1994
The Marauders stood in the middle of the dimly lit corridor, blinking at the sign in stunned silence. James was the first to break it, rubbing the back of his neck with an awkward laugh.
“Well... this is mental.”
Sirius grinned, nudging Remus with his elbow. “Come on, Moony. You’ve always wanted to know what happens in the future, haven’t you?”
“I wanted to read about it, Padfoot, not live it,” Remus muttered, eyes darting around warily.
Peter gulped. “What if we’ve changed something already? What if we’ve—”
“Relax, Wormtail,” James said, slinging an arm around his shoulders. “We’re just having a look around. We’ll pop back before anything bad happens.”
Remus pinched the bridge of his nose. “That’s not how time travel works, you absolute idiots.”
But Sirius was already walking confidently down the corridor. “Well, we’re here now, so we might as well explore.”
The four of them cautiously made their way through the familiar—yet strangely different—castle. The portraits eyed them suspiciously, and the students bustling around them gave them odd looks.
“Hey, what year are you lot in?” a passing Hufflepuff asked curiously.
"Wouldn't you like to know?” Sirius turned back to the others. “Alright, rule number one: blend in.”
Remus huffed. “That’s rich coming from you.”
They eventually found themselves outside the Great Hall, peering inside at the students eating breakfast. And that’s when they saw him.
Sitting at the staff table, casually sipping from a mug, was an older, more worn version of Remus Lupin.
James’s jaw dropped. “Moony why does he look like you”
Sirius blinked. “Moony, you didn’t tell us you had a long-lost twin.”
Remus stared, confused. “I didn't know I had.”
Peter gaped. “Blimey, Mooney he really does look like you. That's so weird”
Older Remus looked up from his drink, his sharp eyes locking onto them for a split second. His face remained neutral, but something flickered in his gaze. Recognition. He knew exactly who they were.
James turned to their Remus, whispering, “Okay, don’t freak out, but I think you’re a professor in the future.”
Remus, of course, was very much freaking out. “I—how? They don't hire werewolves—”
“Maybe they make an exception for people with pretty faces,” Sirius whispered, smirking.
Older Remus took another sip of his tea, his expression composed, but young Remus saw the slight tension in his jaw.
James pulled them back from the entrance. “Alright. We need a plan.”
“Plan?” Sirius said. “I say we go talk to him.”
Remus shook his head vehemently. “No. Absolutely not.”
But before anyone could argue further, the Great Hall doors swung open, and standing there, staring curiously at them, was a messy-haired boy with glasses and a lightning bolt scar.
James frowned. “Hey, he looks—”
“Merlin’s beard,” Remus whispered. “James he looks weirdly like you.”
Sirius blinked. “Omg stop another James, best day ever”
“You say that but there's possibly another me and you think it's normal” Remus answered without thinking.
Sirius looked delighted. “what no remmy I love you! But older you kinda looks like he got mauled by a hippogriff”
James was staring at Harry, eyes wide. “Wait… why does he look like me?”
And before Remus could stop him, James marched right up to The boy
.
“Oi, you!” James said brightly. “What’s your name?”
Harry blinked at him, looking a little suspicious. “Um... Harry. Harry Potter.”
James took a step back as if he’d been struck. “Potter?” His face lit up with delight. “I knew it! You're mine, aren't you?”
Harry frowned. “What?”
Remus dragged James away with a sheepish grin. “Sorry about him, he’s... not well.”
Harry stared after them, bewildered. “Weirdos.”
The Marauders huddled in a corner, and James looked like he was having an existential crisis.
“I have a son,” he whispered in awe. “Padfoot, did you hear that? I get married! To—” He turned to Remus. “To who?”
Remus thinks for a second before answering “nope not a clue”
James nearly collapsed. “WAIT what if it's Reggie, I hope it is. Well I wouldnt mind lily either but...”
Sirius groaned. "James that's my brother I don't wanna hear you pining over him"
But James was beaming. “I always new of marry one of them.”
Remus sighed, looking anxiously back toward the staff table, where his older self was still watching them carefully. They needed to be careful. If they weren’t, things could get messy—fast.
“Alright,” he said firmly. “We’ve had our fun. Now let’s figure out how to get back before we accidentally ruin time.”
But Sirius, eyes sparkling, slung an arm around James. “Come on, Prongs. Don’t you want to see how the rest of our lives turn out?”
James hesitated. He glanced back at Harry, something unreadable in his expression.
“Yeah,” he said softly. “I think I do.”
And just like that, their adventure in 1994 had truly begun.