Chapter 10: The Final Goodbye

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters in this story and I never will and they belong to J.K Rowling alone. But the big fat purple hippopotamus and Melanie and the other random things I throw in are my own. D

A/N: Oooh, wow. It has been SOOOO long since I updated! Wow… sorry ickle-princess, I didn't think anyone would be waiting on my story! I kind of forgot about it, due to certain events. And since I have some time today… I guess my fanfiction is resurrected. so here it is. Enjoy, peoples.

"Hey, Harry?" Rachel tapped him gently on the arm.

"Ehhhh…?" Harry was engrossed in a wizard chess game with James.

"Harry?"

"Ehhhhh…..?"

"HARRY!"

Harry finally looked up, a little annoyed that one of James's pawns had just destroyed his queen.

"Yeah?"

"Dumbledore was looking for you just now."

Harry looked a little puzzled, but, Rachel noticed, James looked a little edgy.

"Oh… well…" Harry looked longingly at his unfinished chess game.

"It's okay," James assured him, "We can finish later."

Harry stared. Something about him just then… it didn't seem quite…

"Oh, and Jason. Dumbledore wanted to see you and Linda as well."

James gulped.

"Uh… all three of us?"

"Yes."

"To Dumbledore?"

"Yes."

"All THREE of us?"

"Yes."

"To Dumbledore?"

"YES! OKAY, IF I HAVE TO SPELL IT OUT FOR YOU, DUMBLEDORE WANTS TO SEE YOU, HARRY AND LINDA, ALL THREE OF YOU, TOGETHER IN HIS OFFICE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! AS IN RIGHT NOW!"

Rachel stared down at James, who had fallen back off of the bench when she had started yelling.

"Okay, okay, we're going. Be good." He warned the chess pieces, who all muttered ominously and waved their weapons at each other.

Rachel shook her head as the two boys went to find Lily.

Meanwhile...

"Uh…" Melanie almost whispered.

"WHAT?" Hermione snapped back.

"Uh, I think that…"

"NO, YOU DON'T THINK! I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING!"

"Okay…"

Hermione was having a fit. She had been put with Melanie for a project in potions

(A/N: yes, I'm finally giving the good old "Slytherin/Gryffindor" potion lessons a rest.).

When Lily and James had heard this, both had been very reluctant to leave Harry's side, but Lily painstakingly had resolved to tag along with them to make sure neither killed the other. Although, the threat of being murdered seemed to rest unfairly on Melanie's shoulders.

"Ah, Hermione?"

Hermione turned, and wiped the scowl off her face.

"Yes, Linda?"

"You're meant to put the unicorn hair in AFTER you add the beetles."

Hermione looked at her in admiration, before it sank in that she had made a mistake. Her face darkened as she turned to Melanie, who instinctively cowered.

"Look, you. Our potion is RUINED thanks to YOU. YOU never try to HELP ME! I bet you KNEW that I had done it wrong! And you didn't SAY ANYTHING!"

Hermione ranted and raged while she cleaned up the ruined potion and started again, and while she was doing so, James and Harry burst into the room. James looked very agitated by this time, and also out of breath.

"DU…DUM..DUMB…"

"Ex-CUSE me!" Lily looked indignant.

"DUMBLEDORE… wants… to see… all three… of us… together… in… his office… right… now."

"Whaa?" Lily looked aghast for just a second, before quickly regaining her composure, "Well then. We'll have to go, won't we?" She cast a nervous glance at Melanie, who gave her a small smile and a look that said "I'll be fine…". Lily smiled back at her, and began to follow Harry and James out of the door.

"Wait."

All three turned to look at the person who had spoken, which turned out to be Hermione.

"What's wrong, Hermione?" Harry asked her.

Hermione turned around, and said in a patronizing voice, still laced with anger from the messed up potion, "Isn't it OBVIOUS, Harry? Open your eyes! Look! Look at them! Harry, they're-"

Before Hermione could finished, a horror struck Lily whirled Harry and James out of the room, and slammed the door.

Harry looked extremely confused.

"What? What was she talking about?"

Lily and James exchanged a look.

"Oh, nothing. She was just mad because… she messed up a potion… and…" Lily trailed off, hoping this would be enough explanation.

