Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and settings belong to J.K. Rowling.

Word had somehow already spread about Harry and who he was and everyone was trying to get a look at him. The girls all gushed about how cute he was while the guys thought it was cool there was a miniature James around. People wanted to know about Harry's past but James and Lily didn't want to share that with anyone except their close friends and family.

Despite being used to being in the spotlight, having everyone stare at him when they were so much bigger and older than him made Harry nervous. He hid behind his mother as they entered the Great Hall.

Lily noticed the apprehensive look on his face and she bent down to pick him up. "It's okay, love. Nobody will bother you, we won't let them," she assured him.

"Yeah pup. We'll protect you," Sirius said as the all took a seat at the Gryffindor table. "We'll hex anyone who bothers you green and silver. Unless they are a snake, we'll hex them red and gold."

Harry giggled. He glanced over at the Slytherin table to see they were staring at him and whispering to each other. He sought out Snape, who was also looking at him curiously. A teenage Snape, Harry thought in amusement. Before he became the bitter man who had protected Harry for the one true friend he had ever had. His mother. Harry figured if this was his second chance, it could be Snape's too. To stay friends with his mum and maybe become friends with the Marauders. Maybe not become a death eater at all. He gave Snape a friendly wave.

Snape stared at him in surprise and then his dark eyes narrowed in suspicion.

With a shrug, Harry turned back in his seat to eat. He frowned when there was still no food at the table. He looked up at the Head Table, where Dumbledore was addressing the room.

"As you all have heard and can see, we have a guest," Dumbledore said cheerfully. "Magic can be a curious then and somehow, through powerful magic, James Potter and Lily Evans future son has come to our time."

Whistles were sent James and Lily's way and James rolled his eyes. "So mature," he said sarcastically.

"I hope you will welcome him and not pester him about anything he may know," Dumbledore's voice had turned more firm as he gazed out at his students. "As of now, we will consider him a honorary Gryffindor."

Gryffindor erupted into cheers.

"Everyone tuck in!"

Harry eagerly looked at the food. He couldn't remember when he had last eaten anything. He started to grab the plate of bacon but he was so little he couldn't reach it! With a frown, he started to stand up on his seat.

"No, Harry," Lily said quickly, stopping him. "Tell me what you would like."

"Bacon," Harry said, sitting back down.

"Okay. Eggs?" Lily asked, smiling when her son nodded. "Some toast? Do you want pumpkin juice?"

"Yes please," Harry said, his stomach growling.

"He's so cute and polite," Marlene Mckinnon said. "He obviously takes after you, Lily." she joked.

James made a face. "I'm polite."

"Sure. When your mother is around," Lily teased as she set Harry's plate in front of him. She watched him eagerly begin eating. She frowned. "Last night, you said you weren't hungry. I thought that meant you had eaten before you were sent here."

"I can't even remember when I last ate," Harry said through a mouthful of eggs.

Lily handed him a napkin. "Hmm." She shared a worried look with James. The owls descended and Lily eagerly opened the letter from her parents. "Just wait until I tell them about Harry. They will be so excited," she murmured. "Oh. Well, I figured this would happen." She said a moment later.

"What?" James asked, taking a sip of his pumpkin juice.

"Petunia is engaged to that Vernon Dursley."

Harry choked on his juice.

"Perfect couple if you ask me," James said, reaching over to pat Harry on the back. "Both are miserable people."

"You haven't even met them," Lily pointed out.

"You've told me enough." James shrugged.

"They're both gits," Harry spoke up. "And Petunia looks like a horse and Vernon a whale."

Now it was Sirius who choked on his food. He broke into laughter.

"Harry," Lily frowned. "That's not nice."

"Neither were they," Harry shrugged.

"Did – is that who raised you?" Lily's mouth dropped open. Her sister raised a magical child?

Harry nodded.

James clenched his fists. "Did they hurt you?"

Harry chewed thoughtfully. "They didn't hit me much, although their son did. But I had to chores all the time, cooked for them, lived in the cupboard under the stairs, and only sometimes got to eat. And Vernon would yell at me a lot and sometimes threw me into the wall or into my cupboard."

