Prologue to "Harry Potter and The Order of The Phoenix"
Disclaimer: Do I look like J.K. Rowling? I mean, come on, I'm American for one thing. Therefore I am not the creator of Harry Potter. Nor am I a
member of the staff of Warner Bros. or Scholastic. Therefore I am affiliated with Harry Potter and Company only in my dreams. However, I do
own Melody, Faith, Grace, Alan, Hope, Joy, Jamie and the like.
Author's Note: Unfortunately I do live vicariously through my characters. This idea has been running around in my head forever. Most of it's from
Harry's 3rd person POV, but every now and then there's a different one.
All quotes are from Garth Brooks' "Scarecrow".
Last minute FYI: As of June 21st, 2003, this story will cease to be in cannon. I do realize this, and can't, of course, tweek it as it is a fifth year story. I will neither tweek this, my sixth or seventh year stories. They will follow the cannon I have created here. So look at it as a trip
into an alternate reality, all righty?
Dedication: To Grace, for letting me dissect her character, analyze her
personality and replace the parts of her I didn't like.
"There's a moment that we all come to,
In our own time and our own space,
Where all that we've done we can undo,
If our heart's in the right place..."
Melody Caulfield felt much older than her thirty-seven years. In fact, she'd felt much older than she really was ever since she'd moved to Texas. She hadn't always felt this old. In fact, there was a time when she felt
much younger than her real age. She had done her best to repress those
years.
The Letter had come at precisely two a.m. Central/Standard time. It was a hot muggy night, a standard for Texas summers, but she had no trouble falling asleep. She hadn't heard the tapping that announced The Letter's arrival, but her eldest daughter, Faith, so used to the tapping, had awoken from her light slumber to retrieve it. Grace would have retrieved it, had she not slept like her father, with the firm belief that unless it was life threatening it could wait until morning.
She had brought it to Melody slightly curious. The only letters Melody ever received this way, were all from Faith and Grace's school, and most of them came during the school year, telling the woman of her eldest child's newest antics, as Faith's favorite pastime was getting into trouble. The ebony-haired girl always insisted that she didn't go looking for trouble, it simply found her, but Melody knew the truth. Just like her father, Faith couldn't resist an adventure, and trouble usually happened during those.
Waving the pajama clad girl back into her bedroom, which she shared with her younger sister, Melody padded into the living room, turning on the lamp behind the sofa. Studying the scrawl on the envelope, she prayed it wasn't who she thought it was. Once she saw the signature at the bottom of The Letter, there was no denying it. It was him and hazel eyes began to tear at the first words.
Hell-Cat,
I know this is unexpected. I didn't expect myself to be writing this letter. Unfortunately, I've no time for formalities. I'm writing to ask you to come back to England. If this were not of up most importance I would not think of asking you to come back because of all the pain it would bring you to remember the old times.
Voldemort is back. Dumbledore is calling the old crowd into action. As you know, many of us are dead, but I promised to make a valiant effort to retrieve you. You were an intricate player in the original battle, and we're going to need you again.
If I know you like I think I do, you are currently thinking "But how?". Well, that I have no answer for. Maybe I will one day, if Harry ever decides to share that information with us. Then maybe we might understand what he is going through, I hope.
I realize it is a lot to ask you to pack up and move, especially without your family. However, I can accommodate your needs. I understand your have married and have children? Please, bring them all. Your husband and three youngest may feel slightly uncomfortable, being as they are Muggle, but they will be welcomed.
When you come, if you leave behind the three youngest and your husband, please bring the girls. Heaven knows how they've been missed. I still dream of the last time I caught Faith with her hand in the cookie jar, face covered in chocolate and eyes shining with mischief.
I eagerly await your arrival. I am surprisingly anxious to see you again.
Friends Forever and Marauder 'Til I Die,
R.L. Moony
Melody ran a hand through her gray-streaked mahogany hair as she re-read The Letter for the fourth time. I eagerly await your arrival. Not, I eagerly await your reply, or I hope to see you, but I AWAIT. How could she say no? That it was too hard to go back there? That no matter how much she wanted to help, it hurt too much?
She couldn't. It was as easy as that. She had left him. He had been left all his life, and she had been the worst. Being there for so long, and leaving when he undoubtedly needed her the most. Not even her own fear and doubt and the need for hope, could excuse that. And now he was asking her to come back. She couldn't say no. But she couldn't leave her family either and she certainly couldn't bring them. Especially Faith, she could fall in love before everyone was off the plane.
She was stuck. She couldn't go, she couldn't stay. There was no way out of this one. Melody's mind was hung on this question as the front windows burst open and figures shrouded in blackness emerged.
"Something's not right if there ain't nothing wrong,
It's got me wondering, why ain't I running,
Why ain't I gone..."
Privit Drive was uncommonly quiet today. On a normal day the sound of children laughing and carrying on would sound down the street, tapping at
his window in a mocking way. But today, no one was there, minus one
forgotten boy. Today everyone was in town, at the fair, no one would
notice the dark headed boy who didn't smile was missing.
With the Dursley's in town, Harry Potter was the closest he'd been to enjoying himself in a long, long time. He was alone, really alone, for the first time all summer. He was supposed to stay with Mrs. Figg, but she was apparently out of town. Uncle Vernon had reluctantly let him stay there by himself, but muttered something along the lines of "blowing up the house in a fit of lunacy" the whole way out.
Harry could do pretty much whatever he pleased with them gone. He was checking his potions essay, a Hermione-induced habit, when Hedwig arrived with a letter. It was from Dumbledore, telling him that Mrs. Weasley and Ron would be arriving August first to pick him up from number four so he could spend the rest of the summer at the Burrow. It went on to ask him how he was and inform him of the latest happenings in the Wizarding world.
Harry petted Hedwig for a moment before standing and stretching. Suddenly feeling very tired, Harry stretched out on the bed. Never mind going to the Weasley's, never mind writing back to Dumbledore, never mind the questions that raced about his head. He sank into a dreaming sleep.
"Whoever said it was a man's world,
Don't know what he's talking about..."
"Stupid, show off, Death Eaters," was the only thing to come out of the woman's mouth as she grabbed her wand. For the second time tonight she was
glad she and Alan hadn't had sex.
Apparently, there was something that could awake Grace from her comatose- like sleep. An invasion of deadly men with wands. She and Faith flew into the living room with the expertise of men trained for combat. Faith flipped a winged back chair onto two Death Eaters while Grace moved the couch in front of the windows with a mere thought to block the flow of traffic. They handled the situation as only two girls who'd been trained by a former Auror could have.
As Melody flipped one man (if Death Eaters could be called that) over her back she yelled at her eldest. "Faith! Get your father and the kids out of here!" With that order the girl threw the men out of her way and raced towards her little sisters' room. A strangled cry erupted from her throat and was soon followed by multiple curses.
She forced her mind away from the pictures forming in her mind and concentrated on the fight. She'd always had an amazing ability to stay focused during a hostile fight. Her friends had always said she was a bad one to cross.
It was amazing how fast time flew when one was concentrating on the enemy. So amazing that when Melody looked over to Grace, she saw Faith was already back, resorting to primitive measures and throwing a Death Eater out a window. There was a reason Faith had not been named Grace. She did not hold that virtue in high esteem. She was a troublemaker, and the current state of rage on her face showed that she did not take things like this lightly.
Grace's face was taut and the heat showed on her face despite her deep tan. Saying that Faith had the advantage in battle wouldn't be lying, but Grace could hold her own, and she was giving those old men a run for their money, simultaneously kicking one and cursing another.
One drop kick out the only window in the room that hadn't been shattered (which was three feet off the ground) and six curses later, every Death Eater was incapacitated and unconscious.
Carefully surveying the damage to property, Melody observed there was nothing she couldn't fix with a good Reparo Charm, which she had mastered during her school years. She glanced at Grace; all her abrasions were just that, surface wounds that would heal up quickly and were most likely backfire from curses. Faith's wounds were a bit deeper. A gash on her jaw and a wound on her stomach which was seeping blood through her white ribbed tank. Closing her eyes and concentrating on her own body, she guessed she only had a few bruises.
"How are your father and the kids?" Melody's eyes were still closed so she did not see her oldest hold her breath for a moment and close her own eyes. Faith's answer was a whisper she would never forget.
"Dead."
"Blood is thicker than water,
But love is thicker than blood..."
Harry awoke in a sweat. Those poor people, in such a short time frame they had lost so much. Harry could hardly breath for the pain that had centered
in his chest. They lost a father, a husband, sisters, daughters, a brother, a son. He knew so much about this family that it scared him. He knew their names. The father had been Alan, his two young daughters Hope
and Joy, and his only son Jamie. The girls were Faith and Grace, their
mother Melody.
Harry thought about the last three. The only survivors of the attack.
Melody with her gray-streaked dark brown hair and wise hazel eyes. Her age showed, but when in action, she moved as someone half her age would. Faith with her wild midnight curls and passionate gray eyes, a familiar face and the attitude of a caged tiger. Grace, the last, and now youngest with her golden hair, falling out of her hair-tie and golden eyes that radiated how calm her natural personality was.
But Harry knew more than that. He knew that Melody had been an Auror for a few years when she was younger. He knew that Faith didn't understand how come she looked so different from everyone in her family, and that she didn't see how her temperament could be so different. He knew that Grace didn't always understand her older sister's moods, or her mother's sad, wise eyes.
He knew that Faith's calling card was trouble. No matter what happened, or where it was, if she was in the same town, most people automatically assumed it had been her. Grace was the sweet and demure one, but when you rubbed her the wrong way she would lash out. And he knew that Melody pulled out an old box of Wizarding photographs every October thirty-first.
Harry got out of the bed and went over to his desk, sitting down with a thump. He pushed aside his essay and pulled out a new sheet of parchment. He needed to write Dumbledore about this.
Professor Dumbledore,
Sir, pardon my lack of formalities. I have had another dream and I believe you should know of it. You see, it started after I laid down for a quick nap--
An hour later Harry was still writing. This could quite possibly be the longest letter he had ever written. He put in every detail he could think of, from what time it had started to the color of the carpet, and the wood floors. At six-thirty, when he was called downstairs by his Aunt's sharp voice, he was writing a letter. Of course it wasn't to Dumbledore anymore. No, this one was to Sirius. He was going to tell him about the dream too.
On a normal occasion Harry would be reluctant to share his dreams. He was reminded of a story about locust and Egyptians from the days when his Uncle Vernon had thought that the Bible belt was a sure way to squash Harry's "strangeness". It seemed it wouldn't leave him until he stretched his resources to their farthest extent. Besides, he was anxious to figure out why Faith seemed so familiar.
"She sits among the pieces of broken glass and photographs,
Reluctantly releases the last of what was her past..."
Four days had gone by. Faith couldn't ever remember feeling this alone, or this much responsibility. Her mother had gone completely "non-liner" as one of her cousins had put it, and while Grace tried, she wasn't ready to take on much yet. So it was up to her. Luckily, she'd found the letter
her mother had received just a few short hours before the attack.
Tomorrow, they were going to England. This Moony person had agreed to pick them up from the airport. Everything was settled, except for one thing. Everything had been packed and shipped to her aunt's house. Everything they needed anyhow. She'd been the only one to step inside the house since the authorities had arrived that night.
Asking her mother and sister if they wanted anything that wasn't necessary, she received a short list. A box of pictures and her dad's favorite shirt for Mom. Her diary and photo albums for Grace. Faith had only taken her guitar, a gift from Alan, and CD's.
Grace hadn't been too happy when she heard that Faith wasn't going to let her go back to their old school, but Faith insisted that now was a time for family, and there were going to be no arguments about it. Her younger sister had reluctantly agreed, realizing that there was nothing she could do to change Faith's mind.
Faith sat on the lawn in front of the house. She had meant to go inside. She had meant to say goodbye one more time, but emotions ran rampant within her and she couldn't bring herself past the front bushes. So many memories were here, she remembered each, fingering her wand made of phoenix feather core, white ash wood, eight and three-quarter inches.
