Chapter 101: 3-3

Wearing the Invisibility Cloak, I followed them as they walked ahead. Even though I was an invisible man right now, James kept talking to me without any regard for public eyes, which was quite troublesome.

"What were you doing in the library, Harry?"

"Just doing some research."

"Research?"

"Yeah. Trying to figure out why I'm here—"

I remembered. Her, with her chestnut hair and brown eyes. When I was Maria, the image of a girl my own age whom I could meet anytime would come to mind, but now, strangely, it was only her adult self that filled my head. —Is it because I am 'me'?

"Whenever something strange happened at Hogwarts, Hermione always went to the library first. She's my best friend, a brilliant girl who was always top of our class... Thanks to her knowledge, my life was saved more than once."

Even looking back on it now, she was like a crossword puzzle hint.

"I see. She must be your girlfriend, then?"

"No way! Don't say that, Ron would glare at me."

"Ron? Is he a friend too?"

"Yeah. My best friend. Both of them are absolutely indispensable to Harry Potter."

Even if there were identical people with the exact same appearance—they could never be replaced, they are 'my' best friends alone. ...I miss you. Ron, Hermione.

"Then—what about Draco Malfoy?"

"Draco is..."

I choked on my words. —A partner? That didn't feel right either. There was no doubt he was Maria's partner, but the story of Harry Potter was occupied by and concluded with adventures alongside Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. What... what kind of existence was he?

A rival. A nuisance. An annoying jerk. A thorn in my side that I noticed wherever he was. —Yet, even he was indispensable.

"Draco is... I don't know. I don't know yet. But I have a feeling I'll find out from now on."

The story as Maria—would reveal him. I had that premonition.

"Hey, James. I wanted to ask you something too—did you do something to Snape? Given your attitude earlier."

I clumsily changed the subject. Even though James surely picked up on it, the corners of his mouth upturned into a smirk as he answered.

"I just asked a small favor of him. To keep yesterday's matter to himself, you see. That much was just a greeting. I didn't cast a curse on him, did I?"

I fell silent. Just because you didn't curse him doesn't make it right... Oh, but from the perspective of these two, that was probably the absolute limit of their concession.

"...He won't tell. Snape."

It was a voice quieter than a low murmur, a mere whisper, but James caught it clearly.

"Oh?"

"Because it would trouble Lily."

Besides—he was a person who kept his feelings silent. Even regarding Professor Lupin, whether during their school days or in our era, if he had wanted to corner him, he could have (though of course, there was the risk of drawing Dumbledore's scrutiny). Yet, he was someone who tried to keep it hidden.

"Snape isn't a good person. He's a terrible jerk. I hated him so much."

Through the deaths of those I loved—that feeling had even grown into hatred.

"But—he is a person capable of feeling regret and weeping. He is a man who can throw away everything for a single love. He's not a saint—but he isn't an irredeemable evil either. His soul isn't broken yet."

Just as Dumbledore thought of Draco's soul and would not allow his own murder to happen—the young Snape has not lost anything yet.

"...Huh."

James and Sirius looked somewhat displeased, but they didn't pursue the matter any further.

While we were talking, we had arrived in front of the Fat Lady. In other words, their destination was the Gryffindor Common Room. ...Why bring me here? I followed the two as they recited this era's password and sneaked in. From there, I was guided straight to their dormitory. Inside, Pettigrew and Professor Lupin were sitting on their respective beds, waiting.

"Harry, you can take off the cloak now."

"Yeah..."

As I timidly revealed my face, I was met with astonished stares from the two on the beds. Pettigrew kept looking back and forth between me and James.

"He really looks exactly like you..."

"Doesn't he? Doesn't he? —Well then, allow me to introduce him properly to you gentlemen. Our precious guest who has come from the future, Mr. Harry Potter."

Pettigrew tumbled backward onto his bed from sheer shock. That part of him reminded me of Scabbers, the charmingly pathetic rat.

"From the future... Is such a thing possible? Really? Then—is he James's...?"

"I'll leave that to your imagination. Come on, Harry, sit on my bed. You might already know them, but I want to introduce you to my friends."

Under James's orchestration, I exchanged greetings with my young former teacher, my godfather, and the traitor from my bitter memories. As I managed to force a smile, James, who was right next to me, hugged me with all his might.

"James?"

"Oh, Harry! How can you be so cute! We have the exact same face, so why do you make me want to protect you this much?"

"A modest James... It's like someone drank Polyjuice Potion."

"—That's it!"

