Remus looked tired and rubbed his eyes. "Yes, Harry, this was your godmother. A truly great witch."
"Was? Where is she? What happened to her?" Harry pulled up another chair.
"I... Oh, Harry. I haven't thought about her in such a long time. It's hard to think about it, she was such an amazing person and so bloody smart. Too smart though. Too smart for her own good. She took too much on." Remus began muttering, talking to himself now.
"Um, Remus. What happened to her? Why have I never heard of her before?"
"I assumed Sirius wanted to tell you in person, you would have had time this summer. She was such a big part of his life. I think a part of Sirius died the day that we found out what happened to her."
The teens were silent, wanting to here more. Remus paused thoughtfully before he continued.
"Voldemort killed your parents on October 31st. Twelve days prior to that Lo was killed outside of Berlin. It wasn't the first death we had experienced as part of the order but it was the first of our friends, the first of our school mates. Voldemort had her captured and tortured for information before he personally killed her."
"I still don't understand, who was she?" Hermione asked her old teacher. "Obviously she was very close Sirius, but you still haven't told us who she was and how you lot knew her."
Remus considered how to answer her while he looked through the old pictures. Arthur had wandered over from the other side and picked up the engagement picture. He laughed quietely. "Lo was one of the hardest working members of the Order. She put everything aside for what she believed in, even Sirius. She was constantly on missions and rarely came home. Molly was quite close to her."
"We didn't meet her until our second year, she was a year below us. She had come from Germany. Her dad was German but her mum attended Hogwarts and that's where she wanted Lo to attend. She was so incredibly smart. She was a potions protege and spoke, what was it Arthur? Four languages?"
Arthur nodded mutely and let Remus continue. "Loads didn't like her, she was too smart for her own good, plus she could be a snob, her parents were old purebloods on both sides and you know the Germans..."
Remus trailed off again. "You say you found a box? Can you bring it down?"
Ron nodded and ran up to get it. Meanwhile Harry seemed lost in thought. There was yet another part of his parent's past that no one had told him about. Why hadn't Sirius said anything, he wondered. Ron had returned with the black box and Remus flipped it over. The top was inscribed with the Beck family crest, the bottom had Lo written in her own script. "Yes as I thought. Some of us made these back when, others considered it bad luck. It's much like a Pensieve. This box contains a very powerful spell that houses all of the users memories should they become killed. It only works after the maker dies, before that it keeps storing more and more information about the spell caster. As soon as the owner of the box placed his or her hand on the crest it would replicate memories in the box up to that point."
"I've heard about these! This magic is really complex and can be very dangerous if not done properly. A facade of your former self will come out to answer questions and show memories. And only one of the prescribed people can activate the box to see the memories to keep secrets out of the wrong hands." Hermione of course knew all about the mystery box.
"And we were told only to use a select few as well as someone outside of our group with a maximum of four holders. Sirius, Lily and I were all Protectors and I believe-"
Molly Weasley had silently entered the room and had tears in her eyes. "Oh, poor Lo. I haven't thought of her in so very long."
Remus handed her the box with a sad smile and handed her the box. "Would you like to do the revelation, Molly?"
The Weasley woman took out her wand and placed the tip on the crest. "Ostendit," she murmured. A hole appeared in the front of the box and a young girl appeared, like she was from a movie screen.
"Remus, Molly, Arthur! How lovely to see you- Oh wait. This means I've died hasn't it?" While at first the beautiful girl from the picture looked elated to see her old friends, she looked crestfallen.
"Yes, dear, I'm afraid you've been gone for quite sometime." Molly replied, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief.
"Well, that's a shame. I had hoped I was forgetful and simply forgot to take care of my box and that's why I hadn't learned anything new." The girl answered back forlornly. "I guess now that my box is open, what can I tell you?"
"Lo, this is Harry Potter, your godson. I believe he's the one with the questions for you." Remus put a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Oh, Harry! Look how handsome you've become. So much like James, he must be so proud of you."
"Actually-"
"Harry, there's no point in telling her, it will just upset her and then it will be harder to find out what we want. She's not real, you must remember that, only a vision of what she was." Remus whispered to him.
"I know it's not much, but here, you must see this Harry. It was the only time I got to meet you." With that Lo faded away and she reappeared wearing a sundress. She walked into what Harry had come to know as the house he had lived at with his parents in Godric's Hallow with Sirius at her side.
"Lily, James! We're here!" The couple walked into the kitchen where Lily was feeding a baby Harry. The two women squealed and hugged.
"Lo, I've missed you! How has it been in France? Did you get many contacts?" Lily let go of the blonde girl. "You've gotten too skinny. Have you not been eating?"
Lo shrugged and then turned to the baby that James was holding. "This must be my little Harry." James handed the small boy to Lo and she cooed at him. "Oh he's beautiful. He'll be a lady killer yet. You'll have to watch out for this one, you will."
Ron guffawed loudly and hit Harry on the shoulder. "Well there was Cho Chang." Molly shushed him loudly.
Lo walked into the next room while the other adults talked amongst themselves. The blonde seemed enamored of the tiny baby and she spoke to him quietly. "How can this be the first I've ever seen you? I should have been here when you were born. But I had to find out what was going on in Paris. The Death Eaters have extended their range you know. I guess that's all I can say, not like you would tell any of my secrets." She knelt down and nuzzled the sleepy baby's forehead. "You will be great, Harry Potter." And she left a kiss on the top of his small head. The look of love on her face was evident, it was different than the one she gave Sirius or her friends. She had a look of protection, she wanted to keep this small child safe and couldn't wait to get to know him.
Lily and the others burst in. "Lo, we haven't had a picture together in so long. I know you've been gone but now we need a photograph." Lily plopped down on the ottoman and James situated himself behind Lo and Harry after he threw his camera at Sirius. "Take a photo, mate."
Sirius held up the camera and snapped a picture of the group. They spent a little more time together before Sirius grabbed hold of Lo and pulled her down onto his lap. "Sorry everyone, but Lo's only been in town for a day and she has to leave in tomorrow afternoon. We have some catching up to do as well."
"Oh catching up? Is that what they call it now? Can't say I blame you." James gave the couple a wink. "We should probably head in to, this little bugger will be waking his mum up in about in an hour or so."
"I'll send you a letter as soon as I can. I'll be back in a month or so." Lo said tearfully. "I love you both."
Lily hugged her tightly and James followed his young wife. "Keep safe, Lo. It'll be over soon and you can babysit Harry all the time."
"You may find it hard to get him back," Lo replied.
"I think you should get one of your own," James said nudging Sirius suggestively.
They shrugged again and said their goodbyes. Sirius and Lo walked outside the house and apparated with a loud pop and the whole frame shimmered and faded away. Lo reappeared in the same chair as before, quiet, pensive.
Lupin coughed. "That was the only time she ever got to meet you. She died shortly after."
Harry was thinking of all the questions he had for the girl, no facade in front of him and decided to start with the most basic of all. "Who are you, Lo? I know you're my godmother and you were with Sirius, but that doesn't really tell me anything."
"I could show you from the beginning. But it could take a while. You see, Harry, even though nothing matters before I was nine, a lot happened to me and seven years is a lot of time."
"I have all day."
"Since I have your undivided attention- mind you, if you leave in the middle I reserve the right to not tell you anything else."
"Did I mention she was bossy?" Remus chuckled.
Lo rolled her eyes and she faded and shimmered away again.