Title: What Do You Think?

"We need to keep out of sight of Hagrid's front door, or we'll see us! We must be nearly at Hagrid's by now!"

"That has got to be the most confusing thing I have ever heard," James commented.

"This is the weirdest thing we've ever done," Harry said fervently.

"You can say that again," James said. As Sirius opened his mouth, James quickly added, "Don't even think about it, Padfoot."

"Wouldn't dream of it, Prongs," Sirius answered, smirking.

This was starting to seem impossible.

"Starting?" Lily asked. She had thought it impossible the whole time.

"Hermione," said Harry suddenly, "what if we – we just run in there and grab Pettigrew -"

"That's a brilliant idea," James said. "You should do it."

"Professor McGonagall told me what awful things have happened when wizards have meddled with time… Loads of them ended up killing their past or future selves by mistake!"

"Okay, so it's not a great idea, but still a good one."

It was, without a doubt, the strangest sensation of his life, standing behind the tree, and watching himself in the pumpkin patch.

"Oh really, Harry?" Remus asked sarcastically. "I do that everyday. What's taken you so long?"

"Buckbeak, move!" Harry hissed.

"Yeah, Buckbeak, come one, move. You're going to get Harry in trouble," James said.

"What about Buckbeak?" Lily asked.

"Oh yeah," James said as if he didn't really want to be saying this, "And you might be beheaded if you don't. And that would be bad."

From the beginning, James hadn't really cared that much about Buckbeak. He was angry that Malfoy was using the situation, but didn't care about hippogriffs, so he wasn't too interested in if Harry could save him or not.

Harry's fists clenched as they watched Snape skid to a halt next to the tree, looking around. He grabbed the cloak and held it up.

"Get your filthy hands off it," Harry snarled under his breath.

"My thoughts exactly," James agreed.

"I think it was my dad."

The room was filled with shocked silence for a moment before James said, "Thanks, Harry, but I've never even done that spell before, so it couldn't be me."

"How about the fact that you're dead?" Remus asked.

"Minor details."

"Harry, your dad's – well – dead," she said quietly.

"Thanks for pointing that out, Hermione," Sirius said. "We almost forgot."

… but Harry, be careful – there's a werewolf out there

"Not just any werewolf," Sirius corrected. "A mean, scary werewolf."

Remus glared.

And then it hit him – he understood. He hadn't seen his father –

"Well that was pretty obvious," James said. "I'm right here."

he had seen himself –

"What?"

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" he yelled.

"But he's not supposed to interfere," Lily said, alarmed. "Hermione said that people die when they see themselves."

"Don't worry, Lily," James comforted. "The Harry being attacked didn't see the Harry casting the spell, he thinks it's me remember?"

"Oh yeah…"

And out of the end of his wand burst, not a shapeless cloud of mist, but a blinding, dazzling, silver animal.

"Wow," Remus said. "In the book, I said that it's hard to make something like that. And he's done it at such a young age."

"Takes after his father," James said proudly, thinking of how he became an animagus so young.

It was a stag.

James' face immediately lit up, producing the truest smile since the beginning of the book. This wasn't one of his cocky, arrogant grins that he so often uses, but a smile filled with pure emotion. Lily couldn't help but smile with him. She enjoyed seeing him like this.

"Prongs," he whispered.

"That's right," James breathed, still smiling.

"You can turn into a stag?" Lily asked.

James nodded.

"Can… can I see?"

James looked at her and slowly nodded again. He transformed and she gasped, having never been that close to a stag before. It was beautiful. Its fur was smooth and gentle. Now that's something I could get used to.

"You are – truly your father's son, Harry…"

"Thanks, Sirius."

"No problem, James."

They were gone.

"I can't believe they did it," Remus remarked. "They saved both Buckbeak and Sirius."

"I can't believe I'm not going to get the Dementor's Kiss," Sirius said.

"Why, were you looking forward to it?" James asked.

"Well, you know, the word around Hogwarts is that they are supposed to be pretty good-looking."

Everyone's spirits were much higher now that Harry and Hermione had done what they wanted and Sirius was safe.

(Fudge talking about Daily Prophet

"… and once young Harry's back in his right mind, I expect he'll want to tell the Prophet exactly how you saved him…"

"Keep dreaming, Fudge," James said.

"I'm sure he will," Sirius responded.

"Three minutes, Harry!"

"Hurry up!" Lily panicked.

Harry and Hermione slipped back inside the dormitory.

