I do not own Harry Potter. Alas.
With a great thwump Remus returned to awareness to find himself once more at the Kings Cross Station, sprawled flat on his back. Groggily, he managed to push himself onto his elbows and looked around to see a rather cross-eyed James attempting to pull Lily to her feet. The moment he got her on her feet, he over balanced and fell back on to the ground, where he appeared to decide to stay for a little while. Feeling like he had recently been hit with the Jelly-Legs Curse, Remus managed to get to his feet by putting himself on all fours and slowly pushing himself straight up. To his left Sirius groaned and sat up, pushing his long hair out of his face
"Waz 'appened?" he asked blearily.
"We back" James replied in an equally stumped voice.
"Harry dropped... stone." Remus managed to get out. His tongue felt like a lump of useless mass in his mouth, very difficult to control. Lily staggered over to him, trying to use unfocused eyes to look into his own.
"He be fine?" she asked, falling into him and, helplessly, he managed a rather lopsided shrug. The part of his mind that still functioned properly was shaking its head at his lack of control.
"You've all suffered the rather severe shock of being sent back into limbo unexpectedly, I'm afraid" said a voice nearby. A goblet seemed to appear in front of Remus, held by a hand whose owner seemed outside of Remus's current capability to focus on. "Drink this," said the voice, which Remus presumed must belong to the hand. "Severus suggested it, it should fix you immediately."
Through all of this only one thing seemed to make sense in Remus's foggy brain, so he opened his mouth rather stupidly, and stood there waiting. There was a patient sight nearby, then a hand cupped his face and tilted it back as the goblet-baring hand poured liquid into his mouth. It burnt like fire.
"Merlins Breath!" he cursed, and everything came into focus. The hand with the goblet belonged, of course, to Dumbledore, whose twinkling gaze was now transferring to Lily. To Remus's amusement, and creeping sense of embarrassment, she was also standing with her mouth dumbly open. Dumbledore poured some potion from the goblet he was holding into her mouth (causing her to cough and splutter), then moved on to James. Lastly, he poured what was left of the goblet into Sirius (who seemed to have given up completely and was lying prone on the floor once more), who immediately spat half of it back over himself.
Over Sirius's curses James wiped his pale face and managed to gasp out, "Thanks Dumbledore".
Dumbledore smiled over his half-moon glasses and said, "No, not at all. You should in fact be thanking Severus for whipping up this potion in record time", and he waved his arm to indicate the man none of them had noticed standing there before. Tall and gaunt, with pale features and greasy black hair, he stood in blood-drenched robes, next to a group of chairs that had appeared from nowhere. As they all stared in shock his gaze, which burned as fiercely as the potion they had all just consumed, was for one person and one person only. Lily.
For a long time no one moved, too stunned to do anything then a voice spoke.
"Severus"
But it was not Lily that was crossing towards Severus with her hand extended in greeting. It was in fact none other than James Potter. Appearing completely taken aback, Severus stared coldly at James hand, his familiar sneer starting to slide into place, when Lily moved. Whether it was to interfere or join James in welcome would never be known, for as she stepped forward Severus' gaze snapped towards her and as though the sight somehow awakened him, he reached forward and took James's hand. Plainly he had meant it to be nothing more then a quick grasp, a gesture for Lily's behalf, but James took his hand warmly and firmly, shaking it with respect and affection.
As Severus gazed at him in shock James looked him in the eyes and said, 'I want to thank you, Severus, for everything you've done, and I want to apologize for everything I did to you as a boy. I know we can never be friends, there is too much bad blood and time that has passed, but I want to thank you. Not only for the warning that you gave Lily and I all those years ago, but also for everything you've done for Harry. I thank you for saving the life of our son."
Now did Lily walk forward, tears brimming in her own eyes as she lightly rested her hand on Severus' arm, still extended in James handshake. "Thank you, Sev" she whispered, as green eyes met black.
For a moment Remus stared in incomprehension as two of his best friends openly welcomed a man he thought was a murderer. A hand rested on his shoulder and he looked into Dumbledore's unusually grave eyes.
