“Remus?� Hermione called. “Remus, where are you? Tonks is looking for you,� she called through the halls.

She stopped abruptly when she heard scuffling in Ginny’s room. “Ginny? You in there?�

Ginny opened her bedroom door to find herself facing Hermione. “Oh,� she said. “Hi, Hermione. What are you doing up here? I thought you were outside with Harry and Ron.�

“I was, but now I’m looking for Remus. Have you seen him? Tonks needs to talk to him,� Hermione replied.

“Hermione, where’d you go?� asked a male voice down the hall. “Harry went on a walk. I was wondering if you wanted to play chess.� It was Ron.

“I can’t right now. I’m looking for Remus. Have you seen him?� Hermione replied.

“Did you look in his room?� Ginny said.

Hermione’s mouth formed a large “O�, and she shook her head and gave herself a mental kick. “That’s the one place I haven’t looked.�

Ginny placed her hands on her hips and smirked. “There. Problem solved.�

Hermione spun on her heel and headed downstairs to Remus’ room, Ginny and Ron behind her. “Remus? Remus!� Hermione said. Ron knocked on the door, but they heard no answer. “Remus, are you there?� Hermione asked again.

Ginny shoved open the door. Remus was not in there, but a large stone basin was. Hermione went in first, staring in awe at the runes on the tub. “This is a Pensieve,� she said. “I wonder why Remus has one.�

“I dunno,� Ron said, peering into the silvery mist coming out of the Pensieve. “Huh,� he poked the liquid with his wand, “don’t we need to stick our head in it?� Ron asked, remembering vaguely something Harry said.

“Yes,� Hermione said simply.

Ginny was still standing in the doorway. “How do you both know all this?�

Hermione and Ron looked at each other. Were they allowed to tell her anything about Harry and Dumbledore’s lessons? It was Ginny, and she had been Harry’s girlfriend.

Deciding he better let Harry tell her, Ron said, “Er, Hermione did some... um... research on them once.� He gave Hermione a you-go-on glance.

“Oh! Yes, I did, once, and Ron and Harry were in the library with me,� Hermione fumbled clumsily, and Ginny and Ron decided she wasn’t a good liar.

Ginny edged her way towards the Pensieve. “Ron, what did you say about sticking your head in the liquid?� She eyed the silver mist cautiously, as if something would pop out of it. “What does this do?�

Hermione stepped closer to Ginny. “It’s used to store memories. I wonder why Remus would have one?�

Ron poked the liquid with his wand again. “Shall we see?� he asked. Not waiting for an answer, he plunged his head in.

Ginny followed suit, and dived right in. Hermione sighed, and placed her hands on either side of her and slowly stuck her head through the liquid. She was falling through the sky, and landed right next to Ron, in what seemed to be a hallway of Hogwarts.

Ginny exclaimed, “Look!� and Ron and Hermione followed the direction her finger was pointed and saw a figure rounding the corner. All three gasped. The man was a younger version of Remus Lupin, the same shabby clothes, only without the gray in his hair.

He kept on walking and turned towards the staircase. “He must be going to the Gryffindor tower,� Hermione said. “Let’s follow.�

Remus was already halfway up the stairs, and Ginny, Ron, and Hermione had to run to catch up with him. This continued for several more floors, until they came across the painting of the Fat Lady.

“Password?� she interrogated Remus.

“Frog Spawn,� he answered with a yawn. The Fat Lady swung open and revealed the Gryffindor common room, the same as Ron, Hermione, and Ginny remembered it, only with slight differences. The rugs seemed newer, and the chairs were not as worn. But other than that, it was like they were walking into their own second home.

Remus made a beeline towards the dormitory staircases and headed up, with Ron, Hermione, and Ginny following him. He stopped at the room marked fourth years, and swung open the door to reveal two fellow Gryffindors hitting a lump on a bed with pillows.

“Look! It’s Sirius!� Ron gaped, and sure enough, one of the boys armed with a pillow was a younger Sirius Black. He was remarkably handsome, and had a brighter look to his eyes than the three of them ever remembered.

The lump on the bed turned over and covered his head with his pillow, and yelled, “Leave me alone!� every once in awhile.

Remus looked at Sirius and the other boy, who had the slight appearance of a mouse, and said, “He’s not waking up?�

Sirius shook his head. “He’s being a prat,� he said, saying “prat� loud and clear to make sure that the lump could hear him. The lump just grumbled back a reply.

The mousey boy hit the lump harder than ever this time, and the lump yelled a slightly muffled swear word, but loud enough so everyone could hear him.


Remus said something- something Hermione was sure was a spell- and put his wand to his cheek. “Potter! Wake up!� he said, only his voice came out in a female roar. The lump sat up in surprise then fell out of the bed, bringing a cascade of linens tumbling after him.

Sirius, mouse boy, and Remus roared with laughter as the lump- who wasn’t quite a lump anymore, but a figure cloaked with his sheet- got up and headed towards the center of the room to the water basin.

The figure quickly removed the sheet covering his head and dunked his whole face into the basin. When he raised his head, he had a tight hood of raven-coloured hair, and was slightly gasping.

The mouse boy looked slightly annoyed. “Great, Prongs, now we can’t drink out of that for awhile!� he said, and Remus and Sirius laughed harder.

The figure went over and dried his face with a towel, and when he faced Ron, Hermione, and Ginny, they gasped. It was Harry, only with hazel eyes.

“Shut up, Wormtail,� Prongs said, groping around his night stand for his glasses.

“It’s Harry’s dad!� Ginny gasped quietly. People had always said that Harry looked like his dad, but she never imagined them to practically be twins.

“It’s Scabbers,� a grim Ron said, motioning towards the mouse boy. Hermione smiled sadly- but in reality was trying not to laugh at the look on Ron’s face- and patted him on the arm, which cheered Ron up quite a bit.

Sirius grabbed James’ glasses from his dresser and handed them to him. “Did you like Moony’s clever spellwork there, mate?� he asked in a mocking tone.

“No need to have used Evans’ voice,� he grumbled and precariously placed his glasses on his nose, making him look more like Harry than ever.

“We’re gunna be late for class,� Remus said, looking down at his watch.

James was about to reply when Ron, Hermione, and Ginny felt a slight pull on their backs, and they were wisped away from the scene to find themselves back in Remus’ room. They turned around to see Remus smiling at them.

Hermione, Ron, and Ginny stared in horror when they saw Remus. “R-Remus! We’ve been looking for you. Tonks wants you,� Hermione stammered. Remus just smiled and shook his head.

“Thought you would find me in there?� Remus raised his eyebrow and pointed at the basin that Ginny, Ron, Hermione just returned from.

