They're green.
"You were waiting for me?" Harry asked incredulously.
"Of course we were, you've got some ‘splaining to do," Sirius rolled his eyes and got off from leaning against the wall. "So?"
Harry frowned. "So?"
"So what's up? You're all dirty, and you hurried over to Dumbledore?" James asked, stepping forward.
"I- uhh," Harry searched for the right words to say, it was quite hard to come up with an excuse when you are facing your now not-dead younger godfather and dad, whom you have never met face-to-face in the flesh before by the way. It's beyond surreal. "I'll explain some other time. For now, I just really need to change clothes."
Harry then gestured to the pile of clothes he had in his arms given by Dumbledore, and the two older boys nodded, agreeing and sharing a look. "You can change at our dorm, we won't mind."
Harry considered the offer and was about to deny it, but Sirius had already put an arm around him and was leading him down the hall with James on his other side, and he just let them guide him to the Gryffindor common room.
He’s really dug up a hole for himself with the promise of explaining things huh?
In that moment, he just let it happen as he was relishing in the warmth of Sirius' arm provided. He never thought he'd actually get to meet his dad for the first time and see Sirius again. Sure, they were younger, but this is better than anything he could've asked for.
Then they arrived at the Common Room, the room falling silent once seeing them come in with a stranger who looked beyond messed up, Harry's already messy hair was sticking out more, and his clothes had bloody holes in them.
Harry looked around and felt the familiar comfort of being in a familiar place, he is still adjusting. "What did you two get into now?" The sweet voice of a woman asked, making Harry turn towards the direction the voice came from.
What he saw made the all the air escape from his lungs, he was extremely shocked to meet his Father again in his younger form but now, he truly was enchanted. A woman with bright red hair, soft green eyes and a very evident scowl came into view.
Mum.
Harry wanted to run towards her, he had so much he wanted to say and of course he felt the same towards James, but with Lily it's somehow different. Knowing how she died and how he was right there when it happened - but now she's here. Alive and well.
Harry could almost hear her scream play in his head again - his Mum, alive.
"We didn't do anything to him if that's what you're implying," Sirius rolled his eyes. "If anything, we're helping him. So interrogation later, Evans."
"What? You lot are adopting kids into your little group now?" A woman with curly blond hair interjected, smirking at Sirius.
"Shut it, McKinnon," Sirius fired back and nudged Harry. "We'll get him cleaned up first."
On their way to the boy's dorm, Sirius leaned over to Harry. "Say, are you new here or have you always been around?" Harry was unsure what to answer, he was certainly not new, but he hasn't been around either.
"I'm quite new," Harry hesitantly replied. "Actually."
Then they arrived inside the boys' dorm. Four beds could be seen, divided into pairs in the large room and the two sets facing each other. One bed was really well-kept, not a single crease on the duvet and Harry guessed it to be Remus', another was an absolute mess right next to it and the covers were almost slipping off which could only belong to Sirius.
Across those two were two beds who were in between of being perfectly kept and being absolutely rubbished. Just perfectly in the middle of the spectrum. Guessing was also made easy because Peter was sleeping on his bed while Remus was reading in his.
"Uhh?" Remus asked, turning to them with a frown and shutting his book closed. "What's going on?"
"I'll explain in a moment," Sirius winked and nudged Harry towards the bathroom. "Go on and clean yourself then."
Harry was still feeling weird about everything but did as he was told, the moment the door was shut however - he broke down. Everything came crashing in the second he was finally alone, and he was left to stare at his reflection as he choked in his own sobs, careful not to alert the boys outside.
Said boys being people he considered to be family - aside Pettigrew but he's not going to dwell on that for now. He clutched the clothes in his hands tightly and let out a breathless silent scream.
He died. Which meant everyone back there was suffering from his failure to win the war for them, and now he's back in time with his parents, yet he can't even hold them or tell them everything.
He was in a familiar yet foreign place, and he had no one.
There was no Ron to make sarcastic lazy comments and eat every chance he can get while being supportive, and no Hermione to give him insightful advice and be the voice of reason. He was utterly and completely alone, yet most of the people he cared about are right behind the door he's leaning against.
Just when will the world be kind to you, Harry Potter?