"Severus was acting upon my orders, that night on the tower." As Remus stared at him in shock, Dumbledore continued, his customary twinkle starting to return. "You will, I trust, remember that my hand had suffered an unusual curse." He waved his right hand in front of Remus' face. To his amazement, Remus saw that Dumbledore's hand, which had been blackened and twisted when last he had properly looked at it, was completely cured. "Yes, it's completely fine now. Another advantage to being dead it would appear." For a moment Dumbledore looked down at his left knee. "And a disadvantage too. I once had a scar the exact shape of the London underground. Now that I'm dead it's completely disappeared." He sighed, "I know I no longer need it, but it was a talking point."
After a brief pause, he looked back at Remus, who was still staring at him. "Ah, yes, Severus. Well, suffice to say the curse I was afflicted with would have killed me in the end. I had Severus promise to do it instead; saving myself some not inconsiderable pain it's true, but also protecting the soul of a young and rather confused boy."
For a moment more Remus stared at Dumbledore, his thoughts traveling back to that terrible night one year ago.
"Draco Malfoy." He said quietly.
"Yes, young Draco. A boy who found himself in an unfortunate situation that he could not get himself out of."
Remus turned away, and after a moment, walked over to where James, Lily and Severus stood and held out his own hand. As Severus slowly took it, Remus smiled rather sadly and said, "I'm sorry for believing you betrayed us, Severus. I, like James, know that too much has passed between us but I hope, in time, we can regard each other if not as friends then as respecting adults." After a moment, Severus nodded. There was an expectant silence then James said out of the corner of his mouth
"Padfoot!"
Sirius scowled and looked at ground. With flashing eyes Lily turned and said.
"Sirius, isn't there something you wanted to say?" Sirius scowled even darker but as everyone continued to stare at him he muttered something under his breath.
"Sorry?" asked Severus, a certain vindictive pleasure in his voice. "I'm afraid I did not catch that."
Sirius looked up, his face black with suppressed anger. Clenching his teeth, he said stiffly, "Thank you Severus for the life of my godson". Then, as everyone stared to relax, he added, "You slimy..."
"Padfoot!" James yelled, interrupting. Looking red, but still slightly pleased with himself, Sirius merely smirked.
"So, what now?" he asked with enthusiasm to Dumbledore, who regarded him for a moment with a singular raised eyebrow. As Sirius turned even redder and looked away, Dumbledore faced them all and swept his hands wide.
"Now it must be time for us to part! We have..." and he closed his eyes as though in thought, before snapping them open once more, "very little time before Harry gets here and you must be away!" As Lily opened her mouth he interrupted, "No, not because he is dead, but he will be here never-the-less. I shall take very good care of your son, Lily, but I'm afraid there is not time to argue the point. There are things Harry and I must discuss and I do not think he will have the necessary focus if you are around."
James put his hands on Lily's shoulders. "Come on Lil'" he said, "we can always watch from afar". After a tense pause, her shoulders relaxed and she agreed. Dumbledore beamed.
"Excellent, excellent. And, unless I'm very much mistaken, here comes your train". He wasn't, of course, and as they watched another gleaming replica of the Hogwarts Express pulled into the station.
Lily tossed back her thick red hair. "Come on, Sev, I'll take you" she said. For a moment Severus looked like he might object, glancing back at Dumbledore but then she took his hand in hers and seemingly mesmerized, he followed her without a word. Shaking his head slightly, James turned and grinned over at Remus.
"Ready to go, Moonie?"
Sirius walked up, clapping him on the shoulder. "Another adventure for the marauders three?" and he grinned his old, wicked grin. Remus laughed and, suddenly finding himself eager to discover what was in store for him on the other side of the veil, walked into the open carriage his best friends by his side.
With a snap, the door shut behind him and slowly at first, then ever quicker the train began to move forward.
Albus Dumbledore walked forward and watched as it slowly moved out of sight, till it was lost in the whitish haze at the edge of the station. Suddenly, from behind him, came a hideous gasping sucking noise and he turned. There stood a young man with dark messy hair, the exact copy of James's, in torn robes. His gaze was centered on a wretched creature that lay huddled underneath one of the benches, whimpering as it rocked back and forth. Dumbledore's gaze rested upon it, then he dismissed it for the nothing it was, saying quietly "You cannot help it."
The black-haired boy in front of him whipped around, brilliant green eyes looking up into his own crystal-blue. From deep within, Dumbledore felt a surge of fierce pride and he strode forward, arms outstretched in a sign of victory.
"Harry!"
There is no End. Death is just the beginning, for those that dwell behind the veil…
