Harry re-entered the fireplace, Floo powder in one hand, Lyall's dusty bottle in the other. He had planned to go back to the Burrow, but now it made more sense to go straight to Hogwarts and use the Pensieve.
He came out in a familiar round room. The portraits were all snoozing. Harry peered out of the fireplace, and saw that Minerva McGonagall, too, was snoozing, her head on the desk. Her hair had fallen out of the tight bun, and she made a mighty snore. Harry was unnerved; he'd never seen the woman asleep before.
As he left the fireplace, McGonagall sat up in shock, eyes flying open. "Who's there?"
"It's me, Professor. Harry Potter."
"Oh," her voice calmed. "I thought you'd be with the Weasleys. There's nothing more to do here, at least not today."
"I know. I've been making visits. Today I saw Andromeda Tonks and Lyall Lupin."
McGonagall gazed at Harry, eyes sad. "Telling news is the worst of it."
Harry nodded, unable to express his hearty agreement.
"How is Lyall Lupin? It's been a long time."
"He's not well, Professor. Even before I told the news, he seemed half-dead. I never thought about what it must have been like to raise a kid like Remus."
McGonagall sighed. "It was difficult even to manage as his Head of House." Harry was shocked at her vulnerability. Where was her perfect manner, her firm wit?
"It must have been terrible."
"Perhaps. But it was worth it. I'd have done it a thousand times for a man like him. Don't you forget it, Potter." Here was the McGonagall Harry remembered, an iron wall in suffering.
"Professor, I need to borrow the Pensieve."
McGonagall frowned at the bottle in his hand. "Take as long as you need, Potter.
Harry poured in the memories, pausing to look at the swirling liquid. What was he about to see? It had been a long day, and he wasn't sure he'd be up for anything.
He dove, landing in a tiny, neat living room with a bookcase. A young Remus sat on a battered sofa, reading.
Someone banged on the door so hard it shook. Startled, Remus jumped up and opened it. There, beard ruffled, eyes swollen and bloodshot, stood Hagrid. Harry noticed that he, too, seemed younger.
"What in Merlin's name happened to you?" asked Remus, smiling.
"I wanted to stop by here and see how you was coping…"
Harry gulped. He knew where this was going.
"Coping?" Remus' smile fell, his eyes turned dark. "What do you mean? What have I missed?"
Hagrid blinked. "Dumbledore didn't come by?"
"I just got back a few hours ago. This work isn't easy." Remus closed his eyes, slumping his shoulders. "He found Lily, James, and Harry didn't he? They're dead, aren't they?"
"Yer not wrong. But yer not right neither. James and Lily are gone. Harry survived."
"James is dead?" Remus' voice was hollow.
"Yeh really haven't heard? The news has spread all over the world. I woulda thought someone woulda told you."
"I've been occupied. Even if they came here…wait, the whole world? James isn't that famous."
"Nah, Harry is. You see, he defeated You-Know-Who. The man tried to kill him and he escaped with just a scar. You-Know-Who crumpled, lost his powers. Everyone is celebratin'."
"Celebrating. Right. I see. Hagrid, are you celebrating?"
"Nah. Seems cruel."
"Then I'm glad I heard it from you."
Hagrid and Remus sat in a silence not unlike the silence Harry endured with Lyall.
Remus broke it, muttering, "I can't believe James is dead and I spent the last week of his life lurking with monsters. I never said goodbye, I never had a last laugh."
"Lurkin' with monsters? They shoulda sent me on that job."
"Not your sort of monster. My sort." Remus' voice trembled, and Harry understood where he'd been.
"Maybe that weren't the best time for a joke."
Harry agreed, but he didn't blame Hagrid. After the events of the day, he knew all about such situations.
"James is dead. Where is Sirius, does he know?"
Harry resisted the urge to plug his ears. Why was Remus showing him this memory? He didn't want to hear Remus learn that Sirius was evil, any more than he wanted to hear that his own parents were dead.
"Black? He's in Azkaban."
