Chapter Two

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE HARRY POTTER FRANCHISE.

Harry slammed facedown into the ground as the world righted itself around him. For several seconds, he was too woozy to move or speak, and could only concentrate on breathing and staying conscious. If his concentration lapsed for even a second, he was sure that he would go under. Then he felt Cedric stirring next to him.

"You all right, Harry?"

When Harry didn't reply, he heard a hesitant charm: "R-rennervate." Suddenly, energy flooded through Harry's system, freeing him to move. He rolled over and sat up slowly.

"Ugh… You all right, Cedric?"

Cedric definitely wasn't all right. His face was deathly pale and he was shaking all over. As Harry sat up, he croaked out two words:

"M-magical drain…"

And then he keeled over and landed on the ground, unconscious.

"Cedric!" Harry knelt over him. Was he dead? No, there was a heartbeat, he was breathing, he was just unconscious. Harry stood up shakily and immediately fell back down again as his legs refused to cooperate. He could feel Cedric's rennervation charm wearing off fast. He was lying faceup on the ground now, his eyes fixed on the stars. Voldemort was back. He needed to do something, like get up, or get help, but he could barely stay awake. In fact, the grass under him felt so nice and soft, almost like a pillow. Really, it wasn't a bad place for a nap…

"Harry! Harry!" Somebody seized his arms, and a face came into Harry's vision- Dumbledore was bending over him. For the first time, Harry became aware of the crowd surrounding them. A cacophony of noise was all around him, and his scar still burned with pain- it was all almost too much to bear.

Another face crossed into Harry's field of vision- Cornelius Fudge was there now, his face ghost-white.

"My God- Diggory!" Fudge whispered. "Dumbledore- Is he dead?"

"No, Cornelius," Dumbledore's controlled reply came, "He is alive."

"Thank God!" Fudge exclaimed. "But, Harry-"

" 'm fine," Harry mumbled. "Professor… Professor…"

"What is it, Harry?" The Headmaster asked. "What happened?"

"Voldemort… He's- he's back. Voldemort is back." Harry could barely get the words out. The world was swimming before his eyes now.

"Dumbledore, we need to get them to the hospital wing! Harry- Diggory- they need help quickly!" Fudge was panicking now.

"Stay calm, Cornelius. Neither student seems to be in grave danger right now. Harry, can you stand up?"

"Think so," Harry muttered. He felt hands pulling him onto his feet and supporting him. All around him, voices were pressing in- "What happened?" "Is Diggory dead?" "Is he okay?"

"I'll take Harry to the hospital wing, Dumbledore."

"No, I would rather that he stayed here, Alastor. He needs a stretcher."

"Are you sure, Dumbledore? Harry looks like he's in a bad way. He needs help as soon as possible after what happened in the graveyard-"

Harry froze. Next to him, Dumbledore slowly turned to face Moody.

"What graveyard, Alastor? And how would you know where Harry has been?"

Through bleary eyes, Harry saw Moody go still, and then, in a blur of motion, draw his wand, aim at Harry, and yell a curse: "Avada Kedavra!"

Then a hand knocked him to the ground, the curse sailed over him, a scream went up, and Dumbledore was casting a spell, several more jets of light flew above him, and then there was a brilliant red light and a boom, followed by a yell, and a thump, and then, miraculously, everything went quiet. But only for a moment. The pandemonium that immediately followed strained Harry's ears painfully.

"Take them to the hospital wing, Minerva. I need to deal with Alastor's impostor."

"Albus, are you sure-?"

"This is not Alastor Moody, Minerva. I am sure of that."

"Very well, Albus. Come on, Harry. Let's get you inside."

Someone was gently moving Harry along through the crowd. He could hear the noise starting to fade. "What-?"

"Shhh, Harry. You'll be fine. Just keep moving. We're almost to the castle."

Harry recognized the voice as McGonagall's. "Whr's Cedric?" he mumbled.

Her voice became tense. "I don't know, Harry."

He heard a door opening, and then they were walking across a stone floor and up several flights of stairs. Another door was opened, and then they were in a brightly lit room, and he was being helped into a bed. Harry's eyes were starting to droop as he leaned back into the pillow under him.

He was jerked roughly from his daze when someone burst into the room. He wrenched open his eyes and saw Madam Pomfrey levitating a stretcher into the room with Cedric's body on it, as Professor Sprout followed behind.