"I'll kill them," Sirius growled.

"They haven't done it yet," Remus reminded him. "And they won't. Right?"

"No, they won't," James said curtly. He was furious. He hadn't even met this Vernon fellow and he wanted to kill him. He looked at Lily, whose emerald eyes were flashing. Petunia had been horrible to her since she had received her Hogwarts letter and now to find out that she had done the same to their son...even if it was in a different time it was still upsetting.

"Don't worry, Harry," Lily said after a moment. "You won't ever have to see them. None of us will. You'll love my parents though. And James's parents."

Harry brightened. Grandparents?

"Your parents will take it more easily than mine." Lily told James as Harry happily ate his food. "It takes my parents a little longer to understand with magic and everything."

"I'll write my parents after we eat," James said, glancing at Harry. "It will do him good to see he has family that love him."

Lily eyes dimmed. "I can't believe even my sister would be cruel to her own nephew. One whose parents had died. How could she? If I could travel to Harry's time, I would -"

"Calm down, Lily," James chuckled. Lily was calm most of the time but if she ever truly lost her temper, watch out. "We don't have to deal with her in any time."

"True," Lily said. Her gaze softened as she watched Harry giggle over something Sirius was saying. She and James could make sure that Harry only knew love and kindness from now on.

HP

After breakfast, Lily had a meeting with the Gryffindor prefects so James was taking Harry outside for some fresh air. "A broom!" Harry said excitedly, racing to a broom that was lying on the ground. He picked it up, struggling a bit as it was a little heavier than he remembered. He started to mount it.

"Hold it, young man!"

Harry froze and looked over his shoulder at James, who was hurrying towards him.

"What do you think you are doing?" James asked with a frown. "That broom is too big for you."

"Huh?"

"You are a five year old," James took the broom from him. It was one of the school brooms, one of the players must have forgotten to put it away. "This broom is for older kids."

"I can fly it!"

"You're not allowed to," James said. "They make brooms for kids your age, we'll get you one."

"A kid's broom?" Harry wrinkled his nose. "But I can fly it." he insisted.

"No," James voice turned firm and knelt down to Harry's level. "You need to accept that you are not seventeen anymore. You are five. There are limitations to what you can do now."

"But -"

"Harry James," James said sternly. The thought of his son on a regular broom terrified him. Harry was so small, even for a five year old. And if he went up high and fell... "You're too little and it wouldn't be safe. Do you understand me? I'll get you an age appropriate broom. Okay?"

Harry sighed. He supposed he was too small... "Okay."

James ruffled his hair. "However, that doesn't mean you aren't allowed to fly with me."

Harry's eyes brightened.

James settled Harry in front of him as they sat on the broom. He murmured a sticking charm to keep Harry from falling and then guided the broom into the air. Harry sighed in contentment as they flew, the wind in his face and the feeling of freedom. He loved flying. "Do a trick!" he urged.

James laughed. One hand on the broom, the other holding Harry he flew in a loop and grinned when Harry let out a happy squeal. After a while, James spotted Sirius sitting at the bleachers. "Hey Pronglet, let's scare Sirius."

"Yeah!" Harry agreed excitedly.

Double checking that his son was secure, he flew straight at Sirius. "Hey Padfoot, head's up!"

Sirius's eyes grew wide as he saw James and Harry flying right at him and he threw himself out of the way, rolling on the ground. He scowled as James and Harry hovered above him, laughing. "Very funny." He grumbled as he got up.

"We scared you!" Harry said gleefully.

"I was not scared," Sirius sniffed. "Slightly alarmed."

"If you weren't scared, then why has some of your hair turned white?" James asked lazily.

Sirius's mouth dropped open. "What? I have white hair? Where?" he conjured a mirror and frantically began examining his reflection. When he heard James and Harry snicker, he threw them a mild glare. "Cruel. Both of you are cruel. Hey pup, when are you going get your own broom?"

