Through the Veil of Time

Okay, okay. So it's not necessarily unique. But I adore time-travels and I've wanted to write this for such a long time you wouldn't believe it…

So here it is, a plot bunny that made me turn on the PC at 12:25am to write, just to make sure I wouldn't forget it.

Disclaimer: hello, I doubt anyone owns time-travels. If you own it, I bow down to you, coz you rock. The people you don't recognise belong to moi. The methods of travelling through time also belong to moi, because I haven't come across any other ideas like this, and I'm pretty sure they're mine. Also, I had no idea what Peter's middle name was so I made it up. James, Sirius and Lily's are all true to fanon, and Remus, Hermione, Ron, and Harry's are true to JK.

They're all in fifth year, and it's before Sirius gets killed. So there! XD

I hope you enjoy this, and don't ignore it coz it's `clichéd'!

Remember this: THIS IS NOT YOUR AVERAGE TIME-TRAVEL FIC!

R/R

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Chapter 1, Faulty Wiring

James Harold Potter looked at the wiring with a confused look on his face.

Professor Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, had set up the wiring all around school. It was enough to make everyone think the poor old sod had gone senile; after all, what did they need wiring for? It wasn't for electricity, as Lily put it, as electricity wasn't something magic folk needed, with all their `lumos'es. So therefore, they were all confused.

James headed back to the Gryffindor Common Room, where he told his three best friends, Remus John Lupin, Sirius Orion Black, and Peter Chris Pettigrew, the other members of the Marauders, about all the cables around the school that were plugged into sockets on the walls. They all agreed that Dumbledore must be thoroughly insane if he put up all the leads for no reason.

Later that same evening, the four boys decided to play a game of Truth or Dare. Except, of course, truths were void and dares were mandatory. Therefore, the game should really have been called Dare or Dare.

Sirius's third dare was to go and pull the plug out of one of the sockets in the hallway. He beamed at the thought of doing something mischievous, and headed out to find the nearest socket.

---

Lily Marie Evans was walking back from the library when she felt something hit the middle of her back. She fell forwards onto the floor and dropped all her books, winded. She looked up to see a bubbling, hyper Sirius above her.

“What are you doing out so late?” she asked them.

Sirius grinned and bounced over to a plug, whilst chanting, “Dare or Dare!”

The boys grinned. Lily shook her head and frowned at them. “You shouldn't be touching that, you know. It could be dangerous, for all you know. It might blow you up. And it's not yours to touch, anyway.”

Sirius shrugged. Lily frowned harder and reached out and grabbed hold of the wire. The other three boys grabbed onto her, trying to make her let go. Sirius chuckled, and yanked the plug out of the socket.

The school went pitch black, and a swirling blue light left the plug socket. It spiralled around until the five were facing a vortex.

They tried to move away from it, but they were all sucked in at pretty much the same time.

The caretaker, Argus Filch, stalked past at that point, just as the vortex shut and left no sign of it ever having been there. He frowned at the pulled-out plug, and shoved it back in the socket unceremoniously, and shuffled on, growling about miscreants at the same time.

---

Harry James Potter was sitting in a chair in the Gryffindor Common Room, feeling that not everything was right. He turned to look at his best friends Ronald Bilius Weasley and Hermione Jane Granger; Ron was frowning at his tiny owl Pigwidgeon `Pig' and Hermione was studying, as usual.

Harry leant back and turned to look at Fred and George Weasley, who were working on their next pieces of art; Melting Hand Serum and Sour Nose Lengtheners. Harry made a mental note to not accept anything from the twins any time soon, unless he'd seen them prepare it themselves right in front of him.

The twins noticed him looking and called him over to have a look at what they were making. Harry grinned and hurried over, eager to help out.

---

Argus Filch walked through an area of the corridor. He could remember a period of time when Professor Dumbledore had littered the school with wires and cables. He still couldn't remember why, but a few days later they'd been taken down, and everything had been back to normal, which he was happy about.

He hurried on through the corridor, whistling to himself thoughtfully.

Just as he rounded the corner, a bright blue, spiralling vortex appeared in midair, and five fifteen-year-olds fell out of it.

Lily scrambled to her feet first, and she looked around. “Hey, we're at Hogwarts!”

“Where did all the cables go?” Sirius wondered aloud. “That's annoying.”

“I think we'd better go to Professor Dumbledore,” Lily announced. She headed the procession up to Dumbledore's office, and said quite clearly, “Jelly Beans.”

The statue stayed motionless.

“I don't believe it!” Lily cried. “Professor Dumbledore just told me that password this morning! Why did he change it?”

Remus frowned, he'd been there also. The two of them were the Gryffindor Prefects.

Lily bit her lip, and started spouting out all the sweets she could think of.

A voice behind her chuckled, and said, “Sherbet Lemons. Now, I think you wanted to see me?”

Lily and the rest of them spun around speedily. Lily gasped when she saw Dumbledore. He had much whiter hair now; something that she'd definitely not noticed before.

The five followed Dumbledore inside and up to his room. “Now, I assume you wanted to see me?”

“Yes,” Lily told him. “Professor Dumbledore, how come everything's changed? All the wiring and…everything!”

Dumbledore beamed at them. “I don't remember the last time someone talked to me about those wires…certainly over 20 years ago! It was a stupid idea on my part…Anyway, I don't believe I remember you. What are your names again?”

Remus frowned. “Professor Dumbledore, you just spoke to us this morning!”

Dumbledore shrugged. “Maybe I did…”

“Anyway, just so as you don't forget again,” James said, taking charge as usual, “I'm James Potter, and these are Lily Evans, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew. We're all in Gryffindor.”

“What year are you in?” Dumbledore asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.

“Fifth. Professor, why are you looking at us like that? It is November 12th, 1974, isn't it?”

“Well,” Professor Dumbledore began, “you're certainly right about one thing. It is November 12th. But not 1974. I'm afraid you've been transported 20 years into the future.”

All members of the quintet's jaws dropped at that.

“You mean…we're not in our own time?” Peter gasped out.

“Yes Peter,” Dumbledore told him. He turned to look at James. “You all must have your appearances changed. There are too many people who could recognise you.”

He muttered a spell and flicked his wand at James, first. James felt his hair grow shorter and flatten itself. A few pieces fell into his eyes briefly before they shortened, and James noticed they were blond, an interesting experience for him. His eyes fuzzed up and he realised he didn't need his glasses any more. He felt his body shrink slightly; he was growing slightly shorter, to Remus's height. He checked in the mirror, and saw his eyes were a bright, sparkling blue.

Then Dumbledore went on to Peter. Peter grew a little taller, slightly thinner (but not too much, he wasn't that chubby), and his eyes blurred until he realised he did need glasses. He grabbed James's and discovered that they were perfect for him. His hair flopped around his shoulders, a deep, deep red. In the mirror his eyes were dark brown.

Lily was next, and her image was changed greatly. Her elbow-length straight red hair shot down past her hips, curled into jet black corkscrews. Her eyes changed to a turquoise-y colour, and her body filled out a little. She noticed James watching her a little too attentively, and spat out, “Don't you dare.” Truthfully, she didn't much mind James checking her out, as they were close friends and he wasn't that bad looking himself. But the fact he fancied her in a different body was rather yucky.

Sirius followed, and his description changed marginally. His black hair spiked up, and his eyes changed to a slightly darker grey, but that was pretty much it.

Remus's hair stayed the same length, and changed to a deep, deep brown, and his eyes went dark brown. He shot up a few inches, so he found that he was now taller than James. He looked in the mirror, and mentally decided his previous image was much more appealing.

Dumbledore nodded his approval, and handed them out new names.

Ten minutes later, Holly Burns, John Weaver, Simon Grey, Pete Smart, and Richard Law left the office having been `sorted' into Gryffindor. They headed to the Common Room laughing, and told the Fat Lady the new password (snuffles) that Dumbledore had told them.

As they entered, a few people looked up. Well, six people did.

Four of these six seemed to be related in some way. There were a pair of redheaded twins who were poring over a sheet of paper and muttering about what prank they should play on Snape next (the four Marauders beamed at this), a much younger redhead girl who was conversing quietly with a brunette with bushy hair who seemed to be in their year. Finally, there was a redhead boy who seemed about their age who was talking to a boy with black hair about as messy as James's was usually. The boy turned, and Lily noticed he had her normal eye colour, which she had never encountered on another soul before. He also had James's glasses, which were currently perched on Peter's nose.

The two older redhead boys marched over. “Hello, we're Fred…”

“…and George…” the other boy put in.

“…Weasley,” the first boy finished grandly. “We haven't seen you around before.” He seemed to be looking at Lily as he said this.

Lily raised both eyebrows and frowned at the twins. “I'm Holly Burns,” she told him sternly. “We're transfer students from Durmstrang.”

“I'm John Weaver,” James said grandly.

“Richard Law.”

“Simon Grey.”

“Pete Smart,” Peter finished.

James looked over towards the black haired boy and noticed that he was stuffing something into his pockets quickly. A very old sheet of parchment. He started wondering to himself what it was.

The other four kids hurried over. “Fred and George, are you pestering these new people?” the little redheaded girl said mock sternly.

The twins pretended to look outraged. “Of course not! We were offering to show Holly, John, Richard, Simon and Pete around the school! Why would we do a thing like that?”