"- severe magical exhaustion," Madam Pomfrey was saying to Professor Sprout, "He'll be unconscious for at least a day while his magical core recovers from the drain. There's not much else I can do except let his magic naturally recover." Cedric's stretcher was set down across from Harry's bed. Madam Pomfrey turned her attention to Harry.

"Mr. Potter! How do you feel?" she asked.

"Tired," Harry mumbled, letting his eyes droop down again.

"I should think so! You look like death warmed over! What happened?"

Harry opened his mouth to answer, but he found that he simply couldn't muster the energy to make words. In fact, he was finding it very hard to keep himself awake. He couldn't take it anymore. All he had to do was relax. Which he did.

"Mr. Potter!" Madam Pomfrey's voice sounded like it was coming from a different dimension. Harry didn't answer. He couldn't do anything except embrace the darkness that was rushing around him. Harry's vision went dark.

When Harry opened his eyes again, the first thing he saw was the headmaster, seated by his bed with a look of concern on his face, and a mysterious cloaked figure next to him. When Dumbledore saw that Harry was awake, his face brightened.

"Harry, my boy, you're awake. How are you feeling?" he asked.

Harry sat up and blinked the sleep out of his eyes. "I feel okay," he admitted. "What happened?"

"I was going to ask the same to you," Dumbledore said. "Where did that portkey take you?"

Fear seized Harry as the memories of the graveyard came rushing back. "Professor- Voldemort- he's back. We need to-"

The headmaster held up his hand. "I am aware of the fact that Voldemort is back."

Harry stared at Dumbledore. "How did you-?"

"That is my side of the story, which you will learn shortly. But first, I need to know what happened to you and Mr. Diggory."

Harry nodded and was about to start telling the story when Dumbledore stopped him. "I almost forgot, Harry," he said. "You have a visitor." He turned to the cloaked figure next to him, who lowered his hood, revealing a familiar mischievous face- Sirius.

"Sirius!" Harry said happily, embracing his godfather.

"Hello, Harry," Sirius said, reaching forward and hugging Harry. "I came immediately when I heard you were hurt. How are you?"

"I've been better," Harry quipped, patting Sirius on the back.

"Now," Sirius said, sitting back, "What on earth happened?"

"That's the question we all have, Sirius," Dumbledore said. "Harry, if you wouldn't mind enlightening us…"

And Harry did. He told Dumbledore and Sirius every detail of the course of events in the graveyard. He told them about the portkey, and Cedric seemingly being struck down, and then Wormtail tying him up and performing the ritual to bring Voldemort back, and then the Death Eaters arriving, and Cedric's ambush, and then their escape back to Hogwarts. During the story, Sirius occasionally let out noises of anguish, and when Harry got to the part about Wormtail cutting him, Sirius let out a positively canine growl. Dumbledore remained attentive and thoughtful through the entire story but said nothing. When Harry reached the end, Dumbledore sat back and looked contemplatively up before appearing to reach a decision and looking back towards Harry.

"And now I shall tell you my side of the story, Harry. It begins with the moment when Alastor Moody's impostor cast the killing curse at you."

"An impostor?" Harry asked.

"It was an impostor, as you'll see later. Anyway, I immediately Stunned the impostor and took him inside the castle for questioning. I was also waiting for the Polyjuice potion that he was using to wear off."

"Polyjuice?"

"Think of that hip flask that the impostor always wore, Harry. Did you notice how he only drank from that, and always upon the hour, every hour?"

"Hey- that's right," Harry said in dawning realization.

"When the Polyjuce potion wore off, the impostor was revealed to be Barty Crouch Junior," Dumbledore continued.

"Crouch's son?! But I thought he was dead!"

"So did I," Dumbledore said wearily. "But I was wrong. We administered Veritaserum to him, and he told us a number of things. Barty Crouch Junior survived because of his mother, who used Polyjuice to switch places with him as Barty went into Azkaban. Then the senior Crouch hid his son for years using the Imperius curse. Only one person figured out the ruse: Bertha Jorkins. Crouch Senior put a powerful memory charm on her."

Harry nodded. "But how did he get into Hogwarts if he was under the Imperius curse?"

"The rest of the story starts at the Quidditch World Cup. Crouch's house-elf, Winky, talked Crouch into bringing his son to the World Cup. But Barty was growing stronger and beginning to throw off the Imperius. At the World Cup, he stole your wand, Harry."