"Tomorrow," James spoke up. He and Lily had received permission to go to Hogsmeade even though it wasn't the usual weekend to go. "You, Remus and Peter have permission to come with us."

"Yeah? Brilliant!" Sirius grinned and Harry grinned back, excited at the thought of going to Hogsmeade.

"You'll have to make sure you don't leave our sight, no wandering off," James said.

"Aw, pup will be good," Sirius said, ruffling Harry's hair.

"I was talking to you." James smirked.

Harry broke into giggles at the affronted look on Sirius's face.

HP

"It's so brilliant we get to go to Hogsmeade when it isn't a Hogsmeade weekend," Sirius said as he, Remus, James, Lily and Harry set off for the village.

"Remember, you and I were allowed to go as extra protection for Harry," Remus reminded his friend. Peter had declined to going along with them, saying he needed to get some tutoring for Charms. Really, Remus suspected that Peter wasn't comfortable around Harry, who still glared at him.

"Yes, yes," Sirius said dismissively. "So Harry, what is first? Honeydukes? Quidditch shop? Zonko's?"

"Gladrags," Lily answered with an eye roll. "Harry needs clothes. And we'll go to The Playcastle as well." The Playcastle was a toy store and she couldn't wait to buy him toys and drawing supplies. He would need things to do when they were in class anyway. She also planned to pick up some workbooks for him, he needed to have academic lessons. He may have been seventeen but he wasn't anymore and she wanted his childhood to be as normal as possible for him. Plus from what Dumbledore suggested, he may start to forget things as his five year old mind takes over.

"I don't need toys," Harry spoke up. He didn't want them to spend too much on him. Plus he wasn't a child. He just looked like one. And felt like one. And sometimes acted like one...

James chuckled. "The toy store is for Sirius. He throws a tantrum if we don't go." he teased.

"Oi!" Sirius protested with a laugh.

Once in Gladrags, Lily immediately began looking through shirts. She held some up to Harry, gauging his size. "Do you like this one? How about that one?" She held out shirts for Harry's approval. "He'll also need shoes and socks." she said to James. "Underwear too."

"Mum," Harry felt his face heat up. How embarrassing.

James chuckled. "Come on, son. You and I will deal with the undergarments."

Lily rolled her eyes good-naturedly as Harry sighed in relief. After she had picked out a good assortment of shirts, she called Harry over to see what size trousers he was. By the time they were finished, there was a huge pile to be purchased.

Harry's eyes grew wide when he saw how much they were buying. "I don't need so much!"

"Yes you do. You need a full wardrobe," Lily said.

"You don't have to spend so much on me, I'm not worth -" Harry stopped talking and looked away. He could hear his aunt and uncle telling him he wasn't worth buying for.

"Harry, you are worth it," Lily said softly. She ran her hand through his hair. "You're very much worth it."

James knelt down. "You're our son, we provide for you. It pleases us to do so."

"It does?"

James nodded. "Who told you you weren't worth it? Petunia?"

"And Vernon," Harry shrugged. "They didn't treat Dudley that way though. But they loved him."

"Dudley?" Lily asked in confusion.

"Their son," Harry said.

James noticed the pained look on Lily's face. He gave her a reassuring smile before focusing back on Harry. "We love you."

"You really do?" Harry asked, hope swirling in his eyes.

"Yes, Pronglet," James pulled him in for a hug. "We really do."

HP

In the toy store Harry got to pick out books, toys, and drawing supplies.

"A potions kit?" James wrinkled his nose as Lily dropped one into their cart.

"A child's one. It's safe and makes candy," Lily winked at him. James didn't care for Potions but it was her favorite class after Charms.

"Makes candy? Maybe I'll get one," Sirius said, looking at the box with interest.

"Remus, look after your kid," James called across the room.

"Hey," Sirius complained. He winked at Harry. "Look, a Quidditch toy!" He picked up a figurine of a Quidditch player on a broom that flew around and then returned to you. "Pup, I'm totally getting you this!"

Harry grinned. Once again the first present Sirius got him was Quidditch themed. His eyes fell on a shelf of plushies, landing on one that reminded him of Hedwig.

