Disclaimer – The world of Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling and those film dudes who made sometimes-dubiously-successful attempts at recreating it.

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Confessions and the Resurrection Stone

"This is completely pointless," Harry muttered, kicking at the ground and sending up a spray of fallen, golden-brown oak leaves. The air in the Forbidden Forest was sharp with the first chill of Autumn, and the bracken that grew thickly on the forest floor was becoming gilded with copper around the edges as it sensed the coming winter. "It's cold and I don't have a jumper," he added, stuffing his hands into his trouser pockets and wishing he was wearing his long black teaching robes, even though it was the weekend.

:-Well,-: Sirius said in a sulky voice, :- If you could actually remember where you dropped it, we wouldn't be having this problem. -:

"Me!" He kicked an offending tree trunk. A long root emerged from the ground and attempted to kick back, although Harry managed to leap out of the way in time. "You lot were there as well. Why am I supposed to be the one who remembers where I dropped it? I was in a life and death situation! I didn't have time to stop and draw a treasure map. Besides," he inched around a creepy-looking rock and poked hopefully at a patch of leaf-covered ground with a long stick he had appropriated for the purpose, "I was trying to lose it. I was told that if I kept it I would waste away yearning for you lot and you'd all suffer because you didn't belong here. If I'd known you'd be this much trouble when I got you, it wouldn't have been a problem."

:-Aren't you glad to have us back?-: James whined. It was at times like this that Harry remembered that his father was only a couple of years older than himself, and more than a few behind in maturity, at least according to Lily.

Harry sighed. "You know I am. I just hoped I'd never have to come back to this place. I died here, you know." He glanced up at the remnants of old webs hanging in the trees. Aragog's clan of spiders had never returned to their clearing after the Death Eaters had used it. "Plus, Ron and I almost got eaten by giant spiders here in my second year. We only survived because a sapient Ford Anglia took pity on us."

:-Giant WHATS?-: Harry cringed and clutched his temples at the sheer volume of Lily's voice.

:-What's a Ford Anglia?-: Sirius asked.

"Flying car," Harry said. "Well," he amended, "they don't usually fly, but this one did. Does anyone even have a vague memory of where I dropped it?" He flopped down onto a less creepy-looking rock and huffed warm air into his hands.

:-We were distracted as well, Harry,-: Remus told him. :-I was still adjusting to being dead.-:

:-What giant spiders?-: Lily demanded.

Harry groaned. "This really isn't getting us anywhere. I thought I could come here and accio the stone and everything would be fine. Now you tell me it's resistant to summoning charms. Why did no one think to mention this before?"

:-You told us you knew where it was,-: Sirius reminded him.

"Well, I thought I did. It all looks different now. It's light and there are no handy Dark Lords or Death Eaters hanging round so I can re-orientate myself."

Lily sighed. :-I guess we'll just have to head back then until we can think of another way to retrieve the stone. Perhaps it's only resistant to 'accio'. If we can find a stronger summoning charm it might work. We'll need to do research."

"I hate research. That's Hermione's forte."

:-That's the beauty of having our Moony,-: Sirius said fondly. :-He's a great researcher. If it wasn't for him, we would never have pulled off half the amazing pranks we did.-:

Harry had the distinct impression of the two of them coming together in the back of his head and banged his forehead roughly with his fist. "Hey! Stop it! You promised no snogging in the back seat."

:-Did we?-: Remus asked vaguely, his voice distracted. :-I don't remember that.-:

:-I'm sure we didn't promise anything of the sort,-: Sirius assured him.

:-Maybe it's time we told her,-: Lily added.

There was a brief silence as the others tried to catch up with her thought processes. "You what?" Harry asked eventually.

:-Hermione. Maybe we should tell her. She's resourceful, clever, good at research…Plus it will be useful to have another physical body giving us a hand. Oh – and I'm bored of being the only female around to keep you lot in line.-:

"That's all very well," Harry said, "But what if she doesn't believe me. What if she thinks I'm a nutcase and sends me to St. Mungo's? What if they put me next door to Lockhart? You never met him. You wouldn't know the torture."

:-Foppish sort of bloke?-: James asked :-Blonde hair? Stupid smile? Ego the size of Russia?-:

"Er…yeah."

:-Couple of years below us in school. Right idiot, he was. We once turned his hair into a pink afro and tattooed 'shake hands with me if you think I'm an arrogant git' on his forehead. He couldn't figure out why he had suddenly become so popular.-:

:-Still, I think you've been friends with Hermione long enough that she'll at least give you a chance to prove you're not insane,-: Remus pointed out. :-And knowing how close you three are, you'll have to tell Ron as well.-:

Harry stood up and slowly began to make his way back to the castle. "I guess you're right. I think she's becoming suspicious of me anyway."

:-That's because you're always talking to us out loud. You should get used to speaking in your head all the time,-: Lily scolded. :-You really will get sent to hospital if you keep this up. When those two little first years caught you muttering to yourself yesterday, I thought you were about to wave your teaching career goodbye."

"They wouldn't have said anything," Harry protested. "They like me. I'm the only one that really encourages their friendship. The rest of the teachers think friends should stay in their Houses – even if they pretend they don't."