The time she'd busted her knee when her childhood friend Blake dared her to jump off the roof. Receiving her letters to school and Grace receiving hers. The jokes about Headmaster Dumbledore's insistence that they attend Hogwarts.
All the teasing the little ones had put up with. The thunderstorms that knocked out the power and made all the kids run to her bed, where she and Grace told them stories about school. She couldn't remember the number of times she'd told them the story of Harry Potter and how he'd saved the Wizarding world from a very bad Wizard named Voldemort. And the newest memory.
Watching them all die.
Hope. Joy. Jamie. Her father. Not being able to save one of them. The memory had flashed through her mind a dozen times a day. Each time she fought off the tears. Her face had been set in stone. She would never cry. Not even for the good memories.
And now she had to get rid of it all for her mother and sister's sanity.
She had to get rid of it for her own sanity.
Her next movements seemed rushed. She pushed herself off the ground and ran down the gravel-strewn driveway. Once she was beside her old Chevrolet, she blew the house a kiss. "Goodbye guys," she whispered, before pointing her wand at the house and whispering Incendio.
"Sometimes I tell you the way that I feel,
I swear that I'm going crazy,
Keep telling myself it ain't that big a deal,
It's better than pushing up daisies..."
Remus touched the picture lovingly. It was old and wrinkled, but it was the only one he had kept over the years. He hadn't been willing to part
with it, not even for Harry's album of his parents. It was his fondest
memory, of a time when things were far more innocent. Himself, James, Sirius, Lily, Arabella and Melody. Peter was... he forgot where Peter was.
Wasn't it he who took the picture?
Remembering always made him sad. Because then he remembered that nothing had turned out how it was supposed to. James and Lily hadn't stayed alive and raised their son, and the dozen and a half other kids he and Sirius had been betting on. He hadn't seen Arabella since James and Lily's funeral. Peter had turned out to be a disappointment. Melody's dreams were gone, she still had Faith and Grace, but everything else had fallen apart. And then Sirius... It wasn't wise to even think about going there.
"Arrival. Flight 227 from Houston, Texas, United States."
Remus hastily put the picture into the pocket of Sirius' pants. Muggle clothing was such a pain. Luckily Sirius wore it so well, or Remus would have been very suspicious looking.
The crowds were unbelievable. Everyone was rushing foreword to hug the person who was arriving home or for a visit. The ones who weren't embraced rushed off with phones attached to their ears, checking their watches, late for something. Everyone knew who they were looking for, and Remus wasn't even positive the ones he was looking for were coming.
Then he saw them. If it hadn't been for Faith's determined face, he never would have known it was them. Her curls bounced as she walked foreword, one lean arm around her mother's body and the other hand holding Grace's hand. This was undoubtedly the little girl he once watched dump a mud pie in James' lap and then act as if she hadn't done it.
"Melody! Faith! Grace!"
Melody stopped and stared straight at the thin figure that was himself. Then, rushing foreword, she embraced him as if she had never left. "Hell- Cat," Remus whispered, brushing her hair back.
Faith nodded to him from over her mother's head, "Mr. Lupin."
Remus chuckled at her formality, "Darling, I changed your diaper on more than one occasion. I believe that constitutes in calling me Uncle Moony, or at least Remus." Faith raised a dark eyebrow. "Now, where's your luggage?" Faith almost grinned at that.
"Shrinking Spell of course. We don't have much." Faith reached into her sweater pocket and revealed what appeared to be five, tiny trunks. Remus was about to wonder aloud how three people who'd once been members of a seven person family with a regular home could have so little.
"Faith burned the house down," Grace whispered, looking carefully up at him. When Remus turned a wondering eye on her, Faith just looked right back.
"We all do what we have to in order to stay sane."
Somewhere down the line Remus would look back on those words and finally understand how far Faith sometimes had to go to keep her sanity. However today was not that day. Today, he simply nodded as if he understood and led them all down to the car he had rented.
"I'm taking you to a friend's house in a little while. There's the whole lot of us staying there, he's even got a few of his sons camping in the backyard." When he received no response, he settled himself back for a very long ride.
***
This certainly hadn't been what he expected. For one thing, they were two days early. For another, the wrong people were picking him up. And she
was there. Faith. The one from his dream.
On the bright side he was getting out of the Dursley's house early and he got to be entertained by Faith's temper. She was livid when Uncle Vernon hadn't let them in to see him. Harry had become interested, and peeked out the window next to the door and was surprised to see Professor Lupin and Faith. He was even more surprised by what happened next.
"Look dude, I don't know who you think you are, but I am not in a good mood. I suggest you let us in before I become very angry. Because let me tell you this, it won't be pretty if I do." The look that came over Uncle Vernon's face was very welcome. It was one Harry hadn't seen since he was eleven. Sheer terror. The thought of the girl who stood on the stoop of Number 4 Privit Drive causing terror in anyone was almost laughable; she couldn't be causing terror.
Lust maybe, but not terror. For the girl on his front stoop was a full- blown woman, and he'd heard three car horns honk since the doorbell had rung. He thought that only happened in the movies.
Vernon's strangled 'boy' came next and Harry went dutifully to his side. "Yes, Uncle Vernon, sir?"
"These two are here to see you." The old man stepped aside to reveal the two he had been studying.
"Hullo there Harry, sorry I didn't tell you I was coming early."
Harry smiled at Professor Lupin. "That's all right Professor. Come in. Who's your friend?" Harry knew who she was of course, Lupin knew that he knew but he didn't want to have to explain to her that he had seen one of the most traumatic moments of her life.
"This is Faith Caulfield. I am good friends with her mother and father. Faith, this is Harry Potter." Faith nodded, almost smiling.
"I know who he is Remus. Who doesn't know who he is?"
"The Queen Mum?" Harry offered helpfully. Remus gave a weak laugh but Faith didn't even crack a sarcastic 'har har'.
"Um, Harry, where are your things?" Lupin stretched the collar of the already too-big shirt.
"Upstairs, help me with them?"
Harry and Professor Lupin returned a moment later, to find Dudley talking long-windedly with- or rather at, Faith, who seemed to suddenly find her fingernails very interesting. When she heard Remus clear his throat loudly she looked up and smiled mockingly.
"Well, Dursley, can't say this has been pleasant," she said to Vernon, then patting Dudley on the head like a dog, she said, "See you around kid."
***
Harry hadn't expected the conversation to be stimulating, but he had
expected conversation. He didn't get any unless talking to Professor Lupin. In other words, he was very glad to be out of the car and at The Burrow. The first thing he spotted was actually rather funny. Three red heads were spinning around in circles, their arms high above their heads and holding what looked like rather large potatoes above them. Ron and the
twins had gotten in trouble again.
He then spotted Hermione lying on her stomach, feet kicked up into the air, reading. No surprise there. Then there was Ginny. She was sitting amidst the flowers in her mother's garden, scratching a big black dog behind his ears. The dog was seemed happy and licked her hand whenever she scratched her nose. Harry continued walking towards the house and suddenly turned back around.
"Wait a second", he whispered, "when did the Weasley's get a dog?" He spun around, dropping his trunk, thankful that Remus had Hedwig. "Sirius!" he yelled, running over to where Ginny sat. The dog turned into a person and grinned at the boy running over. Doing something he had never done before he flung himself onto his Godfather.
"Harry, you've grown!" Sirius hugged him back and ruffled his hair, "Soon you'll be taller than the house elves!"
"Oh, haha. Don't let Hermione here you say that."
The group had followed Harry over. Melody was staring at Sirius with wide eyes. Harry wouldn't have even known it except that he was facing the woman, so he didn't know how Sirius knew she was there. Because he did. He began to whisper,
"Mella Bella, Sahara girl, You look like the stars, I'll kiss you on Mars."
Faith then narrowed her eyes and finished the poem.
"Faith, Just you wait, One day when your grown, The boys will be lining up to see you, you know.
"Grace, You ace, Simple and sweet, One day they'll all lay down at your feet."
For the first time all day Melody spoke. "Go away," she said tearfully, and ran back to the car.
"Melody! Don't--" Sirius had jumped up to run after her but Remus held him back.
"No use going after her Padfoot and you know it."
Sirius shook his head. "That doesn't mean I have to like it, Moony."
"I never said you did. But you have to give her time."
"How did you know that poem?" Faith asked suddenly, "Mom sang that to Grace and I when we were younger."
Sirius stared down at her and brushed her hair behind her ear, revealing a healing cut on her jaw. "Wrong. I hate to shatter your perfect little world--"
Faith cut him off, stepping back. "What perfect little world would that be? In case Remus didn't tell you, my father, two of by little sisters and my little brother are dead."
"Wrong again. But I digress, I used to sing you that song." Faith's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"I don't believe you. I don't know who you are or what you did to my mother but you'd best not let her see you again. She's very easily upset." She then turned around and stalked off, leaving Grace to stare between her retreating figure and Sirius.
She looked up at him with big eyes. "Someone's not telling us something. And when Faith finds out what it is, she's going to be very angry." Those words in a solemn tone were all she said as Grace turned and walked after her sister.
Harry scratched his head. "Okay. What happened here?"
"Welcome to my life," Remus sighed, "Get used to it."
"You just don't tell a girl like that goodbye..."
An hour later everyone was settled. Melody was staying in what was usually Ginny's room. Remus and Sirius were in the twin's room, and Mrs. Weasley had tried to get Grace and Faith to stay in Ron's room, however they both declined. Faith assured her that they were more apt for a night under the stars than the two boys were, which Harry had to admit, he resented. So Ginny and Hermione took Ron's room, leaving Ron and Harry to sleep outside with the Weasley boys, minus Percy, and the two Caulfield girls.
Later that afternoon, Faith practically forced Grace to accept Ginny and Hermione's invitation for a walk, which the older girl refused. She was going for a wade in the stream. Ginny warned her about the fish that bites toes.
So at precisely one twenty-five everyone was in the following places. Faith was down at the stream, feet in the water, reading a book. She humored the Weasley twins and pretended she didn't notice the acorns dropping onto her head. Ginny, Hermione and Grace were sitting in the garden, which was still slightly inhabited by gnomes. Bill and Charlie were in the living room, talking quietly. Mrs. Weasley was cooking something, as she always did when nervous. Mr. Weasley sat at the table, reading the paper. Percy was in his room working on something, no one was suicidal enough to ask what precisely. Sirius and Remus were in the twins' room, the latter trying to keep the former from doing something stupid. Melody was asleep one floor below in Ginny's room, and Harry and Ron were playing chess.
"So, why do you think you saw it happen?" Ron asked quietly, moving his pawn foreword a space, putting Harry's king in check.
"I don't know. But something odd is going on, and no one is willing to tell me everything. And I'm not just talking about what's happening with those girls and their mother and Sirius. Why is everyone home?" Harry asked seriously. He'd moved his king out of check, only to be put back in check two moves later.
"I wish I knew. But it has been rather wicked having Sirius and Professor Lupin around the last few days. They've told me a few stories, things that would make Fred and George green with envy." Ron smiled evilly and moved his queen. "Checkmate, Harry." The other boy stared at the board.
"How do you do that?"
Dinner was a far from normal affair. Not that it was ever normal at the Weasley's house.
Melody wasn't feeling well, so she didn't come down to eat. Fred and George were still throwing things at Faith, only now she caught them and threw them right back. She and George were currently using a roll as a tennis ball. Ron kept sneaking glances at Hermione, who was talking to Grace and Ginny. And then, of course, Ginny had bumped into him twice and dropped a basket of rolls, which Grace caught before disaster ensued. Ginny had a new hero it appeared. She and Grace sat side by side whispering to one another when Hermione wasn't talking to them. Sirius was at the end of the table, the opposite end at which Faith sat, with Remus, and was blatantly sulking.