"YES!" everyone cheered together.

"They did it," James said.

"THIS – HAS – SOMETHING – TO – DO – WITH – POTTER!"

"Of course, blame Harry when something goes wrong," James automatically defended his son. "What makes you think it was him?"

"Prongs, you do know it was him, right?" Sirius asked.

James realized what he said and hastily covered, "Yes, of course I do."

"Okay, just checking."

"Unless you are suggesting that Harry and Hermione are able to be in two places at once,

"Which they are," James interrupted.

I'm afraid I don't see any point in troubling them further."

"Nor do we," Sirius agreed. "So just leave."

"All it needs now is for the story of that hippogriff's escape to get out, and I'll be a laughingstock!"

"It'd serve you right," Remus said, angry about how the minister dealt with Sirius and Buckbeak the past year.

"Er – Snape told all the Slytherins this mornin'… Thought everyone'd know by now… Professor Lupin's a werewolf, see."

"WHAT?!" James screamed. "How could he do that? I never thought even he would do something like that."

Sirius began muttering to himself. "That stupid, little -"

"He's packing?" said Harry, alarmed. "Why?"

"Leavin', isn' he?"

"Why?" Sirius asked. "Why would you leave?"

"Because now everyone knows that I'm a werewolf."

"So? That doesn't change anything."

"It does to them."

"I think the loss of the Order of Merlin hit him hard."

"Yes!" James said. "That would have been an injustice if Snape got one that he didn't deserve."

"Not like he does deserve one," Sirius added.

(After Lupin gives Harry back his Invisibility Cloak and the Marauder's Map)

"Great," James said. "Now Harry has his two best possessions back. I was getting worried he would lose them forever."

"I have no hesitation in saying that James would have been highly disappointed if his son had never found any of the secret passages out of the castle."

"And so I would have."

"Professor Dumbledore – yesterday, when I was having my Divination exam, Professor Trelawney went very – very strange."

"Oh no. The prediction," James said. "I can't believe she was actually right. Now she's going to look like she actually knows what she's doing."

Harry wouldn't have thought it possible that Snape's dislike for him could increase, but it certainly had. A muscle twitched unpleasantly at the corner of Snape's thin mouth every time he looked at Harry.

"Ah, I know that muscle well," James reminisced.

"So do I," Sirius said. "It's quite annoying."

"Isn't it?"

"But you passed your exam with three hundred and twenty percent!" said Ron.

"That's not even possible," Sirius said, taken aback.

"Think again," Lily said.

"You've gotten that much?" James asked.

"I have indeed."

"Impressive."

By now she had realized that it was some achievement to impressive James Potter and started unconsciously smiling.

"It's the Quidditch World Cup this summer!"

"Great!" James said. "Harry should go. It would be amazing."

"Quidditch again? Can't you let one sentence about Quidditch go without commenting?" Lily asked.

"No."

(During Sirius' letter)

It was I who sent you the Firebolt.

"I knew it!" Sirius said.

I Sirius Black, Harry Potter's godfather, hereby give him permission to visit Hogsmeade on weekends.

"YES!" James and Sirius cheered. "Now he can truly enjoy Hogsmeade without having to sneak around."

"He was my mum and dad's best friend. He's a convicted murderer, but he's broken out of wizard prison and he's on the run. He likes to keep in touch with me, though… keep up with my news… check if I'm happy…"

"Brilliant, Harry," James said. "Brilliant."

And, grinning broadly at the look of horror on Uncle Vernon's face, Harry set off toward the station exit, Hedwig rattling along in front of him, for what looked like a much better summer than the last.

"I'm glad he's so happy," James said.

Lily was again reminded of that thought that had randomly run through her mind several chapters back. She suddenly had a strong desire to grab James and kiss him right on the lips. She tried to fight the bizarre reaction, but it was no use. Her body seemed to be controlling itself. She got up, walked over to him, and kissed him right then and there.

It was if sparks were flying between their lips, there was so much passion in that one kiss. James seemed shocked at first, but soon relaxed and kissed her back with as much enthusiasm.

"Get a room."

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A/N: I thought it'd never end, but it finally has.

Oh well, I guess that's the end… Oh wait, did you want me to write a sequel? Hmmmm, I don't know. It's a lot of work to write these types of stories. Although I did enjoy it. Maybe if I knew that there would be A LOT of people reading it, then I'd write it, but unless I'm reassured…

Review to tell me what you think about the story or if you want me to continue it. And then check to see if I do.