Chapter 4 A Wolf, A Grim, and a Bat

Harry woke up in the clothes he'd been wearing yesterday. He noticed Dobby standing at the edge of his bed, a look of concern on his small face.

"Harry Potter sir, you are in pain. Can Dobby help?" asked the elf.

"Take care of breakfast for me please, Dobby. Make it something simple. I don't think anyone is going to be in the mood for a grand feast." Dobby nodded sadly and popped away.

Memories that he'd had turned out to be lies. There never was a friendship with Ron. He'd been an asshole from the first time he'd met him, trying to bully Hermione into leaving the compartment she was sharing with Harry. He'd gotten up from his seat and sat next to the young witch, an arm wrapped around her shoulder as he said "Never gonna happen. She is my friend. You are not. Kindly leave us alone." And a red-faced Ron had left the compartment, mumbling to himself about 'mudbloods' and 'he's my best friend.' It had been Neville that went with them to get the Stone.

Neville was his brother. For three years the brotherhood that should have been was relegated to just a fragile friendship. Neville was neither a frightened child nor a push-over. He'd stood by Harry as they hunted for the Stone. That he'd been charmed and obliviated into becoming a weak willed chubby kid made his blood boil. His brother and he would bring fire and brimstone down on the head of one Albus Dumbledore!

He cried tears of deep sadness when he remembered Luna. How he'd saved her from those damn Ravenclaws. How she'd clung to him for what surely were hours, crying her eyes out over the hell that had been her first year. His pride in her was etched on his face whenever he helped her out with the practical side of her homework. She picked up spellwork almost as fast as Hermione, but it was with Harrys help that she was able to gain some measure of control over her magic. The abuse that she'd suffered at the hand of her tormentors had messed with her magic. It made her spells erratic. They had grown closer. He had considered his little sister, and he loved her like a big brother should. That he and she had been made to disregard each other was painful. His sister needed to know the he was back in her life. He would never leave her again.

He was surprised when the young pureblood had come into his compartment and introduced herself to him. "Daphne Greengrass, a pleasure to meet you Mr. Potter. I have longed to meet you, as my parents tell me that we played together as toddlers." He'd blushed a bit at that, and she giggled at seeing him do so. She'd set everyone in the compartment to laughing though with tales of his father and the Marauders. He'd been proud hearing the stories of his mother's intelligence and academic accomplishment. He'd found another piece of the mystery that was his life. Daphne being sorted into Slytherin had been a bit of a surprise, but as he really didn't know much about the stigma associated with that House, he intended to continue getting to know her. And they had. He, Daphne, and Hermione had spent countless hours together, studying and talking. A real bond of friendship had formed. Once the Slytherins had noticed her hanging out with him, their friendship seemed to end. He'd caught glimpses of her at school, tried to talk to her, but been blocked at every turn. He'd been made to forget her.

Another sister had been lost.

He stood from his bed, heading towards the bathroom, convinced that the scalding water would help wash away some of the pain he felt in his heart. Godric had been right. He'd been a pawn of the Headmaster since he was born. His parents had lost their lives protecting him, he'd be damned if he lost his own because of that man's manipulations.

As he was searching his closet for something to wear, he noticed his broom standing in one of the corners. He chuckled half-heartedly, remembering when Hermione had…

Hermione.

His body lost control as he crumbled to his knees. The pain and sadness that he was keeping at bay flowed through him as if from a bursting dam. She'd been the first person she met on the Express. Shaking her hand had been like a jolt of electricity surging through his body. He could feel his magic exploring her magic, caressing, as if in a passionate dance. He'd been too young to understand back then what the sensation meant. But he remembered thinking that he had found his one true best friend. One who would never leave him. One who would stand always by his side.

His anger was provoked at the thought of Hermione's life being in danger because of a troll. Seeing her helpless, screaming in fear, had unleashed in him a fierce protectiveness. He held on to her as if his life depended on it after defeating the beast.

The gentle kiss he'd given her before heading in to face Quirrell provided the jolt of courage he needed to keep on going. How could he ever have forgotten that first tender kiss?

He'd stayed by her side for hours, blaming himself for her predicament. But just being near her, even though petrified, had been enough for him. It allowed him to continue. Any detentions or demerits he earned for breaking curfew to be by her side meant little to him. He'd poured his heart out to his friend. And in the silence of the infirmary he'd come to realize the she owned his heart. She had always owned his heart.

He loved Hermione. There was no hesitation, no uncertainty, no doubt. It was just fact. He would spend the rest of his life standing by her side. Seeing her protected, seeing her loved. Becoming the best person he could be just to make her proud of him.

He finally got himself up off the floor. He washed his face again; there was no need to frighten everyone with his red rimmed eyes. He walked to the door, placing his hand on the doorknob. He hesitated. 'Was this fear?' he wondered. 'Apprehension, perhaps?' He finally gave the knob a turn and headed toward the common room. He wasn't surprised to see Godric standing there, a look of concern on his face.

"Alright there, Harry?"

"I'll be fine, My Lord. I know you meant us no harm. You revealed to us truth. We can only move forward with the new information we have." answered Harry.

"Very well, Harry. I believe the others are beginning to stir. I imagine no one had a pleasant evening."

Luna was the first to appear. The tears were still coming down her face. She looked toward Harry anxiously, and when he held out his arms to her, she ran at full speed and crashed into him. She sobbed into his chest. "I'm so sorry, Luna?" he said.

"Why?" she asked. "You're my big brother; nothing will ever change that again. I will never let anything or anyone come between us again."

"I missed you. You always did have a way of setting me straight."

"It's a sister's job to make sure the big brother doesn't get a big head. You care for me, I also care for you." she said looking into his eyes. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, and hugged her tighter.

"Harry!" yelled Neville bursting from his room. Harry looked at his brother, a smile on his face "Alright there, brother?"