He wondered how long all this was going to go on.
And when Ginny would notice she had her elbow in the butter dish again.
"Every now and then when the world,
That we're living in is crazy..."
The next morning brought a surprise to all. Melody came downstairs... with Sirius. Faith blanched at the sight and Grace bit her lip in thought. She then bent to Ginny's ear, whispering feverishly about something that no one could hear. Harry was beginning to think they'd worked out some spell that
prevented everyone from hearing their secrets.
The fact that Faith moved beside her mother and stared at Sirius as if he were a criminal (which many thought he was) greatly upset Fred and George. They were apparently becoming very fond of her and this new distraction was not appreciated. What happened next would have caused alarm in many, had they all not been so distracted with other things. Fred whispered something to George, George nodded, and they left the room.
Bill and Charlie entered, replacing the two red-heads who had left. Mrs. Weasley set their breakfast before them. They ate. Ginny and Grace left. Hermione and Ron began to bicker. This was not an uncommon occurrence anytime of day, let alone meals when there were things to throw at Hermione in case Ron began to loose ground.
"Ron! The reason I did not go to Bulgaria has nothing to do with whether or not my parents would let me go. It has everything to do with the fact that I don't want to leave you and Harry alone. Heaven knows without me you'd both be dead a good seventeen times over."
"I think your lying," Ron said in the most melodious voice he could manage.
"I am not! How dare you accuse me of lying. I should-- I should--"
"You should what? Prefect Badge me to death?" Ron gave her a grin that would have made Harry uneasy had he not been concentrating on what was happening across from him.
Faith was staring at Sirius; Remus was staring at her; Sirius was staring at Melody, and Melody was staring at her food. All together it was quite a tangled web. Every now and then Faith would look at Remus with an accusing glare and then stare at her plate for a moment. Or perhaps Melody would eat a small bite of eggs. But other than that, nothing was really changing. They could have been a painting; well, a Muggle painting.
The sudden explosion from the backyard was highly unexpected.
Faith, ever the auror's daughter, jumped to her feet and raced out the door, after Harry and Ron who were closer to it. If they expected a Death Eater attack, or the beginning of an alien invasion, they were greatly disappointed. However, if they were expecting the Weasley Twins, covered head-to-toe in soot and grinning at having caught Faith's attention, then you could only shake your head and try not to laugh.
No matter how amused by the situation, Faith was quite the opposite, times two. "Never," she said angrily, "never, do something like that again. I like mischief just as much as the next kid, but I can't deal with unknowns!"
***
Things happen that make you forget everything else. So when Harry entered
the kitchen with Ron for lunch, he didn't expect the "Surprise!" that greeted him. There were balloons. There were presents. There was a cake. There were hats for Gryffindor's sake. If Harry wasn't mistaken, this was
a birthday party. And this was his birthday, which he had forgotten.
A shocked "Wow!" was all Harry could say until he'd been passed around the room, shaken hands with all the boys, been hugged by all the girls and kissed on the cheek by a suddenly courageous Ginny Weasley. All in all it was a rather pleasant experience.
"You really didn't have to do this," Harry finally managed to get out.
Ron grinned. "We figured you didn't get too many party's from the Dursleys. Plus, there was no way we were going to turn the girls down. Faith says Grace hasn't grinned like that in ages." Someone bestowed upon Ron his hourly head whacking. Everyone was surprised to see it had been Grace.
"Honestly Ron. No wonder Hermione's going crazy."
"What did I do?" Ron was rubbing the back of his head and staring down at the younger girl.
"He wasn't supposed to know who's idea it was idiot," Ginny hissed. Thus ensued the first squabble Harry had ever seen Ron in with anyone besides Hermione. And it was very long winded.
An hour later, when Grace had finally had enough of Ron muttering names under his breath about she and Ginny, the aforementioned smashed her half eaten cake into his face. Yet another hour later, when the entire party was covered with cake, ice cream, and eggs, which the twins had gladly supplied right into Faith's hair, Harry was pretty sure he liked birthdays.
***
Yet one more surprise was still to come for this day. Harry, Faith and Grace had all been summoned to the kitchen by Melody and Sirius. Grace was
nervously clutching her older sister's hand.
"What do you think they want to talk to us about?" Harry asked, looking at the sixteen-year-old.
"I don't know Harry. But Mom's been acting really strange all day."
"Oh, so you mean she doesn't normally stand by my Godfather's side all day?" Harry asked sarcastically.
"No," Grace said casually, smiling hesitantly at the two. As soon as she finished, Melody and Sirius entered, Melody holding a photo album.
"We have something to tell you," Melody said, sitting down.
"You've probably been wondering what has been going on lately. You mother acting so strangely towards me. Hating me one second and then not being further than a meter the next."
"It's a rather long story really. You see--" Melody paused, "I don't really know how to say this."
"Mom, do me a favor and spit it out." Faith rolled her eyes dramatically.
"I'm your father," Sirius said blandly.
"All right, I can't say anyone was expecting that." Some dull part of Harry's mind found this very amusing.
"You forgot the Luke," Faith said casually.
"Ooh," Grace's eyes were big, "That explains a lot."
"Faith, he's serious." Melody gave her daughter a disapproving look.
"Of course he's serious. That's his name, isn't it?"
"Faith Esmerellda!" Harry was sure he'd never heard Sirius use that tone of voice.
Faith blanched. "Nobody calls me that!" She tried to sound angry, but was too shocked. "Not even Mom or Dad."
"He isn't your father." Sirius clenched his fist. "I am your father. I am the one who changed your diapers, once I learned how. I am the one who sang you to sleep. I am the one who took you to your first Quidditch match."
"Where have you been for the past fourteen years?" Grace whispered.
Sirius gave her a grim smile. "Azkaban."
"Oh."
"This isn't possible." Faith said stonily.
"Oh, it's perfectly possible. If you were to go to St. Mungo's, the hospital where you were born, the records would say your name was Faith Esmerellda Black-McKneer, born to Melody McKneer and Sirius Black. Grace's would read the same parents and her name would read Grace Cheyanne Black- McKneer." Faith didn't say anything to Sirius' statement; she simply stared.
"And Harry, I'm your Godmother," Melody's voice was quiet, "I-- once I learned of your parent's death, and that Sirius was being accused, I fled. I couldn't take it," she ran a hand through her limp hair. "You have to understand, when the father of your children is accused for the murder of your best friend and a man who was like your brother... it's hardly an excuse, but we all have our breaking points."
Harry nodded stupidly. 'So I've got a Godmother too. I wonder if this means I'll get to leave the Dursley's?' It suddenly occurred to Harry that he could voice that. "Does this mean I won't have to go back to the Dursley's?"
Melody bit her lip. "I hope so. In the event of Sirius' death or under any circumstances in which he could not fulfill his duties as master of the Black estate Faith was to take over it, as Sirius and I were never married. However, having left, no one's tended to it in years unless Moony's taken over." She looked to Sirius at this, wondering if their old friend had felt it his responsibility.
"He went there at the end of Harry's third year. Started cleaning up. But now that you're back, it falls into Faith's hands, as I am still a fugitive. Once she and Grace are in school it will be in your hands. Can you handle it? I can't stay there often."
Melody nodded. "It's time to take responsibility. Sirius, we're going to have to tell the girls everything though. Faith isn't going to like that we're leaving anything out."
"Damn right Faith isn't going to like it. But answer me this, were you in love?" Sirius turned to her and gave her what might be considered a silly smile.
"Yes, we were very much." Scratching his neck Sirius stared off into oblivion.
"Were?" Harry asked, eyeing the two.
Melody smiled hesitantly, stroking the photo album in front of her lovingly. She whispered something that sounded like 'Maybe we still are', but Harry had no time to focus on it. Shaking herself out of old memories, Melody pushed the album foreword. "These are from when we were in school, up until your parents death. Be careful, some of them are rather old."
"Our family never shared the same last name,
But our family was a family the same..."
Harry hesitantly pulled the album foreword and opened to the first page. He ran a finger lightly over the rim of the picture. It was his parents, Melody, Sirius, Remus, Arabella and Peter. They were smiling and laughing, obviously young and carefree. Every now and then James would kiss Lily, or Sirius would nuzzle Melody's neck, while Peter and Remus would make gagging
motions while Arabella would giggle, but they still maintained the same
air. Beneath the picture it read:
The Marauders: Prongs, Padfoot, Moony and Wormtail and Lily, Melody and Arabella: Official Whip Crackers.
Harry wasn't sure he wanted to know what whip crackers meant. Unfortunately, Faith did.
"Whip Crackers? Should we even ask?" Melody smiled at her eldest.
"Remus and Peter always teased your fathers about being whipped. Once Remus and Arabella started dating, she eventually recieved the title as well. I didn't know one vacation to America could be so disastrous."
"You were the one who said we should learn about other cultures. That it was important to understand other countries." Sirius pointed out this fact, hiding his amusement, "That and James said America was supposed to have an amazing club scene."
"You went clubbing?" A very shocked Faith stared at the adults before her.
"Yes. It was invented before you were alive I'll have you know." Sirius snickered, "The stories I could tell you..." A stupid smile crossed the man's face. "Faith did you know you were conciev--" Faith cut him off by covering her ears and singing an annoying song at a very loud decibel. Harry laughed and turned the page as Faith began to mutter about how "gross" it was.
First there was Melody and Lily, his mother, at eleven. They were grinning and had their arms around one another's necks. Below were his father, Remus, Sirius and Peter. The four boys were obviously in their first year, judging by the innocence on their faces.
Harry suddenly realized exactly what Melody was giving to him. His parents. They weren't just memories or wishes anymore. They were going to be people. He could see them grow up through these pages. Melody would share memories with him, along with Sirius as long as he was here. He would discover things he thought that he could never know. He could find out how his parents fell in love. How Lily and Melody had become best friends. And all he had to do in order to find out, was ask.
Harry reached up under his glasses and rubbed his eyes. Emotions had been over-overwhelming as of late, and this was just another brick added to the mound. As he rubbed his eyes Harry felt small arms wrap themselves around his neck and he leaned into Grace's side-hug.
"I've always wanted a big brother," she said quietly. That was the first time Harry realized that Grace was far more than she seemed at first sight.
***
Days flew by without Harry even realizing they were happening. When he
wasn't with Sirius or Melody, they were together apparently, which made
Grace and Faith very happy, even if Faith wasn't willing to admit it.
Remus was simply enjoying seeing the past come back to life, however he did squeeze in the occasional 'Melody Session' as he had dubbed them. He would tease her relentlessly about Sirius and remember old times. Reminiscing seemed to be one of their favorite hobbies.
Faith, Fred and George had settled into a comfortable pattern of pulling pranks, both on one another and with one another. Out of the three, Faith seemed to be on the receiving end most often. However the pranks pulled on George were, more often then not, the most embarrassing, including the time Faith pulled a quick invisibility spell so that he was clad in nothing but a pair of boxers which depicted volcanoes erupting.
Ginny and Grace were never without one another's company and Harry and Ron were beginning to believe they went to the loo together as well. The two would spend hours whispering in a corner of the living room over a stack of Teen Witch. These conversations were usually punctuated with an eruption of giggles.
Ron was continually with Harry. Though that was nothing new. However, Harry could not ignore the fact that Hermione was in their presence less than usual. Ron said it was because there were girls here now and she could talk to Faith about books, or hide with Grace and Ginny whenever Faith was on the warpath for Weasley Twin Blood. Harry had the sneaking suspicion that Ron wasn't telling him something. The adults however, were scarce.
Two nights earlier all the children were sent out to the backyard (this happening with Fred and George's insistence that they were of age and Faith exclaiming loudly that she could surely handle whatever was going to happen inside The Burrow). Surprisingly enough, Ron had been the only one paying attention to the windows, and heard three distinct poppings coming from the direction of the front room. Mentioning this to Harry and Hermione, he had pulled the two around to the front to listen in the bushes by the window. A well-placed silencing charm rid them of Hermione's indignant cries that they shouldn't be doing this.