“Because you're Fred and George, maybe?” the girl continued. She turned to the quintet. “Anyway, I'm Ginny, their little sister.”

“I'm Ron, their brother,” the other redhead put in then. “Whatever they offer you to eat, don't take it. They should only really offer it to people like Malfoy and Snape.”

“Snape?” James asked. “Is he a student here?”

Fred started chuckling. “Do you think a student would annoy us that much? No, he's Potions Master and Head of Slytherin. You wonder why, the greasy git.”

James looked surprised almost, yet delighted at the fact other people hated him. “How'd he manage to become a Professor here?”

“That's what we've been wondering. He could be a Death Eater, but Hermione here insists that he can't be.” George patted the brunette on the shoulder. He went on. “Do you know him?”

“In a manner of words,” Sirius said. “He made our lives miserable for a veeery long time. Thought we contributed to making his life a living hell, too.”

“He makes Harry's life a misery, too.” Fred imitated Snape's voice. “Harry Potter, ten points from Gryffindor being rude! Harry Potter, do you know what Sporkulus Whatsipktitkus is? Oh by the way, haha, ten points from Gryffindor for not knowing that Sporkulus Whatsipktitkus doesn't exist! That moron.”

That sounded like Snape, all right, James thought. He turned to look at Harry. He had his hair, his glasses, his surname…was Harry his son?

“Hey, Harry is it?” Harry nodded. “Well, I'm…John…and I was wondering about, you know…”

“My scar?” Harry asked, sounding bored, wondering how this blond kid didn't know about it.

James's face contorted with confusion. “Actually, no,” he went on. Harry's eyebrows lifted in surprise. “About your surname.”

Harry's eyebrows vanished into his hair, he was so surprised. “What about my surname? Surely you've heard the story.”

“Well, no. I was just wondering about whether you are related to anyone called…James Potter.”

Harry's face seemed to pale a little. “Yeah,” he said. “He's my dad.”

“Is he nice?” James's mind grew very happy at the thought of him having a son with someone.

“I wouldn't know. He died when I was born. Voldemort killed him. And my mother, too. She died to save me.”

James's mind blurred. He tried to speak. “Who…who was your mother?”

“Lily Potter,” Harry replied. “I now live with the Dursleys; Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and Pugsley Dudley, the fattest thing you've ever seen. Hagrid once gave him a pig's tail. That's probably the most momentous thing to ever happen to him.”

Ugh, poor Harry, having to live with her sister Petunia…Lily's eyes widened. OH MY GOD! She screamed mentally. “Excuse me,” she muttered, and turned and ran up the girls' staircase.

She flopped on the only bed in the Fifth Year Dorm that didn't have possessions littered around it and wished to be back in her own time. She'd wished she hadn't heard that.

She couldn't believe Harry was her son. Well, the eyes had proved it. But…she was married to James. She was dead, too, but firstly she was married to James. They may have been close friends, but they weren't that close…not close enough to be boyfriend and girlfriend, not close enough to…Her thoughts broke off. She couldn't say it. She couldn't say `have sex' because her mind had only just registered that it was going to be with James Potter, her best friend.

Funny way how fate happened, when she'd just been snapping at James for thinking her new form was pretty, whilst mentally thinking he wasn't that bad, either.

---

James was thinking about Lily. He was thinking about how pretty she was…how smart she was…how nice she was…and most of all, how he'd been in love with her since he was thirteen.

They'd always been best friends, for as long as he could remember. They lived next door to each other. Since they were four, when his family had moved to Privet Drive. They had always been around each other. They played together, they shared ideas together, they vowed never to date together. Then they both broke that rule during their second year at Hogwarts, when he went out with Melanie Hawk, and she went out with Chris Jones. Then, the following year, puberty hit both of them. Lily started looking more and more beautiful, and he started harbouring feelings for her. They grew, until at the end of that year he realised that he wanted to hold her and kiss her and be with her together.

It may have been a crush for most of third year, but it most certainly wasn't at the end, and he knew it. And now he was told that he was going to marry her and have a son with her!

It was the best news he could think of.

He watched Lily get slightly tearful and race up the stairs to the girls' dorm. He cocked his head and frowned.

“What's up with Li…Hols?” Sirius asked, very nearly saying `Lils' instead.

James shrugged.

“Go and see what's making her upset, Johnny old boy. You're her best friend, she'll listen to you.”

James sighed and nodded. He muttered a spell under his breath, and walked calmly up the girls' stairs, while the Weasleys, Harry, and the rest of the male Gryffindor population (but the Marauders) stared at him in awe.

James entered the Fifth Year Girls' Dorm and looked around for Lily. She was lying on the bed, looking no less beautiful than usual, even with her new image. He went over and sat next to her on the bed. She didn't look at him, so he started stroking her arms gently and mumbling soothing things to her.

Eventually she looked at him, and he saw tears start to run down her cheeks. “Jamie,” she whispered.

“Yes, Lils?”

“I don't want to die.”

At that, James looked at her in pain, and dragged her into a tight hug, knowing that he loved her, she could never know, and that she would probably never love him back, even though they were going to get married in the end.

“It's gonna be okay, Lilsie, I promise. It's gonna be okay.”

They eventually drifted off to sleep, Lily in James's arms. Hermione came up, smiled at the two who were obviously very firmly attached to each other, and drew the curtains around them so that nobody else could see them. Then she got ready for bed and turned the lights out and went to sleep, not waiting for Parvati and Lavender to come up.

---

I hope you enjoyed that. As I was writing it, it suddenly occurred to me that it was turning out to be much like a one-shot, and I had to find a break somewhere.

Anyway, I am quite aware that Lily and James couldn't stand each other, but I'm a firm L/J best-friends fanatic, and so they're friends in this one.

Harry will have no romantic partners, because I never see him as a boyfriend, and besides, I don't like H/Hr (I'd rather have R/Hr, but this is Portkey, and I know the rules…if you want to read the R/Hr version of this fic, go to the ff net website and search for Jersey Princess. There are some minor edits in the final few chapters and in this one). And Ginny is not dating anyone, as it's pre-Michael Corner (and I don't like D/G!).

lyl, please read and review, I hope you like it!

J xx

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Thanks to:

Caity: I'm glad you like the plotline! I know I enjoyed writing it (it's completed, you see). Thanks!

alan22: I'm happy that you think it's funny. Thanks! lol, I only posted this two days ago…

Danny: NO WAY! I'm fed up with everyone surviving. That's why I said it's different—they find out but still die. If you want to read fics where they survive, go to ff net and search for `Lily and James go forwards in time' or `Harry goes back in time'. I hope that helps. Thanks for the review!

Anonymous: What, has nobody covered it on Portkey yet? Coolie! I'm a first, finally! Anyway, I'm so happy that you like the plot—thanks!

hazeleyedmarauder: You have no idea how happy I was when I read that you were my first reviewer. I've been reading your comments for a while (no, I'm not a stalker, lol!) and I'm so glad you've finally read something of mine! Thanks so much!

Disclaimer: The scene featuring the map and Professor Snape is from Prisoner of Azkaban though I edited it for length and content. Most of it belongs to JK.

Please R/R, hope you enjoy…

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Chapter 2, The Marauder's Map

Lily woke up to find her head buried in the chest of a rather handsome blond boy who was lying under the covers of her bed next to her. Momentarily she freaked out, before realising it was James in his new form. She sighed and slid out of James's grasp, being careful not to wake him. His watch said it was five forty-five in the morning. She knew she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep again, so she went into the bathroom to have a shower. She cleaned and ironed her uniform, dried her now black hair, and de-frizzed the curls, all with several flicks of her wand. She looked in the mirror at her reaction and sighed wistfully, much preferring her previous image.

She then walked back outside and rushed over to her bed. She ducked behind the covers and decided to try and wake up James. She knew from past experience that he wouldn't wake up for just anything. She had to be original.

She sat down next to him and flicked a spell at him that would pour water over his face. Nothing happened. She placed on him `tarantallegra', and nothing happened. Eventually, after a long time of flicking aimless curses at him, she admitted defeat. She ripped the covers away from him. Nothing happened, but she saw something sticking out of one of the pockets of his trousers. Curiosity got the better of her, and she pulled it out. It was apparently blank, but she knew there must have been more to the parchment than that for James to carry it around with him.

Although James was her best friend and she knew about Remus and their Animagi forms, she didn't know about this secret because they hadn't got around to telling her. She decided to do a little bit of investigating herself.

After checking that nobody was awake, Lily touched the parchment with her wand and muttered, “I, Lily Marie Evans, demand that you show me your secrets.”

Writing swept across the page, and it seemed that Lily had found out the secret of the parchment.

Mr Moony is wondering why Lily Evans is searching where she should not be for things that do not concern her.

Mr Wormtail says what are you doing up there anyway?

Mr Padfoot would like to tell Lily Evans that she should go and bother someone else, preferably Snape.

Mr Prongs agrees with all of the other Messrs and adds that although Lily Evans is very pretty, she should learn that not everything is meant for her to know about.

Lily stared at the sheet, annoyed that the sheet was solely for the purpose of insulting people. Then she realised she was being too shallow: the boys was never create an insult sheet. It had to be hiding something, and there was obviously a password for it. She thought hard, trying to think of passwords the boys would think up. Finally, she thought it had to do with being no good, as that was the boys' favourite thing to say.

