.

"Oh no," Sirius muttered, his eyes widening in concern. He couldn't imagine the scenario of what happened for Harry walking in on, but it was nothing good. He'd become incensed over Umbridge going near Harry, but he adored the twins as if he'd personally gotten to know them as well. The idea of Filch actually-

They were all grateful when Lily kept going even if it was in pitch fear for the twins well being. Then again, if so much as one lash was given to them, thanks to that clock of hers; Molly was likely to appear in the school and start murdering whatever was pink in sight, so nothing too bad could happen.

Umbridge was again slightly up the staircase, gazing down at them as she spoke of how funny they must think themselves, setting up a swamp in her school corridor?

"They did what!" James demanded, actually wrenching the book from Lily's grip to see this with his own proud eyes.

"Give that back," Lily scolded, holding her hand out impatiently as he reluctantly returned it.

Still, she couldn't help but pause at an all new level of the twins' genius. She'd give them credit where it was due for originality.

Fred agreed it was pretty amusing, without the slightest trace of fear.

"The proper response then," Sirius still managed with chipper even as his eyes tracked Lily's every twitch, waiting for the blow to fall one way or the other.

Filch elbowed his way closer to Umbridge, almost crying with happiness.

Lily was as disgusted with Filch as she was with Umbridge. Everyone had always found the man a joke, but now that it was clear he was being given his free reign to do as please, he wasn't just trying to spook kids anymore, he really meant it.

He begged the headmistress to let him do it now!

Umbridge agreed Argus could go fetch what he liked, telling the twins they would be her example of wrongdoers in her school.

Fred gave the pleasant return he didn't think so, George agreeing they'd outgrown full time education. Fred decided it was time they test their talents in the real world.

"What on earth," Remus only just had time to string together at what those two were up to when Lily kept going, hardly pausing for breath.

As one, they raised their wands, and summoned their brooms with the Accio charm.

There was a resounding crash, and Harry only just ducked in time as the two objects came hurtling forward, one even still dragging it's heavy chain that had it bolted to the wall.

James was vibrating in his seat, the urge to laugh being smothered so he could hear every word almost leaving his head ringing like a gong.

They mounted in the shocked silence, with one last parting word to the students that their premises for Weasley's Wizard Wheezes was to be found in Diagon Alley,

"One last shot of upsells, in case anyone's missed it by now," Remus gave an approving nod even as he felt like his head was floating above his shoulders from such unending feelings about this.

and a special discount to anyone from Hogwarts to use their product to rid this bat.

"But by the time they'll be able to go to the store, she'll be gone," Sirius reminded viciously, as the last break of the school year had already passed, and they could not wait for the rest of this book to be the same.

Umbridge came to her senses and shouted for them to be stopped, but no one had time as they went up into the air, that iron peg nearly taking one of the Inquisitorial Squad members head off.

"I hope they never took that off," Harry whispered, blinking slowly at the book as finally some happy memory was restored to him again.

They only stopped long enough to ask Peeves to give her hell from them.

Peeves, whom Harry had never once seen taken an order, gave a bow of understanding.

Then Fred and George wheeled off into the sunset.

Then they all promptly collapsed with laughter.

HPHPHPHP

Dang this was an emotionally heavy chapter, though good practice for a particular one to come...

Anyways, hope this chapter was worth the wait, but I really did feel like these were a two part chapter more than any others before or after it. Like this and the previous all could have been one mega long chapter. Okay, to the point, I know some people's minds will never change, and they'll always view what James and Sirius did as the worst act possible and they're just terrible people. I never saw them that way, and even if you still disagree, I hope I at least offered a new perspective even if you didn't agree with that either.

#Harry Potter #fanfiction #reading the books #OotP #Marauders #James and Harry talk #James Potter #Remus Lupin #Sirius Black #Lily Potter #Jilly

[thebluelemontree]

summer-turtle

  Would you ever write same-sex relationships...

Probably because a lot of people don’t trust Myranda with Sansa. This is backed up by Mya/Sansa being quite popular, and Mya being more trustworthy.

Yeah, well, people also tend to only take cursory glances at minor characters.  I can see why people think that, but they are also wrong, and I need to rant about it. LOL.  People who have that assumption that Mya = good, Myranda = bad, forget that Mya and Myranda are “close as sisters.”  They are best friends of similar age and grew up together.  So Mya, who already has serious trust issues from her father’s abandonment, would be “close as sisters” for years with a supposedly untrustworthy jealous schemer?  Myranda is smart and isn’t forthcoming on some things, but that doesn’t make her ill-intentioned toward Sansa.  That doesn’t really add up when we look at everything.