Unfortunately a well placed silencing charm had also kept them from hearing what was happening inside The Burrow and the three retreated to the back. There George, Faith and Fred swore colorfully about the disgrace of it all.
They had tried everything possible to discover what had happened, but not even Ginny and Grace buttering up Bill had worked. So, as nothing was working properly, everyone eventually forgot about the unusual meeting and slipped back into daily activities.
***
Harry was amazed that he had managed to get both of his best friends into the same room without either fighting. Faith and Grace were another matter
entirely.
The two were arguing over where Faith was going to sit. Faith seemed to think Grace's lap was a perfectly acceptable spot, while Grace insisted the floor was much better. As Harry had called this small gathering, he was rather upset that his two God sisters were distracting everyone from the issue he wished to address.
"I don't bloody well care where you sit, Faith, as long as it's not on Grace or my head!" Faith smiled and dropped herself at Fred and George's feet. "Thank you! Now, I did call you all here for a reason, whether you realize it or not." Harry was surprised to find rapt attention apparent on everyone's face.
"I was thinking... well I mean it's not fair that-- what I mean is that we should--" Harry sighed, what a time for him to get stage fright.
Hermione jumped in. "He thinks we should form our own group to fight Voldemort," the fifth year Prefect rolled her eyes at Harry.
"Exactly, thank you Hermione. I think we should do our part in fighting Voldemort. Our parents, and siblings, and teachers are all doing their parts. I believe that several of them are taking up dangerous missions in order to help our side. I also believe that we should work with them, even if they don't realize we're the ones doing it.
"We could possibly enlist the help of some of the kids at Hogwarts, the ones who know and believe the truth. Let's face it, we're pretty much, how would you put it Faith, screwed on the national front? Each person has to be approached singly as to not arouse the attention of the Minister of Magic."
"Or in our case, our parents?" Grace asked.
Harry nodded. "Exactly. Who's in?" A chorus of affirmatives followed.
***
Faith found herself staring at a half-moon when she heard the rustling. She sat up slowly, turning her sleep-deprived head from side to side. She soon after heard a whispered 'no' and several cries of outrage. They were coming from over where Harry and Ron had camped for the night, beneath an oak tree. She crept silently out of her sleeping bag, glancing briefly at
Bill and Charlie on her left side, and Fred and George on the right.
Remembering that Grace had moved in with Ginny and Hermione she didn't
panic at the absence of her sister.
Body bent with a natural instinct to stay low to the ground when not wanting to be seen, she moved silently over to the boys and saw Harry thrashing about violently. She pulled him farther from Ron so that Harry would not awake the other boy. She grabbed his shoulders firmly and he startled awake, crying out.
"Shhh. Shh. It's all right Harry! It's me! It's Faith!" Harry stared at her wide-eyed and slowly relaxed under the familiar gaze.
"Oh. I'm sorry. Did I wake you up?" Harry whispered back huskily.
"No. I was already-- Harry, how long have you been having nightmares?" Faith's abrupt change of subject apparently threw the boy off track.
"A little while now."
One thing Faith had taken to quickly after learning the truth of her parentage and Harry, was the role of big sister. "How long is a little while Harry James Potter?" Faith's gaze was not to be denied and Harry sighed resignedly.
"A very long time." Faith's face broke and she brushed the fringe off Harry's sweat-matted forehead. Harry suddenly felt very calm under the cool hand of his God sister.
Harry felt himself drift off to sleep as she whispered, "Go back to sleep Harry Potter. I am here. I will protect you until I am no longer able."
"How do I need you, well can't you tell,
I need you like a penny needs a wishing well,
Baby, completely, wrapped up in you..."
Harry was wondering why he bothered. It was no use trying to get Hermione
and Ron to sit peacefully.
"Are you insinuating that I am stupid?" Ron asked point blank, and rather loudly.
"No, I am telling you!" Harry had never seen Hermione use less tact.
"Wait a second!" Grace's voice suddenly sounded from above the name- calling. Both red-faced fifteen-year olds turned to the younger girl. "What are you fighting about?"
"It's not my fault he's blind," Hermione said calmly. "We're fighting because he's a stupid, blind, ignorant prat!" Forget calm.
"Oh, in that case, please continue, we find this rather entertaining." Ginny said simply, leaning back in her seat. Harry was really beginning to wonder why he bothered.
***
"Hold the presses!" Faith jumped up and turned around much to George's dismay for he was about to dump a handful of dirt into her hair. "Where's
George? And put that dirt down where it belongs Fred."
"I am George. Fred is probably off snogging with Angelina. She and her parents stopped in for a visit today." George grinned.
"Who's Angelina?" Grace asked with interest.
"Angelina is... Angelina. She and Fred get on remarkably well," George laughed.
"Especially when they're snogging. Then Fred's hands can't get into any mischief," Ron gaffed.
"You have obviously never been involved in a major make-out session Ron Weasley." Faith smirked, "Because when you are involved in one, your hands tend to get into a lot of mischief."
"Faith! Little ears! Little ears!" George exclaimed, attempting to look scandalized while covering Ginny's ears.
"George!" was Ginny's indigent cry as she turned to glare at her brother.
"Uh-oh. See you later!"
***
Sometimes, as he lay awake at night or early in the morning, staring at the
ceiling, Harry wondered how he got into these situations. You know, the ones you don't want to talk about. Like running out of things to say to a
pretty girl. Or asking Cho to the Yule Ball in fourth year.
Harry was currently in one of these situations.
He wondered what deity thought it would be amusing to let Harry enter the bathroom at the exact moment Ginny Weasley stepped out of the shower. As if he didn't have enough going on, now they had to go and throw this in! First Melody, Faith and Grace. Then there was this thing with Voldemort (if one felt right about lowering something that could escalate into a war to a thing). Then there was processing what he was learning about his parents and whatever was going on with Ron and Hermione. He wondered why they found this the appropriate moment to reveal to him that Ginny Weasley wasn't just Ginny Weasley. That she wasn't just Ron's baby sister. Why had they decided now was a good time to inform him that she was a girl and had very feminine qualities like... like... like long legs!
"Damn!" Shut door quickly. Lean against wall. Hit self in head. Repeat. Repeat. Don't forget to breath! That's important!
"Harry?" Ron's voice came from in front of him, "What in Merlin's name is wrong with you?" There were no words to express what was happening inside various parts of Harry's mind. He simply pointed to the bathroom door, as if to say Ron had to find out for himself. The redhead did just that.
"Oh, sorry Ginny. I see what's wrong with Harry now."
Closing the door, Ron grabbed Harry's arm and pulled him up from the floor, where he had sunk. "Don't worry about it mate. We've all walked in on Ginny often enough. Just be glad she had a towel on."
Ten and a half steps had passed before Harry found the words he was looking for. "No towel. Girl." Now that sounded intelligent.
"What?" Ron stopped and turned to face Harry.
"She wasn't wearing a towel. And she's a girl. Ron, did you know your sister's a girl?" Harry smacked the heel of his hand to his forehead. Of course Ron knew that Ginny was a girl!
"Ah! You had the revelation I had about Hermione! Don't worry. You'll get used to the idea. Who knows, maybe she'll stop blushing now. There's nothing to do that hasn't been done... well, there is, but it's best not to go there..."
Harry tuned Ron out. He wasn't sure what to think of Ron comparing his Hermione revelation to Harry's one about Ginny. On one hand, the thought was completely horrifying. On the other... it wasn't so bad.
"There's two dates in time,
That they'll carve on your stone,
And everyone knows what they mean,
What's more important,
Is the time that is known,
In that little dash there in between..."
Harry was awoken rather abruptly by Faith landing on his stomach a week later. She was holding a ball with the number 13 on it. It appeared to be
a billiards ball.
"Harry, do you know how to work this funky Portkey?" She was turning it round and round, still sitting on Harry's abdominal.
"No, I don't. What kind of a word is 'funky'?" Harry tried to push her off, but simply gained another God sister, this one on his legs.
"Faith, it says we're supposed to hold them and then say Hogwarts." Grace's voice was a bit more distant, seeing as how she was farther away. Harry could now not only, not breath, he couldn't feel his legs either.
"Could you possibly, oh, I don't know, get OFF?!" Faith grinned down at him and jumped off him to land ungracefully on the floor. "Grace?" Grace reluctantly stood up and sat beside her sister. "Now, what's this nonsense about a Portkey?"
"Portkey-sss," Faith corrected him dramatically, dragging out the 's'. "We both received letters from Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confederacy of Wizards." She smiled. "He expressed his delight at the fact that Grace and I would finally be taking up our rightful places at Hogwarts this year and sent us these." She held out the thirteen ball in her hand and then dropped it into her lap. "He undoubtedly knew about our decision before I sent him the letter, Mom can't keep her trap shut about some things."
Sitting quietly, Grace took up where she had left off. "Faith however, was too excited to finish the letter, and ran off to find you before she had found the instructions which tell us to hold them and simply say Hogwarts, while concentrating on our destination." She turned on her sister. "You are an impatient little-- little-- impatient thing!" Faith found this immensely funny and collapsed into a fit of giggles on the floor. Grace rolled her eyes. "We've already told Mom and Sirius that we're going, we just thought you should know. I believe we're going to be sorted." Grace found this very exciting and smiled.
Harry nodded and ran his hand through his hair. "Faith, you really should listen to Grace before you go jumping on people, especially sleeping people." Faith shrugged and stood up.
"Well Mr. Potter, we're off. Tell everyone we'll be back soon." Harry had just enough time to notice that Grace's Portkey was the eight ball, then the girls announced 'Hogwarts' as one and vanished from sight.
Time and time again, Harry wondered how he had managed such an insane life. The day had flown by. Fred and George, while slightly upset that Faith had not been there to help them, managed to pull a series of spectacular pranks on Ron. Ginny was not seen, nor was Hermione, so it was safe to assume that the two had holed up in Ginny's room, hiding from the twins. Harry himself stayed with Sirius and Melody, as they told stories of their youth, and re-told a few of Harry's favorites. This included the one in which all four of the Marauders had been forced to run down to the Great Hall, completely starkers, in order to retrieve some kind of clothing from Melody and Lily.
It was nearly dinner time when Grace and Faith appeared, popping right in the middle of he and Ron's chess game, which had already been ruined once by the twins. Ron cursed loudly and Faith patted the top of his head.
"Don't be so sour Ron, you'll spoil you're good looks." She winked at him and turned merrily to Harry. "Well, go on, you know you want to ask."
"Am I looking at the two newest Gryffindors?" Faith and Grace nodded happily and a shout of joy came from the other room. Immediately afterwards, Fred and George came bounding in, hugging Grace and Faith, and then switching. Hermione and Ginny peered into the room hesitantly and then entered, carefully avoiding the identical celebrating redheads.
"What's going on in here?" Hermione finally asked.
"Grace and I are the newest Gryffindor's, but that's not important right now." She finally had enough of the twins hooting and hollering and did a bit of her own. "Would the two of you shut your stinking traps?" They both looked sheepishly at her and sat down. "Grace and I were considering the idea that was formed by Harry, Ron and Hermione a week or so ago, and we believe we have come up with a suitable name for our little vigilante group."
The four redheads, one brunette, and one raven-haired boy, looked at one another. Ron finally voiced the group's question. "That depends, what do you have in mind?"
"Thanks to Fawkes, we have come up with a very good name." Grace smiled joyously, bouncing on the balls of her feet.
The other six looked at them. "What is it?" Harry asked, grinning slightly.
"The Order of The Phoenix."
Fin/ To Be Continued...
Author's Note Part 2 (Yes, I still know what you did last summer...): Well, I sincerely hope you enjoyed my long-winded prologue. I still can't believe it. It's practically chaptered! It's ridiculous! Hopefully now my actual story will make some sort of sense once you read it. If anyone reads it...