"What?! Why?"
"He were the Secret Keeper, weren't he? He told You-Know-Who."
"Sirius wouldn't." Remus' voice was firm. "Besides, they hadn't cast the Fidelius Charm yet. Where is Peter? We'll get this sorted out."
Hagrid swallowed visibly. "Pettigrew is dead."
Remus cast his eyes down. "Oh."
"You should know. It was Black who done it." Hagrid's face was scrunched in fury.
"Sirius killed Peter? No. Never. Who told you?"
"Dumbledore himself."
"I'll talk to Dumbledore about it, then."
"I kin go with you. I'm real sorry Remus." Hagrid put his hand on Remus' shoulder.
"Thank you Hagrid. I need some time alone."
Hagrid nodded his shaggy head, and left the door. Remus sighed, the pain in that sound weighed on Harry. "Oh, Lily. Oh, James."
The memory swirled out of focus, to Harry's relief. He did not want to see Remus alone and grieving. The headmaster's office appeared in place of the neat little house.
"Remus Lupin. I should have expected you." Dumbledore looked the same as when Harry had known him.
"Sir, I've come to ask you about Lily and James. I was on that mission to the werewolves when they died, you see, and I've heard some things I can't believe."
Dumbledore looked at him sadly. "I'm sorry I didn't come and tell you myself. There was so much to do…it must have slipped my mind."
Harry felt anger welling up in him. What more important things did Dumbledore have to do than telling his father's best friend that he was dead?
"It's not that. It's just…I've heard that James and Lily performed a Fidelius Charm, that Sirius told on them. That Sirius killed Peter."
"I'm afraid all of that information is correct."
"They did the charm. Sirius was the Secret Keeper. Why didn't they owl me?" Harry heard the insecurity in Remus' voice.
"You were on a mission. My guess is they were waiting for you to return."
"I don't believe Sirius killed Peter."
"Believe what you like. Sirius blew up an entire street, ripping Muggles to pieces. All we found of Peter was his finger."
"Sirius wouldn't."
"Wouldn't he? Have you always been sure of him, Remus? Sometimes, our friends – even our best friends – turn out to be people we never knew." Remus' face crumpled.
Harry knew who Dumbledore was talking about. Here he was, lost in his own past, thinking Sirius no better than Grindlewald. Was this why he'd never fought for Sirius to have a fair trial?
"Sirius is dead, then." Remus' voice was emotionless, businesslike, though the suffering in his eyes betrayed him. Harry wasn't sure whether to admire him for his strength or yell at him for keeping the mask.
"That's a wise way to see it."
"One more thing, Dumbledore. Where is Harry?"
"Remus, I am very sorry, but I can't tell you."
"Why the bloody hell not?" For the first time, Remus sounded angry.
"Do you know how many people would like to kill him?"
"Yes. But not me. I just want to visit him. He's all I've got left."
Dumbledore hung his head. "Remus, I understand you want to be there for your friend's son. But the best thing we can do for Harry is let him grow up in peace."
"I don't even know who he's living with. Is it Frank and Alice? They're second in the will."
"The Longbottoms are incapacitated." Harry cringed. How much bad news did Remus have to hear in one day?
"What? How?"
"Bellatrix Lestrange went after them when she heard about You-Know-Who's downfall. They are in Saint Mungos."
Remus closed his eyes, breathing in. "James wanted to list me second in the will, Dumbledore. He wanted to, but I suggest Frank and Alice instead. I can't care for a child. I'm not asking to take Harry; I just want to see him. Dumbledore, you know me. I'll go at the new moon, during the day time. Please, Dumbledore, it will get me through."
"Remus, this is not about you. It's about Harry. I am not telling a soul where he is." Harry, and Remus, too, knew that Dumbledore would not waver.
"I'll find him. I knew Lily and James better than you ever did." Remus stormed out of the office, muttering to himself.
Harry caught up to Remus and strained to hear. "If I died, I know he'd let James visit my son."