Neville ran toward Harry and engulfed him a hug. The bigger boy lifted Harry off the ground easily in his excitement at being reunited with his brother once again. "Dumbledore will pay for what he's done to us, brother. Of that have no doubt. But if you don't put me down I'm gonna pull my wand and hex you into next week!"

Grinning like a fool, Neville finally let Harry down. He had his brother back. All was again right in his world. "He took away my courage, Harry. He took away my pride." he said with lowering his eyes.

"He did no such thing, Neville. He hid them from you. You've just found them again. Those will always be a part of you, it's who you are."

Smiling at them, Luna said "He's not bad for a big brother, is he Neville?"

"Big brother, please? I don't think so, Luna. I'm the eldest."

"By a few hours at the most!"

"Well, perhaps, but I'm still older. Deal with it!"

Harry felt someone tapping his shoulder. Daphne stood there with her head down. "You must forgive me Harry."

"For what, Daph? There is nothing, whatsoever, to forgive you for." he asked her. "Do you still want to be my friend?"

"Of course, Harry, why wouldn't I want to?"

"Well, you are an evil Slytherin after all." he said with a grin.

"Never mind. I hate you, you detestable Gryffindor!" she smiled back. He grabbed her by the shoulders and enveloped her in a hug. "Better?" he asked.

"Damn Potter, always having to make life interesting!"

"Admit it, you'd be bored without me." she smiled into his chest and nodded.

Blaise and Tracy appeared next. They each also hugged Harry, apologizing for any slight they might have given him. The twins looked beat when they finally showed up. The irritation plain to see on their faces. "Harry, we didn't know, we swear"

"What are you guys talking about?"

"Ron! We had always wondered why you threw over Neville for a friendship with Ron. It made us proud of him when he went with you to rescue Ginny. That cave-in was not as bad as it seemed. He abandoned you, abandoned Ginny. How he ended up in Gryffindor we will never be able to explain." George had a tear in his eye as he got that off his chest. Fred put a hand on his shoulder in support. "Harry, he hurt Hermione."

"We'll deal with him when the time comes. As it is, he's not worth the effort. I have this damn tournament to get through, and we have a Dark Asshole to defeat, I need you undistracted if we're going to accomplish that, okay?"

"Yes, mon capitaine!" they saluted.

ooOOooOOoo

The revelations of the night before had caught Hermione completely unguarded. She'd broken down totally and utterly. It was only the thought that Harry would be there waiting for her that kept her going. He would remember too. He would remember the nights spent together studying, holding hands under the table. He would remember the long walks they'd taken along the shore of the lake at sunset. He would remember.

She had showered and dressed already. But her courage faltered when trying to open the door in front of her. She'd been standing there for the better part of an hour. The indistinct mumbling from the other side of her door alerted her to the fact that everyone was probably awake and talking about the revelations they'd uncovered.

She sighed and opened her door. Slowly she made her way toward the common room. Her first look at Harry made her smile a little. The twins were saluting him in a poorly done imitation of the military way doing it. She'd have to get her Dad to show them the correct way to salute someday.

She stopped. She couldn't move, she was stuck in place. The emerald eyes turned her way, and she thought she'd faint. 'What if he doesn't remember me like that?' She felt the tears come unbidden to her eyes. Her eyes fell, staring at her feet. But with a resolve she did not know she had in her, she lifted her eyes again. Harry was slowly making his way towards her.

He stopped a few feet from her. He looked at her, taking her all in. He could smell the faint traces of vanilla coming from her. Her hair, which had been a bushy mess when they'd first met, had calmed down noticeably, turning into soft curls. Those chocolate eyes were now focused on him, and he tried to convey to her with a look all the love and caring he felt for her.

His eyes were focused on her. Staring into the green depths of them, she could feel the love coming from him. He remembered. He remembered her. And she took a step towards him.

He noticed her taking a step towards him, and he took a step towards her also. He lifted his hand, reaching for her.

She saw his hand reach for her. She raised her hand and placed it in his. And took another step forward. She gazed lovingly into his eyes.

His free hand reached gently for her cheek. The warmth of his hand on her cheek meant everything to her. She'd forgotten this. He always put his hand on her cheek. It was the way he said hello in the morning and goodnight in the evening. It was the way he conveyed his deep love for her, as words often failed him. He remembered.

He slowly brought his lips to hers. Their first kiss in a long time, filled with the promise of many more. A kiss not of passion, but of remembrance.

He pulled away gradually, and rested his forehead on hers. "I love you, 'Mione."

"You love me?" she asked softly.

"My heart may be a bit battered and beaten, but it is entirely yours. I am yours, mind, body, and soul. The rest of my life will be dedicated to showing you how much I love you. I love you completely."

She had longed to hear him say these words to her for what seemed an eternity. "He stole you from me Harry. He took you away from my side."

"He did. And for that he will pay. We may have only been friends in those memories he gave us, but we were together. It was you that has stood by my side since the very beginning. It is to you I turn to when I need help or encouragement. We may not have remembered loving each other, but I have you now, and I will never let you go again."

She thought she'd beaten the tears, but at Harry's final declaration, the tears started coming again. She hugged him as tightly as she could. There was no way Harry was leaving her side again, not if she could help it. They were together, as was intended, as she'd known since the beginning. It was meant to be. They were meant to be.

ooOOooOOoo

"Should we say something?"

"Fred, let them be, they'll join the land of the living…eventually." said Luna. She gazed in wonderment at her 'brother' and his love. And it was then that she caught a glimpse of something. A shimmer of light, weak and diffuse, surrounding Harry and Hermione. She caught Godric looking at her, and he waved her towards him.

"You see it, don't you?" he asked in a whisper.

