12 12 Here Lies
James stared at the grave in front of him.
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Harry James Potter
Loving Son, Caring Father, Perfect Husband
Vanquisher of Evil
Getter of Bitches
Born - Shh It's A Secret
Died - Recently
Age - Old As Dirt
You're The One Whose Weak. You Will Never Know Love Or Friendship. And I Feel Sorry For You.
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Four more smaller stone squares were arrayed next to Harry's.
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Luna Pandora Potter
Wife Beyond Comprehension
The Only Thing Loony About Her Is How She Made Me Feel
Born - A Bit Later Than The Secret
Died - Too Soon
Age - Could Still Rock It
My Mum Always Said Things We Lose Have A Way Of Coming Back To Us In The End. If Not Always In The Way We Expect.
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Hermione Jean Potter
Straight O Wife
If She Was A Book I'd Be Lost In Her Pages Forever
Born - A Bit Earlier Than The Secret
Died - In My Arms
Age - Still Took My Breath Away
Fear Of The Name Increases Fear Of The Thing Itself.
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Poppy Luna Potter
The Brightest Daughter
A Girl Worth Fighting The World For
Born - With A Smile On Her Face
Died - Loved By All
Age - Far Too Young
But Everything We Dream Of Is Real. Because We Make Them Real By Dreaming Of Them.
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Sirius Harry Potter
The Son We Always Dreamed Of
The Star That Lights My World
Born - Grumpy
Died - But Not Forgotten
Age - Far Too Young
Mama. Dada.
-
James didn't cry this time. It had been more than two weeks since they buried his elderly son. Each time James visited, which was every day, he had cried, but not this time.
It was September 1st 1975, the day he would go back to Hogwarts.
The past two weeks had been a flurry of activity. Thankfully his parents had listened to one of his previous letters and gotten all the school supplies he needed early.
But with the sudden re-emergence of James Potter came a large amount of speculation.
Where had he been? Was it Voldemort? Was he okay to go to school?
His parents dealt with it, stonewalling anything too intrusive from reaching James. He did get looked at by the family healer, who said he was in amazing health and had an insane amount of magic. They did mention his mind, saying it had been through a large amount of stress due to constant Legilemency, and that he shouldn't push his Occlumency too hard unless necessary as it may cause him to lose emotions permanently.
He had a huge pile of letters that had built up. From some Sirius, Peter and Remus, to his other classmates, to distant relatives, to teachers. It was heartwarming. At least the ones that didn't make snide underhanded remarks about how unfortunate it was that he had been gone for only six weeks.
James had kept all of Harry's stuff, even the two camping chairs that he was taking with him to Hogwarts. The more dangerous stuff. Like a few of the books, the Gaunt Ring, a Time Turner or two, old photo albums, were placed in the family vault. While some other things he was able to keep in the house. Like the Firestars. His parents agreed that they could say a family friend personally made them.
He also kept a few of the photos from the album. Like Harry with Luna, his daughter Poppy and his son Sirius. Or Photos of Harry, Ron and Hermione. Ones that didn't show anyone recognizable today.
He also traded his square glasses for Harry's round ones. They had the same prescription, of course, and sure it was a little cheesy, but James wanted to feel as close to Harry as possible. One day, if at all possible, James would give these glasses back to Harry.
The glasses also had a cool rune circle that could look at ambient magic.
"Ready James?" he heard from behind him.
He turned, seeing the worried and sad look of his mother. His mother was always the emotional one, not in some stupid oh she's a woman way, but in a loving expressive way. Meanwhile his father was always a big of an airhead, less serious and more casual and accepting of most things. But he was also more scary when it came to certain topics.
Fleamont stared at his son with a thin lipped smile, eyes flashing.
They had listened to the entire story James told them. Eventually getting them to agree not to spread information about the Horcruxes, not even to Charlus and Dorea. Who while getting some of the story, hadn't gotten it all. Charlus was an Auror, and while Dorea was a Potter now, she still has connections to the Black house.
They had agreed not to tell anyone about the odd time-traveler. In fact Charlus had told them that the Department of Mysteries had thrown a tizzy over the past few months and no one knew why.
Guess Harry going back caused a big splash.
"Yeah, let's go."
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The platform was just as crowded as usual. From Harry's memories half this number would be present during his time school years.
James drew eyes as he hugged his parents goodbye. Euphemia tearing up, and Fleamont giving him the tightest hug he'd ever received from his father.
"Harry, despite putting this on you, still wants you to be happy. Normally I'd say don't get into trouble with your teachers… but go ahead. Have fun, play pranks. Maybe finally kiss that Lily girl you never shut up about. Be a kid, even if you're preparing to be more."
James hugged his father back, and his mother threw herself into the hug too, rocking them back and forth with her taller body.
"We love you James, send us weekly letters, nothing secretive though. Can't trust the old man enough. If you ever need anything just ask, we'll turn the whole school on its head to help," Mum said.
"Love you too."
He let go and turned back toward the red train. There was now a large number of parents and children looking at him. He hid a snort, he had always drawn attention in some way, and apparently even Harry had gained that trait. Smirking, James boarded the train, sending Emmeline Vance a wink and causing the older girl to blush.
See that Old Son? James was a Getter of Bitches too.
He quickly found the usual compartment, and briefly gasped at the person already there.
Peter.
So many thoughts flashed through his mind.
Peter was his brother, but had also been, or would be, a traitor. Because he never felt like he belonged, never felt accepted. He had become evil.
