Hello everybody! This was a much quicker update - the slight delay was because I had no idea how to do the second part of the chapter - you'll all find out why when you get there - and have been quite busy preparing for university next month :D

Moving Forwards

Harry had been expecting the memories to move straight back to Hogwarts, but instead found himself in the kitchen with his Grandma and Sirius. His Dad was still by his side, watching with a bittersweet smile on his face.

"I thought you ought to know about some family history," Harry's father said when Harry looked at him questioningly. Harry still didn't really understand, but settled down to watch anyway.

Dorea Potter was sat across the table from Sirius Black; the pair were steadily munching their way through some of Grandma's homemade cookies. Grandma seemed to enjoy cooking by hand, something Harry had never seen a pureblood do before. Sirius still looked a little battered from his parents' 'care,' but also significantly better than he had when he'd arrived at the Potter's. Grandma was a retired healer, Harry had learned, and his Grandfather was a senior Auror.

"I was a Black too you know," Dorea said suddenly, watching Sirius carefully.

Sirius dropped his cookie in surprise, and had Harry been holding anything he'd probably have done the same. "But, Mr P…I mean Charlus, he hates the Blacks. If you were one, how did you ever get together?" Sirius questioned her very fast, not really understanding.

Harry's grandmother looked very sad as she spoke.

"It was because of me, really, that he started to hate my family. I never really agreed with them over the issue of blood purity, but I kept my opinions to myself and got into Slytherin house. We only started to have arguments when I began dating Charlus when I was eighteen. We'd just left Hogwarts and were both working towards our respective careers; myself as a Healer, Charlus as an Auror. There was a training exercise that involved both groups of trainees, and I happened to be partnered with Charlus. We hit it off, and I agreed to go out to lunch with him."

Dorea paused to rub a hand over her face. She wasn't old exactly, Harry thought, not old enough to be a Grandmother yet anyway, but her face was lined, and her hair was greying. Her sad expression was what made her really look old, though she looked happier when retelling how she met Charlus Potter.

"It all started with arguing. My parents called Charlus all sorts of horrible names. They weren't overly happy with me being a Healer, but they looked down on Aurors even more. The fact he was a Potter nailed it for them." A smirk similar to the one her son wore when planning an elaborate prank appeared on Dorea's lips. "I ignored them of course, and continued to date Charlus. I'll spare you the details," Sirius looked relieved at this, but Dorea didn't seem to notice, "but as we grew closer my parents grew more and more extreme. Eventually, curses and blows started flying, and it was at that point I left." She rubbed a hand over her face.

"Charlus was furious, he wanted to press charges, but I wouldn't let him. I was ashamed, but I know now that I shouldn't have been. It was them who were in the wrong, not me, and not you either Sirius. I want you to know that." She was looking at him very seriously, and Sirius nodded helplessly. Harry could tell that he didn't quite believe her yet, but Harry found himself hoping that he would.

Harry hated himself for starting to like Black, but he couldn't help it. The boy had somehow grown up kind, despite his cruel and harsh upbringing. Harry had a feeling that this was something the ghosts wanted to show him. Maybe they wanted to show him this side of Black so he'd forgive the unforgivable. He could tell that his Father didn't seem to blame Black at all for his death or that of Harry's mother. He supposed there must be something he was missing: Black's side of the story.

The scene flickered again, leaving Harry alone in the kitchen with his Father once more. The man looked troubled, like he was having an internal argument with himself. Harry was a little confused by this, and wondered what the fuss was about.

"Harry," the man started a little hesitantly, "I'm about to show you something towards the end of our fifth year." He paused, rubbing a hand over his face. "The thing is, we did something horrible, and I don't want you to think any less of us for it."

Harry frowned, but nodded. He wasn't stupid, he was aware that this probably had something to do with Snape, and why he thought Harry's dad was an arrogant arse.

The scene changed, and Harry found himself in the Hogwarts grounds, underneath a large beech tree that he, Ron and Hermione liked. The boy version of his father was playing with a snitch, with Peter Pettigrew watching him. Lupin was reading a book, whist Black was gazing around the grounds, looking rather bored. It was a very sunny day; a group of giggling girls were dabbling their feet in the cool lake water. Harry noticed that James kept looking their way hopefully. Harry figured he was probably looking for Lily.

Peter was annoying Harry a little; James was still playing with the snitch, letting it drift away further now before he'd catch it, sending Peter into irritating gasps of awe. James didn't seem to mind though; in fact it looked rather as though he was enjoying the attention.