"The glow? I had always assumed that is was Harry letting slip some of his magic. Are you telling me that is not the case?" she whispered back.

"Just know that it is no danger to them; that on the contrary it is a most wondrous gift. You mustn't alert them to it, though, as it must progress naturally."

"Sweet Morgana, it's a bond…they're bonding! How can we, how can I keep that from them?"

"Luna, don't tell them. At least not yet. Let them discover this on their own. It will be much better for them that way, as it will progress naturally. As far as I know, you and I are the only ones that can see it, although I suspect the Headmaster can as well or figured it out from watching them together. Do you remember this from before?"

Luna thought back to her time spent together with Harry and Hermione. She had indeed noticed the light, but it seemed to her brighter back then, especially when they were hugging or holding hands. Her eyes widened. "Godric…My Lord, how could he do that to them? The anguish they must have suffered must have been unbearable."

Godric smiled kindly at her. "I'm sure it was. But can you imagine the strength of those two, to have fought and clawed their way back to each other's side? Try though he might, the Headmaster could not and will not keep them apart."

ooOOooOOoo

"I guess we should just ignore them for the moment, agreed? I can see Dobby ready to serve us breakfast. Why don't we head over and get something to eat?" suggested Tracy said motioning for the table.

"I hope breakfast is something savory, because the sweetness coming from that side of the room is starting to give me a sugar rush!" deadpanned Blaise.

"Blaise, do you remember them like this? Do any of you?" asked a curious Daphne.

"They've always been close. Remember the train, Daph? They'd known each other for at most a couple of hours, but they were holding hands like they'd known each other forever." acknowledged Neville.

"In the Gryffindor common room too! They'd claimed a couch by the fireplace as theirs, and spent every evening by each other's side, reading, doing homework, or just whispering to each other." said George.

"You know, except for classes and the like, I can't recall a time where they were ever more than an arm-length apart from each other." added Fred.

"Just be happy you get to witness this." said a soft voice.

"Witness what, Luna?" asked Daphne.

"A love story to rival all love stories. About the savior of our world and the witch that held his heart. A story of love that will rival that of Tristan and Isolde, Merlin and Morgana, or James and Lily." she said with a small smile on her face.

"Ok, enough! It's too early in the morning for talk like this. The cuteness is making me lose my appetite. So can we please eat…please?" Blaise's head rocked forward from the slap, administered ably by the grinning Fred and George.

"Sorry girls…"

"We were closer than you two…"

"So acted in your stead…"

"If that's all right?"

"Well done boys, and thank you. Tracy and I need to rest our wrists if we are to continue his education." smiled Daphne sweetly.

"Dragons' to me! Dobby is going to wet himself if we don't allow him to feed us. He has very specific instruction from Harry, instructions that you're messing with." said Godric as he waved them over.

Big bowls of porridge were placed front of them, along with platters of cut fruit.

"Tea, My Lord?" asked Luna

"Tea? What's tea?"

"The quintessential English beverage, Lord Godric!" she answered grinning. She poured him a cup, which from the delectable aroma she could tell was Earl Grey, and passed it to him. "Each person will over the course of time have a preferred method of imbibing it, whether as is" she said pointing at the cup "or by adding milk, sugar, or honey to sweeten the tea."

Godric looked at the cup with a bit of apprehension. Passing his nose over the cup, he carefully took a sip. "Oh, oh my!" he said as, and the table of Dragons laughed themselves silly at the sight of their hero being beaten into submission simple cup of tea.

Setting his cup down hesitantly and glancing at it longingly, Godric looked at them and said "Children, I know that last night was terrible for most of you, if not all of you. I urge you to share the recovered memories with each other. It will not only help you grow closer, but will help you start down the path of healing."

"Well said, My Lord," agreed Harry. He had Hermione by the hand, but let go long enough to pull back her chair so that she could sit for breakfast. As he took his seat, he grabbed her hand gently, smiling lovingly at her. "I feel I must apologize as well, guys, it seems you all had the misfortune of befriending me." he held up his hand as his friends started protesting. "Let me rephrase that. I apologize for the pain that being my friend may have caused you all."

"Harry, you are the most caring, honest, and loyal person most of us know. Giving up our friendship with you is never going to happen." stated Daphne.

"We concur, little brother!" said George.

"Far be it for us to abandon family at a time of crisis. Where would be the fun in that?" added Fred.

"My Lord…" started Harry.

"Godric, just Godric, Harry, please. That goes for all of you as well. Whenever we are here, or in private, please just call me Godric."

"Very well, then….Godric. I can empathize with that more than you know. It has been a dream of mine to be 'just Harry' for as long as I've been at Hogwarts."

"Oh hell no and screw that! You know that's never going to happen, right? You know we will never let that happen?" said Neville. The agreeing nods from everyone saw him continue. "Just Harry is the guy you talk quidditch with, or accompany down to the pub for a pint. Just Harry is the guy you ask to help you move heavy furniture or watch your dog on vacation. That's not who you are, you are our Harry. You will never be 'just Harry.' We would never let you to be 'just Harry.' You are the Harry that bested a troll and Voldemort in first year. Who rescued a young girl while defeating a basilisk. The Harry that cast a patronus so powerful it banished the dementors into the next county. You are that Harry. It's not conscious on your part. It's imbedded into the very fiber of your being. This is the Harry we befriended; this is the Harry we will follow to the gates of Hell. So stop being a whiner before I get Tracy and Daph to slap the back of your head."

"Agreed!" replied the twins in unison.

"They're right, love. You may be the boy-who-lived and the defeater of Voldemort. To us you are so much more than that. To Luna, you're her big brother. To Neville, you are best friend and brother rolled in to one. To the twins, you are the savior of the youngest Weasley and seeker extraordinaire. Tracy and Blaise will find in you the rescuer they need to help their families escape and survive the dark. And Daphne is the long lost childhood friend who has found her playmate again. And to me, you are my heart." added Hermione as she lifted her hand to his cheek.

