"Back then..." Harry remembered what Lily had said before. "Dad, back then, were you...?"
He pressed his lips together, unable to continue. His gaze began to drift, and he even felt a little regretful. Perhaps he should not have brought it up.
There was too much he wanted to ask, yet he feared that the answers he was about to hear would leave him not knowing how to face them.
"About this..." Sirius Black interjected. "Harry, how about we wait until your holiday? If you still want to know about these things then, I'll tell you slowly."
"Yes!" Remus Lupin added. "No matter whom you want to ask, we'll tell you everything in full."
"Padfoot, that's a little too sly of you!" James Potter said. "How can you explain something like this for me before I get the chance?"
"Prongs?" Sirius Black and Remus Lupin called out, their expressions turning complicated.
What they wanted most, at least for now, was for Harry's image of his father to remain a largely lofty and positive one.
James Potter raised a hand and waved it. "Padfoot, Moony, I understand what you mean."
"But I don't think we should keep putting off what Harry wants to know. Since he's already asked about it, I should explain it clearly myself."
He turned to Harry. "Harry, I think Lily must have told you... what we did to Snape back at Hogwarts."
"Yes!" He nodded heavily, his tone carrying a certain resolve. "I was the one who took the lead in doing those things. Remus Lupin often tried to stop me."
"Prongs!" Sirius Black called out. "If you're going to admit it all, there's no need to take all the blame onto yourself."
He shrugged, his low voice gaining a touch of awkwardness. "I took the lead