Hermione flushed as Ginny and Ron smiled apologetically. Remus just smiled. “You stumbled across Harry’s seventeenth birthday present. Courtesy of Dumbledore, Sirius and I.� Remus smiled at the confused glances of the three teenagers in front of him, then continued, “You see, it was Dumbledore’s idea that we collected some memories of Lily and James for Harry. Dumbledore and I did most of the collecting, since some people probably wouldn’t be too excited to get a letter from Sirius. Although he did give us some memories of his own.�

Ginny studied the Pensieve, then looked up at Remus and said, “Letters? Why would you send letters out?�

“To get memories from fellow classmates. Mostly they were old friends of Lily.� Remus sat down in the armchair in the corner and placed his hands on his stomach.

Ron asked, “Why are you doing this for Harry?�

“And you say Dumbledore and Sirius were included, so, how long have you been planning this?� Hermione threw in.

Remus smiled. “Since the summer after yours and Harry’s fourth year.�

Ron seemed impressed. “So, you have been planning this for Harry for several years? Gathering memories from friends and putting them into this Pensieve?� Remus nodded from where he sat in the corner.

“How many memories do you have?� Ginny was looking into the silver liquid of the Pensieve.

“Quite a few,� Remus replied simply. “It took awhile getting memories and sorting through them.�

“Sorting through them?�

“We didn’t want any memories that were pointless. We wanted memories that really showed the personality of Lily and James. Snape even contributed one. Not very flattering on James’ part,� Remus smiled.

“Can we see more?� Ginny had her face only inches away from the liquid memories in the Pensieve.

“This was meant for Harry’s eyes only, but I’ve been meaning to look through them.� Remus got up from his chair and rubbed his hands together as he approached the Pensieve. “What memory next, what memory?� he murmured.

“Can we see one of Harry’s mum?� Ginny whispered. “Lily?�

Remus grinned then plucked a small bottle from a shelf. “Here’s one of Lily. Sixth year, I think. A memory of mine.� He poured the contents of the bottle into the basin and motioned with his hands towards the Pensieve. “After you.�

This time Hermione was the first to stick her head into the liquid. Ron, Ginny, and Remus followed shortly behind.

This time they were in the great hall, right next to a younger Remus reading a book and eating eggs. “Remus!� they heard, and Ron, Ginny, Hermione and both the younger and older Remus turned there heads towards the voice.

Walking towards them was a very pretty girl, about the age of the memory Remus (sixteen? seventeen?). She had long, thick deep red hair, which she had pinned up with a clip. She had emerald green eyes, in the shapes of almonds.

Harry’s eyes.

Ginny looked at the older Remus, who was standing right next to her, and said, “That’s Lily, isn’t it?� He nodded a reply.

Lily sat next to young Remus. “I was thinking,� she started, “that instead of using ginger in the Stupidity Potion, we could use lovage. Ginger is used in the Wit-Sharpening Potion, and lovage is used in Confusing and Befuddlement Potions, so I think that if we switch the two, we’ll have a more powerful Stupidity Potion. Don’t you think?�

Remus lowered his book a little bit and blinked at Lily. He shrugged. “Alright. Don’t see what would be wrong with that. As long as it doesn’t mess up the potion, and I don’t think it will.� Remus raised his book again and continued reading, his forked hanging loosely at his side.

Lily rested her head on her hand and sighed. “But wouldn’t there be a reason that the ginger is in there? Maybe so that the Stupidity Potion isn’t too strong.�

Remus shrugged.

Lily grabbed the fork from his hand and let it hang loosely from her own, smaller, palm. She dove it in and stabbed a piece of egg. Remus watched this all with mixed curiosity and amusement.

“Having a rough time lately?� he asked kindly, eyeing the fork she was holding up and poking him with every once in awhile.

Lily lowered the fork (but not without hitting Remus again) and narrowed her eyes. “Him,� she said venomously.

Remus rubbed the spot where Lily poked him as he replied, “What did he do to you now?� He watched as Lily dove the fork down again and stabbed a kipper and shoved it into her mouth.

“It’s not really what he did to me,� she said slowly. “It’s more of what he does to other people. Where does he get those curses, anyways?�

“He knows his way around the library pretty well,� Remus replied in a bored fashion.

Lily slouched her shoulders and huffed. “So do I! But that doesn’t mean I know all those jinxes. He must get them from the restricted section!�

Remus, who was in the middle of taking a big gulp of his pumpkin juice, choked and sprayed a decent amount of it out his nose. Lily patted him on the back.

“W-what gave you that idea?� Remus muttered. He was bright red and soaking wet with juice, and his shirt was stained orange.

Lily looked at him with a satisfied look on her face. “You’re a very bad actor, do you know that?� she said politely.

Remus sighed. “Sirius tells me that all the time.�

“It’s true!� she laughed. “And don’t worry, I won’t tell a teacher James sneaks into the Restricted Section.�

Remus eyed her cautiously. “You won’t?�

Lily shook her head. “I’m not a tattle-tail, believe it or not!� she said in defense. “I’ll just get back at James myself.� She smirked. “I have an idea.�

Remus raised his eyebrow and eyed his fork in her hands. Lily looked at him curiously. “Remus, you look a bit peaky. Is it your time of the month?�

Several people sitting close by sniggered, and Remus blushed. “Yes,� he whispered, “it is. OW!�

Lily poked him in the eye with his fork. “Oh, Remus! Are you okay? Do you need some ice? I’ll take care of you all night if you have to stay in the Hospital Wing!�

Remus was covering his eye with his hand. “I’m- I’m fine! I’ll be okay!�

Lily got up from where she was sitting and said, “I’ll leave now before I cause anymore bodily harm to you. Anyways, I’m going to go talk to Slughorn about the lovage.� She waved good-bye over her shoulder.

Remus raised his book and was once again hidden behind it.

Ron, Ginny, and Hermione felt the familiar tug on their backs and were once again in Remus’ room. “Lily- Harry’s mum- knew that you were a werewolf?� Hermione asked as soon as she regained her balance.

Remus ran his hand through his hair. “Lily was a good friend of mine. She- like James and Sirius- put the parts together and figured it out. Like she said, I wasn’t- am not- a good actor. There were only so many times she took the excuse that my mum was sick.�

“She had Harry’s eyes,� Ginny muttered.

Remus smiled warmly towards her. “Yes, she did. Now, here’s one more memory I want to show you of her.� He once again grabbed a vial from a shelf and poured its liquid into the Pensieve. “This one is courtesy of Professor Slughorn.�

“Ginny, you first this time, how ‘bout?�

Ginny dove her head into the liquid and was followed shortly by the others. This time they landed in the Potions dungeon. They recognised Slughorn immediately: He was the big sphere standing at the head of the empty room.

They heard noise outside and soon students started filing into the room, Lily leading with her group of laughing friends, Remus, Peter and Sirius at the back of the group.

Slughorn smiled at his class and motioned towards the desks. “Please take a seat next to your Potions partner.� Remus slumped into a seat next to Lily, and Sirius took a seat at the back of the dungeon, next to a girl that was eyeing him hopefully.

Peter took his seat at an empty desk- kiddy corner from Sirius- as he looked around the room desperately.

“Now, everyone! Today we will be making...� Professor Slughorn’s voice droned on as he explained the complicated potion they would be making that day in class. He was the only person in the room that didn’t see a boy with messy black hair slink into the room and take his seat next to Peter.

Lily turned around and scowled at James, and he just grinned back and waved. Lily spun back around in her seat and pointedly ignored Sirius and James passing notes back and forth. Remus kept glancing back, occasionally receiving a note from his friends.

Slughorn clapped his hands together. “Why, Mr. Potter! I didn’t see you come in!� he exclaimed, just noticing the presence of James.

“What can I say, Professor? I’m a quiet person,� he replied. The whole class snorted, Lily and Sirius louder than the rest.

James rolled his eyes but was grinning all the same. Slughorn rested his big hands on his even larger stomach and said, “Calm down! No need to have a laugh on Mr. Potter’s expense! Time to start making our potions. Directions on the board.� He waved his wand and directions appeared on the chalkboard, reminding Ron, Ginny, and Hermione vividly of Snape.

There was a scraping of noise as everyone pulled out their supplies. Lily was obviously Slughorn’s favorite, since he kept going up to her and complimenting her on her potion. Lily blushed politely, but it was obvious she was proud of herself.

Sirius was the only one putting any kind of effort into his potion, the girl he was working with just stared at him with her mouth open until Sirius said rather impatiently, “Are you alright?�

The girl snapped her mouth shut and started putting more effort in on her part. Ginny and Hermione couldn’t blame her. Sirius was quite handsome, and he had an air of coolness surrounding him that seemed to fill every corner of the room he was in.

Suddenly, a large explosion came from where James and Peter were sitting. Indeed, there was a large cloud of smoke emitting from their cauldron and several coughs from behind it. A pair of hands swiped away the smoke, revealing James Potter, every single hair on his head sticking up.

Sirius started laughing uncontrollably, followed soon by Remus, Lily, and the rest of the class. Soon, the face of Peter appeared, his hair sticking up as unflatteringly as James’. This caused more laughter.

Lily laughed, almost cruelly, at James. He stared at her. “I look good, don’t I? Bet you want to go on a date with me now?� James said with a wink.

Lily turned around. “Why don’t you go curse a Slytherin?� she growled.

James blinked. “Good idea.�

Lily was rolling her eyes when Ginny, Ron and Hermione were pulled back into the real world. “Lily didn’t care much for James, huh?� Ron asked.

Remus shook his head. “She didn’t hate him as much as she let on. In fact, I think she liked him almost as much as he liked her. And I know that she liked him more than Snape did.� Remus grinned as he went over to the shelf, examining all the memories.




AN~ Big, humongous thanks to my beta, Sour.Apple.!

Remus finally wrapped his fingers around a memory. “Here’s one! It was donated by Snape.� Seeing the raised eyebrows of the three teenagers, he added, “Well, before he... you know.�

Ron looked at the memory cautiously. “If this memory is by Snape, then it probably doesn’t show James in the best light, does it?�

Remus grinned. “Actually, it was supposed to of shown James as a bully, at least I suspect that’s what Snape wanted... But it’s quite a nice memory.�

He smiled fondly as he poured the liquid into the Pensieve.

“Who wants to go first?�

Ginny stepped forward before anyone else did and dunked her head in. The others soon followed. They landed in a familiar hallway, right next to James and company.

Ron looked up at him, still surprised at how much he looked like Harry. Unnaturally a lot like Harry.

“... she almost slapped you, Prongs,� Sirius said with a broad grin.

“I thought she was going to hex him!� piped in Peter.

“Nah, she wouldn’t have slapped me,� James replied. “She’d hex me, sure, but she wouldn’t slap me.�

Remus grinned. “I’m her partner in Charms... Trust me, Prongs, you do not want her hexing you!� Everyone but James laughed.

“Yea, but ol’ Jamesy here is a master in Transfiguration,� Sirius said after a minute of laughter. “He could just turn her into a toad and walk away.� James, Sirius, and Peter high-fived each other, but Remus looked a bit uncertain.

“He would get in trouble for turning her into a toad.�

“And she wouldn’t get in trouble for hexing me?� James said in a high voice.

Peter smiled. “Not if it was Slughorn that caught her. She can smooth talk him into everything. Including getting herself out of a detention!�

“Every pretty face in Hogwarts can, Wormtail.� Sirius grinned. “But Evans isn’t any ordinary pretty face, is she, James?�

James sighed and shook his head. “Nah, she’s better than all the other dames.�

Hermione was quite enjoying this, but something hit her attention. She turned to the full-grown man next to her. “Remus,� she started, “if this is Snape’s memory, where is he?�

Remus gabbed his thumb over his shoulder.

And there the younger Snape was.

Hermione gasped and tugged on Ron and Ginny’s sleeves. They both turned to her, and she pointed where Snape was hiding behind the corner. It was no doubt Snape. He had the same hooked nose and greasy hair. His eyes were still black, but they seemed brighter, somehow.

But Remus didn’t notice Hermione, Ron and Ginny’s exchange of gasps and cries of recognition; he was watching Sirius and James with a sad smile on his face. “Just watch,� he told the three, and they obeyed.

Younger Snape came out of the corner and slyly tip-toed up to a clueless Sirius. He muttered a spell, but James was too quick for him.

James saw Snape out of the corner of his eye and heard his whisper. He whipped around and yelled, “Protego!� and Snape flew through the air and slammed against the wall.

Sirius heard the commotion and turned around to see Snape slumped against the wall and James’s wand erected and pointed at Snape.

Sirius realised what happened. “So,� he chided while Peter snickered and Remus smiled. “You were going to hex me, ‘eh Snivellus?� He sneered. He stepped forward, pointing his wand at the deflated Snape. “I’m going to hex you so bad you-�

But James placed a hand on his shoulder and pulled him back. “No, Padfoot. Let’s leave the greasy git alone.� He turned around and stormed out of the hallway, leaving his friends and Snape, who was staring at his back furiously.

Remus pulled the three teenagers out of the basin again. “You see? Snape didn’t do a good job at showing the worst light of James. Especially since he started it, and James ended it before Sirius cursed him into oblivion.�

“Do you have anymore memories with Snape?� Ron asked desperately. He liked seeing Snape get bullied around, and the fact that Harry’s father was doing it made it all the better.

Remus shook his head. “No, I’m afraid not.� Seeing the three’s sad look, he added, “No one wanted Harry to see memories like that. No need to give him more of a reason to hate the bloody bastard.�

Hermione gasped a bit, Ron and Ginny smiled, but Remus didn’t seem to notice his slip-up of vile language. “Now,� he said, “let’s jump forward another year...� He grabbed a memory again and poured it in.

This time they all stuck their heads into the Pensieve at the same time and fell into the Great Hall. Remus and- much to everyone’s surprise- James had their heads stuck in a book. Sirius and Peter were whispering something and kept shooting glances at James.

“-ever since...�

“... he’s changed-�

“-for the worse.�

But Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Remus weren’t paying attention to the heated argument between Sirius and Remus, they were watching the pretty red-head figure walking towards them. Surprisingly, Lily sat down next to James.

“Morning, love,� she said and planted a kiss on his cheek. “What are you reading?�

James turned towards her and smiled. “Just studying.� (Sirius made a sound like an angry cat.) “Hard to believe we leave this place forever in just three months.� James wrapped an arm around Lily’s shoulders.

Sirius got up as the two lovers started kissing. “I’ll be outside,� he hissed and stormed out of the Great Hall, Peter right behind him, shooting glances over his shoulder at Lily and James.

All too soon, Ron, Ginny and Hermione felt the familiar pull and were once again in Remus’ bedroom. “That was too short!� Ginny demanded.

“I thought Lily hated James,� Ron added.

“How come Sirius was so mad?� Hermione asked.

Remus held up his hands, palms forward, as if to silence them. “No, Ron,� he said. “Lily did not hate James as much as she stated she did. After James grew up a bit, they started going out. Plus, James became Head Boy, and couldn’t pull as many pranks as he wanted to. There was a stupid rumor that went around. They all said that since Lily and James were Head Boy and Girl, they had their own dorms. But Sirius and I knew it wasn’t true. Peter didn’t believe it either, I’m sure.

“It took Sirius awhile to get used to Lily.� He turned to Hermione. “She took up quite a bit of James’ time. Of course, James and Sirius were still close, and they still were the number one mischief making kids at Hogwarts, but James grew up a bit and Sirius didn’t quite like that. After awhile, though, he became used to Lily’s presence. He grew fond of her, and we became quite good friends. Even Lily and Peter had a strong relationship.

“Now, Ginny�- he took a big breath- “I know it was short, but it was the beginning to their relationship. It was the beginning of Harry.� He saw the three teenager’s gross look on their faces, and said, “Not that way! No! What I meant was that it was because of those crucial times that we even have Harry! It was then that their relationship grew! Not when they, you know...� Ron and Hermione smiled, and Ginny giggled.

“Nevermind, Remus,� Hermione said and Remus looked relieved. “Can we see more memories? Please?�

“I know a good one,� Remus said, still slightly embarrassed. “It was when we were out of Hogwarts.�

He motioned towards the Pensieve, memory in hand. Ron dove in first this time, and Hermione and Ginny followed soon after Remus.

They landed on a familiar street. Ron looked around at the small thatched houses and the crowded streets. “This is Hogmeade!� he exclaimed. Looking around, Ginny saw that Ron wasn’t lying.

A small group of men came trotting up a road. As they got closer, Hermione realised who they were.

“I need to find the perfect one,� James said to his friends. He stopped and stared at the window of a small jewelry store. “The perfect ring for the perfect girl.� Sirius rolled his eyes.

“Are you sure you’re ready for marriage? I mean, you just got out of Hogwarts.� Peter was biting his bottom lip, staring at James in fascination. “You have only been going out for a little while. Lily might say no.�

James scowled. “She won’t say no,� he murmured, for his sake as much as everyone else’s. Remus flicked Peter on the head.

“Don’t say that to him, Wormtail! He’s nervous enough as it is.� Although Remus tried to whisper, it came out painfully loud.

“Be quiet! James might hear you,� Sirius said in a mockingly loud whisper, grinning hugely. James turned around, frowning at his friends.

“I’m about to propose to Lily, and all you are doing is laughing?� James stared at Remus and Peter- who were bickering- and at Sirius- who was leering at a young woman across the street. “Do you realise that if Lily- no, when- says yes, things will change forever?� Sirius whipped his head around, and Remus and Peter stopped abruptly. James smirked. “You didn’t think about that, did you?�

Sirius looked ashamed. “I didn’t think about that, Prongs. You’re right.�

James hunched up his shoulders. “Come on. I didn’t find anything here.� They continued walking down the road, followed by Sirius, Remus, Peter, Ginny, Hermione, Ron, and older Remus.

As a particularly pretty woman walked by, Sirius eyed her appraisingly with a bold eye, and promptly burst into tears. The woman stopped, and her head of thick blonde hair turned around.

If you were a normal person, you would see a young man sitting on the ground, sobbing loudly as he rubbed his toe.

If you were his friend, you would see Sirius Black sitting on the ground, making a fool of himself as he tried to hit on a pleasant-looking female.

The woman knelt beside Sirius, and asked, “Why, what’s wrong?�

Sirius’s eyes were filled with fake tears. “I-I stubbed my toe.� This brought a fresh wave of new tears. “It really, really hurts.�

“Oh, you poor thing.� The woman knelt beside him and lent him her hand, helping him up from the ground. “I don’t know many men that would be willing to share their feelings in such a public place.� She smiled at him shyly.

“I think that it’s important,� Sirius said as he wiped away his tears with his hand, “to share your feelings. Or else they all build up inside and you can’t control them. Besides, a real man should be able to cry in public and not feel ashamed.� He emphasised this by clapping a fist over his heart.

The woman smiled and looked at him in awe. “I feel the same way! Oh, it’s such a nice relief to meet a man as sensitive as you!�

James actually had to shove his fist into his mouth to keep from laughing.

“Could I get your name, maybe?� Sirius asked, a bit more serious than before. “I would love to write you sometime. Most women mock me.�

The blonde pulled out a piece of parchment and her wand. “Of course. My name is Heather Hart.� She tapped her wand to the parchment, and her name appeared on there in an elegant scrawl. “Please write. It’s great to meet you, uh--�

“Sirius Black.�

Heather smiled and continued on her way. Sirius turned back to his friends, a smirk on his face. James was grinning; Remus was looking at his friend reproachfully; Peter was looking at him in awe.
“You’re an evil genius, you know that?� James said in not necessarily a bad way.

Sirius just smiled right back at him. “You make that sound like a bad thing,� Sirius’ voice was full of mock hurtfulness. Remus was still brooding.

“She won’t like you anymore if she found out you lied to her.�

Peter shook himself out of his awed state. “How did he lie to her? All he said was that he stubbed his toe. She won’t ever know that he didn’t.�

James nodded towards Peter. “Wormtail has a point.�

“Yes, he does. But when Sirius laughs at a man crying in the street, Heather might figure out that Padfoot was fooling her!� Remus turned around, then faced his friends again, almost as if to make sure Heather wasn’t standing behind them.