"Ok, I know I made a crack about the sweetness and all, but that was brilliantly said Hermione." said Blaise.

"Thank you, thank you all. I still want to be 'just Harry,' but I'll guess I'll just have to learn to be who I am, and grow into who I am meant to be." replied Harry as he placed his hand above Hermione's on his cheek.

"Are you sure you're only fourteen? Because you sound much older than that, Harry." asked Godric.

"My life has been…disturbing...it meant I had to grow up sooner than I wanted to." he answered honestly.

"Plans for today, Godric? I imagine we all could use a restful day, but could we please go back to the Library? I like Harrys plan of converting it into a monument to knowledge." asked Hermione.

"And how could you possibly pass up the chance to dive in head first into a book that hasn't been read in a thousand years or more?" grinned Godric.

She blushed prettily at being so easily read, but didn't deny it. Harry squeezed her hand lovingly. The look of understanding and encouragement he was giving her turned her insides into goo. "I don't deny that, but I think Luna, Daphne, and Tracy agree wholeheartedly with me. Someone has to start cataloguing, why not us?"

"Indeed, Miss Granger? Very well, you and the girls go. George, Fred, Neville, and Blaise, please accompany them. Young Harry and I have something to attend to. We need to go fetch your new Head of House. Shall we meet back here at four? It should give our chef here enough time to create another masterpiece for dinner tonight."

They all agreed to the time curfew, the boys mumbling a bit about being stuck doing homework on a Saturday. Hermione gave Harry a deep kiss goodbye, before handing him to Luna for a big-brother hug. With promises to see them later and to take care, they popped away.

"Fetch our new Head of House, Godric?"

"Yes, Harry, he should be in the forest by Hogsmeade I should think" he said raising an eyebrow at him "or perhaps what Sir Nicholas called the Shrieking Shack?"

"You've got to be kidding me?"

"Harry?"

"You want to make Sirius Head of Pendragon?"

"Indeed I do. Dobby? Could you take us to Hurry's godfather please?" he asked the elf.

"With pleasure, My Lord sir!" said Dobby as he took their hands and popped them away.

ooOOooOOoo

Sirius Black was tired, cold, hungry, and generally feeling sorry for himself. But he knew he had to be there. Harry needed him. The years he missed from his godson's life were never going to be recovered, but going forward, Sirius intended on being the best damn godfather the world had ever seen!

The popping sound outside his cavern didn't surprise him near as much as hearing Harry call out his name.

"Harry?" he called out as he exited the cave. He froze. Harry had an elf and a guest. A guest that he thought he should remember. 'Azkaban really messed with my mind' he thought. Sirius was surprised by the forceful hug from his godson, a hug though that he readily returned.

"Harry, it is so damn good to see you. My heart nearly stopped when I heard you'd been entered into this damned tournament! What the bloody hell is going on?

"Long story short, Dumbledore is an evil prick, this is Lord Gryffindor, I love Hermione, and I'm not a Gryffindor anymore."

Sirius looked stunned. He looked at Harry. "What? What do you mean you aren't a Gryffindor anymore? How the hell are you going to play quidditch if you're not in Gryffindor anymore?"

"Sirius, focus! Now before we get into some explanations, I'd like to introduce you to Lord Godric Gryffindor, Lord of Hogwarts and Founder."

"Pup, if you don't tell me the bloody hell is going on, I'm going to find those baby pictures of you taking a bath and show them to Hermione. And by the way, what did you mean you love Hermione? I thought you two were already together and in love when you saved me."

"Okay, first off, Dumbledore has obliviated and potioned Hermione and I into forgetting we loved each other. Secondly, House Pendragon has reopened and I have been inducted into its ranks. Thirdly, this is Lord Godric bloody Gryffindor!"

"Lord Gryffindor? Sure, of course he is. Moony, is that you? What did you do, drink some polyjuice?"

Godric had by this point nearly laughed himself to death. He was holding his ribs, trying to keep from falling over. But, he remembered he had a task. "Lord Black, I am indeed Godric Gryffindor. Please, allow us to take you to House Pendragon. I, and Hogwarts, have a proposition for you."

"Okay…I'll play along for now…take me to your House." Sirius said with skepticism dripping from his voice. Godric watched as Harry and Sirius vanished. With a snigger, he himself popped away.

He found Lord Black standing in the center of the Pendragon common room looking around in disbelief. That look increased even more though as he took in the room. He looked at Godric, and with deliberation, Lord Black made his way toward him.

"My Lord Gryffindor, please forgive my rudeness. My godson is not, to my great embarrassment, a prankster. I thought that maybe that side of him was coming out to play for once. If I've offended you in any way, I offer my sincerest apologies."

Godric waved away the apology. "Sit, Lord Black, we have much to discuss. But before we begin, I'd like you to do two things for me. Firstly, please, for the love of all that is holy, bathe! Secondly, drink this potion. Your godson and his Housemates imbibed the potion yesterday and were surprised at the manipulations they'd been put through by he who passes for a headmaster around here. It will be enlightening, but stressful. Memories have been blocked from you mind. They must be allowed to come forward. Once you've done these things for me, you will get in bed, and you will sleep. I'll make sure Harry here wakes you, as dinner around here is fantastic."

Sirius took the vial from Godric, his feelings jumping back and forth between apprehension and disbelief. He looked to Harry.

"You've got to do it, Sirius. I've got years of memories starting to come back to me. I can only imagine what that bastard did to you. What he may have done to Remus. I'll be here when you wake up. I promise."

And with that Sirius was led by Dobby toward the Head of House suites.

"Harry could you and Dobby go and fetch Remus when Dobby gets back?" asked Godric.