"So that's where my wand went!"

"Yes, that is correct. Anyway, Barty Junior used used your wand to cast the Dark Mark into the sky to scare off the Death Eaters.

"But why would he want to scare off the Death Eaters?" Harry asked.

"He felt that they were not truly loyal, and wanted to punish them for that," Dumbledore explained. "When Crouch Senior found out that his son had done that, he reapplied the Imperius curse and dismissed Winky, as you remember. Later, Wormtail and Voldemort came to the Crouches' house, after they had heard that Crouch Junior was still alive. Voldemort knew this because he had captured Bertha Jorkins."

"I see," Harry said.

"Now Crouch Senior was under the Imperius curse and being held in his own house. But he began to fight the curse as well, and he escaped, and went to Hogwarts, where you found him, Harry. Barty Crouch, still disguised as Moody, saw his father arriving on the grounds with your special map, Harry."

"Hey- my map! Professor Mood- er, Crouch, still has it! Where is it?"

Dumbledore smiled and reached into his robes, pulling out a roll of parchment. "Is this it?"

Harry eagerly took the map, unrolled it, tapped it with his wand, and whispered, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." To his delight, the familiar logo of Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs appeared.

"Is it working?" Dumbledore asked.

"Perfectly," Harry said. "But, Headmaster, what else- how did Crouch get me into the Triwizard Tournament?"

"The answer is fairly simple. Crouch used a confundus curse on the Goblet of Fire to make it think that there was a fourth school that you had entered as. He was also responsible for creating the portkey that took you away."

"Okay. But-"

Harry's question was cut off abruptly by the sound of a loud, boisterous argument approaching the hospital wing.

Madam Pomfrey came out of her office, scowling. "Honestly!" she said. "Is quiet in the hospital wing too much to ask?"

As the sounds of arguing grew closer, Dumbledore stood up and waved his wand over Sirius, causing him to vanish, as the door to the hospital wing was thrown open, and Professor McGonagall and Cornelius Fudge came in, with McGonagall in a blistering rage.

"-an abomination!" McGonagall was roaring as they came in.

"Calm yourself, woman!" Fudge said. "He's good as dead now!"

"Albus!" McGonagall shrieked. Her face was bright red, her eyes flashing dangerously, and her fists were clenched at her sides. Harry had never seen her look or act so angry.

"Albus, I took Cornelius to see the prisoner, like you asked, but he insisted on taking a Dementor with him, and as soon as that thing saw Crouch Junior, it just swooped down on him and- and-"

Harry fought down a wave of revulsion at what McGonagall's words entailed. Crouch had just suffered the worst possible fate- The Dementor's Kiss.

Dumbledore stood up. "Cornelius, why would you bring the Dementor's Kiss upon someone who could have given us valuable information?"

Fudge snorted. "Valuable information? That man was obviously insane, and I feared for my safety. What I did was perfectly rational! Why, that man believed that he was taking instructions from You-Know-Who himself!"

Harry looked quickly at Dumbledore, whose expression did not change. "Cornelius," he said quietly, "Barty Crouch Junior was not delusional. Voldemort is back."

For the briefest of moments, all color drained from Fudge's face, as a look of real fear appeared. But as quickly as it had appeared, it disappeared, and he straightened up defiantly.

"Now see here, Dumbledore! I don't know what you are up to here, but You-Know-Who is most certainly dead!"

Professor McGonagall opened her mouth in outrage, but Dumbledore spoke first. "Cornelius, Voldemort is alive and well, and we both know it. Did I not show you the Dark Mark on Severus' arm that is fully restored?"

"And I tell you that that is meaningless!" Fudge replied. "A mere tattoo cannot prove that he has returned!"

Dumbledore rose up to his full height and bore down on Fudge. "Voldemort is back, Cornelius, and you must accept it. He will begin a reign of terror soon unless we do something to stop him. You need to listen to me, Cornelius. I suggest that you take my advice. I know what to do."

"That's enough!" Fudge blustered. "Dumbledore- I will not stand for this behavior. You may delude yourself into thinking that You-Know-Who is back, but in the correct opinion of the Ministry of Magic, You-Know-Who died thirteen years ago!"

"Cornelius! You cannot possibly-"

"Your behavior will have consequences, Dumbledore! I refuse to listen to you any further. Good day." Fudge turned to leave, but then he stopped by Harry's bed and produced two bags from his robes.