He finished changing, and he stayed in that bathroom for as long as he possibly could without raising suspicions from the Marauders.
He finished changing, and he stayed in that bathroom for as long as he possibly could without raising suspicions from the Marauders. He was taking his time to process everything, all the while scrubbing dirt off his body and willing himself to look human when he's supposed to be meeting his parents for the first time.
Could this even still count as a first impression? They already saw him covered in dirt and whatnot.
He stared into his reflection in the mirror for almost an hour, spacing off and calming himself. His parents and Sirius were alive, they're all well, and he has the chance to be with them, but they're not supposed to know who he is-
He couldn't possibly keep that secret.
The urge is far too strong. The urge to just run up to them, hug them and break down to seek comfort and affirmations. He longed for them, for his parents and right now they're so close yet so far.
They are quite literally at arm's reach, but he's stuck in a bathroom contemplating going against Dumbledore's words. He trusted Dumbledore, the man died before his eyes and he had no reason not to trust the old man's judgement, but he was asking too much.
They're right there.
He was gripping the sink so hard, had he been in his original body, they would have threatened to break. Until he came to a solution. He's going to lie to them but only for a week, maximum and if they happen to find out the truth then he's not going to deny it. He'll even make the effort to leave out clues to them, he knows they'd be smart enough to get it.
'I'm sorry, Dumbledore, but this might be the first time I'll really go against you’ A potential compromise.
But he didn't feel bad at all, he didn't even start regretting it right away and opened the door to finally go outside. The moment he did, Sirius choked in his laughter. He was in the middle of laughing at something James said when he heard the door open and turned to see Harry walk out.
His breath got caught in is throat. He looked exactly like James did two years ago, the resemblance was uncanny, and it was as if James drank a youth potion from a prank mishap and is currently standing awkwardly in front of him, but no.
"Please someone tell me I'm not the only one," Peter broke the silence - seems he had woken up, dropping whatever he was holding and switching glances from the marauders to Harry, and they were equally confused.
James felt like he was looking in the mirror, but only if he was a bit younger. "I already saw it before, but now that he's clean and wearing uniform. . ." Sirius trailed off, and they all stayed silent for a solid minute.
Unsure of breaking the silence and of what to even say, how does one even react in such a situation?
"You said your name's Harry?" James asked, stuttering slightly and eyes refusing to blink. Harry slowly nodded and looked outside to find the sun was almost setting.
It was quite useless to be wearing a uniform when he's about to go to bed.
"I'm sorry about running into you earlier," Harry told Sirius, who couldn't react at all. "I'll best be going then."
Before the four of them could stop them, Harry had run out, and they're all left to sit there in their confusion.
"He looked exactly like-" Remus was cut off by James.
"Me." He sounded like he was in daze. "But his eyes. . ."
"They're green." Sirius continued for him and then back to silence.
Today was proving to be quite a weird day for everyone.
Outside the common room is Harry on his way out through the portrait, he was hoping to spend the night in the Room of Requirements, he wasn't comfortable enough to sleep with strangers at the moment and just needed space to think.
His hours in the bathroom weren't enough. There was a lot to think about, a lot to consider and wrap his head around. He needed more time and peace or he'd lose his mind and just break down in front of everyone to see.
But then he halted in his steps when a voice called out to him. "Hey wait," He slowly turned around to find Lily Evans slowly approaching him with a worried look on her face. "Is everything okay? What did those tossers do?"
Harry couldn't respond in time, he couldn't even think straight to come up with something to say. His mum was right in front of him, reaching a hand out to place it on his shoulder and when it did, he almost slipped.
He could feel it, the tears building up, but she's already worried, and he didn't need her asking more questions. He just met them, and he's already expected to lie to their faces, how can one possibly cope?
"I'm fine," a lie. "They didn't. . ."
He trailed off, he could feel something claw at his throat, he was inches away from throwing up, but he forced the disgusting feeling down. Regaining his composure and smiling up at her. "I just have to be somewhere right now, if you'd excuse me."
Then he turned away from her to walk away. Swiftly making his way to the seventh floor and entering the room of requirements in the way he knew how, and the room turned itself into a safe space.
It looked exactly like the bedroom he shared with Ron at the Burrow, every single detail he could possibly remember was there and for a moment- he felt like he was home.