“I am up to no good,” she whispered. Nothing happened. “Ugh, wrong track then.” But something kept telling her to keep at it. “I swear…I solemnly swear.” That sounded about right. “I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.”

Lines spread out from the centre of the page and grew until they covered every inch of it. She saw that it was a map of Hogwarts. Words along the top read,

Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs

Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers

are proud to present

THE MARAUDER'S MAP

Lily stared at it in shock, and at all the little labelled dots around the school. She saw that Professor Dumbledore was in his office, Filch was patrolling the fourth floor with Mrs. Norris, and Peeves was terrorising things on the second floor. There were many passages leading to Hogsmeade that she'd never encountered before, and the entrance to the kitchens was proudly displayed. She could see their real names were displayed, which made her a little nervous as perhaps someone else knew the secrets of the map, and could find them. She wondered how to wipe the map clean. She knew it had to be something simple to counteract the long entrance password.

“Thank you?” she tried. “Um…” She noticed the title: Mischief-Makers. Perhaps it had something to do with that? “Mischief Ended.” No, that didn't sound right, but `Mischief' did. “Mischief…Finished, Mischief Over, Mischief…” And then she realised. It fitted perfectly. It just seemed to flow. “Mischief Managed,” she said, tapping the parchment. The page became blank. She started to smile, and turned to look at James.

James was still perfectly asleep, even though an hour had just gone by. She sighed and did the final last thing that she could think of, after sliding the parchment back into his pocket. She leant over and gently brushed her lips over his, a greeting she did often but never as a wake-up call.

James's eyes shot open. “Huh?” he muttered.

“Hi Jamie,” Lily said, giggling. “I just thought you might like to get up before everyone else does and asks why you're in here, and in my bed at that.”

“So you kissed me to wake me up?” he asked sceptically.

Lily rolled her eyes. “Get up.” She grabbed his hands and tried to pull him out of bed. In the end, she gave a mighty tug and he rolled off the bed and onto the floor with an oomph. She quickly pulled him up and out through the door. They went down the stairs after James said the spell again, and hurried up the boys' staircase to the Fifth Year Boys' Dorm. Lily stood outside knowing that there were five boys in there who she didn't know and three she didn't want to be on the bad side of forever.

James went in, and was out ten minutes later with wet hair and straighter clothes. They hurried down to the Great Hall and had some breakfast, before rushing up to talk to Dumbledore about spare changes of clothes, as they didn't have their trunks with them.

After they'd all been granted permission to go to Diagon Alley to get some new clothes and equipment, they left again to tell the good news to the other three Marauder boys.

They flooed to Diagon Alley and came back several hours later with all their stuff. Luckily it was the weekend, so they didn't have any lessons. Once they'd arrived back, they all headed up to their respective dorms and unpacked.

---

Harry, Ron, Hermione, the twins and Ginny were sat down in the Common Room chatting about the new fifth years.

“Has Dumbledore ever accepted transfer students before?” Ginny asked. The twins shook their heads.

“Not in our seven years here,” Fred replied. “I wonder why he's doing it now, and has chosen these particular students.”

At that moment, James came rushing down the stairs with the rest of the Marauders (though the sextet didn't know that) following them. “Where's Li—Holly?” James asked Ron.

Ron shrugged. “Why?”

Hermione elbowed him in the ribs. “Ron, shut up!” she hissed. “That's rude!”

James shrugged. “It doesn't matter. We just thought of a good prank to play on Snape. I'm surprised I never thought of it before, actually. It would have been more fun before…Anyway; we thought we'd tell Holly to join in the fun.”

Fred and George grinned, along with Ron and Harry. “What's the prank? Can we help somehow?”

James grinned and nodded, but asked to know where Holly was first.

Hermione sighed. “Holly is upstairs somewhere muttering about insufferable people and maps.”

“Maps?” James asked, suddenly nervous. He patted his pocket to see if his Map was there. It was, thankfully.

“Yes, maps. She was also muttering about how best friends aren't supposed to keep secrets from each other or something.”

James's eyes widened. He turned to the rest of the Marauders. “Oh shit! She found out! Why didn't I tell her about the Map before?”

Sirius chuckled. “Because you're an idiot, my dear friend.” He clapped James around the shoulders. “Didn't we ever tell you to tell Flower about it?”

James shook his head. “You were telling me she knew too much.” He turned to look at the Girls' Staircase. “I guess I'll apologise.” He stood at the bottom and yelled, “HOLLY!”

The girl stormed down the stairs a few moments later. “What?” she muttered.

“Sorry for not telling you about the Map.”

Lily rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Your password is pathetic, boys, though. I mean, c'mon. It took me five minutes to work out the password for showing the Map and five for hiding it. You obviously didn't think hard enough.”

“Ah, dear Flower,” Sirius said cheerfully. “You underestimate us. Just because you're fantastically smart does not mean the rest of the people are. I mean, do you ever see Malfoy or Snape getting into the Map?”

Lily chuckled and shook her head. “What would the insults be for Snape, do you think?” she asked.

“Wash his hair,” Sirius said, firmly nodding his head.

Harry stared at them, remembering a scene from third year.

- Flashback -

“Show yourself!” Snape said, tapping the map sharply.

It stayed blank.

“Professor Severus Snape, master of this school, commands you to yield the information you conceal!” Snape said, hitting the map with his wand.

Writing started flowing across it.

Mr Moony presents his compliments to Professor Snape, and begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business.

Mr Prongs agrees with Mr Moony, and would like to add that Professor Snape is an ugly git.

Mr Padfoot would like to register his astonishment that an idiot like that ever became a Professor.

Mr Wormtail bids Professor Snape good day, and advises him to wash his hair, the slimeball.

- End flashback -

“Yes, quite,” Harry said. “It'd also tell him he's an ugly git.”

James beamed. “That's exactly what I'd say!”

Lily rolled her eyes good-naturedly. She turned to Harry. “How do you know so much about the topic?”

Harry shifted uncomfortably about his chair. “Um…well…you see…”

Fred beamed at him. “Spit it out Harry, if they have a Map it can't be all bad.”

“We have a Map, too,” Harry said finally.

“Cool!” James said. “Does it have a password to access it?”

“Yes.”

“Did one of you make it?” Sirius put in.

They all shook their heads. Sirius looked put out. “Who did, then, and how did you get it?”

Fred and George grinned. “We nicked it out of one of Filch's `confiscated' drawers,” Fred said.

“It was made by our idols, Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs,” George replied.

James looked at the other three in great happiness that they were actually idols. Then he realised something. “Can I look at it please?”

Harry handed it over. “You won't be able to get into it, though…” he broke off as James took the parchment.

“I solemnly swear that I am up to no good,” he said clearly.

Harry's group stared at him.

“How did you know…?”

James grinned impishly. He looked down at the sheet. And stared in horror.

There, clear as day, were five dots labelled James Potter, Lily Evans, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew.

He showed the Map to the other Marauders and Lily, who all bit their lips and muttered, “Oh Merlin…”

“What's wrong?” Ron asked, wonderingly.

“Um…” Lily began. “We can't really tell you…”

“Of course you can!” Ginny piped up. “We won't tell anyone.”

“But you won't believe us…just don't look in the Map for a while,” James said. He tapped the Map and said, “Mischief Managed.”

Fred looked at James in confusion. “How on earth do you know how to work the Map? You've only been here for a day!”

James smiled even more impishly if it was possible, and said, “That's up to me to know, and you to wonder for a looong time.”

“What's your Map like?”

James looked like he wasn't going to reply, but Lily reached across and pulled it out of the pocket of his trousers. She waved it at them.

They looked at the blank sheet of parchment, and one by one their faces changed as they realised.

Although their parchment was a lot newer and whiter, it was undoubtedly the same Map.

“How did you get such a new copy?” George asked.

James shrugged. “Made it. Last year in fact.”

“Does it still say…?”

“Yup.”

“But then either you copied it…but if you made it last year…you had to have copied it; we've had the Map since first year…”

James shook his head. “Did I tell you that last year was 1974?”

---

Haha! Evil cliffie!

I know this story is flying by rather fast. The next few chapters (I've already started writing the third, and I haven't even put this one up yet!) will be very long, have lots of the story in them, and then it'll be into the real story.

I know that the Marauders wouldn't start talking to Harry and co. after only knowing them for one day, but in this story anything is possible. It has to happen like this because the Marauders are in this time for a total of between four and ten days…I don't know which yet.

But then there's a period of time in the Marauder Era and then…more Harry and co.! I bet you can guess what happens, it's not hard…

But it happens in a way NOBODY will guess. That's me, predictable but completely unpredictable. So, expect the unexpected! Anybody who gets it in one, two, three or four goes/chapters gets a chapter dedicated to them, a character named after them in any one of my three stories (whichever they prefer), and a huge bag of internet sweets, whatever kind they want; be it chocolate buttons, pic'n'mix, or Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans (minus all the bogey, vomit, and earwax flavoured ones).

I hope you enjoyed that. If you have any ideas, theories, or reasons to believe that none of this would ever have happened (which it wouldn't, but this is all in good humour), don't hesitate to contact me via email, review or MSN.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed that,

lyl,

Jay xx

aka

Jersey Princess aka Sucker-For-LJBFF

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Thanks:

Caity, Anonymous, hazeleyedmarauder, Harry/HermioneAlways, DreamAngel.