"Your winnings," he said shortly. "Five hundred galleons for you, and five hundred for Mr. Diggory when he is well again." He dropped the two bags at Harry's side, put on his bowler hat, and stormed out.

As soon as Fudge left, McGonagall turned on Dumbledore. "Albus! Are you just going to let him leave?!"

"It is no use, Minerva. That man is so set in his beliefs that he will recoil at the slightest contradiction, and nothing that I say will change his mind."

"Sir? What are we going to do?" Harry asked.

"Patience, Harry. First of all- Ah, pardon my forgetfulness, Sirius." Dumbledore reached out with his wand and tapped the empty air next to him. Sirius shimmered back into existence.

Dumbledore turned to McGonagall. "Minerva, could you fetch the Weasleys? I believe that they have been champing at the bit to see Harry for hours now. They can visit him now."

Minerva nodded and left wordlessly.

Madam Pomfrey, who had been silent during the entire exchange with Fudge, spoke up. "Albus- Is Voldemort really back? For real?"

Dumbledore nodded sadly. "I am afraid so, Poppy."

Madam Pomfrey, like Fudge, paled as a look of real terror came over her face, before drawing herself up again. But unlike Fudge, she did not protest Dumbledore's conclusions.

"Well," she said firmly, "If we beat him once, we can beat him again!"

"That's the spirit," Sirius said amusedly.

Madam Pomfrey didn't seem fazed as she took notice of Sirius for the first time. "Sirius Black!" she exclaimed, rushing over. "Why, you're as skinny as a rail. Have you been eating at all?"

"I've been eating what I can get," Sirius mumbled bashfully.

"Well, it's clearly not enough! I should give you some nutrient potions, or perhaps-"

"Poppy, if you would excuse yourself? I have to have a word with Harry and Sirius in private." Dumbledore cut in.

"Of course, Albus." Madam Pomfrey returned to her office, leaving Harry, Dumbledore, and Sirius alone in the hospital wing.

"Harry, I know that what you went through in the graveyard with Voldemort must have been traumatic. Do you need to talk about anything?" Dumbledore asked.

"No, I think I'm fine," Harry decided.

"Good, then. Now," Dumbledore began, a twinkle in his eyes, "I believe that since Mr. Diggory has been eavesdropping on our entire conversation, I shall ask him if needs to talk about anything as well."

Cedric shot up from his bed. "How did you know I was awake, sir?!"

"When one is asleep, Mr. Diggory, they do not tense up every time the word 'Voldemort' is said."

Cedric reddened. "Oh. Guilty."

"Is there anything you would like to say, then?" Dumbledore queried.

"Yes. One thing."

"Ask away, Mr. Diggory."

"Why is Sirius Black sitting next to you, and why are you so calm about it?"

"It is a long story, but all that you need to know right now is that Sirius was wrongfully accused and in fact, innocent," Dumbledore explained.

Cedric blinked. "Right. Okay."

Harry cut in. "Cedric- I have to ask you, how did you survive? I know I saw you get hit with the Killing Curse."

Dumbledore leaned closer, listening intently for Cedric's answer.

Cedric grinned slightly. "Do you know what happened? Pettigrew missed me with his killing curse. It's as simple as that. The curse passed right through my robes. Here's where it went through." Cedric poked a finger through a small, neatly singed hole in his robes.

Dumbledore nodded. "I see. But then what did you do?"

Cedric's grin faded. "I dropped my wand, and I couldn't find it, so I had to play dead while I looked for my wand, and by the time I found my wand, V-Voldemort was restored. I hid in the woods and created a Stormbringer Curse."

Sirius and Dumbledore's eyebrows both shot up.

"The Stormbringer Curse?!" Sirius exclaimed. "Nobody in my seventh year could cast that. In fact, there's only nine wizards in the last two hundred years who could cast that- make that ten now. It's an extremely complicated and volatile piece of magic."

Cedric ducked his head. "Yeah, I kind of have a thing for volatile and complicated magic. There's a reason why I was the Hogwarts champion."

Dumbledore pushed his eyeglasses up. "Mr. Diggory," he said, leaning back, "The Stormbringer curse is an exceedingly rare feat of magic. Only the most talented of wizards even have the capacity to cast it. Wizards with your prowess would be valuable."

