Happy Birthday Remus! We wuv you!
The previous chapter yada yada was answered by as-sane-as-luna and -LxcyBlxck!
*distributes Remus Lupin posters and chocolates*
***
Everything was so... dark. Was he dead? But if he was dead, then why did everything hurt so bad? Being dead didn’t hurt... or did it?
James’ body was still burning when he woke up.
He opened his eyes slowly and closed it just as quickly. It was so bright outside... He fidgeted into a comfortable position, the action sending pain all around his body - limbs, hands, arms etc...
“Hey, hey... Are you okay?” A female voice. Probably the first one to notice him.
“You know he isn’t. Let him stay asleep.”
“Buddy, wake up,” Someone said, ignoring the others. He knew this voice but- who was it?
Who am I? He thought.
An older women yelled on top of the other voices. “OUT! Out! He needs rest and I want you kids out of here!”
James opened his eyes. Bright light slowly turned into blury figures. Why was everything so blury!?!
Where were his spectacles? Ugh!
He counted a total of nine students and three adults before unconsciousness took over. Everything went dark.
***
The second time he woke up, the room was empty except... except for an auburn haired girl, who looked as though she was sleeping.
One look at her peaceful face and butterflies fluttered in James’ stomach. He wanted to touch her, wake her up and talk to her.
But he was also tired.
So tried...
He couldn’t as much as move a bit before tiredness got the best of him.
***
One moment, he was having a nervous chat with Remus and the next moment, he found himself running towards the hospital wing.
Sirius ran into the room but stopped as he noticed the silence and looked at James, who was also staring back at him.
His, once muscular hands (not that muscular though. you get the point!) were now so thin. His body, especially his face, was pale. James had never been so ill.
It made Sirius' heart hurt.
James gave him a smile - weak but real. "How's it popping, mate? Well, you look just liked you'd looked the last time I saw you..."
He knew, then.
James had been unconsciousness for over a month now. When he had fainted, Sirius' heart had stopped. Prongs had been carried to the hospital wing. Though wanting to take him to St. Mungo, they couldn't face the risks. If the ministry found out he was here...
Everyone - Harry, Hermione, Remus, Ron, the whole dam school - was worried about James. Classes had become dull. Students were half present.
Even the Weasley twins were sad and had stopped pulling pranks on everyone. Without their humour to cheer them up, the school had gone utterly depressed.
Nonetheless, they were allowed to visit him. Few at a time.
Sirius usually found himself sitting beside James, telling him about his day. Lily spent most of her time here narrating stories to him. Nobody dared coming inside when Lily was there.
"Can't say the same about you," Sirius spoke back. He scanned the room and found majority of his friends there. Harry included.
Just as Sirius was about to go and give him a bear hug, Professor McGonagall stepped into the room, her steps as swift as ever but her eyes... they held pain. Pain and... fear.
James sensed it too, Sirius realized. "Long day, eh? I woke up just in time to empty my bladder or else this bed would've been very, very wet and I, very embarrassed."
A few chuckled but it didn't reach their eyes.
Prongs was trying to cheer up everyone inside the room. He looked at Sirius and then, back at the professor. "Am I in trouble? I wasn't the one who changed the soaps though. That wasn't me, nope!"
But Professor McGonagall gaped at James. At last she spoke, "I want everyone out of here. Everyone except Shrek, Robin, Scooby and Ivy. You have two minutes."
Nobody protested as they walked out.
***
“James, I am well aware that you came here through a cauldron,” Professor McGonagall said, breaking the silence.
Truth be told, James wanted to do nothing but rest. He had a wild headache and was tired. He couldn’t speak. His throat ached too. He hated how everyone looked at him with pity.
He hated being so weak in front of his friends. In front of Lily.
James nodded.
Her voice broke as she said, “You were the first one to touch it?”
Everyone knew what she was talking about. James was sure of it.
The Cauldon.
James nodded, “What does this-” he coughed. “I am sorry,” He quickly said and drank the glass of water that Lily had provided him. He gave her a smile. She didn't return it.
“James was the only one to touch it,” Sirius said, saving James from the embarrassment. It was becoming hard to look at anyone without breaking apart. “But what does this have to do with why James was ill?”
Professor McGonagall sighed, “That cauldron was not any simple cauldron. It was known as the ‘Cauldron of Borrowed Time’. I spent this whole year doing as much research as I could. What I found took me shocked. Boys, that was no ordinary cauldron."
She turned paler.
"Old texts claim that it gave you something that you never knew you wanted. The cauldron can do anything. Another reason why I destroyed it years ago. But even then, I was oblivious to its evil goals.”
James’ throat tightened. He couldn’t speak.
“Wh- What does it do?”
“It claims the soul of the person who had asked for this,” She said tightly. “And this is far worse than anything those dementors can do.”
Nobody said anything. Lily placed a conforting hand on James’ shoulder.
“I- How much time do I have?” James said loudly. Sirius was shaking his head.
“James!” Remus scolded. “We will find a way out of this!”
“And what will be the cost?” James asked Remus. "Come on! We know magical things have a mind of their own. I am not putting any of you in danger!"
Professor McGonagall looked at him as something James realized as – not pity – but support. “You must go back to your timeline and never, ever even think about anything close to time travel.”
“No,” James blurted before he even realized. “I- I have a family here... Yes, I miss my parents and friends there but this...?” He took a deep breath. “When?”
"Madam Pomfrey created a neutralising serum that has kept you alive for a while now... It is to be applied, eaten or drunk every 3 hours by any means possible," She said. "Meanwhile, Professor Dumbledore and I are working on a solution. A way to send you back and no, Potter. You cannot stay here."
James closed his eyes and leaned on the pillow. His head had started aching. He thought about the pros and cons of the situation.
"James," Professor McGonagall said, her voice softened. "Harry will be fine. He will be in my care. But I will understand if you want to reveal your identity to him. It's your decision and he deserves to know."
"But I'm not ready."
"You should get some rest. I'll give you some alone time with your friends."
Saying those final words, she left.
After a few minutes - or was it an hour - Sirius sat beside James, followed by Remus.
James opened his eyes and looked at them both. His eyes were burning, a warning that tears would fall.
"I'm sorry," He croaked.
"Prongs," Sirius said. "It's going to be alright."
"No, it's not!" James protested. "We will forget everything. Everything that happened here." He shook his head.
Remus reached out and embraced him. Sirius and Lily soon followed, hugging the duo tightly.
"I can't tell Harry," James broke the silence. "I'm not ready yet..."
"Professor McGonagall said that we still have some time left. We shall wait," Lily smiled, and James couldn't wish for a better companion.
"Okay."
And silence became conforting as they hugged each other.
***
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands! *clap* *clap* *clap*
If you're sad and you know it, come talk to me! *talk* *talk* *talk*
I'll be right here...
I also think that you guys should go and get yourselves some chocolate to eat for Remus' birthday just like I am gonna do!
Also, we missed Ron's birthday... it was on 1st March. *frowny face* I love you, Ron! And I'm sorry...
Therefore, who plays Ronald Weasley in the Harry Potter movies?