"Moony…I see, our new Librarian? Clever, My Lord. He would indeed be a great Librarian. I think he's staying at the Cauldron. Dobby and I will bring him back straight away."

ooOOooOOoo

Dobby caught sight of his Master as he walked back into the common room. He came to the conclusion that now was probably as good a time as any to reveal his trickery. He hoped he could still be bound to his Master. A kinder Master he would never find. And the magic he received from being bound to him was amazing.

"Harry Potter sir, Dobby has a confession. Dobby has tricked Harry Potter sir. Dobby has been bound to Harry Potter sir since Dobby freed from bad blondies."

Harry looked a bit stunned. He glanced at Godric, who had a smirk on his face. "Dobby, why would you do that? You know Hermione will kill me when she finds out I have I have and elf bound to me."

"Elf magic, Harry Potter sir, needs to be bound to witch or wizard, or we die."

"It's a symbiotic relationship, Harry. By binding himself to you, he gets the magic he needs to survive, and you gain a being of immense loyalty serving you and your family." Godric interjected. "And the power of the elf is commensurate with the power of the wizard. Strong wizard, strong elf."

Dobby nodded vigorously at that. "Master Harry very powerful. Make Dobby powerful too!"

"Well, okay…I guess we deal with it as we go along. Remember though, Hermione is not going to happy about this. Let's just keep this between us for now, okay Dobby? Last thing I want to do is anger my girlfriend."

"Girlfriend…Missy Grangy…no missy Grangy is..."

"Dobby, would you do us a favor and take Harry here to get his uncle Remus." added Godric hurriedly.

Dobby may speak poorly, but he was by no means unintelligent. He caught on quickly to the reason behind Lord Gryffindors request. If Harry Potter sir or Missy Grangy asks, Dobby must answer. But for now he'd comply with Gryffindors request.

"I take Harry Potter sir to wolfman!" and taking Harrys hand, popped away.

Moony was reading the paper. He knew that Padfoot would probably be crazy at the thought of Harry being involved in this competition. He promised himself to visit Sirius soon. He'd bring some clothes and food, certain his brother probably hadn't had anything decent to eat in a while. The popping sound behind him made him jump in surprise. To see the tiny elf standing next to his nephew had him flabbergasted to say the least.

"Harry," said Remus grabbing Harry in a rough embrace "what the hell are you doing out of Hogwarts, you could get into serious trouble, you know?"

"It's for a good cause, Uncle Remus. We've got Pads back at the castle showering and taking a nap. We can stuff him full of food once he wakes up. I've been sent to fetch you."

"Fetch…I think Pads is the one you want to be playing fetch with Harry! Although he'd probably kick your ass if you started throwing sticks and balls about!" Remus replied smiling.

"Please Remus, come back to Hogwarts with me? There is someone there that is anxious to meet you. And, I believe, he will have a proposition for you that will be hard for you to turn down."

Remus eyed Harry. Harry was not one to prank someone. Sure, he could probably do it, and do very it well. He hadn't been nicknamed Pronglet for nothing after all. But this didn't seem likely given the time and place. So he complied with Harry's request.

Upon arriving at the heart of Pendragon, Remus was well and truly astounded. He'd read in an obscure tome once about House Pendragon, but he'd not believed what he read, thinking it a joke of some kind by the author. And yet here he stood, at the center of a myth.

"Lord Godric, may I present Remus Lupin? Remus, may I present Lord Godric Gryffindor, Lord of Hogwarts?" said Harry

Remus looked at the tall man before him. He certainly resembled the various paintings around Hogwarts and the pictures he'd seen in his books. But he trusted Harry, and if this was indeed Lord Gryffindor… "A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Lupin. Harry had nothing but great things to say about his honorary uncle. I have asked you brought here for two reasons. The first being that I would like to offer you a job. Now, before you protest, I want you to know what I'm asking you to do. Yesterday, Harry and his Housemates went into the Chamber of Secrets to do a bit of exploring. It was during that closer examination that a room was discovered. Within it is the largest library I have ever seen. Countless scrolls, tomes, codices and the like that haven't seen the light of day in at least a thousand years. These books are, I believe, the only remnant of what once was the Library in Alexandria. My offer to you is to become its official librarian. It will be in your hands to catalogue all works contained therein, as well as to organize said works. I would like the library open to the magical community as a whole, under your oversight, of course."

"The Library? At Alexandria?" said a still stunned Remus. "You want me to be the guardian of the greatest archeological find in history?"

"Harry, was he not listening?"

"Give him a moment Godric. He's a Marauder, I've been told they were a thickheaded bunch sometimes" grinned Harry cheekily at Remus.

"Oi! Easy on the insults there Pronglet! How'd you feel at a revelation like this, Merlin's sake, I was having tea at the Leaky Cauldron not ten minutes ago. I'd like to see it before I accept, but I don't see how I could turn this opportunity down."

"You've been given two highly regarded recommendations Mr. Lupin. One from Harry here, the other from Hogwarts herself. She told me that you'd be the perfect candidate for this job." added Godric.

"Hogwarts said...yeah, sure, why not? It isn't any stranger than being in the same room as Godric Gryffindor." He looked around the common room and asked, "Harry, where's Sirius?"

"Resting at the moment. We had to bathe him, potion him, and then get him into bed. The future is going to be hard; the past is going to be hard on the both of you. Remus, I need you to take this potion, it's a memory restoration potion that Godric here brewed up. The Dragons all took it last night. And what we remembered, what we relived, was not enjoyable in the slightest. Dobby here will show you to a room, try to get some rest. As with Sirius, I think what you'll recall will be extremely hard to comprehend. When you both are up, we'll sit together and try to puzzle it all out. I've got this feeling that our 'beloved' headmaster has been messing with my family's life for longer than I thought possible."

