A/N: Sorry it's been a while, I have exams n stuff. Also sorry if there's too much speech in this lol. Hope this wasn't too shitty.
Chapter 4
Unbeknownst to Harry's contemplative thoughts up in Gryffindor Tower, Sirius, Peter and Remus once again found themselves trying to talk James out of facing what they knew would end in rejection.
"Prongs... you know I love you, but what makes this time any different from all the other tim-"
"Stop trying to bring me down Pads! This time is different, I can feel it in my bones." James interrupted.
"James-"
But he had already left and was heading for where one Lily Evans sat, paying no notice to Alice Longbottom's not-so-discreet eye-roll and neither to the small nudge and cough Marlene gave Lily to alert her of his presence. Lily sighed and turned around to face him, bracing herself for another round of his games.
"Potter."
"Say Evans, fancy a trip to Hogsmead this weekend? With, uh, me- maybe?" he asked.
"Look Potter, I've told you before, I'm not going to go anywhere with you until you stop being so-"
"So undeniably gorgeous? Irresistible? Perfect?" he smirked
"So childish!"
"Wha- I'm not childish!"
She raised a disbelieving eyebrow at him. It was really like talking to child.
"Just give me the rest of the week to prove how completely and totally not childish I am? Please?"
This was not the first time he'd been seen begging in front of Lily Evans and most likely not the last.
"Fine. But don't be expecting a date at the end of the week. You and I both know you can't change."
James stumbled back, wide-eyed and pale, to where his friends sat before Lily had the chance to change her mind. This had never happened before and he had no idea how to react. Seeing their friend's shocked face, they immediately assumed the worst.
"Hey it's alright Prongs, there's always more... what's that muggle phrase?"
"Fish in the sea" Remus finished for him.
"N-no... She- I-"
"C'mon mate, it's alright" Peter tried.
"I- No... She said yes." James whispered and everyone froze.
"What the fuck? She said yes?" Sirius asked excitedly.
"Well, no, she said maybe. If I stop being 'so childish'"
Ten minutes passed with James still pinching himself and Sirius already forming his best mate's wedding plans before Remus noticed that the strange new kid hadn't come down for dinner. And he had eaten no more than what could've been two bites at breakfast.
for neither can live while the other survives
must die at the hand of the other
neither can live
must die at the hand
must die
die
Harry woke up with a gasp and his body drenched in sweat. With a shaking hand he reached for his glasses and got out of bed. The boys around him were asleep still.
Upon reaching the common room, he sat down on the sofa trying to calm his ragged breaths.
In truth, Harry had never been a normal boy even from the moment he was born. The prophecy child. The boy-who-lived. Freak. Waste of space. Wizard. The fucking Chosen One they'd started calling him before he left. But seriously what did he do to deserve this shit? He craved normalcy- a normal life, a family who loved him, being in his own fucking time period, not having an insane, psycho, blood supremacist murderer trying to kill him. You know, what every other kid seems to have.
Anger bubbled up inside him and he slammed his fist into the wall causing it to bleed.
Due to his lycanthropy, Remus had always been a light sleeper, and when he heard someone stumble out of bed and leave he could only assume it was the new kid. His best friends slept like rocks. Then he heard a thump followed by a pained gasp and decided to check up on the boy.
Harry was sat with his head in his hands, slightly tugging at his hair when he heard movement from behind him.
"Hey, uh, are you alright? I heard a bang." Remus asked sitting down next to Harry.
"Wha- Oh, yeah. Fine. Sorry." He said subconsciously rubbing his hand.
Remus had smelt the blood in the air and noticed the boy's bleeding knuckles.
"I can heal that for you, if you want?" he said gesturing towards his hand.
"Thanks." Harry breathed, feeling the stinging pain disappear. They sat in silence for a minute or so before Remus broke out with a question.
"So where did you transfer from?"
"I, uh, I was having private lessons."
"Oh cool. Why did you transfer to Hogwarts then?"
"I don't know really, I just wanted to I guess."
"What about your parents? Aren't they upset about you being gone during the year?"
"My parents are dead, but I'm sure my Aunt and Uncle are happy to be rid of me for even longer." he tried to say in a light-hearted tone but his voice sounded strained.
"Shit. I'm sorry, that's awful."
"Ah, don't worry, I was tiny so I don't remember them. Always awkward when this happens." Harry laughed nervously.
"So, um, how comes you were out here, anyway?" Remus asked, trying to steer the conversation away.
"Couldn't sleep, I guess."
"Nightmares?"
"Something like that..." Harry sighed.
"You should try and get some more sleep. You wont be able to concentrate in lesson if you're tired."
"Yeah, okay." Harry smiled. At least Remus was still just as nice in this time period.
"Night, Cutler."
Harry had not managed to get back to sleep that night.
He spent the rest of the night in the Room of Requirement, practicing defensive magic and non-verbal spell casting. He successfully wordlessly used the summoning charm and wrote notes on it ready for his next charms class.
At around 5:00am, Harry made his way back up to Gryffindor Tower before anyone woke up to see him missing. Raising suspicions on his second day there wouldn't be ideal.
And that's where Harry now found himself: sat on his bed, curtains closed and trying to calm the anger growing inside him again as he listens to his parent's murderer talk to his father like they're best mates. He sounded so... eager and pathetic.
"-so we just need you to distract Snivellus whilst we plant the dungbombs. Whaddaya say Wormy?" James asked, excited with the thought of executing another prank on his nemesis.
"I'm in! Just tell me when!" the rat said and Harry could imagine him practically bouncing on the spot. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.
"Right, well I'm fucking starving so can we like, go now?" Sirius gestured dramatically to the door.
"Yeah, whatever Padfoot, you're always starving. Should we wake Cutler up or what?" asked James, his eyes raking over the still closed curtains of Harry's bed.
"Yeah, alright, but please just hurry up. I'm gonna die if I don't eat within the next minute, I swear."
"Wormtail, you're closest, you do it."
No. Absolutely not. No fucking way.
Harry immediately drew his curtain and sprang out of bed, coming face-to-face with a young Peter Pettigrew.
"Oh! I was just gonna wake you."
"Yeah. Well, no need." he said through clenched teeth.
"Uh, okay..."
Harry pushed past Peter and rushed out of the dorm, not making eye-contact with anyone.
"The fuck was that about? And also can we please go now?"