Sirius seemed to share Harry's irritation. "Put that away, will you," he said, as Peter let out a particularly loud cheer, "before Wormtail wets himself with excitement." Harry thought that Black probably considered the jibe to be teasing, but Peter seemed a little hurt by the comment. Nevertheless, James stuffed the snitch back in his pocket.
"If you insist," he said, grinning.

"I'm bored," Sirius announced a few seconds later. "Wish we had something to do."

"We've still got Transfiguration; if you're bored you can test me," Lupin suggested, holding out his book.

"Moony, we don't need to study! We both know it all," Black whined.

"Padfoot look," James said, looking across the field. Sirius turned to follow his gaze.

"Snivellus," he said softly.

Harry groaned, following their gaze and spotting Snape across the grass, near some bushes. He noticed that Snape wasn't with his usual gang of Slytherins. Most of them had left, leaving only Mulciber and Wilkes.

James and Sirius stood up, but Lupin and Peter remained seated. Lupin was staring down at his Transfiguration book, though his eyes weren't moving and he was frowning deeply. Peter, on the other hand, was looking between the other three boys with avid anticipation. All Harry felt was dread – all other confrontations he'd seen had been started by Snape's friends, and were on fairly even ground. Snape had never started a confrontation as far as Harry had seen, except perhaps the first one, but that was fairly equal, and neither had James or Sirius.

"All right Snivellus," James called.

Snape reacted quickly, immediately going for his wand and dropping his bag. His wand was almost pointing at the boys, a spell on Snape's lips, when James shouted "Expelliarmus!"

Snape's wand flew twelve feet into the air and landed with a soft thud into the grass behind him. Sirius let out a little bark of laughter, before training his own wand on Snape. The boy looked angry, but made a dive at the Marauders anyway, causing Sirius to shout "Impedimenta!"

Snape was knocked off his feet halfway into the dive, falling flat on his face into the grass. Other students were starting to gather, some looking apprehensive, others excited. Harry noticed that James looked over his shoulder again towards the girls by the lake. He and Sirius were advancing on Snape, wands raised.

"How'd the exam go, Snivelly?" James asked conversationally.

"I was watching him. His nose was touching the parchment," Sirius said harshly. "They'll be grease marks all over it."

Harry was a little shocked; he knew Snape had been horrible to Black about his family, but that was uncalled for, and none of the other Marauders seemed upset by the comment. His father's ghost was nowhere to be seen; he must be ashamed, Harry thought, and was glad of this, happy that the man was ashamed; he should be! Harry hated bullies, but he hated even more that Snape was right about his father.

"You wait," Snape panted, staring up at James with an expression of pure loathing. "You – wait."

"Wait for what?" asked Sirius coolly. "Are you going to wipe your nose on us?"

Snape let out a stream of mixed curses and swearwords, including a few of the wizarding ones like 'blood traitors' and 'Mudblood lover.' The last one made James swell with anger, his hand gripping his wand more tightly.

"Wash out your mouth," he said coldly. "Scourgify!"

Pink soap bubbles erupted from Snape's mouth at once, the froth covering his lips, making him gag and choke. Harry recognised the spell as the one Dorea Potter used on James when he swore – but he really shouldn't use it on a fellow student, especially in such a humiliating way. For the first time, Harry was almost ashamed to be the man's son.

"Leave him ALONE!" a new voice shouted. Harry turned, along with James and Sirius, to see Harry's mother striding towards them, her thick, dark red hair falling to her shoulders and her almond shaped green eyes flashing dangerously.

"All right Evans?" James said, running his free hand through his hair and lowering his voice a little to make it sound more mature.

"Leave him alone," Lily repeated, looking at James with the deepest dislike. "What's he ever done to you?"

"Well," said James, seeming to deliberate his answer, probably to make it sound more 'cool' Harry thought, "it's more the fact he exists, if you know what I mean…"

Many of the other students laughed, Sirius and Peter included, but neither Lupin nor Lily did.

"You think you're funny," she said coldly. "But you're just an arrogant, bullying toe-rag, Potter. Leave him alone."

As they were talking, Snape was crawling towards his wand. Harry stopped paying attention to his parents to watch him warily. He knew from previous memories he'd been shown that Snape knew several nasty curses.

"I wouldn't go out with you if it were a choice between you and the giant squid," said Lily angrily, drawing Harry's attention away from Snape.

"Bad luck Prongs," said Sirius briskly, turning back to Snape. Harry did the same, just in time to watch Snape point his wand straight at James; there was a flash of light and a gash appeared on James' face, splattering his robes with blood. James retaliated; there was another burst of light and Snape was left hanging upside down in the air, his robes falling over his head to reveal skinny, pallid legs and a pair of greying underpants.