It’s Littlefinger that fears Myranda for being “shrewder than her father.”  So her father, Nestor Royce, is the one taking bribes from Littlefinger and supports his moves to take power as Lord Protector after Lysa’s convenient death and taking custody of Robert.  If Littlefinger fears Myranda’s interference, it’s because she’s not on board with her father being Littlefinger’s ally.  And that was before Littlefinger’s move to betroth Sansa to HtH.   "Soon or late you must meet Myranda Royce," Petyr had warned her. "When you do, be careful. She likes to play the merry fool, but underneath she's shrewder than her father. Guard your tongue around her." 

Personally, I think that if Littlefinger is wary of Myranda Royce, that’s a good thing.  She’s shrewd.  She’s not buying into his bullshit.  So Myranda is already suspicious of what Littlefinger is doing, so of course, she wants to meet this “daughter” of his that is so close to Robert Arryn.  What’s her part in all this?  Is Alayne a victim and forced into a situation against her will?  Or is she a willing participant in LF’s scheme?  And since she knows Alayne is really Sansa, the big question would be what the heck is Sansa Stark doing with Littlefinger?  She’s wanted for regicide in KL.  Is she a murderess that something to do with Lysa’s death too?  We forget that Myranda might have good reasons to not trust Sansa at first until she gets to know her better.  Just because we, the readers, know Sansa is not there by choice, doesn’t mean other characters do.  

So she does examine Sansa closely when they ride down the mountain together.  “She studied Alayne's face and chest. "You are prettier than me, but my breasts are larger. The maesters say large breasts produce no more milk than small ones, but I do not believe it. Have you ever known a wet nurse with small teats? Yours are ample for a girl your age, but as they are bastard breasts, I shan't concern myself with them."   

So while Myranda is chattering away about boobs, playing the merry fool, she’s disarming Sansa with humor and frivolity so she has an excuse to look at her face and features closely without it being uncomfortable staring, which would make Sansa instantly more guarded.  And Myranda doesn’t have a bastard prejudice.  That’s nonsense.  Her best friend is a bastard, so we know this is all a pretense. :P  When we know that, it seems like Myranda is testing Sansa with different subjects to trigger a reaction:  Lysa’s death, the mention of Jon Snow, if Alayne is still a virgin, how big is her father’s “little finger?” which is a bizarre question to ask, unless she’s trying to figure out what the nature of Sansa and Littlefinger’s relationship is.  Are they lovers and is she his accomplice? She needs to know because Robert Arryn is directly under Alayne’s care and she does seem to genuinely care about Robert.  Mya does too, despite the way Robert treats her.  After the ride down and Myranda seeing the person that Sansa is, especially when she sees Sansa helping Robert cross the stone bridge, I think Myranda comes away convinced that Sansa is a good person and she’s most likely Littlefinger’s victim.  

And that whole HtH subplot?  Myranda was rejected by Lady Anya and Harry long before LF or Alayne were in the picture.  Myranda is a great match on paper for Harry.  The junior branch of house Royce is still an ancient family name.  Catelyn advised Robb to choose an heir from that branch.  The Hardyngs are landed knights, and Harry does have a need to emphasize his more prestigious relations, which he does on his quartered shield.  Myranda is very sex-positive. witty, and fun, but she’s also fat, and Harry is horribly fatphobic.  Lady Anya knows that as she cleaned up the Cissy incident for him.  Of course, Anya rejected Myranda outright without hearing another word because she isn’t going to sour her relationship to her future high lord by betrothing him to a woman that would disgust him.  Now Myranda says it might have been about dowry (which Anya may have told Nestor as an excuse to avoid making a personal insult), but I think Myranda knows it's about her appearance.  Her first reaction to a mention of HtH is that she hopes he gets an STI, which is a pretty strong “fuck that jerk.”  People always love to trot out:

"The first Lady Waynwood must have been a mare, I think. How else to explain why all the Waynwood men are horse-faced? If I were ever to wed a Waynwood, he would have to swear a vow to don his helm whenever he wished to fuck me, and keep the visor closed." She gave Alayne a pinch on the arm. "My Harry will be with them, though. I notice that you left him out. I shall never forgive you for stealing him away from me. He's the boy I want to marry."

"The betrothal was my father's doing," Alayne protested, as she had a hundred times before. She is only teasing, she told herself...but behind the japes, she could hear the hurt.            

