Author's Note: Hello, I am still alive. I am so, so sorry I haven't updated since November. If any of you are high school seniors, I think you will empathize with me with how much work is assigned during senior year - especially in AP classes. Not to mention all of the writer's block I've had lately. I think I will do one more chapter after this since I don't have many papers left to copy this from (the hardest part for me is all of the details - you don't believe how much stuff I've added -sigh-). I wanted to update before Christmas, but we can all see how that worked out... my new year's resolution: Don't put off updating for more than a week!
Yes, I know last chapter was -as Speedy G put it- overkill with Harry. This chapter will be much, much better, I promise.
There will be one more chapter after this one.
Thank you to everyone who reviewed and/or added me to their alerts!
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The two ghosts were silent as they walked, following the invisible force that seemed to lead them to Harry. Sirius' heart was heavy; he felt terrible about Harry's attitude, even though he knew that it was not his fault.
"Padfoot? Are you okay?"
Sirius glanced up at James, who looked concerned, yet as weary as Sirius felt about all of this.
Sirius hesitated. Once upon a time, he would never have unwillingly told James anything. But times were different between them, and Sirius had become careful with his words over the years.
"I never wanted you to see him like this," Sirius began slowly. "I mean, I know he wouldn't be chipper any other way, but I wanted you to see the Harry I know - knew." he corrected himself firmly, though it hurt to use past tense.
"It's just," James said softly, "I never thought it'd be like this. I spent fifteen earth years being angry with you, but I tried to push it aside because Lily and I thought Harry was living with you. We even thought that Moony would come around and be the uncle who spoiled him as much as his godfather." James shoved his hands angrily into his pockets. "Where did it all go wrong?"
"Listen James," Sirius said, very seriously, "Harry is strong. I know he might not seem like it right now because of what you've seen, but he's strong; much stronger than you or I ever have been in our Auror days. He's learned so much on his own - Moony and I have only helped him so much. I know he's had help from Dumbledore and his friends, but from what I've been told from Moony and Dumbledore, he's pretty much been on his own. He has a good head on his shoulders, even if he is a bit reckless at times. He's a good kid, James, I promise."
James ran a hand through his hair, silent. Sirius, however, wanted to keep talking but James didn't seem ready to talk. Truth be told, he should be angry. After all, because of him, Harry was upset and took his grief out on his friends. Because of Sirius, Harry acted like a time-bomb.
He was angry, confused and saddened by what he had seen. Sirius groaned loudly and tried to slam his fist against the wall, but fell through it instead. He yelped in surprise and landed flat on his face, his upper and lower half separated by the stone wall.
"Padfoot?" came James' muffled voice.
Sirius sighed and propped himself as James stepped through the wall, looking bewildered. Or at least Sirius thought it was bewilderment. As he registered the look on James' face, he realized that James was trying not to laugh.
"Oh, shut up," Sirius snapped, trying to pull himself out of the wall. His lower half didn't move.
"Would you stuff it?" Sirius growled, hearing James burst into laughter.
He pulled his body, groaning with the effort. It didn't hurt, of course, but it was annoying to be stuck in a single spot, especially since he was a ghost and was supposed to be able to float through walls, not get stuck in them. Not to mention, his predicament was quite uncomfortable.
Footsteps came into the corridor and Sirius, having kept pulling himself in vain, was suddenly propelled on his stomach across the floor. As he came to a stop near the opposite wall, he twisted around in a panic, making sure he had not left his legs on the other side of the wall. He sighed in relief upon seeing his legs still attached to his ghostly body.
"Stuff it, Prongs!" Sirius called grumpily over his shoulder, hearing James trying to stifle his laughter.
As Sirius sat up, James' laughter died at once and Sirius suddenly knew who's footsteps they had heard moments ago.
Harry had come to a stop, breathing heavily as he leaned against the wall, running his hand over his face.
"Damnit," Harry muttered, taking off his glasses and rubbing the bridge of his nose.
James and Sirius were silent, staring at him anxiously. As Sirius slowly got to his feet, James stepped forward.
"Harry?" He said, hesitantly.
Harry looked up and stared right through James. His eyes narrowed in confusion as he looked down the corridor.
"Hello?" he said, placing his glasses back onto his face.
James and Sirius watched in silence as Harry's face fell into an almost desperate look.
"Look, I don't know who is there," Harry began, speaking to the silence and drawing his wand, "but this isn't funny. Ron, if you're under the Cloak, I'm sorry I was short earlier. I just..." He ran a hand through his black hair. "Just come out, okay?"
"He has the cloak?" James asked in surprise, making both Sirius and Harry jump.
"Yeah," Sirius mumbled, watching Harry very closely. "He has it."
"Is this a joke?" Harry snapped suddenly, pointing his wand about six inches away from James' shoulder.
James bit his lip and glanced at Sirius. Sirius' eyes met his momentarily and he looked back at Harry.
"No Harry," Sirius said as calmly as he could. "This isn't a joke. It's... it's me."
Harry's eyes widened suddenly and he gasped, taking a step backward. "Oh my God..."
The wand slipped from Harry's fingers and fell with a clatter to the floor. Harry's eyes darted around the seemingly empty corridor, before landing on a spot some three feet from the ghosts.
"Sirius?" Harry called breathlessly.
A smile spread across Sirius' face. Before he could say or do anything, Harry snatched up his wand and began backing away, looking quite scared. Sirius' smile dropped suddenly.
"Harry -"
"You - you can't be!" Harry shook his head, looking panicked. "Nearly Headless Nick said ghosts can't come back once they've crossed over. You're lying!" A fire was burning in Harry's eyes now and he looked close to tears.
"No, Harry -" Sirius tried again, now sounding almost panicked himself.
A jet of smoke suddenly erupted from Harry's wand, obscuring their vision.
"HARRY!" James bellowed as the figure of his son took off running.
Acting on impulse, James followed Harry with Sirius at his heels. As the rounded the corner, they saw Harry collide with an older man, sending them both to the ground.
"Who's that?" James whispered to Sirius as they approached the two living beings.
Sirius' eyes widened as he watched Harry help the man up, apologizing profusely. A grin spread across his face suddenly.
"I'll give you three guesses," he said.
Frowning, James turned back to the man. Something was so familiar about that face, but he couldn't put his finger on it.
Suddenly it hit him like a bludger.
"Is that...?" James gasped.
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I know, I know. A long wait gave you a short chapter and a cliffhanger, but I couldn't resist! Who do you think the mystery man is?
The next chapter will the the last and it will be longer, I promise. Thank you all who stuck with me, and again, I am so sorry that I took so long to update.
I have three free periods for the next week, so if you review, I'll most likely have the next chapter up soon along with another chapter of Seven Lives, One Fate. I know my promises probably don't mean much, but I'll have free time to work on it for once, so you want to encourage me to write, yes:)
By the way: HAPPY NEW YEAR! For all of those graduating this year, just think: Six more months until college! Whoo hooo!
