Chapter Two
The first thing Harry James Potter felt when he awoke was… Nothing. This bizarre fact hit Harry as soon as he stood. As he took in his surroundings, he realized that he was in… The Three Broomsticks?
Harry tried to shake the cobwebs out of his head.
"Give it time, my son. It will go away soon."
Harry froze. The voice was familiar. He should know, it had haunted his nightmares for years. It had only been a scream, but he knew its owner before he turned around.
"M...mum?" Harry stammered as he turned around to face the voice that had spoken softly to him.
"Yes son, it is me."
Harry couldn't believe it. Standing in front of him was… his mother. How could this be? It was then that Harry Potter realized… He was dead.
The form of his mother noticed the look on his face and quickly spoke,
"No Harry, you are not dead. Not yet at least." Lily said. She saw the look of confusion again in his eyes as he looked around.
"Why are we in The Three Broomsticks?"
"This is The Three Broomsticks? My, it has changed since my time. At any rate, it does not truly matter. This is just a projection of a place that is close to you."
"Why am I here? And for that matter, if I am not dead, why are you here?" Harry asked.
"As with the Three Broomsticks, I am a projection of something close to you." Lily said.
"Why am I here?"
"Death itself has given you a choice. Return to your life or pass on and join your family now. Death has seen the repercussions of either choice and has put it upon you to decide your fate."
"What will happen if I choose to move on?"
"All I was told is that Voldemort would win. Death did not discuss with me the full details. He said nothing of what would happen if you returned. But I can help you. Harry, you have the capability to change the Wizarding world. Death and Fate have told me that they have been keeping a close eye on you since you were born. They are not pleased with the way things are. Not of your fault, but the fault of those who are to protect you, namely Albus Dumbledore."
Harry was perplexed. The spirit of his mother continued.
"Death and Fate normally have control over everything, but sometimes people meddle in things that need not be meddled in. Harry, as soon as you turned eleven, you should have been granted full rights to everything the Potter's and Evans have."
"What? Why was I never told this?" Harry strangled out to his mother.
"Your father, I, and Dumbledore decided it would be best if you didn't know until you started Hogwarts or Sirius told you. We felt that living with Sirius you would be well off until turned eleven."
"How could I have lived with Sirius? He was sent to Azkaban for the supposed murder of Peter."
"Sirius was sent to Azkaban? He killed Peter? No! I refuse to believe it!" Lily said, seemingly shocked at his statement.
"Sirius didn't do it. Peter was the one who betrayed you. Sirius cornered him, Peter seemed blew himself up along with 12 muggles, all that was found was a little finger. It turned out that Peter transformed into a rat and ran. Sirius was thrown in Azkaban for life."
"Was Sirius ever pardoned? Obviously the truth has had to have come out."
Harry swallowed hard. It was unbearably hard for him to talk about Sirius.
"No. Sirius… Died about a month ago. He escaped Azkaban a few years ago and went to find Peter. He found him, but Peter escaped. Last month, Voldemort lured me to the Department of Mysteries by planting the thought that he caught Sirius in my head. There was a battle. Sirius was fighting Bellatrix. He- he fell through the Veil in the Department of Mysteries…"
Harry began to cry. This was the first he had spoken of Sirius since that sad night.
"If Sirius was in Azkaban, you must have been living with Minerva then, correct?"
"Professor McGonagall? No I have lived in my own little hell with your sister and her husband for the past fifteen years."
"Petunia? I told Dumbledore to never put you with that horrible woman! I know she was my sister, but she hated me for what I was."
Harry thought to himself, I'm beginning to realize that Dumbledore is hiding many things from me.
"Mum, is there any way for me to gain access to the Potter and Evans things?"
"Gringotts may still be able to help you there." Lily said. She looked behind her and back at Harry with a sad face "Harry, Death is telling me that it is time. Make your decision. Move on now, or walk out the front door and continue life."
Harry pondered his options, continue living in hell, or move on and see his dad and Sirius again. After a few moments, he turned back to his mother.
"Mum, please tell dad and Sirius that I love and miss them. I need to go back. There are unfinished things I need to deal with. Namely Voldemort. I love you mum."
"Goodbye Harry. Someday, I will finally be reunited with you. Until then, remember that I will always be watching over you."
Harry turned to leave.
"Oh, and Harry? Tell Petunia her flower wants her wish. She will understand."
Harry nodded and with that opened the door and walked into the bright light.