Disclaimer: Do I look like J.K. Rowling? I mean, come on, I'm American for one thing. Therefore I am not the creator of Harry Potter. Nor am I a
member of the staff of Warner Bros. or Scholastic. Therefore I am affiliated with Harry Potter and Company only in my dreams. However, I do
own Melody, Faith, Grace, Alan, Hope, Joy, Jamie and the like.
Author's Note: Unfortunately I do live vicariously through my characters. This idea has been running around in my head forever. Most of it's from
Harry's 3rd person POV, but every now and then there's a different one.
All quotes are from Garth Brooks' "Scarecrow".
Last minute FYI: As of June 21st, 2003, this story will cease to be in cannon. I do realize this, and can't, of course, tweek it as it is a fifth year story. I will neither tweek this, my sixth or seventh year stories. They will follow the cannon I have created here. So look at it as a trip
into an alternate reality, all righty?
Dedication: To Grace, for letting me dissect her character, analyze her
personality and replace the parts of her I didn't like.
"There's a moment that we all come to,
In our own time and our own space,
Where all that we've done we can undo,
If our heart's in the right place..."
Melody Caulfield felt much older than her thirty-seven years. In fact, she'd felt much older than she really was ever since she'd moved to Texas. She hadn't always felt this old. In fact, there was a time when she felt
much younger than her real age. She had done her best to repress those
years.
The Letter had come at precisely two a.m. Central/Standard time. It was a hot muggy night, a standard for Texas summers, but she had no trouble falling asleep. She hadn't heard the tapping that announced The Letter's arrival, but her eldest daughter, Faith, so used to the tapping, had awoken from her light slumber to retrieve it. Grace would have retrieved it, had she not slept like her father, with the firm belief that unless it was life threatening it could wait until morning.
She had brought it to Melody slightly curious. The only letters Melody ever received this way, were all from Faith and Grace's school, and most of them came during the school year, telling the woman of her eldest child's newest antics, as Faith's favorite pastime was getting into trouble. The ebony-haired girl always insisted that she didn't go looking for trouble, it simply found her, but Melody knew the truth. Just like her father, Faith couldn't resist an adventure, and trouble usually happened during those.
Waving the pajama clad girl back into her bedroom, which she shared with her younger sister, Melody padded into the living room, turning on the lamp behind the sofa. Studying the scrawl on the envelope, she prayed it wasn't who she thought it was. Once she saw the signature at the bottom of The Letter, there was no denying it. It was him and hazel eyes began to tear at the first words.
Hell-Cat,
I know this is unexpected. I didn't expect myself to be writing this letter. Unfortunately, I've no time for formalities. I'm writing to ask you to come back to England. If this were not of up most importance I would not think of asking you to come back because of all the pain it would bring you to remember the old times.
Voldemort is back. Dumbledore is calling the old crowd into action. As you know, many of us are dead, but I promised to make a valiant effort to retrieve you. You were an intricate player in the original battle, and we're going to need you again.
If I know you like I think I do, you are currently thinking "But how?". Well, that I have no answer for. Maybe I will one day, if Harry ever decides to share that information with us. Then maybe we might understand what he is going through, I hope.
I realize it is a lot to ask you to pack up and move, especially without your family. However, I can accommodate your needs. I understand your have married and have children? Please, bring them all. Your husband and three youngest may feel slightly uncomfortable, being as they are Muggle, but they will be welcomed.
When you come, if you leave behind the three youngest and your husband, please bring the girls. Heaven knows how they've been missed. I still dream of the last time I caught Faith with her hand in the cookie jar, face covered in chocolate and eyes shining with mischief.
I eagerly await your arrival. I am surprisingly anxious to see you again.
Friends Forever and Marauder 'Til I Die,
R.L. Moony
Melody ran a hand through her gray-streaked mahogany hair as she re-read The Letter for the fourth time. I eagerly await your arrival. Not, I eagerly await your reply, or I hope to see you, but I AWAIT. How could she say no? That it was too hard to go back there? That no matter how much she wanted to help, it hurt too much?
She couldn't. It was as easy as that. She had left him. He had been left all his life, and she had been the worst. Being there for so long, and leaving when he undoubtedly needed her the most. Not even her own fear and doubt and the need for hope, could excuse that. And now he was asking her to come back. She couldn't say no. But she couldn't leave her family either and she certainly couldn't bring them. Especially Faith, she could fall in love before everyone was off the plane.
She was stuck. She couldn't go, she couldn't stay. There was no way out of this one. Melody's mind was hung on this question as the front windows burst open and figures shrouded in blackness emerged.
"Something's not right if there ain't nothing wrong,
It's got me wondering, why ain't I running,
Why ain't I gone..."
Privit Drive was uncommonly quiet today. On a normal day the sound of children laughing and carrying on would sound down the street, tapping at
his window in a mocking way. But today, no one was there, minus one
forgotten boy. Today everyone was in town, at the fair, no one would
notice the dark headed boy who didn't smile was missing.
With the Dursley's in town, Harry Potter was the closest he'd been to enjoying himself in a long, long time. He was alone, really alone, for the first time all summer. He was supposed to stay with Mrs. Figg, but she was apparently out of town. Uncle Vernon had reluctantly let him stay there by himself, but muttered something along the lines of "blowing up the house in a fit of lunacy" the whole way out.
Harry could do pretty much whatever he pleased with them gone. He was checking his potions essay, a Hermione-induced habit, when Hedwig arrived with a letter. It was from Dumbledore, telling him that Mrs. Weasley and Ron would be arriving August first to pick him up from number four so he could spend the rest of the summer at the Burrow. It went on to ask him how he was and inform him of the latest happenings in the Wizarding world.
Harry petted Hedwig for a moment before standing and stretching. Suddenly feeling very tired, Harry stretched out on the bed. Never mind going to the Weasley's, never mind writing back to Dumbledore, never mind the questions that raced about his head. He sank into a dreaming sleep.
"Whoever said it was a man's world,
Don't know what he's talking about..."
"Stupid, show off, Death Eaters," was the only thing to come out of the woman's mouth as she grabbed her wand. For the second time tonight she was
glad she and Alan hadn't had sex.
Apparently, there was something that could awake Grace from her comatose- like sleep. An invasion of deadly men with wands. She and Faith flew into the living room with the expertise of men trained for combat. Faith flipped a winged back chair onto two Death Eaters while Grace moved the couch in front of the windows with a mere thought to block the flow of traffic. They handled the situation as only two girls who'd been trained by a former Auror could have.
As Melody flipped one man (if Death Eaters could be called that) over her back she yelled at her eldest. "Faith! Get your father and the kids out of here!" With that order the girl threw the men out of her way and raced towards her little sisters' room. A strangled cry erupted from her throat and was soon followed by multiple curses.
She forced her mind away from the pictures forming in her mind and concentrated on the fight. She'd always had an amazing ability to stay focused during a hostile fight. Her friends had always said she was a bad one to cross.
It was amazing how fast time flew when one was concentrating on the enemy. So amazing that when Melody looked over to Grace, she saw Faith was already back, resorting to primitive measures and throwing a Death Eater out a window. There was a reason Faith had not been named Grace. She did not hold that virtue in high esteem. She was a troublemaker, and the current state of rage on her face showed that she did not take things like this lightly.
Grace's face was taut and the heat showed on her face despite her deep tan. Saying that Faith had the advantage in battle wouldn't be lying, but Grace could hold her own, and she was giving those old men a run for their money, simultaneously kicking one and cursing another.
One drop kick out the only window in the room that hadn't been shattered (which was three feet off the ground) and six curses later, every Death Eater was incapacitated and unconscious.
Carefully surveying the damage to property, Melody observed there was nothing she couldn't fix with a good Reparo Charm, which she had mastered during her school years. She glanced at Grace; all her abrasions were just that, surface wounds that would heal up quickly and were most likely backfire from curses. Faith's wounds were a bit deeper. A gash on her jaw and a wound on her stomach which was seeping blood through her white ribbed tank. Closing her eyes and concentrating on her own body, she guessed she only had a few bruises.
"How are your father and the kids?" Melody's eyes were still closed so she did not see her oldest hold her breath for a moment and close her own eyes. Faith's answer was a whisper she would never forget.
"Dead."
"Blood is thicker than water,
But love is thicker than blood..."
Harry awoke in a sweat. Those poor people, in such a short time frame they had lost so much. Harry could hardly breath for the pain that had centered
in his chest. They lost a father, a husband, sisters, daughters, a brother, a son. He knew so much about this family that it scared him. He knew their names. The father had been Alan, his two young daughters Hope
and Joy, and his only son Jamie. The girls were Faith and Grace, their
mother Melody.
Harry thought about the last three. The only survivors of the attack.
Melody with her gray-streaked dark brown hair and wise hazel eyes. Her age showed, but when in action, she moved as someone half her age would. Faith with her wild midnight curls and passionate gray eyes, a familiar face and the attitude of a caged tiger. Grace, the last, and now youngest with her golden hair, falling out of her hair-tie and golden eyes that radiated how calm her natural personality was.
But Harry knew more than that. He knew that Melody had been an Auror for a few years when she was younger. He knew that Faith didn't understand how come she looked so different from everyone in her family, and that she didn't see how her temperament could be so different. He knew that Grace didn't always understand her older sister's moods, or her mother's sad, wise eyes.
He knew that Faith's calling card was trouble. No matter what happened, or where it was, if she was in the same town, most people automatically assumed it had been her. Grace was the sweet and demure one, but when you rubbed her the wrong way she would lash out. And he knew that Melody pulled out an old box of Wizarding photographs every October thirty-first.
Harry got out of the bed and went over to his desk, sitting down with a thump. He pushed aside his essay and pulled out a new sheet of parchment. He needed to write Dumbledore about this.
Professor Dumbledore,
Sir, pardon my lack of formalities. I have had another dream and I believe you should know of it. You see, it started after I laid down for a quick nap--
An hour later Harry was still writing. This could quite possibly be the longest letter he had ever written. He put in every detail he could think of, from what time it had started to the color of the carpet, and the wood floors. At six-thirty, when he was called downstairs by his Aunt's sharp voice, he was writing a letter. Of course it wasn't to Dumbledore anymore. No, this one was to Sirius. He was going to tell him about the dream too.
On a normal occasion Harry would be reluctant to share his dreams. He was reminded of a story about locust and Egyptians from the days when his Uncle Vernon had thought that the Bible belt was a sure way to squash Harry's "strangeness". It seemed it wouldn't leave him until he stretched his resources to their farthest extent. Besides, he was anxious to figure out why Faith seemed so familiar.
"She sits among the pieces of broken glass and photographs,
Reluctantly releases the last of what was her past..."
Four days had gone by. Faith couldn't ever remember feeling this alone, or this much responsibility. Her mother had gone completely "non-liner" as one of her cousins had put it, and while Grace tried, she wasn't ready to take on much yet. So it was up to her. Luckily, she'd found the letter
her mother had received just a few short hours before the attack.
Tomorrow, they were going to England. This Moony person had agreed to pick them up from the airport. Everything was settled, except for one thing. Everything had been packed and shipped to her aunt's house. Everything they needed anyhow. She'd been the only one to step inside the house since the authorities had arrived that night.
Asking her mother and sister if they wanted anything that wasn't necessary, she received a short list. A box of pictures and her dad's favorite shirt for Mom. Her diary and photo albums for Grace. Faith had only taken her guitar, a gift from Alan, and CD's.
Grace hadn't been too happy when she heard that Faith wasn't going to let her go back to their old school, but Faith insisted that now was a time for family, and there were going to be no arguments about it. Her younger sister had reluctantly agreed, realizing that there was nothing she could do to change Faith's mind.
Faith sat on the lawn in front of the house. She had meant to go inside. She had meant to say goodbye one more time, but emotions ran rampant within her and she couldn't bring herself past the front bushes. So many memories were here, she remembered each, fingering her wand made of phoenix feather core, white ash wood, eight and three-quarter inches.