Meanwhile in another part of the train was a boy who had always seemed evil, an enemy, a punching bag. Who had changed into someone who risked everything for the son of his best friend.
There was the deep dark part of James that wanted to just tear the bandaid off. Tell Peter to fuck off and never bother any of them again. It would fracture the relationship with the others, Remus especially, but James knew that it would work.
But he wanted to save lives, not ruin them.
"Hey Pete," James said, opening the door.
Always jumpy Peter nearly leapt out of his seat, eyes wide with worry as he looked James up and down.
"J-James! How, well uh, are you okay?" Peter asked, nothing of the wretched rat from Harry's time in his expression.
"Yeah, bit of odd stuff happened," James said easily, putting away his feather light trunk.
"Y-yeah, I read about it…" Peter fidgited for a moment. "Do you want to talk about- of course you don't have to."
James opened his mouth, he had been planning on waiting until all of them were there to talk about it. But… Perhaps if he spoke to just Peter, not saying to wait till later it could help show that James cared, and wasn't just waiting until the ones he "truly" cared about showed up.
"Of course, I need to vent to a brother anyways," James said, hopping onto the seat next to Peter, the one Remus normally sat at.
"B-brother?"
"Well not in blood obviously, but bloods overrated anyways, look at Siri and Regulus. Nah were closer than that," James said, wrapping an arm around Peter and giving him a hug.
Peter looked gobsmacked. Sirius was the touchy feely one, though not with Peter. Remus never touched more than he had to, and while James did give hugs, it was more common to be group hugs or when someone was feeling down, not just for the hell of it.
"So, while I won't lie and say I wasn't kidnapped, it wasn't as bad as the papers say."
He began to tell the story of Harry Potter, his estranged relative who had traveled the world fighting in various wars against Dark Lords in different places. How the old man, while not dangerous to James in any way, was quite mad, and had kidnapped James to train him secretly for six weeks. Not even telling his parents. Until one day when he became very ill and brought James back home, only to die a few days later.
"I've never heard you speak of him. Are you sure it was safe? And was he really your relative?" Peter asked, eyes wide at the fact he was sharing a moment with James.
"Oh for sure. I never spoke of him cause I didn't know he existed. He was old old, like two hundred years old kinda old. Went missing more than a century ago, took himself off the family tree even. Dad had to comb through some old records to find any trace of him."
"If he fought in those wars wouldn't we have heard about him?" Peter asked, confused. "A Potter in a war, even in a place like Africa or the Americas would have spread some kind of rumor. Not like your uncle Charlus in Grindelwald's war obviously, but you'd think a man traveling the world fighting against evil would gain a reputation."
This was the part James and the others always forgot about Peter. He was average, honestly below average, in most magical subjects. But he understood people to a frightening degree. Last year during the sorting ceremony they had made Peter deaf and had him guess as much as he could about each kid going up to the hat.
It had drawn the attention of everyone including the teachers and the other Houses.
Peter had guessed which house each kid would be in with ninety percent accuracy, some he guessed their blood status, easily picking out purebloods and muggleborn. Financial situation, he said those that were too posh always reacted badly to the dingy hat, while those in very bad financial situations either didn't react at all or seemed mildly disappointed at a somewhat familiar sight.
He had even been able to guess some of their names. Like an Abbott girl, or a Travers boy.
"Well he was a Metamorphagus. Never used his real name. He didn't talk too much about exactly what he did in those wars, but he showed me some awesome spells."
"Ooh! Can I see one? Y-you don't have to if you don't want to," Peter quickly amended.
"Of course you can, I was planning on teaching you guys some of them anyways."
James took out his wand, holding it forward.
"Panno Manu."
A Gryffindor gold and red ribbon came out of the tip of his wand, Peter looked at the ribbon that flowed through a non existence breeze with some disappointment. James smirked.
Taking out the sandwich his mother packed for him. Sorry Mum, but really? They have a food trolley.
He tossed it into the air and with a flick and some direction intent the ribbon wrapped around the sandwich.
"It can grab things like the Carpe Retractum Spell, but instead of just pulling it can do a bit more. Like it can squeeze-"
The sandwich folded the ribbon strangling it. James knew that with enough force and intent the ribbon could snap a person's neck.
"Or, and this is a lot more difficult and dangerous, is can do this-"
James flicked his wand and the sandwich was tossed into the air, he flicked it again and the ribbon flickered quickly through the sandwich. The sandwich fell to the ground, cut into two pieces.
Peter squeaked, scared at the display.
"Sorry sorry," James said, rubbing the back of his head.
"It's okay. I need to be more Gryffindor like Sirius is always saying."
"You're plenty Gryffindor, remember when you pretended to be hexed during Transfiguration and sang the entire class? Then after Minnie tried every reversal spell she could think of and realized you had been lying you bowed- Bowed to her and ran out the classroom. Also, if I'm being honest I nearly pissed myself when Harry showed me this spell. Damned terrifying if you aren't expecting it."
Peter smiled, seeing that James really didn't care.
"So you'll teach that to me?"
"Of course, but it'll be tough, Harry said its pretty difficult if you don't have the right teacher. But then again I'm sure I'd make a great teacher."
"Oh definitely! I can't wait!" Peter said bouncing up and down.
"Iiiiiiiii'm hereeeeeeeeeee," Sirius said bursting through the door. "James mate, what in the bloody- Why is there a sandwich on the ground?"
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10 more Chapters up on my Pa treon
Pa tre on.c om/BronzeTurtle