Many people were laughing, but Harry didn't think it was funny at all. In fact, he didn't really want to watch anymore of this.

His mother seemed to agree. "Let him down," she said, quietly and dangerously.

"Certainly," said James, jerking his wand to make Snape fall to the ground in a heap. Snape disentangled himself quickly and got to his feet, making to shoot another curse but Sirius was quicker.

"Petrificus Totalus!" he said, making Snape keel over again, as stiff as a board.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Lily shouted. She had her own wand out now; Sirius and James were eyeing it warily. Harry frowned – Snape wasn't really leaving them alone either– but there was no need for this to have started in the first place.

"Ah, Evans, don't make me hex you," said James earnestly.

"Take the curse off him then," Lily retorted sharply.

James sighed, before turning to Snape and muttering the counter-curse.

"There you go," he said, as Snape struggled to his feet. "You're lucky that Evans was here, Snivellus…"

"I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!" Snape spat. Harry stared in shock; he thought that Snape liked his Mum; why would he call her something so horrible if they were friends. He couldn't imagine calling Hermione anything like that, no matter how humiliated he felt.

"Fine, I won't bother in future," Lily said coolly, unable to hide her hurt expression completely. "And I'd wash my pants if I were you, Snivellus."

Harry shut his eyes as the scene vanished, depositing him back with his father. Harry couldn't look at the man, not after watching that. He didn't want to think that his father was a bully, but he'd seen the evidence with his own eyes.

"I'm sorry I disappointed you Harry," his Dad sighed. "I'm not a saint, and I am truly ashamed of what happened that day."

Harry looked at him; his father did look ashamed and upset, but Harry wasn't quite ready to forgive him.

"Was it just that one time, or was it more often than that?" he asked coldly.

"That was the first time, and there were two more similar occasions up to the holidays in the following two weeks, then your grandmother gave us a stern talking to. After that, it never happened again, unless Snape started it."

Harry still wasn't happy, but was glad it hadn't continued for very long. He never thought he'd feel sorry for Snape, and yet, how could he not with what he'd just seen?

"I don't think I can forgive you yet," Harry said, "but I don't think too much less of you, or want you to go."

As he said the words, Harry knew they were true. Whatever mistakes he'd made; James was still his father, and Harry wasn't going to give up on their time together just yet, no matter what he saw.

Right, before anyone mutters about how Snape's worst memory wasn't the same as it was in the book, I'm completely aware, as I had the book open for reference. My reasoning for this is that when you're in an argument with someone, no matter how big or small, does anyone else notice how each person's story is slightly different, even when you're only recounting it to people who were there? That theory is the basis for the changes; the key events stayed the same, but some of the wording and expressions changed, as this was from James' point of view, not Snape's.
Rant over :) This next bit is about review responses. I've had a review from a reader who needs a text to voice program to read, and they've requested that I stop responding to reviews at the end of each chapter, and use the PM function instead. I'd appreciate any thoughts on this, as that would mean that anonymous reviewers wouldn't get a response. I will continue as normal for this chapter and respond, but would appreciate your input :)
Eliza272, yes, an update. Don't worry, no hiatus notes from me; I'm determined to finish. I put the OWLs scene in for you; hope it didn't disappoint :) Estel Ashlee Snape, yes, I'm alive! hope the work is still good :D LadyLombax, I am back! And so's my muse - thanks to my amazing roleplay buddies who coaxed it back to life! (I may post a story based on the roleplaying at some point.) Does this qualify as soon? Skyagon, 7th year will be next chapter - I checked the word count after I'd got to a good stopping place and found that it was three times as long as usual - hope no one minds :) I can't wait to do how Lily and James get together! Luiz4200, knowing Harry, it probably went straight over his head. Maybe it will come back to him later, I haven't decided yet :D T. H. Enesley, I hope I come up with a better solution to your problem soon - I'm working on it, Fandom Sailor, yes you were, congratulations! Hope you know more now! xxSunnyXBlackxx, I did, I am back! And this is a much quicker update than usual. I will try and get a little quicker though, if possible. I want to finish! SokkasFirstFangirl, I know, but he's all better now, but is being naughty! I'm happy you're happy XD Vendelareader, me too, I don't know what I'd do with myself! And I was a little upset with the season finale; it's the only time I've bought the merthur slash! I'm glad it was a nice chapter - the next one will probably be very Jily, I hope I can make it funny :D Guest, you'll probably love the next chapter - the plan is almost complete Jily!

Thank you everyone for your patience, and for being so kind after a long wait! See you all next chapter!