Harry shrugged.

"Whatever. Hermione's been a little edgy lately…"

The three of them turned and ran up to Dumbledore's office.

Meanwhile...

Dumbledore was looking pained.

Dilys Derwent consoled him.

"You know, Dumbledore, it really is for the best. Lily and James aren't a part of this world anymore. They have to go back. It'll take a weight off of everyone's minds."

Dumbledore continued to look pained.

Dilys Derwent persisted.

"You know, Harry will be a little shocked to find out that 'Linda and Jason' are his parents. You really should try your hardest to break it to him very gently."

Dumbledore stopped looking pained, and became his normal, pensive self. (A/N: MOOD SWINGS!).

"You're right. You're absolutely right… and-oh! I do believe they're standing outside my door right now. What should I do? What should I do? What should I do!"

Dilys Derwent looked at him reproachfully.

"Why don't you OPEN the door, Dumbledore?"

"Ah. Yes. Right then."

Dumbledore made his way slowly to the door of his office. After taking a deep breath, he opened it, and he felt his eyes begin to water as he saw Harry standing with the two people he had missed for so long, and yet he had no idea.

"Ah, you got my message then? Good. Come in, come in. Take a chair."

Harry gave Lily and James a look that clearly said "and just what the hell is going on here?"

Dumbledore took a breath, and ploughed ahead.

"Harry, I have some news for you. It may take a while to sink in, I understand, but… the problem that has occurred will have to be… fixed as soon as possible. Harry, these two people here… they…"

Harry glanced at Lily and James, who now had tears in their eyes.

"What? What's wrong? What's wrong with everyone?"

Lily sighed.

"We're glad you didn't guess, Harry, but… we're going to have to tell you… now… your friend… Hermione knew. And now you're going to have to find out as well."

With a complex expression on her face, Lily took out her wand. She pointed it at James, and muttered the counter charm. Quickly, she pointed her wand at herself and did the same. Suddenly, standing before Harry, was a beautiful teenage girl, with flowing, vibrant red hair, and sparkling green eyes. The same eyes, Harry noticed, that he saw in the mirror every day. Standing next to the girl, was a handsome boy, with the same build as Harry, with the same messy hair to top it off.

"…" Harry couldn't make head or tail of the situation.

"I… just what are you trying… dressing up like… I mean… no… you're really… no way… but… exchange students… how… I'm confused…"

James grinned at him, but he had an effort keeping the sparkle in his eyes and concealing the sadness in his heart.

"We're your parents, Harry. And yes, all this time we've been here, we've known who you are. How did we get here? We screwed up a potion. Why? We didn't intend to screw up the potion at all. Does that answer your questions?"

Harry started.

"I saw you! I saw you before! I crashed into you a couple of times… and you!" he turned to Lily, "I saw you! Well, I saw your HEAD, but… I saw you! By the common room!"

Lily nodded sadly.

"Yeah… that time… we were trying to get into the common room after messing up the potion… we didn't know we had gone into the future at all! But we couldn't get in, because we were using the password of years and years and years ago, and then who should come down the hall but you, Harry. You and Ron. The invisibility cloak slipped off of my shoulders…"

Harry shook his head.

"But… does that mean… I'm your future, or you're my past?"

Lily took his hand.

"You're our future, Harry. And… I don't know how to tell you…"

James took over, for he recognised the look on Lily's face; the one she wore when she was fighting fiercely against crying.

"We need to go back, Harry. We need to go back to our own time."

"What? No, you… you can't… what about… how will I…"

James couldn't hide his sadness any longer. His whole face seemed to sag.

"I… I don't want… I mean…" Harry worked furiously to try and figure out what he should do. He could, on one hand, throw himself on the floor and say that he didn't want them to leave him because he had missed them so much and he'd miss them even more if they left, and basically be a huge baby. Or, he could be rational and think about what was really necessary and what was reality.

"I…" Harry swallowed hard, and set his jaw, "I'm gonna miss you two… not just as my parents… but my friends as well. Um… I don't know what else I can do now…"

Lily, who had been covering her face with her hands, stood up and threw her arms around Harry.