Please R/R.

---

Chapter 3, Realisations

“But then you're…” Ginny began in a whisper.

“Thirty? Yep! Time-travelling is fun!” Sirius piped up, chuckling.

“But it's not possible, not for that amount of time,” Hermione, always the rational one, told them. She scolded them gently for telling impossibilities.

Remus smiled lightly. “It's not as impossible as you might think. After all, we're here, aren't we? Flesh and blood. Fifteen-year-olds.”

“I guess you are,” Hermione allowed, begrudgingly. “Are those your real names then?”

Lily shook her head. “No, and don't look in the Map. It'll tell you, and then it'll send bad repercussions about the place. It might change your past or our future.”

“Are you related to us somehow, then?” Ron asked.

Lily shook her head. “Not to you, at least. Though I believe I might know a Weasley. Arthur? And Molly Prewitt, they got married a couple of years back?” At the twins', Ron's, and Ginny's nods, she carried on. “I met Bill a few weeks ago…well, for my time at least. He must be in his twenties now! How is he?”

“He's fine,” Ron replied.

Sirius chuckled. “They nearly made Ja…John godfather of Charles, they were that desperate.”

Ron looked over in confusion. “John? No, the only person they ever considered was…” his voice broke off. He remembered Sirius's slip-up.

Just then, a voice talked from the front of Harry's robe. He pulled out a mirror and looked into it. “Hey, Sirius!”

The Sirius in the room looked up in shock and looked around him as if he was going to see an older version of himself sitting on the couch. James rolled his eyes and pointed towards the mirror. Sirius sighed a huge sigh of relief.

The Sirius in the mirror chuckled and replied, “Hi, Harry. I see some other people in the room with you. Is this wise?”

Lily almost laughed. “That's a new one, Sirius Black talking about being wise.” James dug in her ribs and told her to be quiet. Sirius-in-the-room glared half-heartedly at her.

Sirius-in-the-mirror went on, “It's just I've gained some new memories you might find interesting. It's about when I was fifteen.”

Sirius-in-the-room all-but gasped. His body went rigid. This was his thirty-year-old self talking about them when they were in the room.

“Sure, and it's okay. They all know enough. They know the truth.”

Sirius-in-the-mirror finished with, “If it's okay, Harry, I'll come now. I think I'll bring Moony along, too.”

Remus looked up at the sound of his name being mentioned and bit his lip, he too wondering what was about to happen.

Harry agreed and Sirius-in-the-mirror vanished from sight. He turned to the Marauders. “You wouldn't know anything about this, would you?”

The quintet shook their heads hurriedly and replied in the negative. Harry raised his eyebrows but didn't push the group, knowing full well that Sirius could do that if he tried.

Ginny had been sitting down for a few moments in silence, pondering. Now she spoke. “Sirius Black? As in the murderer who sold your parents out, Harry?”

Sirius, Lily, and James's eyes widened. Harry failed to notice, and replied, “He was innocent. Professor Lupin told us that in third year. He also told us other stuff. You know, about him being a werewolf. Can you believe Snape tried to get him fired because of that? I mean, now the whole school knows.”

Remus stared in front of him, his vision blurry. He was a professor. He had a job that paid money. That was a good thing. But everyone also knew about his condition. And Snape told them all. That was not a good thing.

Just then the portrait burst open and two ruffled men walked in the room. “Everyone upstairs,” said a tall man with brownish-blond hair.

They all went up to the Fifth Year Boys' Dorm and sat down on the beds. The blond man stood up.

“Sirius was right in calling this meeting. We both keep remembering things that hadn't happened before in our lives. I believe you five know what we're talking about. Simon, explain.”

Sirius screwed up his face. “Why me? I don't want to do it. Make Robert explain.” He and his group didn't ask how the adults knew their names, as they knew quite well, but the other six were looking quite confused.

Child-Remus sighed. “Simon, it's nothing.”

“Okay. So, we're from the past. We have the Marauder's Map. James was going to be Charlie Weasley's godfather…”

Adult-Sirius beamed rather uncharacteristically for his grownup personality and chuckled. “Oh yeah, he was, wasn't he! That was so funny. I think I spent a week laughing at the guy. A godfather, at fifteen…He didn't, obviously. Molly, bless her, talked Arthur out of it.”

“Don't remind me!” Child-Sirius grinned. “Anyway, what were we talking about?”

“Us,” Child-Remus said. “How they know exactly who we are, coz they were here.”

Harry looked confused. Then dawning appeared in his expressions. “You mean…two of you…”

Adult-Sirius nodded. “Yeah.”

Child-Sirius chuckled. “Yup. How did you get such dry humour?”

The other guy grinned. “Dunno. Azkaban, probably. Merlin, I hate that place…”

“I'm sure you did.”

Harry nodded at Child-Sirius. “Are you Sirius then? Are you my godfather?”

Child-Sirius beamed. “I'm your godfather? James chose me to be your godfather?”

Adult-Remus smiled gently. “Yes, Sirius, if it's not so hard to believe.”

Fred spoke up. “Okay, so I get that you're all related to Harry and stuff. But what's this got to do with the Map?”

James sighed. “It has everything to do with the Map. After all, we invented it.”

“You mean you're…?” George's eyes were wide in admiration.

“Mr Prongs, at your service,” James told him, bowing.

“Mr Padfoot,” Sirius added cheerfully.

“Mr Moony,” Remus put in.

“Mr Wormtail.”

As Peter finished, Adult-Sirius's face closed up. He looked like he was about to lunge at the boy. Adult-Remus tried to restrain him.

“Easy now, Sirius. He hasn't done anything wrong.”

“Yet,” Sirius said through clenched teeth. Adult-Remus rolled his eyes.

“Calm, Sirius. Padfoot, calm.”

“Wow, am I like that in future life?” Child-Sirius asked. “Why do I hate Wormy so much?”

Peter growled, “Don't call me that.”

Child-Sirius shrugged and went on, “Tell me!”

Hermione shook her head. “We can't. It would change your future. I'm sorry, but no.” Her tone was final, and Child-Sirius stopped pressing the subject.

Ginny smiled at the rest of the quintet. “Who are the rest of you, then?”

Lily smiled gently. “I think I'll let you figure that out yourself.” She flicked her wand and muttered the charm to re-change all their appearances. They all changed looks, and finally James grabbed his glasses off Peter's nose and perched them on his.

“I'm Remus Lupin,” Remus started off, looking up at Adult-Remus. “In other words, him.”

“I'm Sirius Black, obviously.”

“I'm Peter Pettigrew, who all of you seem to hate,” Peter said nervously and wonderingly, with good reason.

“I'm Lily Evans,” Lily smiled gently and flicked her eyes gently at the sextet.

They all looked confused for a moment before Hermione said, “Oh! That's your mum, Harry.”

Finally, James grinned. “I'm James. James Potter.”

The room went quiet as everyone looked at James and Lily, Harry's dead parents. Harry himself was relishing their appearances, happy he had them with him, if at least for a short while.

Eventually, George broke the silence. “Coool.”

“I can't believe it,” James sighed. “I mean, dying, and having a son, and…and Lily…”

Lily rolled over on James's bed and buried her head in his pillow. “Don't remind me,” her muffled voice said. “I get with my best friend. Eww.”

“Aah, you know you love me really.”

Lily rolled her eyes and told him sarcastically, “Is it really that obvious? I've totally had a secret crush on you for the past five years!”

Sirius looked excited. “You have!”

“No, Sirius, I was being sarcastic,” Lily told him, annoyed. “Why are you so excited?”

Remus grinned mischievously and replied, “Because he's been trying to get you two to go out with each other since…Second Year I think.”

Lily wrinkled her nose. “Sirius Orion Black…” She got up and proceeded to chase him around the room, down the stairs to the common room, and finally back up again. She flopped on the bed next to James, who hugged her close to him. She didn't move away, so he moved so he was right next to her.

Someone chuckled and said, “Those two are so gonna get together this year.”

Lily buried her head deeper into James's chest and muttered a few incoherent things.

James grinned over her head and said, “Okay, so what else are we gonna do today?”

---

They walked into Snape's class the next day, Harry, Hermione and Ron grinning slightly and the Marauders and Lily not even trying to hide their laughter. The quintet had regained their assigned images and were looking like a bunch of nineties children, contrary to their actual seventies teens images.

“I assume you are the new students from Durmstrang?” Snape asked, his voice as oily as his hair. James nodded, trying to smother his laughter.

“Do you find this funny, Mr Potter?” Snape asked Harry, who was chuckling quietly next to him.

Harry shook his head quickly and sat down in his seat before Snape could dock points.

“Slimy git,” James muttered under his breath. Lily giggled silently.

“John! Shut up!”

Snape assigned them to their places, and then told the class of the topic they'd be learning that day, that the quintet had already coincidentally done the year before. They moved swiftly through the potion, and Lily put her hand up when she'd finished.

“Yes Miss Burns?”

“We've finished our potions, Professor,” she told him, the words sounding foreign on her tongue. She almost couldn't speak the word `professor'.

Snape walked over and examined their potions with his hooked nose turned even further upwards if it was possible. “You forgot an ingredient,” he told Lily snootily.