So we see Myranda firing back at Anya Waynwood’s appearance. Like “oh yeah, lady, it’s not like you Waynwoods have room to talk about how anyone looks.  Your sons don’t exactly do it for me either.”  Bullshit Myranda’s rejection was about dowry.  Fat people know when they’re being rejected for being fat.  It hurts!  There’s pain behind Myranda’s jokes, yes, not true jealousy.  We know Alayne never stole Harry from her.  Harry rejected her long before.  Alayne has never even met Harry before, so how could she steal him?  Myranda’s attitude toward Harry before the betrothal plot happened was that Harry is an asshole and an irresponsible cad.  She certainly didn’t say she had her heart set on marrying him then only that her father hoped to make a match.  So what is she doing then and how do we make sense of it?  Well, she’s reframing the narrative to a less painful version of events, one to where the reason has nothing to do with her weight and Harry wasn’t a cruel prick to her because I do think Myranda knows her own worth even if guys like Harry don’t.  That she sees herself just as much of a catch as Sansa Stark even if she’s a bigger girl.  Myranda is smart enough to know that whole narrative is bullshit, makes no factual sense, and none of this is Sansa’s doing, but she’s also human, and it really sucks to be grossly devalued like that.  If you asked her what she thought of Harry, she’d probably still say she hopes he gets the pox.  And Sansa’s reaction to her hurt is sympathy, which she gives Myranda over and over, as many times as Myranda needs to hear it every time she brings it up.  She rescues Myranda from being besieged by two gross men ogling at her.  Even with the death of Myranda’s first husband, Sansa reassures her that it wasn’t her fault he had a heart attack while they were having sex.  But behind the jokes, behind the merry fool, is someone who has internalized shame for being a “dreadful slut.”  She’s internalized some of her father’s criticism of the embarrassing way in which she was widowed.  It’s very hard to be jealous and hateful of someone when they treat you with kindness, sympathy, understanding, and support at every turn.  

And if Myranda really wanted to get Sansa out of the way, what is she waiting for?  She’s had weeks and months to reveal her identity and turn her in.  She could easily tell Lyn Corbray who she knows has a beef with Littlefinger and desperately needs the gold.  What’s stopping her?  Nothing.  She hasn’t made one move to betray Sansa.  Not once.  Again, would the supposed good and real friend Mya go along with that if she suspected her CLOSE AS A SISTER BEST FRIEND Myranda was going to harm Sansa in any way?  I don’t think so, because there is no plot to betray Sansa on Myranda’s end.

Later on, in TWOW sample, we learn that Myranda is being threatened by Nestor to marry her off to some nasty unwanted suitor.  Why?  She clearly runs Nestor’s castle capably, and with her family name, he could make a great match for her.  Maybe it’s because Myranda has voiced her opposition to what her father is doing and that is why he’s threatening to get rid of her, probably at Littlefinger’s behest if she’s even thinking of betraying THEM, not Sansa.    

And so what even if there’s a little jealousy there?  Jon was undoubtedly jealous of Robb’s advantages, but he could overcome those feelings and love Robb like a brother.  The love he got out of their relationship was worth more than his feelings of resentment. And readers give Jon that leeway to feel both love and jealousy and not hold it against him.  Girls aren’t granted that.  I hate it when people (general, not you) seem to think girls are incapable of overcoming their jealousies or petty rivalries, especially over a boy.  That any conflict between girls will cause one of them to slam their hand down on the nuclear option and destroy the other.  And I don’t think George is going that direction with Myranda

They made a race of it, dashing headlong across the yard and past the stables, skirts flapping, whilst knights and serving men alike looked on, and pigs and chickens scattered before them. It was most unladylike, but Alayne sound found herself laughing. For just a little while, as she ran, she forget who she was, and where, and found herself remembering bright cold days at Winterfell, when she would race through Winterfell with her friend Jeyne Poole, with Arya running after them trying to keep up.

By the time they arrived at the gatehouse, both of them were red-faced and panting. Myranda had lost her cloak somewhere along the way.

The girls have a race (a competition), but the race is framed around sisterhood and friendship.  There’s no winner or loser though.  And Myranda lost her cloak (as a marriage symbol) somewhere along the way, and it doesn’t matter because the girls were having too much fun together.  The friendship was more important than any rivalry, and that’s our lead-in scene to Sansa meeting Harry for the first time.               

AND THAT IS WHY I’m all fired up again, and I will make it a point to write a Sansa/Myranda bisexual slow burn with lots of fluff, mutual support, body positivity, and hot sex because both these girls deserve it and I love them with my whole heart XD

#summer-turtle #sansa stark x myranda royce #IS2G #I need this fic now #long post #ranting