Alex Goldrod and Daniel Macresco, the two first years that Harry had noticed on his first day, had had a hard time of it in their first week of school. The Gryffindor and Slytherin stubbornly remained friends, in spite of the fact that this effectively ostracised them from both Houses. Harry didn't know how or why they were so determined to stick by one-another, but he admired their determination. For some reason, he felt an instinctive, almost brotherly desire to protect the two children.

:-Macresco should have asked to be put into Gryffindor,-: Sirius said. :-It worked for me-:

:-You're a Gryffindor through and through,-: Harry pointed out, switching to mind-speech as he neared the school. :-Daniel belongs in Slytherin. His personality wouldn't fit in Gryffindor nearly as well. I've only known the kid a week, and even I can see that. Not everyone who is in Slytherin is evil, Sirius.-:

There was an aura of disbelief surrounding the presence of Sirius in Harry's head.

:-Really!-: Harry insisted. :-The Sorting Hat wanted to put me in Slytherin, you know.-:

There was a long silence, before James's shocked voice managed to choke out, :-You're JOKING.-:

:-Nope, -: Harry wondered if they could feel how worried and anxious he felt at the thought of them not accepting this side of him. :-I had to ask it to put me somewhere else. I'd just met Malfoy, see. Didn't want to be in the same House as him.-:

Harry arrived at the door to his quarters and whispered the password as his heart hammered in anticipation of their answer. It was Lily, unsurprisingly, who spoke first.

:-You're right, of course, Harry. James and Sirius were never free long enough to let go of their prejudices. Many a good person has come out of Slytherin. And many a bad person has come from other Houses. Think of Severus, for example. A braver man, one could never meet.-:

:-Bugger Snivellus-: Sirius said. :-But Lily is right, Harry. I wouldn't care what House you were in. You'll always be my godson.-:

Harry felt himself relax, and he dropped into a shabby armchair in front of his fire to warm his chilly hands. It was Sirius he had been most worried about. James was his father and would probably love him through everything, and he knew Remus didn't hold the same grudges as the other two, but Sirius had always hated Slytherins with a passion. "Thanks," he whispered.

:-So,-: James said cheerfully, and Harry had the mental impression of him rubbing non-existent hands together. :-Tomorrow we tell Hermione. And Ron. Try and get him to floo to the Three Broomsticks and we'll meet him there. Now we just have to figure out a way to make them believe us.-:

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"Please tell me it's not another Dark Lord," Ron said, setting down three butterbeers on their table at The Three Broomsticks before sliding into the seat beside Hermione. Harry had deliberately picked a table that was set into a little alcove near the bar, so they would have privacy for their conversation.

Harry scowled at him. "I do have other talents aside from picking fights with Dark Lords."

"It's just that you sounded so worried and serious. I couldn't think what else could be wrong. I knew no one had died, because nearly everyone you have left belongs to my family, and I would have heard already." Ron winced as he realised quite how insensitive his comment had sounded. "Sorry, mate. It's like verbal diarrhea. Once I start, I can't seem to stop.."

Harry shrugged. "It's true. You two and you family are the only people I have left alive. It's not a Dark Lord or anyone dying, though. The complete opposite in fact."

Hermione's forehead wrinkled. "You've got some poor girl pregnant?" she hazarded. "I didn't even know you knew some poor girl to get pregnant. Not since Ginny, anyway."

:-She's right, you know,-: Sirius said. :-You really do need to get out a bit more. Your closest family – aside from the ones who are dead and living in your head - is a psychotic house elf.-:

:-Kreacher's not so psychotic anymore,-: Harry protested. :-And please be quiet, I can't carry out two conversations at once-:

Harry took a fortifying gulp of butterbeer and launched straight in. "I didn't get anyone pregnant. You see me all the time, Hermione. When on earth would I have had time to get a secret girlfriend?"

"You've been sneaking off a lot lately, actually," she said. "I saw you wandering into the Forbidden Forest yesterday muttering to yourself. I almost followed to check you hadn't completely lost it."

"I wasn't talking to myself," Harry said. He gripped the edge of the table hard and took a deep breath. "I was talking to my family."

Ron and Hermione stared at him.

"They're – well, okay, they're not really completely alive – but they sort of are. Their spirits, anyway. In my head."

"Er…" said Ron. He exchanged a meaningful glance with Hermione that was not lost on Harry, who sensed impending imprisonment looming with Lockhart as a roommate and hastened to explain.

"I know I sound crazy, and I thought I was at first but they're really here!"

Hermione reached out to touch his hand. "Harry, I think that –"

"No! Listen to me. I'm not lying or crazy. You know when I had the stone, and I saw them before I died? And then I told you about the in-between place at the station between life and death with Dumbledore? Well, they sneaked off there, and hung on, and now they're living in my head."

"Harry, I wish we could believe you, but you have to know how crazy this sounds." Hermione bit her lip, exchanging another look with Ron.

"Ask me something," Harry said. "Anything that you and Remus or Sirius would know, but I wouldn't."

"What would we know about them that you wouldn't?" Ron asked.

"I don't know," Harry said, running his hand through his hair in frustration. "Think of something!"