The time she'd busted her knee when her childhood friend Blake dared her to jump off the roof. Receiving her letters to school and Grace receiving hers. The jokes about Headmaster Dumbledore's insistence that they attend Hogwarts.
All the teasing the little ones had put up with. The thunderstorms that knocked out the power and made all the kids run to her bed, where she and Grace told them stories about school. She couldn't remember the number of times she'd told them the story of Harry Potter and how he'd saved the Wizarding world from a very bad Wizard named Voldemort. And the newest memory.
Watching them all die.
Hope. Joy. Jamie. Her father. Not being able to save one of them. The memory had flashed through her mind a dozen times a day. Each time she fought off the tears. Her face had been set in stone. She would never cry. Not even for the good memories.
And now she had to get rid of it all for her mother and sister's sanity.
She had to get rid of it for her own sanity.
Her next movements seemed rushed. She pushed herself off the ground and ran down the gravel-strewn driveway. Once she was beside her old Chevrolet, she blew the house a kiss. "Goodbye guys," she whispered, before pointing her wand at the house and whispering Incendio.
"Sometimes I tell you the way that I feel,
I swear that I'm going crazy,
Keep telling myself it ain't that big a deal,
It's better than pushing up daisies..."
Remus touched the picture lovingly. It was old and wrinkled, but it was the only one he had kept over the years. He hadn't been willing to part
with it, not even for Harry's album of his parents. It was his fondest
memory, of a time when things were far more innocent. Himself, James, Sirius, Lily, Arabella and Melody. Peter was... he forgot where Peter was.
Wasn't it he who took the picture?
Remembering always made him sad. Because then he remembered that nothing had turned out how it was supposed to. James and Lily hadn't stayed alive and raised their son, and the dozen and a half other kids he and Sirius had been betting on. He hadn't seen Arabella since James and Lily's funeral. Peter had turned out to be a disappointment. Melody's dreams were gone, she still had Faith and Grace, but everything else had fallen apart. And then Sirius... It wasn't wise to even think about going there.
"Arrival. Flight 227 from Houston, Texas, United States."
Remus hastily put the picture into the pocket of Sirius' pants. Muggle clothing was such a pain. Luckily Sirius wore it so well, or Remus would have been very suspicious looking.
The crowds were unbelievable. Everyone was rushing foreword to hug the person who was arriving home or for a visit. The ones who weren't embraced rushed off with phones attached to their ears, checking their watches, late for something. Everyone knew who they were looking for, and Remus wasn't even positive the ones he was looking for were coming.
Then he saw them. If it hadn't been for Faith's determined face, he never would have known it was them. Her curls bounced as she walked foreword, one lean arm around her mother's body and the other hand holding Grace's hand. This was undoubtedly the little girl he once watched dump a mud pie in James' lap and then act as if she hadn't done it.
"Melody! Faith! Grace!"
Melody stopped and stared straight at the thin figure that was himself. Then, rushing foreword, she embraced him as if she had never left. "Hell- Cat," Remus whispered, brushing her hair back.
Faith nodded to him from over her mother's head, "Mr. Lupin."
Remus chuckled at her formality, "Darling, I changed your diaper on more than one occasion. I believe that constitutes in calling me Uncle Moony, or at least Remus." Faith raised a dark eyebrow. "Now, where's your luggage?" Faith almost grinned at that.
"Shrinking Spell of course. We don't have much." Faith reached into her sweater pocket and revealed what appeared to be five, tiny trunks. Remus was about to wonder aloud how three people who'd once been members of a seven person family with a regular home could have so little.
"Faith burned the house down," Grace whispered, looking carefully up at him. When Remus turned a wondering eye on her, Faith just looked right back.
"We all do what we have to in order to stay sane."
Somewhere down the line Remus would look back on those words and finally understand how far Faith sometimes had to go to keep her sanity. However today was not that day. Today, he simply nodded as if he understood and led them all down to the car he had rented.
"I'm taking you to a friend's house in a little while. There's the whole lot of us staying there, he's even got a few of his sons camping in the backyard." When he received no response, he settled himself back for a very long ride.
***
This certainly hadn't been what he expected. For one thing, they were two days early. For another, the wrong people were picking him up. And she
was there. Faith. The one from his dream.
On the bright side he was getting out of the Dursley's house early and he got to be entertained by Faith's temper. She was livid when Uncle Vernon hadn't let them in to see him. Harry had become interested, and peeked out the window next to the door and was surprised to see Professor Lupin and Faith. He was even more surprised by what happened next.
"Look dude, I don't know who you think you are, but I am not in a good mood. I suggest you let us in before I become very angry. Because let me tell you this, it won't be pretty if I do." The look that came over Uncle Vernon's face was very welcome. It was one Harry hadn't seen since he was eleven. Sheer terror. The thought of the girl who stood on the stoop of Number 4 Privit Drive causing terror in anyone was almost laughable; she couldn't be causing terror.
Lust maybe, but not terror. For the girl on his front stoop was a full- blown woman, and he'd heard three car horns honk since the doorbell had rung. He thought that only happened in the movies.
Vernon's strangled 'boy' came next and Harry went dutifully to his side. "Yes, Uncle Vernon, sir?"
"These two are here to see you." The old man stepped aside to reveal the two he had been studying.
"Hullo there Harry, sorry I didn't tell you I was coming early."
Harry smiled at Professor Lupin. "That's all right Professor. Come in. Who's your friend?" Harry knew who she was of course, Lupin knew that he knew but he didn't want to have to explain to her that he had seen one of the most traumatic moments of her life.
"This is Faith Caulfield. I am good friends with her mother and father. Faith, this is Harry Potter." Faith nodded, almost smiling.
"I know who he is Remus. Who doesn't know who he is?"
"The Queen Mum?" Harry offered helpfully. Remus gave a weak laugh but Faith didn't even crack a sarcastic 'har har'.
"Um, Harry, where are your things?" Lupin stretched the collar of the already too-big shirt.
"Upstairs, help me with them?"
Harry and Professor Lupin returned a moment later, to find Dudley talking long-windedly with- or rather at, Faith, who seemed to suddenly find her fingernails very interesting. When she heard Remus clear his throat loudly she looked up and smiled mockingly.
"Well, Dursley, can't say this has been pleasant," she said to Vernon, then patting Dudley on the head like a dog, she said, "See you around kid."
***
Harry hadn't expected the conversation to be stimulating, but he had
expected conversation. He didn't get any unless talking to Professor Lupin. In other words, he was very glad to be out of the car and at The Burrow. The first thing he spotted was actually rather funny. Three red heads were spinning around in circles, their arms high above their heads and holding what looked like rather large potatoes above them. Ron and the
twins had gotten in trouble again.
He then spotted Hermione lying on her stomach, feet kicked up into the air, reading. No surprise there. Then there was Ginny. She was sitting amidst the flowers in her mother's garden, scratching a big black dog behind his ears. The dog was seemed happy and licked her hand whenever she scratched her nose. Harry continued walking towards the house and suddenly turned back around.
"Wait a second", he whispered, "when did the Weasley's get a dog?" He spun around, dropping his trunk, thankful that Remus had Hedwig. "Sirius!" he yelled, running over to where Ginny sat. The dog turned into a person and grinned at the boy running over. Doing something he had never done before he flung himself onto his Godfather.
"Harry, you've grown!" Sirius hugged him back and ruffled his hair, "Soon you'll be taller than the house elves!"
"Oh, haha. Don't let Hermione here you say that."
The group had followed Harry over. Melody was staring at Sirius with wide eyes. Harry wouldn't have even known it except that he was facing the woman, so he didn't know how Sirius knew she was there. Because he did. He began to whisper,
"Mella Bella, Sahara girl, You look like the stars, I'll kiss you on Mars."
Faith then narrowed her eyes and finished the poem.
"Faith, Just you wait, One day when your grown, The boys will be lining up to see you, you know.
"Grace, You ace, Simple and sweet, One day they'll all lay down at your feet."
For the first time all day Melody spoke. "Go away," she said tearfully, and ran back to the car.
"Melody! Don't--" Sirius had jumped up to run after her but Remus held him back.
"No use going after her Padfoot and you know it."
Sirius shook his head. "That doesn't mean I have to like it, Moony."
"I never said you did. But you have to give her time."
"How did you know that poem?" Faith asked suddenly, "Mom sang that to Grace and I when we were younger."
Sirius stared down at her and brushed her hair behind her ear, revealing a healing cut on her jaw. "Wrong. I hate to shatter your perfect little world--"
Faith cut him off, stepping back. "What perfect little world would that be? In case Remus didn't tell you, my father, two of by little sisters and my little brother are dead."
"Wrong again. But I digress, I used to sing you that song." Faith's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"I don't believe you. I don't know who you are or what you did to my mother but you'd best not let her see you again. She's very easily upset." She then turned around and stalked off, leaving Grace to stare between her retreating figure and Sirius.
She looked up at him with big eyes. "Someone's not telling us something. And when Faith finds out what it is, she's going to be very angry." Those words in a solemn tone were all she said as Grace turned and walked after her sister.
Harry scratched his head. "Okay. What happened here?"
"Welcome to my life," Remus sighed, "Get used to it."
"You just don't tell a girl like that goodbye..."
An hour later everyone was settled. Melody was staying in what was usually Ginny's room. Remus and Sirius were in the twin's room, and Mrs. Weasley had tried to get Grace and Faith to stay in Ron's room, however they both declined. Faith assured her that they were more apt for a night under the stars than the two boys were, which Harry had to admit, he resented. So Ginny and Hermione took Ron's room, leaving Ron and Harry to sleep outside with the Weasley boys, minus Percy, and the two Caulfield girls.
Later that afternoon, Faith practically forced Grace to accept Ginny and Hermione's invitation for a walk, which the older girl refused. She was going for a wade in the stream. Ginny warned her about the fish that bites toes.
So at precisely one twenty-five everyone was in the following places. Faith was down at the stream, feet in the water, reading a book. She humored the Weasley twins and pretended she didn't notice the acorns dropping onto her head. Ginny, Hermione and Grace were sitting in the garden, which was still slightly inhabited by gnomes. Bill and Charlie were in the living room, talking quietly. Mrs. Weasley was cooking something, as she always did when nervous. Mr. Weasley sat at the table, reading the paper. Percy was in his room working on something, no one was suicidal enough to ask what precisely. Sirius and Remus were in the twins' room, the latter trying to keep the former from doing something stupid. Melody was asleep one floor below in Ginny's room, and Harry and Ron were playing chess.
"So, why do you think you saw it happen?" Ron asked quietly, moving his pawn foreword a space, putting Harry's king in check.
"I don't know. But something odd is going on, and no one is willing to tell me everything. And I'm not just talking about what's happening with those girls and their mother and Sirius. Why is everyone home?" Harry asked seriously. He'd moved his king out of check, only to be put back in check two moves later.
"I wish I knew. But it has been rather wicked having Sirius and Professor Lupin around the last few days. They've told me a few stories, things that would make Fred and George green with envy." Ron smiled evilly and moved his queen. "Checkmate, Harry." The other boy stared at the board.
"How do you do that?"
Dinner was a far from normal affair. Not that it was ever normal at the Weasley's house.
Melody wasn't feeling well, so she didn't come down to eat. Fred and George were still throwing things at Faith, only now she caught them and threw them right back. She and George were currently using a roll as a tennis ball. Ron kept sneaking glances at Hermione, who was talking to Grace and Ginny. And then, of course, Ginny had bumped into him twice and dropped a basket of rolls, which Grace caught before disaster ensued. Ginny had a new hero it appeared. She and Grace sat side by side whispering to one another when Hermione wasn't talking to them. Sirius was at the end of the table, the opposite end at which Faith sat, with Remus, and was blatantly sulking.
He wondered how long all this was going to go on.
