The idea for this story was conceived before the release of the final book in the Harry Potter series, and therefore differs greatly from the original final storyline. I have added new and altered existing characters. I do hope you approve of what I've done.

The main characters, setting and storyline are the work of J. K. Rowling. I do not lay any claim to any element of the Harry Potter series.

Chapter 1: The Summoning

"There's only one thing to do. We must summon Susannah."

They looked at one another, wondering if the shock of Dumbledore's death had caused Professor McGonagall to lose her mind.

"But Minerva, dear," a female voice said gently. "Susannah died 16 years ago. Murdered, so they say, by Snape. Just like Albus."

"Excuse me if I don't make important decisions according to what 'they say'?" said Professor McGonagall dryly. "But really, that doesn't matter now. Susannah is not dead, and Remus is already on his way to bring her home!"

Around here I'm know as the Crazy Cat Lady. It seems almost obligatory these days for every neighbourhood to have one to call their own. How fortunate for the locals then that a solitary, secretive woman with a liking for black dresses moved into the old stone cottage that every pregnant cat in the district seemed to choose to birth their numerous young. But that was well over a decade ago. The children I terrified when I first arrived are used to me now, but still instruct their own children to give me a wide berth. I hear the children whisper that I am a witch…

Ha! If only they knew! I could try and tell them that I am actually a good witch, but the subject strangely has never been broached with me by any of the locals. I rarely get to use my magic here. Only in the dead of night when I am sure I will be unobserved. And when I'm too lazy to make myself dinner.

I have come to love my adopted home. Here it's not as hot as it gets on the mainland, and sometimes it even snows. It makes me think of my homeland. I haven't seen it in over fifteen years. I haven't seen my husband in over fifteen years. I haven't hugged, kissed or made love to another being either. How could I, when my heart still belongs so utterly to him? But, well, we did what we had to do. There was no choice but for me to come here. They would have killed me. They would have killed him.

Today for some reason, my homeland plays heavily on my heart and mind. My memories of home seem almost torturous. I can't help but feel that something is about to happen. Or has just happened. It's like the universe has cracked. I can almost hear it…

And then I realise that the crack is real. It's a sound I had long forgotten; the sound of someone apparating outside my door. Maybe it's the end. Maybe the Death Eaters have finally found me. I stand up and slowly make my way through the shadows to the window so I can look outside my door.

And there I see a figure I have not beheld for 15 years or more. I'm sure no Death Eater would think to imitate that confused, befuddled look that comes so naturally to this friend of mine. I run to the door and fling it open.

"Remus!" I exclaim, throwing my arms around his neck and hugging him. I am like a little girl, jumping up and down with excitement.

He has been taken by surprise, but soon his look of astonishment melts and he is smiling and hugging me back.

"Zannah!" he says as he kissed my hair. "I, I can't believe it. Let me look at you!"

We separate and he pushes me back and looks me up and down. I see tears appear in his eyes.

"But, you're all woman now," he mutters. "I never thought I'd see…God, it's good to see you!" He hugs me again.

I can understand his feelings at the sight of me. Last time he saw me, I was little more than a girl. Hardly 20. Now, I'm not so far from middle age. But then, he too has changed. He is looking rather more haggard than I remembered.

"You look tired Remus," I say. I can't resist adding the question: "Is it your time of the month?"

He chuckles. "No. Is it yours?" he asks. "I remember a time when we used to be in synch!"

"That's right. Sirius, James and Peter keeping you company during the change was nothing compared to my bleeding and sharing your desire to howl at the moon with you!"

The laugh is heartier this time. "Didn't you used to grow hair on your hands too?" he says, grinning. "Ouch!"

He rubs his arm, feigning injury. I have just dealt him a playful punch there for his impertinence.

"Seriously, you were all good friends. You were like my family."

We both fall silent for a moment or two. I'm sure his mind has drifted, as has mine, back to those long lost days of our teenage years. They seem like another lifetime.

"So," he says eventually. "Did you hear about Sirius?"

I nod in response. He extends his hand to comfort me, but with a hint of trepidation. I know he's unsure how I will take this being brought up. He's well aware Sirius and I had 'a thing' at one stage. In fact, Sirius was my first. The first boy who showed an interest in me. The first boy I kissed. The first boy I made love to.

Naturally, Sirius's death did upset me, but there are others whose death I would feel – and have indeed felt – more keenly.

"Yes, I heard," I reply. "There are so few of us left now. And now I'm fearing I'm about to receive another blow. So tell me Remus, there has to be a damn good reason why you've come all this way after so long. Spit it out. Has another one of us fallen?"

My eyes hit the floor immediately after my question is asked. It's taking all my strength to stay standing and breathing. What if he's about to say the words I've been dreading all these years? What if he is going to tell me my husband is dead?

"It's Dumbledore."

This is almost as much of a blow. I truly loved and revered my godfather. But my husband is still alive. I can continue to live in hope of seeing him again.

"Zannah?" Remus's voice re-alerts me to his presence. It's so easy to slip back into believing I'm alone. I've imagined reunion scenes with loved ones so many times over the years.

He continues, "You don't seem…well, you seem almost relieved!"

"Oh, Remus, no...believe me, I am upset. I'm devastated, I truly am!" I feel his arms around me once again. My voice slightly muffled by his cloak, which I have dampened by my tears, I say, "I just thought for a minute that you might have been about to tell me…"

"...that your husband was dead? Don't worry, he's still very much alive."

There's a tone of bitterness in Remus's voice at his next pronouncement.

"In fact, he's the one who killed your godfather."