"Even though sniff we're the same age and everything… I still feel like I could be your mother!" Lily laughed a little. "It was a shock finding you, but in the end, well… since we won't have a chance to tell you just before we die… you're a great kid, Harry, and… well, we love you, okay?"

Lily looked extremely awkward after saying those last words, but her face relaxed as she saw the look in Harry's eyes.

"That's the first time he's ever heard those words from a mother," Lily realized sadly.

James strode over to Harry, and after looking a little awkward, also put his arms around him, before clapping him on the back and shaking his hand in a fatherly manner.

Harry looked up at him for a minute, before saying somewhat admiringly, "You're going to be a great dad… dad."

James cleared his throat.

"You're going to be great too. Not just as a son, but as a person. I mean, look at what you've done!" James finished off in an admiring voice.

The family heard a small cough from behind them. Turning around, they saw Dumbledore picking up his wand.

"No!" Lily gasped, "I thought… we were just going to tell him, right? We're not leaving today, are we? We're going to have more time, aren't we, professor!" Lily said desperately.

Dumbledore smiled a small, sad smile.

"I'm afraid that I have already allowed too much time. It's been very risky keeping two people in the future. You two probably don't realise what the consequences could be if you stayed. I'm sorry."

"Oh…" James couldn't find the words to express what he was thinking. But at the same time, Lily and James turned and put their arms around Harry again.

Tears began to roll down Lily's face. The three stood for what seemed like years and seconds, until too soon, and not soon enough, they broke apart.

James grinned his usual grin.

"Well, you never know… it's happened once, it could happen again. By accident, of course, professor." James added hurriedly as Dumbledore gave him a stern look over the top of his glasses.

"No, Mr. Potter," and both Harry and James looked up, "There will be no more of this midnight potion making on your part. Or yours, Miss Evans." He added as Lily's eyes grew hopeful.

James coughed, and after gaining everyone's attention said, "You know, we should be happy. We met our future son, and he met his parents, who he hasn't seen since he was born. Oh!"

Everyone looked questioningly at James.

"Do those two way mirrors work across time?"

Lily laughed.

"Of course not, silly. Across the school to another detention room is much different than across time. In case you didn't know."

"Oh…" James looked crestfallen.

The mood of the room was considerably lightened by this time, which was of relief to everyone, but especially Dumbledore and James, who really wasn't good with depressing situations.(A/N: and neither am I ;P )

Raising his wand, Dumbledore traced the outline of a door in the air. Giving it a tap, the middle of the door swam and wavered, before opening and revealing a damp, dark room filled with broken glass and shelves.

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows at Lily and James.

"So… this is what happened to the extra supplies room… oh, and when you walk through the door, don't look back. Somehow that counters your intentions, and you will be stuck here again. And no, don't even think about trying it."

Lily and James looked sheepish, before each turning individually and embracing Harry one last time.

"Goodbye, Harry. We're going to miss you," Lily whispered in his ear, "And we love you, okay? We do now and we always will."

"Don't worry about going back to the muggles anymore, okay?" James said to him, "Now that you've met us, and you know why you have to stay there, have a little fun with them. Gentle, caring fun, of course, professor…"

"Oh and Harry? Give that sister of mine a good kick up the—uh… nothing, professor…"

Harry grinned at them both, and his grin seemed to hold back the sadness in all three people.

James offered Lily his arm.

"Shall we?"

Lily smiled at him, and the pair walked towards the door standing in the middle of the room. Before entering, both turned, with James's hand on Lily's shoulder. Harry drank in the sight of both his parents, before he waved, and with a return of his wave, Lily and James walked through the door, and as they did, the world beyond the door began to fade, Lily and James inside. Harry stood and watched his parents disappear, before the door closed, sealing each in his own time; Sealing and finishing the most remarkable experience ever had by even the famous Harry Potter.

Wow, that's it! Sorry, the goodbyeing scene was very, very choppy; much sorryness going your way. But, I finished! Thank you to everyone who ever read my story, I hope you enjoyed it! I might write an epilogue or something… I could continue and write a chapter or two about what happens to Hermione and Ron and Melanie and Harry and Rachel… or I could just leave it right there… what do you think? Send me a review and let me know… I'm undecided right now… heheh