And when Ginny would notice she had her elbow in the butter dish again.
"Every now and then when the world,
That we're living in is crazy..."
The next morning brought a surprise to all. Melody came downstairs... with Sirius. Faith blanched at the sight and Grace bit her lip in thought. She then bent to Ginny's ear, whispering feverishly about something that no one could hear. Harry was beginning to think they'd worked out some spell that
prevented everyone from hearing their secrets.
The fact that Faith moved beside her mother and stared at Sirius as if he were a criminal (which many thought he was) greatly upset Fred and George. They were apparently becoming very fond of her and this new distraction was not appreciated. What happened next would have caused alarm in many, had they all not been so distracted with other things. Fred whispered something to George, George nodded, and they left the room.
Bill and Charlie entered, replacing the two red-heads who had left. Mrs. Weasley set their breakfast before them. They ate. Ginny and Grace left. Hermione and Ron began to bicker. This was not an uncommon occurrence anytime of day, let alone meals when there were things to throw at Hermione in case Ron began to loose ground.
"Ron! The reason I did not go to Bulgaria has nothing to do with whether or not my parents would let me go. It has everything to do with the fact that I don't want to leave you and Harry alone. Heaven knows without me you'd both be dead a good seventeen times over."
"I think your lying," Ron said in the most melodious voice he could manage.
"I am not! How dare you accuse me of lying. I should-- I should--"
"You should what? Prefect Badge me to death?" Ron gave her a grin that would have made Harry uneasy had he not been concentrating on what was happening across from him.
Faith was staring at Sirius; Remus was staring at her; Sirius was staring at Melody, and Melody was staring at her food. All together it was quite a tangled web. Every now and then Faith would look at Remus with an accusing glare and then stare at her plate for a moment. Or perhaps Melody would eat a small bite of eggs. But other than that, nothing was really changing. They could have been a painting; well, a Muggle painting.
The sudden explosion from the backyard was highly unexpected.
Faith, ever the auror's daughter, jumped to her feet and raced out the door, after Harry and Ron who were closer to it. If they expected a Death Eater attack, or the beginning of an alien invasion, they were greatly disappointed. However, if they were expecting the Weasley Twins, covered head-to-toe in soot and grinning at having caught Faith's attention, then you could only shake your head and try not to laugh.
No matter how amused by the situation, Faith was quite the opposite, times two. "Never," she said angrily, "never, do something like that again. I like mischief just as much as the next kid, but I can't deal with unknowns!"
***
Things happen that make you forget everything else. So when Harry entered
the kitchen with Ron for lunch, he didn't expect the "Surprise!" that greeted him. There were balloons. There were presents. There was a cake. There were hats for Gryffindor's sake. If Harry wasn't mistaken, this was
a birthday party. And this was his birthday, which he had forgotten.
A shocked "Wow!" was all Harry could say until he'd been passed around the room, shaken hands with all the boys, been hugged by all the girls and kissed on the cheek by a suddenly courageous Ginny Weasley. All in all it was a rather pleasant experience.
"You really didn't have to do this," Harry finally managed to get out.
Ron grinned. "We figured you didn't get too many party's from the Dursleys. Plus, there was no way we were going to turn the girls down. Faith says Grace hasn't grinned like that in ages." Someone bestowed upon Ron his hourly head whacking. Everyone was surprised to see it had been Grace.
"Honestly Ron. No wonder Hermione's going crazy."
"What did I do?" Ron was rubbing the back of his head and staring down at the younger girl.
"He wasn't supposed to know who's idea it was idiot," Ginny hissed. Thus ensued the first squabble Harry had ever seen Ron in with anyone besides Hermione. And it was very long winded.
An hour later, when Grace had finally had enough of Ron muttering names under his breath about she and Ginny, the aforementioned smashed her half eaten cake into his face. Yet another hour later, when the entire party was covered with cake, ice cream, and eggs, which the twins had gladly supplied right into Faith's hair, Harry was pretty sure he liked birthdays.
***
Yet one more surprise was still to come for this day. Harry, Faith and Grace had all been summoned to the kitchen by Melody and Sirius. Grace was
nervously clutching her older sister's hand.
"What do you think they want to talk to us about?" Harry asked, looking at the sixteen-year-old.
"I don't know Harry. But Mom's been acting really strange all day."
"Oh, so you mean she doesn't normally stand by my Godfather's side all day?" Harry asked sarcastically.
"No," Grace said casually, smiling hesitantly at the two. As soon as she finished, Melody and Sirius entered, Melody holding a photo album.
"We have something to tell you," Melody said, sitting down.
"You've probably been wondering what has been going on lately. You mother acting so strangely towards me. Hating me one second and then not being further than a meter the next."
"It's a rather long story really. You see--" Melody paused, "I don't really know how to say this."
"Mom, do me a favor and spit it out." Faith rolled her eyes dramatically.
"I'm your father," Sirius said blandly.
"All right, I can't say anyone was expecting that." Some dull part of Harry's mind found this very amusing.
"You forgot the Luke," Faith said casually.
"Ooh," Grace's eyes were big, "That explains a lot."
"Faith, he's serious." Melody gave her daughter a disapproving look.
"Of course he's serious. That's his name, isn't it?"
"Faith Esmerellda!" Harry was sure he'd never heard Sirius use that tone of voice.
Faith blanched. "Nobody calls me that!" She tried to sound angry, but was too shocked. "Not even Mom or Dad."
"He isn't your father." Sirius clenched his fist. "I am your father. I am the one who changed your diapers, once I learned how. I am the one who sang you to sleep. I am the one who took you to your first Quidditch match."
"Where have you been for the past fourteen years?" Grace whispered.
Sirius gave her a grim smile. "Azkaban."
"Oh."
"This isn't possible." Faith said stonily.
"Oh, it's perfectly possible. If you were to go to St. Mungo's, the hospital where you were born, the records would say your name was Faith Esmerellda Black-McKneer, born to Melody McKneer and Sirius Black. Grace's would read the same parents and her name would read Grace Cheyanne Black- McKneer." Faith didn't say anything to Sirius' statement; she simply stared.
"And Harry, I'm your Godmother," Melody's voice was quiet, "I-- once I learned of your parent's death, and that Sirius was being accused, I fled. I couldn't take it," she ran a hand through her limp hair. "You have to understand, when the father of your children is accused for the murder of your best friend and a man who was like your brother... it's hardly an excuse, but we all have our breaking points."
Harry nodded stupidly. 'So I've got a Godmother too. I wonder if this means I'll get to leave the Dursley's?' It suddenly occurred to Harry that he could voice that. "Does this mean I won't have to go back to the Dursley's?"
Melody bit her lip. "I hope so. In the event of Sirius' death or under any circumstances in which he could not fulfill his duties as master of the Black estate Faith was to take over it, as Sirius and I were never married. However, having left, no one's tended to it in years unless Moony's taken over." She looked to Sirius at this, wondering if their old friend had felt it his responsibility.
"He went there at the end of Harry's third year. Started cleaning up. But now that you're back, it falls into Faith's hands, as I am still a fugitive. Once she and Grace are in school it will be in your hands. Can you handle it? I can't stay there often."
Melody nodded. "It's time to take responsibility. Sirius, we're going to have to tell the girls everything though. Faith isn't going to like that we're leaving anything out."
"Damn right Faith isn't going to like it. But answer me this, were you in love?" Sirius turned to her and gave her what might be considered a silly smile.
"Yes, we were very much." Scratching his neck Sirius stared off into oblivion.
"Were?" Harry asked, eyeing the two.
Melody smiled hesitantly, stroking the photo album in front of her lovingly. She whispered something that sounded like 'Maybe we still are', but Harry had no time to focus on it. Shaking herself out of old memories, Melody pushed the album foreword. "These are from when we were in school, up until your parents death. Be careful, some of them are rather old."
"Our family never shared the same last name,
But our family was a family the same..."
Harry hesitantly pulled the album foreword and opened to the first page. He ran a finger lightly over the rim of the picture. It was his parents, Melody, Sirius, Remus, Arabella and Peter. They were smiling and laughing, obviously young and carefree. Every now and then James would kiss Lily, or Sirius would nuzzle Melody's neck, while Peter and Remus would make gagging
motions while Arabella would giggle, but they still maintained the same
air. Beneath the picture it read:
The Marauders: Prongs, Padfoot, Moony and Wormtail and Lily, Melody and Arabella: Official Whip Crackers.
Harry wasn't sure he wanted to know what whip crackers meant. Unfortunately, Faith did.
"Whip Crackers? Should we even ask?" Melody smiled at her eldest.
"Remus and Peter always teased your fathers about being whipped. Once Remus and Arabella started dating, she eventually recieved the title as well. I didn't know one vacation to America could be so disastrous."
"You were the one who said we should learn about other cultures. That it was important to understand other countries." Sirius pointed out this fact, hiding his amusement, "That and James said America was supposed to have an amazing club scene."
"You went clubbing?" A very shocked Faith stared at the adults before her.
"Yes. It was invented before you were alive I'll have you know." Sirius snickered, "The stories I could tell you..." A stupid smile crossed the man's face. "Faith did you know you were conciev--" Faith cut him off by covering her ears and singing an annoying song at a very loud decibel. Harry laughed and turned the page as Faith began to mutter about how "gross" it was.
First there was Melody and Lily, his mother, at eleven. They were grinning and had their arms around one another's necks. Below were his father, Remus, Sirius and Peter. The four boys were obviously in their first year, judging by the innocence on their faces.
Harry suddenly realized exactly what Melody was giving to him. His parents. They weren't just memories or wishes anymore. They were going to be people. He could see them grow up through these pages. Melody would share memories with him, along with Sirius as long as he was here. He would discover things he thought that he could never know. He could find out how his parents fell in love. How Lily and Melody had become best friends. And all he had to do in order to find out, was ask.
Harry reached up under his glasses and rubbed his eyes. Emotions had been over-overwhelming as of late, and this was just another brick added to the mound. As he rubbed his eyes Harry felt small arms wrap themselves around his neck and he leaned into Grace's side-hug.
"I've always wanted a big brother," she said quietly. That was the first time Harry realized that Grace was far more than she seemed at first sight.
***
Days flew by without Harry even realizing they were happening. When he
wasn't with Sirius or Melody, they were together apparently, which made
Grace and Faith very happy, even if Faith wasn't willing to admit it.
Remus was simply enjoying seeing the past come back to life, however he did squeeze in the occasional 'Melody Session' as he had dubbed them. He would tease her relentlessly about Sirius and remember old times. Reminiscing seemed to be one of their favorite hobbies.
Faith, Fred and George had settled into a comfortable pattern of pulling pranks, both on one another and with one another. Out of the three, Faith seemed to be on the receiving end most often. However the pranks pulled on George were, more often then not, the most embarrassing, including the time Faith pulled a quick invisibility spell so that he was clad in nothing but a pair of boxers which depicted volcanoes erupting.
Ginny and Grace were never without one another's company and Harry and Ron were beginning to believe they went to the loo together as well. The two would spend hours whispering in a corner of the living room over a stack of Teen Witch. These conversations were usually punctuated with an eruption of giggles.
Ron was continually with Harry. Though that was nothing new. However, Harry could not ignore the fact that Hermione was in their presence less than usual. Ron said it was because there were girls here now and she could talk to Faith about books, or hide with Grace and Ginny whenever Faith was on the warpath for Weasley Twin Blood. Harry had the sneaking suspicion that Ron wasn't telling him something. The adults however, were scarce.
Two nights earlier all the children were sent out to the backyard (this happening with Fred and George's insistence that they were of age and Faith exclaiming loudly that she could surely handle whatever was going to happen inside The Burrow). Surprisingly enough, Ron had been the only one paying attention to the windows, and heard three distinct poppings coming from the direction of the front room. Mentioning this to Harry and Hermione, he had pulled the two around to the front to listen in the bushes by the window. A well-placed silencing charm rid them of Hermione's indignant cries that they shouldn't be doing this.
