Those Ocean Eyes

Chapter 91 - Professor

"Is someone sneaking out of their common room again?" Remus was on duty, patrolling the halls of Hogwarts as he had done so many times before.

Harry Potter appeared out of thin air, smiling sheepishly.

"I wasn't sneaking out! I was- erm- sleepwalking."

Remus laughed merrily. "You are just like your father, do you know that?"

"Wait. You knew my father? Personally?" Harry asked, his eyes wide in wonder.

"I knew all of them." Remus murmured, his lips barely moving. "Or at least I thought I did. Once. A long time ago."

"All of them?"

"The Marauders. Your dad and his hooligans for friends. They were a good bunch." The words hurt to say. Harry needed to know.

"What were they like?" Harry looked up at him with pure earnest. He looked too much like Lily. Remus didn't make eye contact much, but when he did, all he saw was Lily Evans. He half expected a witty remark, followed by a swish of flaming red hair. And he looked too much like James. The messy hair, the familiar grin, the slightly raised eyebrows. The other half of him expected a wise crack and a hand reaching up to shake up his impossibly messy dark mane.

Some crumpled copy of a smile passed across Remus's scarred face as he saw his old friends in the boy in front of him.

"They were going to change the world."

There was a pause in which Harry waited for more. Remus realized this, and obliged.

"James was like you. Much too clever for his own good, and always finding trouble. Oblivious as a rock, however. Something that may have passed on to you, after all, if we take a closer look at your friends Mr. Thomas and Mr. Finnegan."

Remus chuckled at the blank look of confusion on Harry's face.

"Lily was like you, too. She could be sharp with her words, and yet the kindest person you would meet, all in the same day. Had a real knack for knowing when someone was upset. She made the best tea in all of Hogwarts."

Remus smiled warily, remembering the late nights of tea and chocolate, studying for tests the next day, laughing at terrible jokes. Harry was the perfect mixture of his parents. If only they had got to see what a wonderful person he had become.

"There are many more stories, Harry, but that's for another time. Run along back to your common room. The rules say no students out of bed at this hour."

Harry laughed. "George told me about a story where a group of students floated their beds out of the common room just because they wanted a snack from the kitchens. Probably just a tall tale, though."

"Might be." Remus smiled pleasantly. "After all, I'm sure Minnie- excuse me- Professor McGonagall- would not have been very happy with those certain marauders."

Harry's eyes widened in realization, and a grin split across his face.

"Hurry along to bed, Potter."

"Good night, Professor Lupin."

"Please, Harry. I knew your parents. Call me- hm. Call me Moony."

Harry smiled, delighted.

As the young boy sprinted away, the Cloak flapping in his hand, Remus's smile dropped. Harry looked so much like James it hurt. Lily, too.

He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. They were gone. Long gone.