"Valuable for what?"

"Voldemort is back, Mr. Diggory. We need to be proactive in resistance. Every able wand needs to take up the fight against him."

"Well, of course I'm going to fight him. It's not like I wouldn't."

"I mean a little more than that, Mr. Diggory."

"What, then?" Cedric asked.

"Mr. Diggory, I would like to ask you to join the Order of the Phoenix."

Sirius raised an eyebrow, Cedric blinked, Dumbledore looked at Cedric expectantly, and Harry wondered what on earth the Order of the Phoenix was.

"I'm sorry sir, but I don't know what you're talking about," Cedric said.

Dumbledore smiled. "I thought so. I believe a history lesson is in order. Cedric, do you have any memories at all of the first war with Voldemort?"

Cedric furrowed his brow in concentration for a few seconds before gritting his teeth. "One memory, sir. I'd rather not say what it is."

Dumbledore nodded. "That is fine. I will tell you. Seventeen years ago," he began, "During the height of the war with Voldemort, I formed a group composed of above-average wizards, called the Order of the Phoenix, named after, as you might be able to guess, my familiar, Fawkes. Our goal was to present an alternative united front against Voldemort."

"We were a damn sight better than the Ministry, too," Sirius cut in.

Dumbledore continued without acknowledging Sirius' interjection. "And since Voldemort is back, I am resurrecting the Order. And, Mr. Diggory, we are always on the lookout for another member."

"Of course I'll join," Cedric said eagerly. "How could I not?"

"Wonderful, Mr. Diggory. We'll discuss it further at a later time."

Cedric nodded. "Sure."

From outside the hospital wing, a group of voices slowly grew louder and closer. But these voices were concerned, not angry.

"That would be the Weaseleys. Sirius-"

But Sirius had already transformed back into the black dog, as the door opened, and Professor McGonagall came in, followed by Molly Weaseley, Hermione, Ron, and Bill. Madam Pomfrey poked her head out of her office upon hearing the noise, but upon seeing Cedric, hurried over to him instead.

"Harry!" Molly half-shrieked, half-cried, running over to his bed. "You're okay!" She bent down and enveloped him in a bone-crushing hug.

Harry returned the hug. "Thanks, Mrs. Weaseley."

Molly moved back to let Ron and Hermione move up.

"Harry, mate," Ron said. "You won. Unbelievable. And I'm really sorry that I ever doubted you."

"It's okay, Ron," Harry said. "Thanks." Harry secretly relaxed with relief at his best friend's contriteness. There was no sign of the jealousy from the start of the tournament.

"Harry!" Hermione cried, embracing Harry in a hug that was almost as tight as Mrs. Weaseley's. "Thank god that you're okay!"

"I'm fine, Hermione. Thanks for the concern," Harry said, returning the hug.

As Hermione straightened up again, she caught sight of the black dog. Her eyes widened as she glanced at Harry. Is that-?

Harry nodded, affirming that it was Sirius.

"Harry-" Molly began, but Dumbledore abruptly held up a hand for quiet.

"Harry has had a long night, and is still recovering from his injuries. Now that you have seen that he is alive and well, I am going to have to ask you to leave him to be for another day."

"But-" Molly said helplessly.

"I am afraid that I will have to stand firm with my decision. Harry needs his rest," Dumbledore said, with finality.

"But-" Hermione and Ron protested simultaneously.

Molly shook her head. "You heard the Headmaster. He needs his rest! Come along now," she said, putting an arm around Ron and Hermione and guiding them towards the door, with Bill following behind.

As soon as they had left, Sirius transformed back into his human form. "Albus, what gives? Harry's perfectly fine."

Dumbledore's face seemed sunken with something that Harry couldn't identify- grief? Regret? Sadness? Whatever it was, it was affecting him.

"Sirius, the reason that I asked Miss Granger and the Weaseleys to leave was because there is something of great magnitude that I have to tell Harry about," Dumbledore explained.

"What is it?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore cast a silencing spell around him, Harry, and Sirius before speaking. "Harry, fourteen and a half years ago-" He seemed to fight a brief internal battle with himself before continuing on resolutely, "-Fourteen and a half years ago, before you were born, I was interviewing Sybill Trelawney for the position of Divination professor at Hogwarts."

Harry nodded, not seeing where the headmaster was headed. "Okay…"

"During the process of the interview, Professor Trelawney gave a prophecy."