Lily noticed and with a soft smile, took one of the owls down and handed it to Harry. "Would you like this, love?" She asked gently.

Harry reached out a hand and stroked the soft toy. "It's okay?"

"Of course," Lily said.

Harry hugged the toy to himself. He had never had a plushie before.

After the toy store, they did make a stop at the Quidditch shop where James bought Harry a child sized broom called the Starduster. It had safety charms on it so that it wouldn't fly too high or go too fast. At Honeydukes, Harry got to pick out some candy but it was Sirius who had to be reigned in.

"Come on, Padfoot. It's not like we don't have a Hogsmeade weekend coming up soon," Remus said in exasperation as he put back some of the sweets Sirius had put in his basket. "Don't buy out the store."

Sirius shrugged. "I need the energy."

"How is it the five year old is the better behaved one of the two?" James joked.

Sirius shrugged sheepishly, causing Harry to laugh. He enjoyed seeing Sirius like this, so unburdened of being a convict and imminent threat of war. And Remus, much more confident and healthy, no grief and guilt in his eyes. He hoped they stayed that way, a second chance for them. Pettigrew though...the one everyone had underestimated. He didn't know if the rat would do something different with a second chance.

After having lunch at the Three Broomsticks, they walked down the street, their items shrunk down to fit their pockets when Harry froze. He could see Bellatrix Lestrange standing across the street and talking to someone.

"Harry? What's wrong?" Lily asked, following her gaze. She quickly stood in front of Harry, hiding him from Bellatrix's view in case she looked over. Everyone knew Bellatrix was a devoted death eater and extremely dangerous. She may have already heard about Harry and they didn't want to risk her interest in him.

James, Sirius and Remus saw who Lily and Harry were looking at and stood protectively in front of them. "Let's go," James said in a tense voice, taking Harry's hand in his. They walked swiftly and didn't relax until they were a good distance away.

"What was she doing in Hogsmeade? I thought she spent all of her time in Knockturn Alley." Sirius grumbled.

"I'd rather not know," Remus said.

"I take it you know who she is," James said, looking down at Harry.

Harry nodded. "She killed Sirius right in front of me," he whispered. "My fifth year."

Lily gasped, Remus looked shocked and Sirius's mouth dropped open.

James inhaled sharply and picked Harry up, holding him close. "I'm sorry, Pronglet." he whispered back, nuzzling the side of Harry's head with his nose. "It will be different now, yeah? Second chance."

Harry nodded and laid his head down on James's shoulder. He yawned.

"Is he asleep?" Lily asked as they approached the castle.

James nodded. "I guess shopping took a lot out of him." He chuckled.

"Can you imagine being five and worried that your parents were spending too much money on you?" Lily asked in a sad voice. "Or being told you aren't worth buying for? It makes me so angry that Petunia and her oaf of a fiancé would treat him that way. How could they? And somehow I think my sister would do it again."

"You aren't responsible for your sister," James said as they climbed the stairs to Gryffindor Tower. "If she is just as nasty as she was in Harry's other reality, then she won't be a part of our lives. Either way, Harry won't be hurt by them again."

They unshrunk their items and Lily hung up Harry's new clothes. The elves had delivered a dresser for Harry and small cabinet for his books and toys. James settled Harry on his bed, taking his glasses off and covering him with a blanket. Lily placed his plushie next to him and then stood with James as they gazed at their sleeping child.

"I love him so much," Lily said, leaning back into James embrace. It had only been a few days of having Harry in their lives but she felt so connected to him. She truly did love him already.

"Me too," James dropped a kiss on top of her head. "I also love you so much."

Lily gave a light laugh and turned around to kiss him. "I love you too, James." she said softly. She giggled as James nuzzled her neck, planting kisses.

"Ugh, gross."

Surprised, James glanced over and saw Harry awake and gazing at them with blurry eyes. He laughed. "Sorry."

"We didn't mean to wake you," Lily said, amusement in her voice.

Harry just closed his eyes and snuggled his owl closer to him as he drifted back to sleep.

TBC: