The Marauders' Future

47| The Happiest People

The previous chapter question was answered by -LxcyBlxck and... silent_reader_02

It took me so long to write this chapter... oh, gods... somebody get me some rest...

I had to delete and write this like... 3 times or more.

***

When James woke up, the sun was shining brightly, indicating that it was around noon. Madam Pomfrey was gone. So James, deciding to be a good boy (shocker), swallowed his prescribed medicines, freshened up, and walked outside, heading for the Griffindor common room, looking for his friends and Harry.

On the way, he passed Severus. The younger one was also walking along with him and they both appeared to be in a deep, dark conversation; possibly planning to brutally feed poison to some poor soul named Elvendork... Their robes flew like a beautiful cape, making everyone in their way stop and gape at them. James had to force a straight face. Gods, they looked intimidating. And that hair-

Drowning his ego and pride in the deepest ocean - which was not easy considering it was Severus - James walked over to Snape and thanked him for his help, much to his surprise. The poor man still had a dent on his head from getting hit by Lupin.

Then, he threw a wink at the younger Severus, "See you around, Scooby-Doo, you talking great Dane!"

James swore he saw the older one chuckle lightly. "Yikes!"

He didn't as much as walk a bit farther when he saw Harry trudging around, his head in the clouds.

"Elvendork, over here!" James called out. That did the trick.

When Harry spotted James, waving at him, a smile found its place on the chosen one's face.

"Amazing, I was just com-" James couldn't speak further. Harry had brought him into another bone-crushing hug and as much as James loved them, he didn't want to end up in the Hospital Wing yet again. "Woah, you are getting strong."

"I thought I'd lost you, dad," Harry said out of breath. James frowned funnily and Harry scoffed a laugh. "It's not funny!"

"You called me dad!" James threw his hands up in the air, cheerfully. Harry huffed.

They started walking to the common room as Harry told him about what had actually happened that day. Apparently, James wasn't the only time-traveling Potter. Hermione and his son had traveled three hours into the past to save Sirius's soul from being sucked out of him and had also rescued Buckbeak while they were at it. James was disappointed to hear that he wouldn't be meeting his friend again.

Lily had also traveled with Harry and Hermione but had stayed back to ensure the safety of James Potter. Her instincts had saved James' life. When Severus had returned with their unconscious selves, Lily had instructed him to distract the ministry officials and try to make them perform the dementor's kiss on Sirius, delaying the process as much as he could. Severus had nodded and obeyed.

"His acting knows no bounds," Harry said. "It was as if he was doing it for himself, not for her, but we all know what's the truth."

James wondered if Severus had deeper secrets than he usually let on. He wondered if his robes weren't the only thing keeping him on the ground; whether there were things far heavier that pulled him down. He wondered what Snape's mask covered.

Harry continued telling James how Lily had then taken an unconscious James from Hermione and him and moved James to the hospital wing.

That was that.