Sirius hunched his shoulders and looked at his feet. “Aw, Moony. I was just going to ask her out to dinner... What’s the harm in that?� Still looking at his feet, he quickly walked ahead of his group of friends.

And ran into a lamppost.

Remus, James, Peter, and the group that was watching this scene by a Pensieve, doubled over, laughing. “Brilliant,� James said after a full minute or two of laughter.

Sirius rubbed his head, and said, “You are a thick-headed git, you know that?�

James scoffed. “You make that sound like a bad thing.� He wiped a tear of laughter from his eyes, still shaking a bit.

“At least Prongs isn’t the one running into lampposts,� Peter murmured, causing another round of snickering.

The last thing Ron, Hermione, and Ginny saw before Remus pulled them out was Sirius aiming a large snowball at Peter.





AN~ Thanks to my beta, Danielle for all the help!

They were all once again in Remus’ room, smiling a bit after the last memory. Hermione watched Remus closely, and she realized he had tears in his eyes. She wasn’t all together sure they were tears of laughter.

Blinking fiercely, the werewolf looked again at the vials of silvery memories. “Now, let’s see...� he murmured softly. “Aha! Do you three want to see James fly?� Ron, Hermione, and Ginny all nodded fiercely, and Remus chuckled.

“All right, then. This is a memory of mine. The last Quidditch game James ever was in. He flew spectacularly.� He poured the silver liquid into the Pensieve, and soon all four felt their feet land on soft, green grass.

What they weren’t expecting was to be standing right in the middle of a Quidditch game.

Players and bright flashes of scarlet and gold zoomed past their heads. If that was not a memory, and if that had been real, they would’ve ran out of there. But the beauty of what was around them amazed the quartet– this was obviously the Gryffindor team at its best.

The team flew with grace, and every once in awhile a shriek of laughter would escape their lips, causing a tide of laughter and giggles to explode around Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and Remus, much like a mushroom cloud.

Remus clapped his hands in glee. “Isn’t this wonderful? That’s what players these days miss, and what gives Harry such an advantage: the pure joy of the game.�

Hermione’s mouth was wide open, and she wondered why she never put more effort into learning how to fly. Ron refused to blink; determined not to miss anything.

And Ginny was grinning broadly, for she had spotted a familiar- and yet unfamiliar in so many ways- head with messy, black hair.

James Potter flew wonderfully, and only with slight differences from his son. James had grace not even Harry, by far the most stylish flyer on the Gryffindor team in his time, could compete with. But while James was very quick, Harry seemed to have more natural speed than his father.

James also had a Quaffle tucked safely underneath his elbow.

Ginny looked at Remus, her eyebrows raised to the point they were missing underneath her hairline. “I didn’t know James played Chaser.� She sounded absolutely thrilled. “I always figured he was a Seeker, like Harry.�

“James was a great Seeker, but being a Chaser was more fun for him,� Remus said, laughing softly. “I think he just enjoyed stealing the Quaffle from other people.�

They watched the players fly for awhile longer. Students were filing in the seats, eager for the game to start, when Ron, Hermione, and Ginny felt Remus’ tug on their arms, and all too soon they were back in his room.

Ron spun around, about to demand why they didn’t get to stay, when he saw something that made his heart sink down to his toes: Remus was standing, his shoulders shaking.

He was crying.

Other than when Dumbledore had died, the threesome had never seen Remus lose control like that. The older man looked up at them, ashamed, and he wiped his eyes with the back of his sleeves. It was quiet for a while, as the four stood with a slight awkwardness, embarrassed. When Remus finally spoke, it was in no more than a whisper.

“Watching James fly is... very hard for me. It was his true passion, and in the early years of the first war, flying was the only thing that kept him... sane in a way that not even Lily or Harry could help with.� He looked up at the four teenagers and flushed slightly. “Let’s see another memory. Lily and James’ wedding?�

Ron and Ginny nodded, but Hermione stared intently at Remus, who noticed her gaze upon him. “Don’t worry, Hermione,� he said softly. “I won’t lose control again.�

Remus dunked his head into the basin first, this time. The rest followed soon after.

They landed somewhere much different than the last memory. It was a small banquet hall, lined on both sides with only a handful of chairs. In the back of the room there was a small table with a silk blue tablecloth and a sign hanging over it that read, “Congratulations, James and Lily!� in a blue the same color as the tablecloth. The front of the room was decorated heavily in flowers- lilies, Hermione noted- and there was a large, fiercely colorful window of stained glass that adorned the wall.

“Lily and James had a small wedding. With the war and all. They only invited friends and family. Look- there’s James’ cousin, Daniel.� He was pointing to a tall man with long, honey-blonde, messy hair. He had the same hazel eyes as James. “He was years older than us, and James worshiped him like a god when we were younger. He was killed several days after this wedding. Poor James was heartbroken.

“And look over there.� Remus chuckled. “It’s Harry’s aunt, Petunia.� Ron, Ginny, and Hermione turned their heads and saw a tall, horsy woman walk into the room. She was wearing short dress that revealed her knobbly knees (so much like Harry’s!). The dress was an interesting shade– somewhere between pink and orange– and did not flatter her.

Ginny seemed to find this amusing. She burst out laughing at the sight of her. After all that this woman put Harry through, she deserved no less.

Ron just gaped. He had only ever seen glimpses of this strange Muggle woman, and to see her up close was awkward for him. Petunia looked nothing like her sister, who was beautiful and glowed inside and out. No. This long-necked human had a permanent frown line, and could hardly be called great-looking.

Hermione felt bad for this poor woman. She looked scared and out-of-place. Her large eyes shifted back and forth, not quite sure what to do. Hermione wanted to reach out, to comfort her and tell her that it was okay to be scared.

They all suddenly saw James walk towards Petunia. They saw her visibly stiffen as James wrapped an arm around her back and guide her to a chair. As she sat down, James crouched down and talked with her.

“Thanks for being here today,� he said. “Lily really appreciates it. You don’t know how much she loves you.� James grinned at her, putting on as much charm as possible.

Petunia just held her nose up high. “Why doesn’t she tell me that, then? She just has her obnoxious fiancé tell me,� she sniffed.

James’ grin disappeared.

He stood up straight now, scowling deeply. “Look, we may not get along, but don’t ruin this day for Lily. I love her, and if you do anything at all to make her upset, you’ll have me to respond to.� He left then, leaving Petunia to make faces at his back.

“Why was Petunia like that?� Ginny asked Remus, after a short period of silence. “What did she have against James– and Lily?�

Remus answered slowly, clearly, pronouncing each word with special care. “Jealousy... I think. Lily’s situation with her sister was a lot like James’ situation with Snape. Lily had what Petunia wanted– magical powers.�

Hermione shook her head. “But Petunia hates magic.�

Remus grinned. “Is that what she told you? She’s a better actress than what people give her credit for.� He shook his head, still smiling. “Petunia was always fascinated by magic, even if she didn’t admit it. Lily was always hurt that Petunia treated her like frog spawn.�

Ginny nudged Ron. “Look- the wedding’s starting!� Indeed, while the quartet had been discussing Lily’s sibling, all the chairs had been filled. James and Sirius were standing up front, looking very sharp in their dark dress robes. James smoothed down his hair subconsciously until Sirius lightly slapped the back of his hand.

Music from an enchanted piano started playing, and Remus appeared in the back of the hall, his elbow linked with the bride’s.

And, oh, what a pretty bride she was. The dress was a white gown, but it fit her perfectly, and in the right places. Two links of her hair in the front were pinned to the back, but the rest of her deep, red hair flowed down her shoulders to the middle of her back.

Lily beamed at James, and he replied with a wide grin of his own. Even Petunia looked in awe at her sister’s beauty, if only for a split second.

When Lily finally reached James, she untangled her elbow from Remus’ and kissed him on the cheek. She walked up to her soon-to-be husband, stepping carefully in her white flats.

The ceremony started. Hermione, Ron, and Ginny didn’t really listen to what the preacher was saying; they were looking around the room at the guests.

It was a small wedding; it couldn’t have had more than thirty people, and they guessed most were school friends. Remus and Peter sat up front, and Remus kept having to pass tissues to a sobbing Peter.

When they heard James say, “I do,� Ginny, Hermione, and Ron were snatched back into reality. The preacher murmured something else, then James leaned down to catch Lily’s lips into a passionate kiss.

The guests were clapping as the quartet was once again pulled away.





AN~ Sorry this took oh so long, but not only have I been busy, but I’ve also had major writer’s block lately. Many thanks to Sour.Apple. for being my beta.

Only one more chapter and an epilogue to go!

“They really seemed to love each other,� Ginny murmured after the last memory. She willed the tears forming at the corners of her eyes to not fall.

“You have no idea,� Remus replied, and Ginny looked up, surprised. She had not meant for him to hear that. “James loved Lily a great deal. She and Harry were everything to him. That’s what made his... death most painful for me. The fact that, if given the chance, he would’ve made a wonderful friend to many others, and probably an even better father to Harry and his future children.� Remus ran his hand along the rim of the Pensieve, his eyes fixed on a spot near the middle of it. “James always wanted to have a big family. He loved children.�

Ginny walked over to the shelf of memories. She ran her finger over each title on the bottle, looking for the one she wanted. She made a warm throaty sound of pleasure and snatched the bottle she was apparently looking for. “Here,� she stated triumphantly. “The memory of Harry’s birth.�

Ron looked uncomfortable. “Do we really have to watch it?�

Remus smiled. “Never fear, Ron. It doesn’t show anything horrible. Besides, no one but James was in the birth room with Lily.

Ron’s face showed that he was relieved.

Hermione finally spoke up, being quiet for an unusually long time for her. “Let’s see it, then.� Her face had a grim expression on it.

Ginny nodded and poured the silver memory into the basin. They all held hands and dunked their faces in, in unison.

They landed on the cold, surgical floor of St. Mungo’s. It was obviously some sort of birthing ward, because of the nervous aura of the room and the distant calls of newborns. Hermione, Ron, and Ginny all spotted Sirius, Remus, and Peter in the corner. Sirius was sprawled calmly over two of the waiting chairs, Remus tapped his fingers on his knee, and Peter nervously chewed his fingernails.

Did he know he was going to betray them when this is taking place? Hermione asked herself. Did he know he was going to be the cause of their murder and the right hand man of the most cold-blooded person in history? She felt a large hand clasped on her shoulder and looked up to see Ron, his eyes sad and angry. He must be thinking the same thing, she mused and placed a reassuring hand on his.

A door slammed open behind them, and a disgruntled James Potter staggered out. “Prongs...?� Sirius looked over his friend nervously. “Is everything okay? Is Lily fine?�

James nodded. “I-I had a s-son.� He looked amazed and a bit surprised at the words that came out of his mouth. “I-I’m a f-f-father.�

Memory Remus smiled wryly. “I think Prongs is in complete and total shock.� Sirius snorted and Peter chuckled cautiously. Remus patted his friend on the back. “It’ll be okay, mate.�

“You’ll be a good daddy, James,� Peter piped in.

“Damn right he will,� Sirius growled, and Peter seemed to slink back into his seat. James stilled looked shocked, and he sat there stiffly, his hair unusually droopy and less stuck out.

“You want to see him?� James finally asked, looking up at his friends. “He looks just like me.� His voice was proud.

“‘Course we do,� Sirius stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “And ‘course he does. Don’t know what we’ll do with another Prongs running around, though.�

“You actually sound like you’re only half-joking,� Remus pointed out with a laugh. Peter joined in, and even James half-heartedly smiled.

James jumped off his chair. “Come now. You have to meet my son.� He led the way and Sirius, Peter, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and both Remuses followed. He stopped in a small room, with two Healers chatting in the corner. They stopped as they saw James come in with his three friends.

“Sir,� one of the Healers said. “Only family members can be in here.� Reading his name tag, Ginny saw his name was Healer Bridge.

“They are family,� croaked a small voice from the middle of the room, on the large medical bed that took up a good part of the room. “They’re his brothers.�

Healer Bridge eyed them suspiciously. “No, really. Don’t you see the resemblance?� insisted Sirius. He gestured toward his friends, who tried their best to look like each other.

“I don’t think they’re lying,� the much younger Healer said, leering at Sirius.

“Humph. Fine. But only for several minutes,� hissed Bridge, then he stormed out of the room. The younger Healer made a point to brush against Sirius when she crossed the room.

“I always knew I liked you,� Remus said appreciatively to Lily, who was sprawled in the large bed and looking too comfortable. Peter nodded, looking at the bundle she held tightly to her breast.

The four mates went to stand around the bed in a semi-circle, all of them staring at Lily’s bundle. She carefully removed the blanket slightly covering his face and memory Remus, Sirius, and Peter all gaped at him. “He’s... so... small,� Peter gasped.

“He looks like James,� Sirius pointed out with approval.

“But he has Lily’s eyes,� Remus stated.

“Fortunate for him, I’d rather have Lily’s eyes that James’ any day,� Sirius drawled, and James kicked him.

Hermione, Ginny, Ron, and older Remus edged forward to look at baby Harry. He did indeed look just like James, even in infancy. His head was blanketed with a thick layer of black hair, sticking up on all ends. Against the laws of genetics his eyes were a brilliant green, exactly as his mother’s.

“What’s his name?� Sirius asked.

“James Junior,� James hurriedly said, and Lily glared at him.

