parents after all

chapter 23

Chapter 22 - Snape and Trelawney

They were released after another night in the Hospital Wing, but none of them felt really better, if not worse. For the first time since they came here, the Marauders felt the real threat of danger. It was no longer fun and games, but a gamble of life and death.

'Should we warn Sirius?' James was pacing back and forth by the fireplace. Although he just survived an attack, the thought of talking to the older Sirius never left him. He supposed that looking after Sirius for his dead counterpart in this universe was the best he could do. 'That he shouldn't stay near?'

Remus replied after a moment of hesitance. 'I've stopped writing to him since Christmas.'

'But it's Sirius!' James scratched his chin for the thirteenth time in the morning although he was not feeling itchy at all. 'Say, we could...'

'Don't,' Lily interrupted, her green eyes flickering. 'We are now already marked, and more letters would only further expose Sirius and us. Besides,' she glanced at the young Sirius who stood next to Peter, a shadow passing through his face, 'I trust that he is smart enough to avoid this area, if... well, after all, he didn't show up even after Skeeter's report. He's probably not as, say, hot-headed as he was before.'

'How do you know he wouldn't come today? Or tonight? Tomorrow?' James insisted. It wasn't that he couldn't see Sirius grow up to become cautious and clear-headed, just that he had a feeling that he would come, however dangerous the situation was.

'Oh, Potter,' Lily pinched her nose bridge. 'If anything, Harry has probably written to him about the Tournament and us, so he might already know. I can't believe you missed the point that anything happens to us will directly affect the older Sirius, but not the other way round. I trust that he can protect himself. I have faith in him,' she paused for emphasis, 'don't you?'

James looked at Sirius, whose eyes were locked with his, and nodded.

The teenagers acted like they were placated for the rest of the day, but the Sirius Problem was never truly lifted off their shoulders, at least not for James. Not a day went by that he did not worry about Sirius, both the younger and older ones, he realised. Still, he enjoyed the moment he had with Harry, Ron and Hermione. The time travellers had heard how Harry completed the second task, getting help from Dobby (who in turn told Pinky about the Gillyweed) and rescuing Ron as well as Gabrielle Delacour despite the life-threatening situation he was in. When James stole a look at Lily, he had seen her looking at him and smiled. There had been joy dancing in her eyes.

But life went on in all dimensions. Even for Harry, class had returned to its original routine after the second task, though under Dumbledore's new arrangement, the time travellers had to stay behind every time for their teachers to pick them up, so mealtime was truly the only time they could spend with Harry and make the most of it.

'I miss Mum's candies,' said Peter wistfully one morning, watching the owls carrying packages, Daily Prophet subscriptions and letters coming in under the morning sun. A barn owl soared through the window and past the tables, crashing into Ron's plate of baked beans and spilling pumpkin juice all over the table.

Crimson flooded Ron's pale cheeks as Harry picked up the letter attached to the owl's feet. 'Whose bloody owl –!'

'Oi, careful there mate,' Peter shooed the owl away, feeling thankful that the owl missed his beans and sausages. 'Been a while since someone sent a letter, eh?'

'Just a greeting card from Mrs Weasley,' said Harry, already folding up the parchment and tucked it into his robes. 'She asked about the second task and Ron. Give him a hand, if he needs it, that lot.'