"A prophecy?"

"Yes, a prophecy. In fact, I can- Fawkes?" Dumbledore held out his hand, and a second later, his brilliant red phoenix appeared in a plume of fire. "Fawkes, can you-" Dumbledore whispered something unintelligible into the phoenix's ear, and with a slight nod, Fawkes flamed out.

"A prophecy, Albus?" Sirius asked.

"You will see soon," Dumbledore said.

Fawkes flamed back in, this time carrying a small glass orb.

"Thank you, Fawkes," Dumbledore said, taking the orb. Fawkes let out a trill and flamed out again. Dumbledore turned his attention to the orb and tapped it with his wand. A silvery mist floated out from it, and a spinning figure rose from within- Professor Trelawney, reciting something.

THE ONE WITH THE POWER TO VANQUISH THE DARK LORD APPROACHES... BORN TO THOSE WHO HAVE THRICE DEFIED HIM, BORN AS THE SEVENTH MONTH DIES... AND THE DARK LORD WILL MARK HIM AS HIS EQUAL, BUT HE WILL HAVE POWER THE DARK LORD KNOWS NOT... AND EITHER MUST DIE AT THE HAND OF THE OTHER FOR NEITHER CAN LIVE WHILE THE OTHER SURVIVES... THE ONE WITH THE POWER TO VANQUISH THE DARK LORD WILL BE BORN AS THE SEVENTH MONTH DIES.

The floating figure of Trelawney sank back into the orb as the prophecy ended. Harry stared at the orb. "Sir, why are you telling me this? And what's the meaning of it?"

Dumbledore appeared to steel himself before continuing. "Harry, I have reason to believe that this prophecy is about you."

Dead silence met this utterance as Harry stared at the Headmaster in shock. Sirius' expression mirrored Harry's.

"Explain, Albus," Sirius said finally.

"The Dark Lord mentioned in the prophecy is obviously Voldemort. Harry, your parents fought Voldemort three separate times before you were born, each time resulting in a draw. You were born on the thirty-first of July, or 'as the seventh month dies.' And Voldemort went after you when you were a year old, giving you that scar after the killing curse rebounded off you and hit him. Thus, he marked you as his equal."

Harry blinked. "That- that makes sense, sir, but what about the rest of the prophecy? What power could I possibly have that Voldemort doesn't?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "I am not sure, Harry. Prophecies are extremely hard to decipher and can be fulfilled in unexpected ways. Don't let this worry you."

"But why- why are you telling me this?"

The sorrowful look that had been on Dumbledore's face earlier returned. "Harry, ever since Voldemort disappeared fourteen years ago, I knew that he was going to come back sooner or later. Unfortunately, I prepared for later. Thus, I was caught off-guard by this development. You could say that I had even become complacent. I failed to recognize the warning signs. I hate to rush your development, Harry, but with Voldemort back, there are things you need to know. This prophecy is one of them."

"Okay," Harry said. "Does Voldemort know about this prophecy?"

"Actually, he only knows part of it. But Voldemort's first order of business upon returning would be almost certainly to hear the rest of the prophecy…" He trailed off, staring contemplatively into space. Abruptly, he stood up. "That reminds me. I have important business to attend to. We will talk again soon, Harry. And Sirius, I have an errand for you. Go out and notify the old guard- Mundungus, Remus, Emmeline, and all the others- and tell them that it's time to bring The Order back together."

Sirius nodded. "Can do, Albus."

"Good." With a nod, Dumbledore left the hospital wing, taking down the privacy wards as he left, leaving Harry and Sirius alone.

"I don't think I've ever seen the headmaster so distraught," Sirius remarked.

"What do you think the 'power that the Dark Lord knows not' is?" Harry wondered.

"I don't know. It could be anything," Sirius said with a sigh. "Don't let it bother you, though. I'm sure you'll find out when the time is right. I don't think you should worry about this. If you want to talk about it, send me an owl. But I have to leave now. I'll see you again."

"Bye, Sirius," Harry said.

"Bye, Harry," Sirius said, standing up. He lifted his hood over his face and pulled out a small pocket watch. He whispered a phrase, and the watch briefly glowed blue before disappearing, taking Sirius with it.

A/N: There you are. Chapter three should be coming soon, hopefully. Please review! Thank you. Air Force Muffin out.