“Professor,” she replied, trying to keep her face in a nice smile, “we did this potion last year at Durmstrang. This is how it was done, and it worked perfectly well.”

“But we are not at Durmstrang now, Miss Burns. We are at Hogwarts, and we do things my way in my potions lessons, do you understand me?”

Lily nodded her head hurriedly and muttered, “Sorry Professor.”

After he'd turned and was snapping at someone else, a tubby Gryffindor whose name was…Neville, she thought, she muttered, “And to think I wondered why the guys called you Snivellus.”

James and the other three started chuckling a few moments later, along with Hermione, Ron, Harry, and all the other Gryffindors within earshot. Even Neville seemed to find this funny.

Snape turned around quickly. The Gryffindors all got back to their work, except for the trio and the quintet. Harry was pointing out various Slytherins to James and Sirius.

“There's Draco Malfoy. He's really thick.”

“Lucius Malfoy's son,” Sirius nodded his head. “Who's his mother?”

“Narcissa Black,” Harry told his child-godfather.

Sirius nodded his head. “Should'a known. And those two ugly-looking thugs next to him?”

“Crabbe and Goyle. They're really, really moronic. They won't pass their O.W.L.s. There's no way they will.”

“Who did my cousin Bellatrix marry?”

“Rodolphus Lestrange,” Harry told his friend. Again, Sirius nodded as if he should have known that already.

“They're the perfect match for each other. Both cold-blooded Slytherin Death Eaters.”

“Is Snivelly partnered with anyone?” James asked, with a grimace. The two boys burst out at the thought of Snape with anyone.

“No,” Harry replied. “Why do you call him that?”

“Old habit. He used to cry after all the pranks we played on him,” James explained. “Rather sad, really.”

Snape marched over to their table. “Do you have something interesting to talk about, Mr Potter?”

Harry shook his head immediately.

“Then why are you talking to Mr White and Mr Weaver about non-class-related topics?”

“Because I finished my potion as well, Professor, and there wasn't anything else to do.”

“Well, I suggest you find something else to do, Potter, or you will be cleaning the cauldrons after lesson, in detention, along with your new friends.”

“Yes, professor.”

Sirius cocked his head. “We don't mind getting detention, do we Prongs? It's one more detention to add to our list, even though we got it in a different time period…”

James grinned and shook his head. “Nope, one more detention is a good thing. Maybe we'll actually beat the last total by the time we leave Hogwarts by double! We really should thank Snivellus for being there during our time period; without him we wouldn't have got half of the detentions we did. What do you think, Padfoot?”

Sirius grinned an evil grin and called out, “Professor!”

Snape turned and walked back to their table, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. Sirius just smiled more, and said, “We'd like to apologise for making your time at Hogwarts hell, and also thank you, for without you we wouldn't have received half the detentions we did! So thanks, Snivellus!”

Snape's eyes widened, a comical experience for Harry who tried to disguise his laughter quickly.

“Who are you five? Where are you from?” Snape asked in a whisper.

“We're from Durmstrang, like we already told you!” James said, cottoning on. “You know, where the people have never actually met us!”

Remus rolled his eyes and joined in the act, too. “I'm sorry Professor, ignore them. They're critically insane. Professor Dumbledore agreed to have them here because he could cope with people with weird problems; you know, mummies, Dementors, werewolves…though of course you'd know all about that…”

Lily smiled and thought this sounded like fun. She watched Snape's eyes as he understood the relevance of the word `werewolves' to the situation at hand.

“Calm, you three,” she told them gently. “I'm sorry Professor, but they're really mad sometimes. You have to calm them down by using soothing words.” She turned to speak to the three and told them gently, “Prongs, Moony, Padfoot, calm!”

Snape's eyes widened even more so. “It really is you, isn't it? Oh gosh, you're supposed to be dead…in Azkaban…fired…” he broke off and started wheezing quietly to himself. “Excuse me,” he said, and he turned and walked out of the classroom in a state of shock.

The eight friends burst out laughing, understanding why he was so upset. The other Gryffindors joined in, not knowing what it was about but understanding the humour.

It seemed that the Marauders had done something seemingly implausible and impossible; they'd made Snape crack.

---

I hope you enjoyed that. It was quite hard to write, surprisingly. I mean, after I got past the first part.

Anyway, I'll try and get the next chapter out soon.

Lyl,

Jay xx

AKA

Cassandra the Muppet Psycho

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Thanks:

Caity, Amber Eyes, hazeleyedmarauder, DreamAngel.

Here is the next chapter, for all of you who thought Snape was got good last chapter!

Also, the story isn't really focused on the time the Marauders are in Harry's time, so I thought they really should go home now…they've kind-of outstayed their welcome, so take a moment to say goodbye to them in this time and read the chapter!

I have finally decided that apart from Lily and James, there will be no other romance in this story. It just didn't fit. I'm sorry for those of you hoping for other relationships.

---

Chapter 4, Melting Hand Serum

Dumbledore tapped his hands on the table as the Marauders and Lily hugged the other six children to say goodbye. He'd found a way of sending them back to their own time, and they weren't liking the idea much at all.

Eventually, Lily and James let go of Harry and stepped towards Dumbledore, their fingers entwined with each other's. Dumbledore cast a memory spell on all of the 1970s kids. Then he slammed a plug into the wall unceremoniously. The sound of the prongs of the socket against the wall reverberated around the room and it rippled. A few seconds later the quintet was no longer there.

Dumbledore smiled ruefully and allowed the other kids on their way, hoping for the best.

---

It was a while later. The members of the sextet were still upset after what had happened. Their memories hadn't been wiped, so they still remembered everything about the Marauders' trip.

Harry went over to the twins one day. The boys were perfecting their Melting Hand Serum, and they asked him to try it out for them. He raised his eyebrow and told them to do it themselves.

Fred rolled his eyes and poured the mixture over his hand. It spread over his hand and it started liquidising; a process that looked rather painful.

The other three (Ron, Hermione and Ginny) entered the room. Fred looked up, and as he greeted them the hand pouring the mixture slipped.

The liquid missed his hand, and fell towards the floor. It landed, and began to seep outwards. It enveloped the sextet, and then started making their feet melt.

They were all really nervous; they really didn't all want to melt into nothingness. Just then, their wishing made a trapdoor appear in the floor. One of them opened it, and they all fell into the blackness.

Of course, they didn't land at all where they'd have expected to.

---

James walked along the corridor, thinking. He was sure there was a part of time he wasn't remembering. A part that explained why he suddenly had feelings for his best friend, Lily.

Just as he was contemplating asking her out on a date, two of his three male best friends, Remus and Sirius, appeared out of almost nowhere. They tried to cheer their friend up without succeeding, and then Sirius heard something.

“Hey, Moony, Prongs? Did you hear that?” His two friends shook their heads. He heard it again. He looked up, and yelped.

“Why is there a trapdoor in the ceiling?”

James looked up, and decided to investigate. He climbed up the boxes lying conveniently against the walls and opened up the trapdoor. He thought it was just another secret door they hadn't encountered before.

My, wasn't he in for a shock when six half-melted teenagers fell through and landed on Remus and Sirius.

All of the kids were unconscious, and within reason. James decided to take control over the situation, and the three of them levitated the sextet down to the Hospital Wing carefully.

---

“Do you know where you are?” a soft voice asked.

Harry rubbed his forehead and scar, and looked around nervously. He couldn't see anything; his vision was blurred and he realised his glasses were missing.

The young woman, practically a girl, handed him back his glasses. He put them on and looked around to see the rest of his friends sitting around him, all on beds. He wondered where they were and what had happened.

Then it all came rushing back. Melting Hand Serum. He was going to kill the twins.

He shook his head as the question was repeated.

The girl smiled gently and said, “I'm Madam Pomfrey, and I'm the new nurse. This is the Hospital Wing.”

Why is she calling herself the new nurse? Harry wondered mentally.

“You have some guests. I should think they'd like to see you. Are you up for any visitors?”

This was not the Madam Pomfrey Harry knew. The one he knew would have kicked the guests out and refused to let him out of the Hospital Wing for weeks afterwards. This one was different. Kinder. Younger.

He nodded in reply to her question and she left the room. She came back in with two boys and a girl. One of the boys had longish black hair and grey eyes, and the other had light brown hair and soft chocolate-y brown eyes. The girl had long red hair and emerald eyes.

Oh shit, the Marauders.

“Are you back here again?” Harry asked them. “And what's up with Madam Pomfrey? She's not usually like this.”

Sirius's brow furrowed. “What do you mean, `back here'? We live here! And as for the nurse, how could you know her? She just moved here yesterday.”

As he heard Sirius's words, the pit of Harry's stomach fell out through the bottom and he started breathing heavily, causing the Marauders to look worried; wondering if he was hyperventilating.

No, it can't be! It's impossible…isn't it? Well, there's only two ways to find out…

“What's the date?”

“13 March 1975,” Remus replied. “Why?”

“I…fuck, we did it this time. You guys did it last…” He decided to try his second idea.

“Lily?”

The girl looked up in shock. “How do you know my name?”

Harry rolled his eyes. “That's unimportant. Anyway, have you asked out James yet?”

Lily's eyes widened. Sirius and Remus started laughing. “So it's true!” Sirius said between chuckles. “You are in love with him! Merlin, this is priceless!”

Lily frowned at Harry in great annoyance, fury, and shock. She didn't understand this half-melted boy at all.

Half-melted boy who, she realised, looked very much like James; if it weren't for the eyes he could be his twin.

The Melting Hand Serum had a rather interesting effect on Harry's vision. His eyes were bright blue, an almost impossible colour.

“Are you any relation to James?” she asked eventually.

Harry nodded his head lightly. “I'm a…close-yet-distant relative…”

Lily smiled warmly. “Okay. But don't tell him. We're going to have some fun…”

---

James wondered who the boy was who looked a little like him. He intrigued him somewhat greatly. He wanted to know whether he was a relative.

He decided to check up on the six kids that they'd levitated to the Hospital Wing, to see how they were. As he entered, he saw the only person awake was the boy who looked like him. He had bright blue eyes, a colour he'd never seen before.

“Hey, what's your name?”

“Harry Pot…sworth,” Harry replied, an uneasy feeling in his stomach. He felt bad about lying to his father, even though the fifteen-year-old wasn't exactly that right then.

“Cool, I'm James Potter. You had some nasty fall. Why are you half melted?”

Harry chuckled. This boy had actually asked his name and about him, unlike the others earlier. “It'd take too long to explain,” he told James. He looked over towards the others. Hermione and Ron were in the beds next to his, and the twins were opposite them. Ginny was in the bed next to Fred. They all looked pretty knocked-about; like they were in a bad fight or something.

Just then, Hermione (who was in the bed directly next to Harry) woke up, looked around, and yelled in shock, “HARRY JAMES POT—” She broke off as she saw James.

“James? Did you come back again?”

James's forehead creased up. “Huh? I haven't gone anywhere…”

“Hermione,” Harry began slowly. “They haven't come back again.”

“Really? Well how do you explain this?”

“We seem to have…the trapdoor seemed to have been a vortex.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, starting to sound worried.

“Herms, they haven't come back…we have.”

---

See, the Melting Hand Serum in first chapter had a meaning after all! And it might even have a deeper meaning…I dunno, though.

Anyway, please review and tell me what you think!

Ly,

J xx

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Thanks:

Caity, hazeleyedmarauder, Alan22, DreamAngel, RonRoxMySox13

Thank you all and here are some chocolate and orange Pringles to munch on while you read this. -takes some…yum…-

I just realised that the date the sextet turn up on (13 March) is my half birthday! And today, the day I'm writing (except for 30 years later)! Exactly 6 months til I turn 16 everyone! lol

Please R/R.

---

Chapter 5, Hell To Pay

All members of the sextet had been awake for an hour when Harry called a conference.

“We're gonna be asked how we got here. When we got asked, we'll just say we were experimenting in the room above the trapdoor, and simply fell through when it was opened.”

Hermione nodded. “We also need new names. And everyone, change your eye colour. Then we may look very much like ourselves now, but at least nobody can say we're the same person.”

Harry nodded. “I said I'm Harry Potsworth,” he replied. “Hermione, you can be Hermione Gale, and you can all be the Wheat kids. You'd probably be best changing your first names, too, because if anyone recognises you in the future…I mean, there are so many of you, so people would notice.”

They all nodded their heads. “That sounds all right,” Ginny said. “And we can be all from Durmstrang. That's the excuse the Marauders gave when they went back to our time, at least. I'll be Lola, Fred and George can be Tom and…Ben…and Ron can be…”

“Dave. Okay, so that's settled. Now we have to work out how to become whole again. Being melted is not fun.”

---

In the end they all took a potion that rebuilt all their bones and fixed their skin so it wasn't so gooey. They were let out and Sorted (Dumbledore knew they were there, somehow) and were all put into Gryffindor, which was a relief.

They hurried up and into their common room after receiving the password. The Marauders were all there, and they chatted to them for a while; Hermione and Lily getting pretty close. Harry was very happy that they got on so well. He was starting to get to know James, and he liked him. Sirius and the twins got on perfectly, just as they'd always thought, and Ginny and Ron talked to Remus and Peter. Not that they got on like fire, but they were okay with each other.

It was a few weeks later, after a few lessons, that they first started to experience…difficulties with the Marauders.

---

Snape had seen Potter's almost-identical twin walk around with his fluorescent eyes and trademark hair (and girls falling over him, naturally) and had come to the conclusion that something was not right.

Of course, Snape couldn't talk to snakes. But he knew someone who could.

The reason this was relevant was that Snape had overheard Potsworth talking to Potter and Evans about his fear of snakes. Perfect.

They'd set them on him that night. In the Great Hall. That ought to do the trick.

There wouldn't be any girls falling over him after that humiliation, certainly…

---

Harry was just sitting down for dinner when the snakes appeared. Two large, green and black, poisonous-looking snakes. Heading his way.

He rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath. When he was sure nobody would notice, he began to speak Parseltongue to the snakes, who began to rear away from him until they'd vanished completely.

Of course, there were two people who noticed who didn't already know. One was Snape, who noted clearly that Potsworth wasn't as scared as he made out to be, and James, who was horrified.

James grabbed Harry's arm and asked to speak to him. Harry concurred, and they went outside.

“I'm not blind, Potsworth,” James began.

Harry looked confused. “What do you mean?”

“The playing with the snakes trick! Everyone knows only Voldemort and his followers are Parselmouths. You're a Parselmouth; you think nobody would notice? Who are you spying for? You tell me now or I'll rat you out to the Ministry and get you clapped in chains. You're obviously bad material.”

Oh, Harry thought. “I'm not a follower of Voldemort. I never have been and I never will be. When I was born, Voldemort tried to kill me; that's why I have some of his powers. That okay?”

James scoffed. “You must be, what? Fifteen? Voldemort wasn't in power when you were born.”

“Oh yes he was,” Harry muttered angrily. “Because I wasn't born when you think I was. And I'm not going to tell you; you'll have to find out for yourself.”

“There will be no finding out of things, traitor. The point is, you're a Voldemort follower and it's my duty to hand you over.”

“And to think I liked you before,” Harry muttered. “I must have been seeing things. You really are as bad as they made you out to be. Arrogant, annoying, and too full of yourself. You really didn't deserve Lily, after all.” He turned and walked away, before James could figure out what he meant by that.

James hurried back in to the Hall. “Guys! I just worked something out about Potsworth!”

They all hurried out. “Don't talk to him ever. He's a spy for Voldemort.”

The jaws of all Harry's friends dropped. “What do you mean?” Hermione asked James softly.

“He's a Parselmouth.”

“Ah,” Hermione said. “I can see how that would look to you. Well, just so you know, he isn't mean. He was struck by You-Know-Who a while ago, and now he can't help it. Some of his power transferred over into Harry.”

“How do I know you're not lying and he was brought up that way?”

“Firstly, you're really negative about people. Secondly, Harry's mother was muggleborn; do you seriously think she'd revert to the dark side? And finally, Harry's parents were murdered by You-Know-Who just over a year after he was born. Okay?”

James looked slightly kinder. “Sorry,” he muttered. “But that's no excuse for Parseltongue.”

“Harry didn't even realise it was a bad thing until he'd used it a few times,” Hermione continued to explain. “The first time he was told about it he saved Gi…, uh, Lola here from being murdered by You-Know-Who himself. Does that sound like someone evil to you?”

“No.” He shook his head. “I guess not. Unless that was a front.”

Hermione glared. “Have a little faith in people. They may surprise you.” She turned and walked off, Ron and the rest at her heels.

Fred stopped a few steps later. “Man, never insult Harry ever again, okay? That guy's a legend. Seriously. You have no idea how much shit he goes through every day. People think that just because he survived You-Know-Who they can talk about him all the time. I know me, Ben and Dave did the first time he met him. We were really stunned. The scar he has; that's from You-Know-Who himself. He tried to kill him. But he didn't. That's why you should never say anything bad unless you want to get punched in the face, okay?”

James nodded weakly, and Fred left. James walked over to sit on the stairs. Everyone else stared at him for a few seconds, and then they all started to leave, looking disgusted.

---

Hope that was okay…James wasn't going to stay mean for too long, but he won't be nice for a while…

ly,

J xx

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Thanks:

Harry/HermioneAlways, hazeleyedmarauder, RonRoxMySox13, Caity, Anonymous, Anonymous, DreamAngel, Deborah

Guess what? Incredibly lame as it may be…actually, I'm not gonna bother telling you. Read my review to the first Anonymous if you want to know.

I hope you like this…

R/R

---

Chapter 6, Way Too Much Thinking Time

The gang started talking to Harry more and more after the confrontation. James had been left abandoned; even Sirius was disgusted with James's automatic presumption that Harry was evil.

James started walking about the school on his own, trying to get away from the hordes of girls who thought he needed a shoulder to cry on. Walking gave him plenty of time to think.

He realised that he had been a bit harsh to Potsworth. But then he consoled himself with the fact the boy had been keeping secrets from them, and the fact it was a huge secret didn't help much. The boy should have told them.

He also realised that not only had he got feelings for Lily…he was in love with her. He could think of at least fifty reasons why he liked her, and could think of many more if commanded. This was not good, as it was never good to love one's best friend. He had to work out how to make the feelings go away.

His last thought was that Potsworth looked so much like him. Maybe they were related? After all, he didn't really know much about the boy apart from the fact he was an orphan. It was quite possible that the boy's parents were some sort of cousins of his own. He decided to owl his parents, who worked in the Ministry and could at least get data on the family.

A week later the reply came with a rather shocking notice. Harry Potsworth didn't exist.

Well, then who was he?

---

James cornered him one day after lunch. “I want to know who you are and where you come from,” he told the boy angrily. “I want you to tell me now.”

Ron bit his lip nervously and looked into the eyes of the younger-yet-older boy in front of him. The boy who was his best friend's father. “We told you; Durmstrang.”

James shook his head. “You're not. I talked to my parents, and they looked up in the records. My parents work for the Ministry,” he added as explanation. “You don't exist. So tell me what your real names are and where you come from.”

“I can't,” Ron said softly, bowing his head. “It would spoil everything.”

“So you admit it?”

Ron nodded. “Of course; we fell through a trapdoor. Did you not think that was weird? My brothers created the stupid serum that melted us, and someone wished for an escape route. And here we are, twenty bloody years in the past.” His eyes widened as he said this, and his hands shot up to his mouth. He turned and hurried away quickly before James could open his mouth.

So they're from the future? My…my future? I wonder what happens. I wonder if that's what Potsworth was talking about, with me deserving Lily. It's possible…I'll talk to Hermione, maybe she'll know.

---

The chat with Hermione took place a few days later. He'd tricked her into coming to help him with his Charms, as Lily still wasn't talking to him.

“Hermione, I know.”

The girl looked up from her Advanced Charms book and raised an eyebrow. “Know what? How to do this spell? Because I'd bloody well hope so; I haven't spent forty minutes going over it with you for nothing…”

He halted her with a raise of his hand. “No, no. I know where you're from. No, actually, I don't know that,” he said thoughtfully, “but I do know when you're from.”

Hermione started to look slightly anxious. “What do you mean?” she asked, all the while thinking, it's impossible! It's got to be!

“Dave told me.”

Or not.

“Twenty years is a long time,” James continued. “I'll be almost forty then. Do you know me, where you're from?”

Hermione shook her head gently, whilst thinking of ways to kill Ron. “Not really…”

“Well, do you know of me?” She nodded. “Do you know if I…who…?”

“Lily,” Hermione replied softly, interpreting his question. She was shocked when he smiled cheerfully.

“Really? Merlin, that's interesting. That's a good thing, though…I've wanted…” He broke off and chewed his lip.

“Just ask her out, James,” Hermione said with a sigh.

James shook his head. “I can't ask my best friend out on a date. She'd be horrified. Besides, she hates me anyway.”

“She doesn't hate you,” Hermione told him flatly. “She just doesn't like you very much at the moment. You shouldn't have been so overly distrustful of Harry. You'd known a fair bit about him in that period of time. We know enough about you and your friends to make up for that, though, I guess…we know about the Animagi and the purpose of it; Remus was a teacher for us a few years ago. We know about your infatuation with Lily…”

At this point, somebody shrieked and something fell on the floor heavily behind the next set of shelves in the library. The two frowned, and they got up to have a look.

Sirius appeared around the corner quickly. “Nothing to worry about,” he said cheerfully, rubbing his arm.

“Padfoot, you squeal like a girl…Bye Hermione.” James kept chatting to Sirius as they walked out, waving to Hermione as they left.

When they'd gone, Hermione hurried around the divide of books and held out a hand. She hoisted Lily up and off the floor speedily, in case the boys came back and James realised Lily had been eavesdropping.

“Well, that went differently to how we expected…” Hermione said, trying to be cheerful.

Lily didn't say anything, just stared wordlessly in front of her. She was…shocked.

“Come on…talk…”

Lily averted her eyes and looked into Hermione's brown ones. “Did that seriously happen? Did James…is he really…?”

“In love with you? Yes.”

“Wow,” whispered Lily. “I thought it was just me.”

Hermione grinned. “You, too? I swear you two will end up married.” She tried to keep the morbid truth out of her voice.

Lily smiled dreamily. “That would be so nice…”

“Well, ask him out!”

Lily shook her head hurriedly. “No way. If he really loves me, he'll ask me.”

Hermione rolled her eyes. “Fine. C'mon, let's go back to the dorm.”

---

Sorry it's so short…I wanted to write something.

ly,

J xx

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Thanks:

Snazzysnez, DannyS, Caity, hazeleyedmarauder, Harry/HermioneAlways, Anonymous, DreamAngel

Please R/R

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Chapter 7, Truth or Dare Discoveries

Lily stared blankly ahead. She had been for the past hour or so; Hermione had lost count. She was starting to worry about her friend.

Suddenly, Lily whispered, “I think I get it now. I love James, which I already knew, but James loves me and we end up married. You, Harry, and the rest are from our future. Anything I don't know that I should?”

Hermione pondered telling her friend for a few moments, and then went against her better judgement. “Well, I'm called Hermione Jane Granger and the siblings are Ginny, Ron, Fred and George Weasley. I can't tell you Harry's surname.”

“Why not?”

“I just can't. Anyway, we should probably go down and talk to the rest.” She got up and walked down the Girls' Staircase to the Common Room with Lily following.

Sirius grinned at them as they went down. Lily hurried over and whispered in his ear. His expression changed from one of humour to one of suspicion.

Hermione moaned at the look on Sirius's face and banged her head on the table, realising how stupid she'd been to tell Lily without asking the others first.

“Sorry guys,” she said to the Weasleys. “I told her your real names, and mine too…not Harry's though.”

Ron groaned. “And you moan at me for doing stupid stuff!”

Sirius had just told the other Marauders (they'd reluctantly allowed James to be there). They were equally as confused and annoyed as he was. He started tapping his fingers impatiently on the table, trying to come up with an idea to destroy his boredom.

“I know! Let's play ToD!” he shouted out in excitement.

“ToD?” Ron repeated in confusion.

“Truth or Dare,” Remus explained. He told the purebloods what that meant and how to play it, and then went on to say, “Normally we'd play Dare or Dare, but I reckon Padfoot's decided to go easy on you.”

“Cool!” the twins said when Remus had finished. “We're in! Sounds like fun!”

And that was how they came to be sitting in the Fifth Year Boys' Dormitory in their pyjamas, just after dinner.

---

The game started with perfectly placid dares and questions, like `who do you fancy?' and `I dare you to start singing I'm a Little Teapot out in the corridor now'. But as it progressed, the questions and dares started getting harder, and they were all being sent from the Marauders and Lily (until Fred, George and Ginny caught on, and joined in).

Eventually, Hermione got bored. “Truth or Dare?” she asked Lily, having a perfect idea of what she was going to ask either way.

“Um…dare,” Lily said decidedly, thinking Hermione couldn't come up with anything vile because she'd been keeping the levels down all evening and stopping Harry and Ron participate in the `I can come up with a dare worse than yours!' game everyone seemed to be playing.

Hermione looked at her watch. “Normally I'd make you do this for the whole game, but do you think that's too mean?” she asked.

Sirius chuckled. “What is it?”

Hermione leant over and whispered in his ear. The boy cracked up. “Fantastic!” he yelled. “I never knew you had it in you! I knew you had a backbone somewhere…Anyway, the whole game could be amusing…”

“Yeah, but I was thinking maybe twenty minutes? That way they could have their turns to ask questions and do dares and such afterwards…”

Sirius shrugged. “Okay, that'd be good. It's a good idea; I wonder why I didn't think of it.”

Lily was looking worried now. “Who's `they'?” she asked softly.

Hermione grinned. “Why, you and James, of course.”

“What are we…?”

Hermione pulled out her wand and pointed it at the bathroom door, where she chanted a spell.

James, who recognised the spell, widened his eyes and whispered, “No…”

The brunette grinned at him. “Yes. Now, you have twenty minutes. Go.”

James, biting his lip, grabbed Lily's hand and pulled her into the bathroom after him. The moment they were in, the door shut and locked itself behind them. They heard a roaring of laughter behind the doors, and James supposed that Hermione and Sirius had just told the rest of the group about their evil plan.

Lily's voice broke his reverie. “James? What are we supposed to do?”

“Um…” James thought about how he could word his description. There was only one word he could think of. “Kiss.”

Lily's eyes widened. “Sweet Merlin…for twenty minutes?”

James nodded. “Yeah.”

“But…why?” Lily knew perfectly well why; she just wanted to hear it out of James's mouth.

“Because…because they think we should be together, I guess. I…I don't know…I guess it's because I…because I…” he broke off what he was saying. It was almost too hard to say.

Almost.

“Because you what?” Lily asked softly.

“I…I…I…I love you.”

It sounded so much better when he said it.

Lily smiled warmly. “Well, that's good then.”

James's eyes widened. “Wha…why?”

She knew what she had to do; she just had to get up the courage. It wasn't like she'd ever been in a relationship before. Actually, as far as she knew, James hadn't either.

This was going to be weird.

Lily realised she had to do it, no matter the consequences. She just didn't care…she was going to do it anyway.

“Because then I can do this,” she replied gently. With all her daring, she put a hand on his shoulder, leant up, and pressed her lips to his.

She could hear his quick intake of breath, and felt him stiffen. Lily wondered what was wrong until his arms surrounded her and he kissed back.