"Dumbledore? What's he have to do with this? Surely you don't suspect him of malfeasance; he's never done wrong by me." said Remus a bit hotly.

"Take the potion, Moony. We'll talk more when you wake."

Remus sighed deeply. This was Harry. His 'nephew'! The son of his greatest friends. He would do it for them; he would do it for him. And he saluted Harry and Godric, downing the potion in one go. Harry stood and guided him to one of the guest bedrooms that Dobby had prepared.

Godric sat in the common room, watching as Harry led his uncle away. Harry was correct. The past and the future will be tough for all of them. But he knew without a doubt that the future, despite the evil now present, was one of hope and Light.

ooOOooOOoo

George and Fred had conjured up some comfortable seats for everyone. The boys had then decided that the library wasn't going anywhere. So making sure the girls were okay by themselves, they'd all set off to explore the Chamber. They'd left the girls sitting in said chairs with mountains of books piled all around them.

"Hermione, I think we may have found heaven!" beamed Luna.

"No question about that, although, the guys seemed less than thrilled." Hermione grinned back.

"They're boys! Of course they were less than thrilled. I'm sure they'd rather be back dueling in the arena. I'm perfectly content to sit here and enjoy the quiet." added Daphne.

"Oh, I don't know Daph. As much as Hermione here loves books, I'm sure she'd rather be cuddled up to Harry than sitting here reading…what are you reading anyway?" said Tracy.

"Hmm…oh, the first edition of Hogwarts: A History. I think Godric might have written this. I had no idea the amount of classes that were offered back then. Look at this…there were classes that taught elemental magic, classes that taught magical art, spell creation, farming, warfare, estate management, etiquette, dancing, alchemy…and the list goes on. Why are none of these classes offered now?" wondered Hermione aloud.

"If I had to guess, Hermione," answered Godric as he and Harry popped in "that as the pureblood way of thinking got more entrenched, people noticed their offspring were less, how should I say, 'gifted' than they were. To allow them to excel, they coerced Hogwarts into lowering the standards of education. It was probably all a way to prove to themselves how good they were and are. Not very logical I know, but it's the best guess I've got."

"Harry!" yelled Hermione as she launched herself from her chair into Harry's waiting arms.

"Well, that ended that interesting conversation before it got started" said Daphne with a huge smile on her face.

"Hey there, love, how has your afternoon been?" inquired Harry with a kiss to her forehead.

"Absolutely wonderful! The things we've read and discovered are amazing. And we've only seen a tenth of one percent of this place. The things waiting to be discovered here are hard to imagine. Whoever gets the job as librarian is going to be in for the work of a lifetime." said Hermione with a longing look towards the stacks.

"And you dear, how was your afternoon with Godric?"

"Well, we went to collect our new Head of House. Also, we picked up the Librarian along the way." grinned Harry.

"Really? Oh, I can't wait to meet them!"

"You've met them both, 'Mione. One is the padfooted one, the other a former DADA professor of ours who vanishes for a couple of days out of the month."

To say that Hermione was shocked could qualify as the understatement of the year so far. "Seriously, Godric got your godfather to be Head of House? And Professor Lupin is our new librarian? I bet they were at a loss for words, weren't they?"

"To some extent they were. Godric had them each take his memory potion. At the moment they're resting. We only had a few years of memories that had been taken from us; I think we'll find that those two will be affected quite a bit more severely than we were. The memories they've had altered could go back fifteen years or more."

"Of course you're right, Harry. We'll have to make sure they are well taken care of while they're recovering. Who knows what those two will remember."

"Feel like helping me cook? It's after four already, I should get dinner started or it'll be midnight before we eat! And as I've never seen an unfed Weasley, I don't know that I want to face their wrath if I don't get their dinner on the table on time!"

Hermione giggled at that, aware that there was no such thing as an underfed Weasley. "I'd love to, hon. Want me to grab Luna? I'm sure she'd like to join us. She enjoyed last night a lot!"

"Do it. I'll meet you back in the commons?" with a quick kiss, Harry disappeared. With a smile, Hermione went in search of her silver haired friend.

ooOOooOOoo

It wasn't possible. It just couldn't be. Sirius had woken up a half-hour ago. He could only lie in his bed as the memories came flooding back. Harry was right; the Headmaster was one evil prick. That he'd allowed Lily and James to be murdered meant that Sirius had a new target for his vitriolic hate. The so called 'leader of the light' had a reckoning coming to him.

He'd need to get Remus into this, as well. He'd been played like a violin. And the Potter's had paid with their lives. Harry had his life turned upside down. To think that he'd been left with those people made his blood boil. The Dursley's would be paying in blood for the all the years of misery and abuse that they'd laid upon Harry.

And Sirius himself had been abused by a man who let his so called noble intentions interfere in the lives of innocent people. A man that magical Britain looked up to as a rescuer. A man that had a reputation for kindness and fairness. A man that had destroyed countless lives for what he considered the 'greater good.' His brothers, his Marauders, had been targeted since they were young, shaped, to create the weapon that would come. Harry was made into the man's weapon of choice. 'Well, fuck that!' thought Sirius.

He'd been out of Harrys life for fat too long as it was. It was an incredible relief that Harry, with the help of the lovely Hermione, had become this formidable young man. The scars of his upbringing were still there, to be sure, but these had not hindered him. Lily and James would be proud of their son. They'd be proud at his humility, they'd be proud of his honorable manner, they'd be proud of the fact that he'd raised himself up from the crap that was his younger life and stood up for others.

If his suspicions were correct, Godric was gathering allies to help Harry. Which meant that Remus was already here or on his way here. They'd have to get a hold of the fourth Marauder as well, as his life had been even worse than Sirius'. He would need his family, he would need the help of his friends, and he would need forgiveness to begin healing. They all would.