While holding me like a stuffed animal or something, James pointed his index finger sharply at Professor Lupin. For some reason, it was Pettigrew next to him who flustered, rather than Professor Lupin.

"What do you mean, 'That's it!'?"

"We have something fun planned for tomorrow."

Having apparently realized something, Professor Lupin placed a hand on his forehead in distress. It seems Remus Lupin has a hard time dealing with the two ultimate egoists, James and Sirius, no matter the era.

"James, you shouldn't trouble Professor Lupin too much... Ah."

"Lupin?" "Professor?" "Did you say?"

Raising their voices in perfect unison, the friends' eyes lit up, leaving the young Lupin himself utterly dumbfounded.

"Remus! You're going to be a professor! Oh wait, that makes sense. You're good at teaching. In fact, you're a genius when it comes to winning over younger folks!"

"Should I start calling you 'Professor' from today, Remus?"

"Don't be ridiculous... James, Sirius. Even if I am a teacher, we don't know what kind of teacher. I might just be Harry's private tutor or something."

"That's more than enough! Harry, what kind of professor is Remus... Ah, is that a secret?"

Looking at me, who was completely at a loss, James settled his rapidly shifting expressions into a wry smile and inquired.

"...I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to apologize for. You shouldn't carelessly leak information."

The eyes that had gazed at me through the mirror back when I was Maria were now turned toward me, filled with affection.

"Still... I see, Remus is..."

The reason his friends were relieved and overjoyed even more than Professor Lupin himself was surely due to his "furry little problem." By this time, they must have already uncovered their friend's secret. And that was precisely why he looked the most downcast of all.

"Then, what about Peter?"

Deciding that letting the atmosphere linger any longer would only be toxic, James diverted the topic. The next one to feel awkward was me.

"...I don't know. We didn't have much to do with each other."

"I didn't have much to do with him...?"

Sirius and Professor Lupin comforted the disheartened Pettigrew.

To say I harbored no hatred toward him—would be a lie. However, it was like the embers in a fireplace; though smoldering, there wasn't enough fuel for it to flare up again. There was even a time when my life was saved in exchange for his. Though everyone else called it poetic justice—between him and me, there was a 'wizarding bond' of saving and being saved.

"Um—hey, Peter."

I brought my lips close to the ear of the boy who kept averting his gaze. Being quite perceptive for fourteen-year-olds, the others gave us space and left their precious companion, Pettigrew, to me.

"James and Sirius aren't gods. —Even heroes die."

Pettigrew looked blankly at me. It was an innocent face. It was the face of an ordinary boy, making it impossible to imagine that he would eventually become Judas.

Perhaps the future won't change with just this much. Perhaps he will forget my words by tomorrow. Even so, please—on that day, may my words become a fire inside you.

"Alright, then I'm last. Harry? What becomes of me?"

"Even when you grow up, aren't you always hanging around the Potter house?"

"...That sounds like me."

"You should graduate from that, Sirius..."

James's teasing and Professor Lupin's exasperated remark brought a sudden burst of laughter.

"Sirius—yeah, Sirius, you see, he used to play with me a lot."

He gave me a broomstick, turned into a dog—and loved me so much.

"Sirius babysitting? I can't picture it."

"Don't you mean Sirius was the one being played with?"

"You guys..."

I giggled, finding the sight of the boys fooling around like normal teenagers deeply heartwarming.

"I love you. I love you so much, Sirius. —Always."

Even if Maria's Sirius would stay by my side from now on—I will never forget 'my' Sirius, who vanished beyond the Veil. Never—for eternity.

Suddenly, this time I was hugged by Sirius tightly enough to hurt. James patted my head. Professor Lupin looked as though he were stuffing his face with his favorite chocolate. Pettigrew cackled with laughter.

Everyone is alive—this is an unbearably happy world.

I look back. I poke my head out of the Invisibility Cloak. I smile at him.

"...Um, Harry?"

The timid and kind wolf stood there, summoning all his courage.

"Do you... think of me as..."

His courage seemed to run out right there. The boy grabbed his hair and looked down as if to hide himself. —It was enough. I had received his absolute best effort. So—it wouldn't be a sin to give just a little bit back.

"There is a beloved professor who taught me the Patronus Charm. He always carries chocolate around, his face is covered in scars, he treasures his friends—and he's a brave man who knows very well that he is timid. ...His Boggart was a 'full moon.'"

"————"

"And everyone... called him 'Professor' from the bottom of their hearts."

My professor, who fought against his furry little problem until the very moment he died, smiled with a face that looked ready to burst into tears.