Unfortunately a well placed silencing charm had also kept them from hearing what was happening inside The Burrow and the three retreated to the back. There George, Faith and Fred swore colorfully about the disgrace of it all.
They had tried everything possible to discover what had happened, but not even Ginny and Grace buttering up Bill had worked. So, as nothing was working properly, everyone eventually forgot about the unusual meeting and slipped back into daily activities.
***
Harry was amazed that he had managed to get both of his best friends into the same room without either fighting. Faith and Grace were another matter
entirely.
The two were arguing over where Faith was going to sit. Faith seemed to think Grace's lap was a perfectly acceptable spot, while Grace insisted the floor was much better. As Harry had called this small gathering, he was rather upset that his two God sisters were distracting everyone from the issue he wished to address.
"I don't bloody well care where you sit, Faith, as long as it's not on Grace or my head!" Faith smiled and dropped herself at Fred and George's feet. "Thank you! Now, I did call you all here for a reason, whether you realize it or not." Harry was surprised to find rapt attention apparent on everyone's face.
"I was thinking... well I mean it's not fair that-- what I mean is that we should--" Harry sighed, what a time for him to get stage fright.
Hermione jumped in. "He thinks we should form our own group to fight Voldemort," the fifth year Prefect rolled her eyes at Harry.
"Exactly, thank you Hermione. I think we should do our part in fighting Voldemort. Our parents, and siblings, and teachers are all doing their parts. I believe that several of them are taking up dangerous missions in order to help our side. I also believe that we should work with them, even if they don't realize we're the ones doing it.
"We could possibly enlist the help of some of the kids at Hogwarts, the ones who know and believe the truth. Let's face it, we're pretty much, how would you put it Faith, screwed on the national front? Each person has to be approached singly as to not arouse the attention of the Minister of Magic."
"Or in our case, our parents?" Grace asked.
Harry nodded. "Exactly. Who's in?" A chorus of affirmatives followed.
***
Faith found herself staring at a half-moon when she heard the rustling. She sat up slowly, turning her sleep-deprived head from side to side. She soon after heard a whispered 'no' and several cries of outrage. They were coming from over where Harry and Ron had camped for the night, beneath an oak tree. She crept silently out of her sleeping bag, glancing briefly at
Bill and Charlie on her left side, and Fred and George on the right.
Remembering that Grace had moved in with Ginny and Hermione she didn't
panic at the absence of her sister.
Body bent with a natural instinct to stay low to the ground when not wanting to be seen, she moved silently over to the boys and saw Harry thrashing about violently. She pulled him farther from Ron so that Harry would not awake the other boy. She grabbed his shoulders firmly and he startled awake, crying out.
"Shhh. Shh. It's all right Harry! It's me! It's Faith!" Harry stared at her wide-eyed and slowly relaxed under the familiar gaze.
"Oh. I'm sorry. Did I wake you up?" Harry whispered back huskily.
"No. I was already-- Harry, how long have you been having nightmares?" Faith's abrupt change of subject apparently threw the boy off track.
"A little while now."
One thing Faith had taken to quickly after learning the truth of her parentage and Harry, was the role of big sister. "How long is a little while Harry James Potter?" Faith's gaze was not to be denied and Harry sighed resignedly.
"A very long time." Faith's face broke and she brushed the fringe off Harry's sweat-matted forehead. Harry suddenly felt very calm under the cool hand of his God sister.
Harry felt himself drift off to sleep as she whispered, "Go back to sleep Harry Potter. I am here. I will protect you until I am no longer able."
"How do I need you, well can't you tell,
I need you like a penny needs a wishing well,
Baby, completely, wrapped up in you..."
Harry was wondering why he bothered. It was no use trying to get Hermione
and Ron to sit peacefully.
"Are you insinuating that I am stupid?" Ron asked point blank, and rather loudly.
"No, I am telling you!" Harry had never seen Hermione use less tact.
"Wait a second!" Grace's voice suddenly sounded from above the name- calling. Both red-faced fifteen-year olds turned to the younger girl. "What are you fighting about?"
"It's not my fault he's blind," Hermione said calmly. "We're fighting because he's a stupid, blind, ignorant prat!" Forget calm.
"Oh, in that case, please continue, we find this rather entertaining." Ginny said simply, leaning back in her seat. Harry was really beginning to wonder why he bothered.
***
"Hold the presses!" Faith jumped up and turned around much to George's dismay for he was about to dump a handful of dirt into her hair. "Where's
George? And put that dirt down where it belongs Fred."
"I am George. Fred is probably off snogging with Angelina. She and her parents stopped in for a visit today." George grinned.
"Who's Angelina?" Grace asked with interest.
"Angelina is... Angelina. She and Fred get on remarkably well," George laughed.
"Especially when they're snogging. Then Fred's hands can't get into any mischief," Ron gaffed.
"You have obviously never been involved in a major make-out session Ron Weasley." Faith smirked, "Because when you are involved in one, your hands tend to get into a lot of mischief."
"Faith! Little ears! Little ears!" George exclaimed, attempting to look scandalized while covering Ginny's ears.
"George!" was Ginny's indigent cry as she turned to glare at her brother.
"Uh-oh. See you later!"
***
Sometimes, as he lay awake at night or early in the morning, staring at the
ceiling, Harry wondered how he got into these situations. You know, the ones you don't want to talk about. Like running out of things to say to a
pretty girl. Or asking Cho to the Yule Ball in fourth year.
Harry was currently in one of these situations.
He wondered what deity thought it would be amusing to let Harry enter the bathroom at the exact moment Ginny Weasley stepped out of the shower. As if he didn't have enough going on, now they had to go and throw this in! First Melody, Faith and Grace. Then there was this thing with Voldemort (if one felt right about lowering something that could escalate into a war to a thing). Then there was processing what he was learning about his parents and whatever was going on with Ron and Hermione. He wondered why they found this the appropriate moment to reveal to him that Ginny Weasley wasn't just Ginny Weasley. That she wasn't just Ron's baby sister. Why had they decided now was a good time to inform him that she was a girl and had very feminine qualities like... like... like long legs!
"Damn!" Shut door quickly. Lean against wall. Hit self in head. Repeat. Repeat. Don't forget to breath! That's important!
"Harry?" Ron's voice came from in front of him, "What in Merlin's name is wrong with you?" There were no words to express what was happening inside various parts of Harry's mind. He simply pointed to the bathroom door, as if to say Ron had to find out for himself. The redhead did just that.
"Oh, sorry Ginny. I see what's wrong with Harry now."
Closing the door, Ron grabbed Harry's arm and pulled him up from the floor, where he had sunk. "Don't worry about it mate. We've all walked in on Ginny often enough. Just be glad she had a towel on."
Ten and a half steps had passed before Harry found the words he was looking for. "No towel. Girl." Now that sounded intelligent.
"What?" Ron stopped and turned to face Harry.
"She wasn't wearing a towel. And she's a girl. Ron, did you know your sister's a girl?" Harry smacked the heel of his hand to his forehead. Of course Ron knew that Ginny was a girl!
"Ah! You had the revelation I had about Hermione! Don't worry. You'll get used to the idea. Who knows, maybe she'll stop blushing now. There's nothing to do that hasn't been done... well, there is, but it's best not to go there..."
Harry tuned Ron out. He wasn't sure what to think of Ron comparing his Hermione revelation to Harry's one about Ginny. On one hand, the thought was completely horrifying. On the other... it wasn't so bad.
"There's two dates in time,
That they'll carve on your stone,
And everyone knows what they mean,
What's more important,
Is the time that is known,
In that little dash there in between..."
Harry was awoken rather abruptly by Faith landing on his stomach a week later. She was holding a ball with the number 13 on it. It appeared to be
a billiards ball.
"Harry, do you know how to work this funky Portkey?" She was turning it round and round, still sitting on Harry's abdominal.
"No, I don't. What kind of a word is 'funky'?" Harry tried to push her off, but simply gained another God sister, this one on his legs.
"Faith, it says we're supposed to hold them and then say Hogwarts." Grace's voice was a bit more distant, seeing as how she was farther away. Harry could now not only, not breath, he couldn't feel his legs either.
"Could you possibly, oh, I don't know, get OFF?!" Faith grinned down at him and jumped off him to land ungracefully on the floor. "Grace?" Grace reluctantly stood up and sat beside her sister. "Now, what's this nonsense about a Portkey?"
"Portkey-sss," Faith corrected him dramatically, dragging out the 's'. "We both received letters from Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confederacy of Wizards." She smiled. "He expressed his delight at the fact that Grace and I would finally be taking up our rightful places at Hogwarts this year and sent us these." She held out the thirteen ball in her hand and then dropped it into her lap. "He undoubtedly knew about our decision before I sent him the letter, Mom can't keep her trap shut about some things."
Sitting quietly, Grace took up where she had left off. "Faith however, was too excited to finish the letter, and ran off to find you before she had found the instructions which tell us to hold them and simply say Hogwarts, while concentrating on our destination." She turned on her sister. "You are an impatient little-- little-- impatient thing!" Faith found this immensely funny and collapsed into a fit of giggles on the floor. Grace rolled her eyes. "We've already told Mom and Sirius that we're going, we just thought you should know. I believe we're going to be sorted." Grace found this very exciting and smiled.
Harry nodded and ran his hand through his hair. "Faith, you really should listen to Grace before you go jumping on people, especially sleeping people." Faith shrugged and stood up.
"Well Mr. Potter, we're off. Tell everyone we'll be back soon." Harry had just enough time to notice that Grace's Portkey was the eight ball, then the girls announced 'Hogwarts' as one and vanished from sight.
Time and time again, Harry wondered how he had managed such an insane life. The day had flown by. Fred and George, while slightly upset that Faith had not been there to help them, managed to pull a series of spectacular pranks on Ron. Ginny was not seen, nor was Hermione, so it was safe to assume that the two had holed up in Ginny's room, hiding from the twins. Harry himself stayed with Sirius and Melody, as they told stories of their youth, and re-told a few of Harry's favorites. This included the one in which all four of the Marauders had been forced to run down to the Great Hall, completely starkers, in order to retrieve some kind of clothing from Melody and Lily.
It was nearly dinner time when Grace and Faith appeared, popping right in the middle of he and Ron's chess game, which had already been ruined once by the twins. Ron cursed loudly and Faith patted the top of his head.
"Don't be so sour Ron, you'll spoil you're good looks." She winked at him and turned merrily to Harry. "Well, go on, you know you want to ask."
"Am I looking at the two newest Gryffindors?" Faith and Grace nodded happily and a shout of joy came from the other room. Immediately afterwards, Fred and George came bounding in, hugging Grace and Faith, and then switching. Hermione and Ginny peered into the room hesitantly and then entered, carefully avoiding the identical celebrating redheads.
"What's going on in here?" Hermione finally asked.
"Grace and I are the newest Gryffindor's, but that's not important right now." She finally had enough of the twins hooting and hollering and did a bit of her own. "Would the two of you shut your stinking traps?" They both looked sheepishly at her and sat down. "Grace and I were considering the idea that was formed by Harry, Ron and Hermione a week or so ago, and we believe we have come up with a suitable name for our little vigilante group."
The four redheads, one brunette, and one raven-haired boy, looked at one another. Ron finally voiced the group's question. "That depends, what do you have in mind?"
"Thanks to Fawkes, we have come up with a very good name." Grace smiled joyously, bouncing on the balls of her feet.
The other six looked at them. "What is it?" Harry asked, grinning slightly.
"The Order of The Phoenix."
Fin/ To Be Continued...
Author's Note Part 2 (Yes, I still know what you did last summer...): Well, I sincerely hope you enjoyed my long-winded prologue. I still can't believe it. It's practically chaptered! It's ridiculous! Hopefully now my actual story will make some sort of sense once you read it. If anyone reads it...