“Really, James!� she exclaimed. “It’s enough that he looks like you. He doesn’t have to have your name, either. I want to name him after my great-grandfather: Pappy Harry.�

Sirius snorted. “Well he certainly is hairy,� he chuckled, running a smooth hand through the baby’s thick black curls.

James rolled his eyes. “Fair enough, but I’ll still call him Junior.�

Lily laughed. “He can have your name as his middle, but you shouldn’t already fix your son’s destiny.� He kissed Harry’s head. “This one has great future ahead of him.�

“How can you tell?� asked Peter.

Lily smiled warmly at him. “Mother’s instinct.�

Ron, Hermione, and Ginny felt a familiar tug, then they were yanked away from the birth room. “Harry was a cute baby,� Ginny mused once they landed back in Remus’ bedroom.

“Mmhmm,� Remus agreed. He scanned the shelf quickly. “There’s a memory here I haven’t seen. Sirius donated it, and he didn’t want me to see it. I’ve been curious ever since...� His voice faded off.

“I want to see it,� Ginny insisted, and Ron and Hermione nodded along. “It’s not like he’d mind now, is it?�

Remus winced at her words. He got right away her hidden meaning: ‘He’s dead now, he can’t stop us.’

He poured the memory into the Pensieve casually, like he had done it a million times before and wasn’t surprised at the billowing silver smoke that drafted out of it. Once again, they all held hands and formed a circle around the basin before dunking their heads in.

Ginny uttered a soft scream at the sight before them.

A house lay crumbled at their feet. The brightness of orange and red flames could be seen in the distance, and smoke surrounded them, even though Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and Remus couldn’t feel it. It wasn’t silver and enchanting like the smoke from the Pensive; it was dark gray and held the feeling of doom and sadness in the air. They all looked up at the starless sky. Green clouds topped the destruction. It was a dark, evil green, like the Dark Mark, although a snake couldn’t be seen anywhere.

“Is this...?� Hermione breathed.

“Yes, it is,� Remus replied, confirming her worst fears. “This is Godric’s Hollow, the night Lily and James died.� He surveyed their surroundings remorsefully.

Ron bit his lip. The crumbled house and green glow above their heads reminded him painfully of the Quidditch World Cup. He suddenly looked around wildly, expecting there to be the haunted masks of Death Eaters, but he could see none.

Ginny covered her mouth with her hand and balled her remaining hand into a fist, wincing from the pain of her nails digging into her palm. “Voldemort did all of... this?� she whispered between the spaces of her fingers. Remus nodded in response. No words were needed.

A loud, sudden roar could be heard above them. Passing through the green clouds, a motorcycle could be seen flying through the air. It sailed down to the ground, where it landed next to the quartet.

A pale, horrified Sirius Black stepped off. “No...� he whispered, horrified. If even possible, his face paled even more. “NO!� he screamed, hurriedly looking around.

“James? Lily?� he called, taking a step farther into the dark abyss. “Prongs? ANYONE?� He tripped and fell as he ran through the debris, ripping planks and wooden boards off the ground, looking for any signs that his friends were still alive.

He finally ripped up a large wooden board and let out a deafening cry. He tossed the plank aside, and it went soaring through the air. Sirius pulled out something that Ginny, Ron, and Hermione couldn’t see. They stepped closer toward Sirius, who collapsed on the ground and was letting out heart-wrenching sobs.

Hermione let out a gasp; Ginny sobbed dryly; Ron felt the heat rush out of his body, for the precious item Sirius held tightly to his chest was Lily’s body.

They all felt as if they were witnessing something forbidden– Sirius wasn’t supposed to be this way: vulnerable, sad, angry. As they looked closer they saw Lily’s emerald eyes clouded over, and her once shiny hair was limp and mangled.

Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Sirius laid Lily down carefully. Her shirt was wet from his tears. “Lils...� he choked out before finally standing up.

“James!� Sirius called out again. “Potter, answer me! This isn’t funny anymore!� He stumbled around, throwing aside the rubbish that littered the lot.

Remus finally joined the young adults from where they stood watching their friend run around. Remus let out a sigh and pointed to the sofa, the only thing left standing. “That’s where his body was found,� he said, his voice strangled. “Behind the sofa.�

They followed Sirius with there eyes. “No, don’t...� Hermione called out as Sirius approached the same flowery couch Remus had just pointed out.

An angry, horrified scream filled the air. “Prongs! James!� Sirius cried madly and he yanked James’ body out from its hiding place. He shook the body fiercely. “Mate, wake up... Mate. Prongs! JAMES POTTER, WAKE UP!�

Sirius fell to the ground, taking the body of his best friend with him. “How could he do this to you? I– no, we trusted him to protect you! The lying, scheming rat!� he sobbed. “Don’t worry, Prongsie. I’ll find him. I’ll avenge you, never fear.� He laid James’ body back on the ground.

“The dynamic duo is no more,� Sirius and Remus whispered in unison.

Off in the night sky, a baby’s cry could be heard. “Harry?� Sirius asked himself. He cautiously placed James’ body back on the ground and ran to the back of the house. From the rubble he pulled out a small bundle wrapped up in a soft blue blanket. “Harry, you’re alive!� Sirius said joyfully. “A little cut up, but alive.�

Ginny, Remus, Ron, and Hermione peered closer and saw a small, lightning-shaped scar on Harry’s forehead. It was dripping blood that covered his face. Sirius wiped the red mess away. “You’re gonna be all right, boy. You’re with me now,� Sirius assured the baby Harry, tears still running down his eyes.

“Sorry, Black. I need ta take ‘im,� boomed a voice behind the whole group, and all six of them spun around to see Hagrid. His beard was sparkly from his own salty tears, and he looked around at what was once a house sadly. “James and Lily,� he groaned. “Anyone but them.� He reached out to grab Harry from his godfather, but Sirius pulled away.

“I’m his godfather, Hagrid. He’s my responsibility.�

“I have ta, Sirius,� Hagrid said. “Lil’ Harry is ta go live with Lil’s family.�

“Petunia?� Sirius choked out, astonished. “But-but she’s a Muggle, Hagrid. A magic-hater. Harry will be miserable.�

Hagrid nodded. “I know, Black. But it’s Dumbledore’s orders.� At the mention of the wise old wizard, Sirius reluctantly handed the child to Hagrid. Harry immediately started bawling.

“C’mon, lil’ guy,� Hagrid cooed. “It’s a long walk from her’ to yer new house.� He started to leave, but Sirius placed a hand on his elbow, the farthest up part he could reach.

“Here, Hagrid,� he muttered, tossing the giant a pair of keys. “Take my bike, it won’t take as long.�

“Ya sure, Sirius?�

“Mmhmm� was Sirius’ response. “I have things I need to do.�

“Like wha’?� the giant asked, eyeing Sirius. “I know you, Black. Yer up ta no good.�

“My brother died tonight, Hagrid. I need my revenge.�

And with that, Sirius turned his back on the ruined house and marched purposely down the street, his usually bright gray eyes alight with something dangerous.

Ron, Ginny, and Hermione felt Remus’ hand on their shoulders, and they were ripped away from the memory.

There was only silence as they sat in Remus’ bedroom.

Ginny broke it with a strangled sob. “A-all I c-c-could see when I saw L-Lily’s green eyes was H-H-Harry, d-dead like his m-mum.� She leaned into Ron’s shoulder, and he hugged her close.

“It was horrible when I first found out what happened to Lily and James. My best friends were dead. James was my first friend at Hogwarts, where I believed I’d never have any with my... condition. Then afterward to find out what Sirius, my second friend, was accused of, murdering all those people. At that time I believed it was he who betrayed the Potters.� He sighed. “I should’ve known. Only Peter would risk his friends’ lives to save his own.�

A knock could be heard at the door. “Um, hello?� said a curious voice, and Harry stepped in the room. Ginny’s sobs restarted. “Ginny...?� Harry made his way across the room, but Remus stuck out his arm to stop him.

Hermione stood up and walked out of the room. Ron followed after her, his arm protectively around his sister. The door snapped shut.

“Harry, there’s something I want to show you...� Remus pointed at the Pensieve.





AN~ Wow! The last chapter for this fic, and also the only chapter I ever wrote and cried at the same time. The scene with Sirius finding James’ body was the first thing I ever pictured for a memory in this, and that scene is what propelled me to write the fic.

I have an epilogue which I wrote shortly after I wrote the second chapter. It’s already beta’d and as soon as this chapter is up, I’m can post the epilogue, so you don’t have to wait for an update.

Many thanks to my beta, Danielle!

Harry walked towards the clearing, ignoring the flashes of colors, cries of pain and dead bodies of both Death Eaters and Order members. He had one goal in mind: get to the clearing.

He could see Voldemort, and he knew he was getting closer to his objective. Almost there. He approached the Dark Lord’s dying body without fear. Deep down he knew that Voldemort wouldn’t try anything, that it was safe.

He knelt down and looked into the face of the person- thing- that caused the wizarding world fear all those years. “I need that memory,� he whispered into Tom’s ear. “I need that memory now.�

Tom looked up at Harry with a look of utter repulsion on his face, yet at the same time there was fear and respect for the boy sitting right next to him.

Voldemort was shaking and growing paler, but he pulled out his wand and held it up to his temple, using his last bit of strength. Slowly, a silver rope attached to his wand appeared out of his head. Harry conjured a bottle and scooped up the memory. He placed it carefully in his pocket just as he saw the limp form of Tom Riddle go still, finally beaten by the boy he tried to kill so many times.

Harry pulled out his wand, and placed it on Voldemort’s head. He drew a lightning bolt on Tom’s head, leaving a scar. Harry bent down and kissed it slowly, a damnation on the soul of a body that caused so much pain in its lifetime.

The war was finally over.





Harry awoke to find his room dark. He sat up, and a shock of pain surged through him. The memories of last night flowed through his mind. The fighting that took place, seeing the shocked look on Ron’s face as he hit the ground dead, the spell that he cast on Voldemort, the memory he produced and the kiss all hit him like a stampede of furious dragons. His best friend was dead, along with many other Order members including Kingsley Shacklebolt, Arthur and Charlie Weasley and Nymphadora Tonks. The reality of this hit him, causing tears to form in his eyes. They had died nobly, fighting for a free world they would never get to live in.

Harry thumped back onto his bed, crying freely. He only stopped when his body ran out of tears, but he kept crying on the inside. Wiping his wet hands on his pants, he felt a lump in his jean pocket.

The memory.

Harry eased himself out of his bed, trying not to cause his body any more pain. He was either successful or his excitement overrode his pain, because he was able to get out of bed and walk over the his Pensieve, given to him as a seventeenth birthday present.

The inhabitants of the house were asleep, he could explore this memory on his own. He poured the silver liquid into the basin, causing it to smoke a little bit. He unwrapped the bandage from around his head, not wanting to have to be confined to it when he ventured into the basin. Keeping a firm grip with his hands on the side of the Pensieve, he lowered his head in.

He was falling, then he landed painfully on the floor of a small cottage, unknown by the owners of the place. He looked up to see a pretty red-headed woman playing with a baby with messy hair, and a man that had equally messy hair.

He was looking up at his parents.

James was lounging on the couch, his eyes closed and a content smile on his face. Lily and baby Harry were on the floor, playing a game with their hands. Harry lifted himself off the floor and eased his way towards his baby self.

It was amazing how much he looked like James, even at such a young age. Except for his eyes, which were the exact same shape and color as his mother’s. He saw Lily bounce Baby Harry up and down. Baby Harry giggled, and Harry’s heart gave a painful jerk when he saw Lily give his infant self a kiss on his nose. He saw Lily stroke his hair, he saw her beam at him, her eyes full of love.

And then he saw James leap off the couch.

“Lily,� James said, “take Harry and go! It’s him! Go! Run! I’ll hold him off.�

Lily grabbed Harry and stumbled from the room. The front door burst open, and there was a cackling of high-pitched laughter.

Harry heard his dad’s cry of outrage, but he turned and followed his mom. Out of the corner of his eye he could see a flash of green light, and he heard a cry of pain then a thump as a body hit the floor.

Harry had to run to keep up with Lily, who- despite the fact she had a baby on her hip- could run very fast. She ran into a nursery, and she placed baby Harry in his cot and stood in front of him, protecting him.

Harry could hear footsteps ascending the stairs, getting closer. Voldemort appeared in the doorway, and Lily screamed.

“Stand aside, you silly girl... stand aside now,� said the hoarse voice of Voldemort.

“Not Harry... please, not Harry!� Lily said, crying.

“I won’t hurt you, just stand aside!�

“Not Harry... have mercy... have mercy,� Lily cried. Voldemort raised his wand. Green light danced throughout the room. Lily screamed, then dropped dead to the floor.

“Silly girl...� Voldemort laughed. He descended onto Harry and raised his wand high. “Avada Kedavra!� he yelled.

The last thing Harry saw before being yanked away was baby Harry giving a loud cry.

FIN



AN~ And so ends Memories of Time, making this my first ever finished chaptered fic. This chapter was really hard to write, and I got shivers in the middle of this.

I want to first off thank my beta, Danielle. Without her, this story would be no where.

Secondly, I want to thank my brother, Jake, for reading this and giving me constructive criticism.

Thirdly, I want to thank the wonderful mods that took their time to mod this story. I hope I didn’t waste your time!

And last- but most certainly not least- I really want to thank all my readers and reviewers. Your wonderful comments are what really kept me going, and I appreciate that. A horrible day can be turned upside down with just a good review.