A knock on the door woke him from his reverie, and he stood from his bed to answer it. Remus, with red eyes, stood before him. "Moony? I knew you'd be here!" said Sirius as he gathered his friend into a hug. They both took comfort from that embrace. An embrace from brothers who had missed too much from each other's lives.

"Sirius, get your wand, we're going to go kill that whiskered mother fu…!"

"Easy Remus, I'm sure Lord Godric has a plan to deal with him. Let's see what that is first, before we go barging into the man's office and light him up like a Christmas tree, okay?"

"You're telling me to calm down? You're joking, right? The man deserves to be put down as horribly and as painfully as we can possibly devise. What he did to us, what he did to Lily and James, what he's done to Harry…" he sobbed into his friends shoulder.

"Come Remus, you're a freaking Marauder. Pull yourself together, get your head out of your ass, and let's come up with something memorable. Something only the Marauders could think of, okay? Oh, and stop your crying already, you're a freaking werewolf for Merlin's sake!"

Remus chuckled at that, nodding in agreement. "You've got to see this, Harry has been in the kitchen for the better part of an hour cooking us dinner. Can you believe our little Pronglet can cook?"

"Harry, you're kidding, right?"

"Nope, come on, I'm sure he'll be excited to see us both. He's with Hermione at the moment. Apparently she can't cook to save her life and he's giving her lessons. Personally, I think she just wants to be close to Harry and uses that as an excuse. We'd be doing him a disservice if we don't go and tease him into submission."

Sirius grinned, "Well, Moonster, then lead on!"

They padded out of Sirius' room and made their way to the kitchen. The music coming from the kitchen, along with the laughter accompanying it, was like healing potions to Remus and Sirius' souls. To then see Harry standing there with a whisk above his head, brandishing it like a sword while teasing Hermione, made the Marauders smile. A lovely young blond haired witch was laughing her head off too.

"Pads, Moony, you guys are up? Good, I was just getting ready to wake your lazy asses up to join us for dinner. You know Hermione of course, may I introduce you Luna Lovegood. Luna, may I introduce my godfather Sirius Black, and our erstwhile professor of DADA, Remus Lupin."

"I know Professor Lupin of course, a pleasure to see you again, sir. And it is an honor to meet Harry's godfather. I imagine there is a story behind the fact that not everyone is freaking out because there is a mass murderer in our midst?" answered Luna, a questioning look on her face.

"There is indeed Luna, but let's wait until everyone joins us. Probably be easier to tell the story just once, let everyone ask all the questions and get them out of the way." added Harry. "And of course you both remember Hermione?"

Hermione looked at the men who would become part of Harry's life and smiled. In Sirius he would have godfather that could be as headstrong and adventurous he was. In Remus, Harry would benefit from the kind man's intelligence and caring. Embracing Sirius in a hug, she said "It's good to see you again, Lord Black. It's also very good that you don't smell like a compost heap! Professor Lupin, it is good to see you again as well" as she also gave Harry's uncle an embrace. "Furry little problem under control? We wouldn't want the Dragons' to have a heart attack when they meet you!"

"Is she teasing us, brother Moony?" asked Sirius.

"She is indeed, Lord Black! Harry must be rubbing off on her; and not in the best way." he said wiggling his eyebrows at her.

That Hermione blushed, hard, was a given. That her boyfriend and Luna were cracking up was not totally unexpected. That she found herself with her hands on her hips, glaring at the both of them, was just who she was.

"Still want to play? And don't call me Lord Black, for crying out loud. Just plain ole' Sirius will do, thank you very much. You're going to be the next Lady Potter if the way Harry is looking at you is any indication. So leave off the formality, we're going to be family after all."

She beamed at him when he mentioned 'Lady Potter', hoping in her heart that he was correct. Glancing at Harry demurely, her cheeks pinked a little at the look of love coming from him. 'Yup', she thought, 'Lady Potter indeed.'

"So pup, what's for dinner? And why were you threatening the lovely Miss Granger here with a whisk?"

"Well, she was making fun at my chefs' hat, and also making fun of the fact that I have flamenco music playing. That could not go unchallenged. And as for dinner, paella is going to be our main course. For dessert we're having flan. Girls, you mind popping off and getting everyone for dinner. I imagine everybody is still down in the Chamber" answered Harry.

"Ooooh, can I come too? I want to see for myself that Lord Godric wasn't pulling my leg!" pleaded Remus.

Luna grabbed her Professors hand and popped away. Leaning in for a quick kiss from Harry, Hermione vanished as well. With a sigh, Harry got back to the task at hand.

"Easy there, Pronglet, she'll be back in a minute I'm sure" grinned Sirius at his godson.

"I know, I know. But we've had years of our relationship taken away from us, I just don't want that to happen again. I can't lose her Sirius. It would end me."

Sirius was taken aback by that statement. Harry was so young, but in this moment he reminded him so much of his father at this age. James had this look on his face as well when thinking of his Lily. He was a little jealous, thinking that he'd never find the kind of love these two young people shared.

"Not gonna happen, pup! She will not allow it, you will not allow it, and certainly Moony and I will not allow it. She is yours just as certainly as you are hers. It's plain to see."

"I know, still, I am allowed to worry."

"Need any help? Although it looks like you don't really need it?"

"Take this bread out to the table will you, please. Grab that dish and the olive oil as well. Everyone should be back momentarily, no one is ever late for dinner" Harry smirked at his godfather.

And true enough, it wasn't a moment later that pop after pop sounded, announcing the arrival of the Dragon's. Sirius was a little stunned to see the look on Remus' face when Hermione popped him back. To say that he had a look of shock on his face would probably be an understatement.

"You okay, Moony? It looks as though you've seen a ghost!" asked Sirius with concern in his voice.