Outside, Hermione chuckled. “I should have kept it for the whole game. They're not going to stop any time soon.”

“Well, let's keep the game going.”

---

A while later (much later than twenty minutes), Lily and James came back in holding hands.

“Finally!” Sirius said cheerfully. “Well done, Hermione!”

The game continued. Then there were a few serious questions.

Remus asked Ginny, “Where and when are you from?”

“Hogwarts, 1995,” she told him softly. Remus's eyes widened.

“Wow.”

Then there was, from Peter to Ron, “Why did you lie to us about your names?”

The reply came, “Because it would change history and the future, had we told you immediately. But we have to thank Hermione that you found out anyway.” He growled at her.

Sirius muttered, looking backwards and forwards between the friends, “You're too much like James and Lily. I reckon you two should go out.”

Ron and Hermione's eyes widened and they shook their heads rapidly, in shock. They turned to look at each other at exactly the same time, and then looked away quickly, blushing, when they realised. “That's gross!” they chorused, knowing it would never work. Harry smiled at them, amused.

The final question of the evening destroyed the light note of Sirius's comment. It was from James to Harry, and the question was, “What's your real full name?”

Everyone in Harry's group just stared. The Marauders and Lily looked on eagerly, also wondering what it was.

Harry bit his lip, and after a long while he finally said softly, “Harry James Potter.”

---

Now what did you think of that? That was good (I reckon)…but it hasn't finished yet! Two chapters left.

That was changed from the R/Hr version on ff net. If you want to read that, go to my profile and the ff net.

ly,

J xx

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W00T W00T! I like you all…

By the way I explained that this WASN'T going to be R/Hr; it is, after all, Portkey.org. Therefore, people like Deborah and DannyS have nothing to worry about and can continue appeasing my wishes (reviewing!)

Thanks:

Deborah, DannyS, Remus`sweetie, snazzysnez, Caity, hazeleyedmarauder, Harry/HermioneAlways, kobebryant27992, RonRoxMySox13 and DreamAngel

Disclaimer: I am Lord Voldemort and my aim in life is to kill you by my cliffhangers. I think they're all I really own. Oh yeah, and the fact that this plot is solely mine coz I've Cazzy-ified it, and unless they copy it nobody else will have one like it.

On with it.

R/R, you know you love making my day. Literally.

Oh, by the way, I've decided this will be the last chapter. But there will be an epilogue. It's vital. It's currently going to be called Writing on a Dustbin only coz I am now; all the chairs are downstairs…

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Chapter 8, Idyllic Paradise

Silence. Absolute silence.

Then came the sound of Harry's head hitting his hand in surprise and shock. Why? Why him? Why James?

Harry had been expecting that question for a while, and he knew that whichever way he'd answered (lied, was silent, or answered truthfully), he would have had a load of questions. He was glad he'd said it.

“So, when you said you were vaguely related to James…?” Lily began softly, amazingly being the first to talk.

“He's…he's my…my father,” Harry stuttered. As he said those words, something itched on his face. He knew what it was. His eyes were changing back to green, so that Lily could see them.

Merlin…

“And your mother? With eyes that colour…? Lily?” Sirius asked thoughtfully.

Harry nodded.

“Wow.”

Lily bit her lip and leant her head on James's shoulder, attempting to block out the rest of them (not that it did anything for her hearing). She couldn't believe that this boy was her son…with James.

It was a shock, to say the least. And suddenly she felt déjà vu. She snapped up into a sitting position, shocking everyone in the room.

“We went back in time!” she yelled out.

She hurriedly explained her outburst, and the sextet marvelled at how fast the quintet was remembering things. Eventually, everyone remembered.

The rest of the night, and the next few nights after that, was spent with everyone asking questions about their lives. The only question not answered was Peter's insistent, `Tell me, now! Why do you all bloody hate me?', and within good reason.

---

After they'd been there for a while, Dumbledore told them they were safe to go home. The groups had another hurried hug session, and Lily gave Harry a letter. She told him that he wasn't to read it until he was a lot older; at least twenty.

Harry nodded and tucked the letter into his pocket. Then, with one last look at James and Lily, who were holding hands tightly, he jumped into the swirling depths of time, never to go back there again.

---

Sorry it was so short! I actually think the epilogue will be longer. I'm really sorry if that was not how you wanted things to go…anyway, I hope you enjoy this one, and you'll definitely enjoy the epilogue when it's done!

Yours truly, the procrastinator,

Crazy Cazzy xx

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Thanks:

Harry/HermioneAlways, hazeleyedmarauder, RonRoxMySox13, alan22, DreamAngel, Deborah, and Anonymous

I hope you're all okay with the fact this is different to usual. This is the first TT fic (I think) where Lily and James do not come back to life when it's finished—Harry just lets time run its due course. I hope that's okay with you all!

Please R/R! Oh, yeah, I don't own any of this…actually, I do own all of it (really) apart from the characters and places. The plotline is solely my own. That's my disclaimer…oh yeah, I'm not making any money.

That's my last disclaimer of this story! Oh how sad, how you won't miss it…check out The Trouble with Heads by moi if you want more craziness by yours truly! Thanks so much!

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Epilogue: Writing on a Dustbin

Twenty-three year old Harry James Potter jiggled his four-year-old goddaughter (Alexandra Weasley) on his knee rather expertly for an unmarried man with no children of his own.

Ally smiled brightly up at him, and said, “Uncle Harry?”

“Yes, Ally?”

“Who was that letter from?” She pointed over to a corner where a fraying and dirty envelope lay, where it had been placed after they had found it during spring cleaning earlier that day. It was still sealed, so Harry shrugged. “Can we open it?”

Harry lifted Ally up and put her down on the chair, and then went over to the letter. He didn't know why he was so scared of it. He'd never read it, and he was terrified it would say something bad.

He opened up the letter, and began reading it.

---

Dear Harry,

By the time you read this, we will probably be long dead. I'm sorry about that. We couldn't do anything about it. This is Lily, by the way. Oh, James wants to write something.

Write something. Write something! Hmph, Lils. Anyway, I hope you've fried Voldie by now and are living in some palace with a hot blonde (or red-haired, hint hint) chick in leather. Do me a fave and at least go out with one? I'm handing you over to Padfoot.

Eek, writing on a dustbin hurts. Remind me never to do that again, Prongs.

Will do.

So, where were we? Oh yeah! Harry, my man! Dude, what's been going on these past 20-odd years? Are we just memories of your past? Are you shacked up with some skimpily dressed babe? Are you currently watching over Ron (and some beautiful babe)'s kid? I sure hope so!

Padfoot, you can't write that.

Moony! You take the fun out of everything! Which one do you mean, anyway?

The girl in skimpy clothes.

But you have to admit that Jenny was cute! I'm only giving Harry some ideas!

Harry is not shallow enough to go out with a Jenny-like character. She was all blonde hair, hormones and walking boobs.

But ain't that all girls are about?

Hey! I resent that! James, sort him out!

James is currently beating Sirius up for insulting his girlfriend, in case you wanted to know. This is Remus, by the way…does Ron really have a kid yet? If he doesn't, lock him in a room with a nice bird and tell them you won't let them out until they start procreating, okay?

MOONY, THAT JUST LOOKS WEIRD. TRUST YOU AND YOUR BIG WORDS…I DON'T THINK I EVEN WANT TO KNOW WHAT PROCREATING MEANS…OKAY, I DO…

Poor you, Wormtail. Here's a dictionary.

I DON'T WANT TO READ A DICTIONARY!

Suit yourself. Don't find out what procreating means.

HMPH.

He took the dictionary.

MOONY! WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU WRITE THAT?

Yeah Moony, it should be me writing things like that! That's my line of expertise!

Sirius, you are so disgusting.

You know, I'm starting to agree with her.

I should jolly well hope so, too!

Why?

Coz what I say goes!

Really? I don't think so!

Oh no, they're at it again. They'll be making up soon, though…Moony, Wormtail, can we go somewhere far away? I don't want to hear groaning…

Gross, Padfoot!

YEAH.

I think we're going to go now. The only point of this was to hope you're okay, and to tell you that you haven't totally lost us forever.

And that we'll love you forever, no matter what. Bye Harry! love, Lily

No, you mean Mrs Potter, Lily dearest. - Padfoot

WHAT THE HELL? - WORMTAIL

You ridiculous person, Padfoot. Hope you grow up well, son! - Prongs

Don't go walking before you can run, Harry. - Moony

---

Harry stared at the letter in his hand and smiled, knowing that they'd always be with him, no matter how dead they all were.

---

I hope you liked that! I know I did!

That red-haired hint hint was NOT implying Ginny. It was James hinting about Lily, in case any of you remotely thought that. Besides, you should all know that I despise H/G to the ends of the earth (and it's against Portkey rules, anyway—we all know she ends up with Draco, lol! Poor Bethie; she wants Draco all for herself…). Thanks for reading this, and taking your time to review! I love you all!

Questions: what were your favourite quote, your favourite character, and your favourite invention/thing that happened during this? Personally, I liked Hermione and the Melting Hand Serum…dunno about a quote…

Do you know how many mistakes I discovered when I read this over? OMG! The whole story's riddled with mistakes! Eek!

Signing out,

Cazzy xx

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