Harry had the sense of someone tapping on the inside of his skull to get his attention. "What?" he snapped.

"What, what?" Ron asked.

"Not you. Hang on." Harry turned his attention inwards. :-What? This had better be important.-:

:-It is,-: Sirius hastened to assure him. :-Tell Hermione 'remember that time she saw us after the moon in Remus's room at Grimmauld place'.-:

Harry frowned. "Sirius says to tell Hermione 'remember that time after the moon when she saw them in Remus's room at Grimmauld place'." His eyes widened suddenly. "Seen you doing what in Remus's room?" he demanded.

He looked up to catch sight of Ron looking worried and unconvinced, and Hermione looking very pale.

"Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Ask him what happened," Hermione whispered.

"He said it was after the full moon," Harry repeated after Sirius. "That summer before fifth year. He was taking care of Remus after his transformation and you walked past. The door was half open and you looked in and saw them – " Harry rolled his eyes, "-Snogging. No, Sirius says not snogging. He just leaned down and kissed Remus…"

"What?" Ron yelped.

"…Kissed Remus," Harry continued over the top of Ron's spluttering, "on the lips. Lightly, he says, to let him know he was there. And now Remus is interrupting to say he was half unconscious at the time, and should hold no blame for corrupting the minds of young schoolgirls. And then Sirius looked up and spotted you and tried to explain it away, and you said – "

"… 'It's okay, I won't say anything to Harry until you're ready,' " Hermione whispered. "And I didn't. I really didn't. And I know Sirius and Remus didn't either. Especially after Sirius died and Remus married Tonks. There was no point after that, and Remus and I thought it would be easier not to say anything in case Harry didn't like it. So his memory of Sirius was untainted."

There was a long silence around the table, and butterbeers sat forgotten as Hermione stopped speaking with tears in her eyes, and Ron and Harry gaped at her.

"You knew they were together?" Harry demanded. "And you didn't tell us?"

"It was their secret to tell. Would you have told if you had seen them and they asked you not to?"

Harry didn't answer because she had a point.

"I can't believe this," Ron said. "Does this mean Harry isn't insane and he really does have Sirius and Lupin living in his head? And they're together? As in together together?"

"Yeah. And my Mum and Dad," Harry said. "Look, if you still don't believe me, ask me to do a spell. One I don't know, but that you think one of them might."

"Alright," Hermione said. "Let me think a minute." She paused, drumming her fingers on Ron's forearm. "…Okay. It's a housekeeping charm that I know neither you or Ron knows. It dusts and polishes wooden furniture with soft beeswax all in one charm. I'm sure one of them would know it."

:-I do,-: James volunteered unexpectedly.

"Dad does," Harry said.

"James Potter?" Hermione's eyebrows rose. "From what you've said he doesn't seem the type."

"He says he used to use it on his broom."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I should have guessed. Like father, like son. Go on then, Harry." She pointed to a dusty, carved wooden panel that was set into the wall beside their table that depicted a scene of cheerful-looking dancing tree-nymphs.

Harry closed his eyes and listened to James's instructions, then opened them and swished his wand smoothly, muttering, "Tergeo Excolos!"

"Well," Hermione said after a while, "it was the right charm and wand movement. But you were maybe a tad over-enthusiastic."

Harry tilted his head to the side, but it didn't look any better from the different angle. His over-zealous dusting had lopped the heads off a couple of the dancing nymphs and all the gaps where the wood was carved were full of sticky beeswax.

"Dad says I should have swished less and pronounced 'excolos' more clearly."

"He's right." Hermione looked away from the panel, and at Harry, her expression rather dazed. "They're really there, aren't they?"

"Yeah," Harry said quietly. "They are. And I want to find a way to get them bodies again. But not like Voldemort's, because Sirius said he would rather be dead than look that ugly, and Mum says she would look dreadful without a nose. I think it's to do with the Resurrection Stone because that's what brought them back in the first place. But I went to look for it yesterday where I dropped it, and couldn't find it. I tried accio, but apparently the stone is a powerful magical artefact that's resistant to the charm."

"Merlin's beard," Ron breathed. "You can really talk to Sirius and Lupin right now? And your Mum and Dad?"

"Oh yes. The problem is getting them to shut up for half a minute actually."

"All of them," Hermione said, leaping to voice the conclusion of her thought processes, without bothering to inform them of the route she took to get there, in a way that was eerily reminiscent of Lily. Harry had the distinct feeling the two of them would get on frighteningly well.

"All of them what?" Ron asked, draining his forgotten butterbeer, and then peering at the label as though it would help him catch up with current events.

"All of the Deathly Hallows. You remember what Xenophilius Lovegood's Dad told us once. When all the Deathly Hallows are united together, the possessor will be Master of Death. Conqueror of Death. That's how you'll get them back, I think.

Harry and Ron stared at her in awe.

:-I knew it would be a good idea to tell her,-: Lily said smugly.

"So," Ron said cheerfully, "A little bit of forest-floor-sweeping, grave robbing and trunk searching, and we can be the masters of Death. Cool."

"I reckon it'll be more complicated that than," Harry said. "Things usually are."