"They…but…there is…books…so many…can't…" replied Remus. Sirius stared at him for a minute before guffawing loudly. "I take it then that Godric wasn't pulling your leg?"

Remus shook his head violently, unable to form a sentence. "Relax Lord Black, your friend is fine. I think the look he's wearing is very similar to the ones the girls had when we discovered the Library" said a chuckling Godric.

"Attention everyone, I would like to introduce you to our new family members here; these two reprobates standing before me. You all know Professor Lupin? He and my mom and dad were best friends. The other scoundrel before you, and don't freak out, is Lord Sirius Orion Black…my godfather." Harry said cautiously.

Except for Luna, Godric, and Hermione, the look of shock mixed with a bit of fear on everyone's faces was very plain to see.

"Are you telling me that Sirius Black, the man who murdered twelve muggles and a wizard on his way to Azkaban to then escape from said prison is your freaking godfather?" asked Daphne, the first one to find her voice.

"Yes, Sirius is my godfather. Sirius is innocent and was unjustly imprisoned, and suffered there for twelve long years." answered Harry. "George, Fred, it might interest you to know that you are now in the presence of the famous Moony and the legendary Padfoot. Moony, Pads, I'd like you to meet the heirs to the Marauders, Fred and George Weasley."

The tension in the room was broken as the twins rushed forward, falling to their knees, and loudly proclaiming their unworthiness. The Dragon's started out giggling, but that soon became laughter at the action of said twins. Godric was glad at this. Remus and Sirius would become mentors and teachers to his children, and as much as they needed the two of them he knew that those two would need the children as well.

Dinner went by quickly, filled with stories of pranks past. Harry was a little embarrassed at hearing tales of him as a baby. Hermione held his hand, knowing that having his uncle and godfather back in his life would do wonders to help Harry mend. She'd need to talk to them alone later, as taking care of the Dursleys was going to be a priority to her.

Sirius filled everyone in on the sham that was his imprisonment. From arriving too late to grab Harry from Hagrid, to losing his mind as seeing his best friend's dead, to waking up in Azkaban for murder. "Excuse me, Lord Black, are you telling me you were never given a trial?" asked a bewildered Daphne.

"Correct, Miss…?"

"Greengrass…Daphne Greengrass, My Lord. But please, just Daphne. My parents have told me stories of you and the Marauders for years!"

"And you must call me Sirius, Daphne. That goes for all of you. Daphne, your parents…?"

"Adrian and Deirdre Greengrass. I believe you knew them at school?"

"We certainly did!" he replied indicating himself and Remus. "Great people, and excellent friends of Lily and James. How are they?"

"They are well Sirius. I will have to convey your story to my father. He's on the Wizengamot. I'm sure with his help we can see if he'd be able to do something about your situation. He and mother never believed you were guilty."

"I couldn't be Daphne, Harry is my blooded godson, and you know what that means? I could never have betrayed him or his parents. Harry's parents were my family. And Harry here has been my heir since he was christened. Oh, and by the way Harry, Moony here could have been your godfather, but he lost the coin toss." he grinned at Remus.

"I still maintain that you cheated! There is just no way that you could've gotten tails that many times in a row!" retorted Remus to a laughing Sirius.

After a delicious dessert, people started gathering around the fireplace to continue the conversation. Harry, Hermione, Remus, Sirius, and Godric remained at the dining table to shed some light on what the two Marauders had gone through that afternoon. The happy atmosphere that had permeated dinner was replaced by anger and sadness.

"My Lord, could you send for our brother?" asked Sirius. Godric nodded and called Dobby, who listened intently as Godric whispered in his ear. "As you wish My Lord." said Dobby as he popped away.

"Harry, someone is coming now who you'll want to kill on sight. I ask you that you refrain from lashing out. The suffering that Moony and I went through is as nothing compared to the suffering this man has endured."

Harry looked at Sirius, a questioning look on his face. When he looked at Remus, who nodded to him, Harry was confused. 'Who could the possibly be talking about that would have them acting like this.' He looked to Hermione, who squeezed his hand.

"Darling, given the manipulations we've suffered, have an open mind about this. It is likely that many people have suffered as well. The tragedies suffered by just you and Sirius are epically horrible. It is reasonable to assume that the suffering has not been contained to only those of us in this room." said Hermione to Harry.

Harry thought about that. She was right, of course, but that was nothing new. His life had been horrible. Sirius' life had been horrible. He could have an open mind about this. He squeezed her hand as a reply and nodded.

"I take it by the looks you two are giving me it's someone I know?"

It was then that Dobby popped back with his guest in tow. Remus and Sirius both shot out of their chairs and slowly approached the man. The three stared at each other before breaking into sobs as they hugged the life out of each other.

Harry was white-faced. The shocks just kept on coming. Even Hermione sat there flummoxed. To see the three embracing as they were, something exceptionally bad had to have happened to all of them.

The three men, with tears still in their eyes slowly released each other from their embrace. The others in the room had joined them, staring opened mouthed at the man standing before them. A glance from Godric silenced them all.

The man stepped forward to stand before Harry. He studied Harry, a curious expression on his face.

"Hello, Harry. I'm your Uncle Severus"

A/N

Hopefully I didn't keep anyone waiting too long for the next chapter. Work and life seem to intrude at inconvenient times, huh? But I've set a schedule of sorts for myself. I get home from work, turn on some Corelli as background music, and get to typing. I find myself typing a couple of thousand words a night, give or take. If that schedule holds, I will hopefully be able to pop out a chapter out every week or so. Don't hold me to that though.

Since I forgot last chapter, let me give you two recommendations this time around. Firstly, "Partners" by muggle dad. I don't often stray from the HHR genre, but I really enjoyed this one. And then "Parallels" by bobmin365, a really AU story, but really fun reading.

'Til next time, I bid you all adieu!