Part 6
"Uncle Moony do we really have to go", Harry asked as they sat at the breakfast table.
"What do you mean Prongslet", Remus asked gently and handed him some pancakes.
"What if mommy and daddy don't want me", Harry whispered and Remus got up from his chair and sat on the chair next to Harry's. The little boy crawled onto his lap and Remus hugged him close.
"Harry your mommy and daddy want you very much", Remus said and rested his cheek against the messy black hair. "I promise. They love you so much they never stopped looking for you. They want you back and I know you want them back too… don't you?"
"I do but… but I don't want to lose you Uncle Moony."
Remus hugged him close.
"You won't ever lose me Prongslet I promise."
"Pinkie promise?" Harry asked shyly and Remus smiled and held out his pinkie.
"Pinkie promise", he said and they did just that.
After breakfast Remus told Harry to wash his teeth while he started packing Harry's things. He went into Harry's room and looked around. It wasn't big. It held a small desk where Harry used to draw, a bed, a dresser and a little bookshelf. The colours of the room were Gryffindor colours of course. On the bed that had a red comforter sat four plushies. It was a stag, a doe, a dog and a rat. Remus looked at them. Harry had named them all. Prongs, Rose, Padfoot and Wormtail. Harry had named his mother Rose because when looking for synonyms for doe a word spelled roes showed up. But it also meant frogspawns or caviar so Harry changed the spelling.
Remus shrunk the animals and put them in Harry's little trunk. He also packed his books and clothes. Then he turned to the blanket on Harry's bed. The same blanket Dumbledore had brought him in. Remus had checked it for tracking charms a long time ago and also checked it for other spells or jinxes or hexes. It was just Harry's normal baby blanket. He still slept with it.
Remus sat on the bed. It was going to be so empty without Harry here anymore. Remus would come home to an empty house, an empty home and he would be all alone. But he knew he had to return Harry. Harry didn't belong to him and he didn't belong in a world away from magic. He should live with it all around him. Sure the house was filled with magic and muggle things but still, it wasn't what Harry deserved. Besides Remus would never be able to give him the things his parents could. Remus chuckled. Oh yes Harry would be spoilt rotten, but he deserved it. He looked at the blanket in his hands. The blanket Harry had come to him in. It felt like a lifetime ago. They had all been so happy before the war. Then the war happened and everything went wrong. They had lost friends and Peter had turned on them. But why? Why had Peter turned on them? Moody had told him Pettigrew didn't receive a trial. He was just whisked away to Azkaban at once. One part of Remus thought the rat deserved it. It was he who sold James and Lily to Voldemort. It was Peter who started this whole mess along with Voldemort and Dumbledore. That part of Remus hated Peter. Then there was the other part. The part that desperately wanted to know why. There had to be a reason. Sure Peter was drawn to power like a moth to a flame. Still that was not a good enough excuse. Why hadn't he been given a trial when Remus got one easily? Something was strange here. Then again Minster Bagnold had just accepted Dumbledore's testimony without any doubts or questions.
Remus found that he had lots of questions but no one to turn to. He didn't trust Dumbledore. Something was up. Breaking the Imperius Curse was hard, but Dumbledore was one of the strongest wizards known to the wizarding world. That he would have fallen for one seemed strange. Remus looked at the blanket again. What had his real plan been and what had he thought he'd get out of it? So many questions and no one to answer them. Remus nearly jumped out of his skin when a small hand was put on his. He looked at Harry. The little boy looked extremely sad.
"Harry? What is it Prongslet", Remus asked worriedly and pulled the little boy onto his lap again.
"I don' wanna lose my Moony!" Harry screamed and clung to him. "What if mummy and daddy say they no want Moony there with me! I don' wanna lose Moony!"
"Oh sweetheart", Remus said and hugged him close. "We pinkie swore remember? I will never ever truly leave you if I can help it. But you must understand that your mum and dad might not want you to meet me at first. I have no idea how they have reacted to all this. They might hate me or they might not. I guess only time will tell."
"If they hate you Uncle Moony I don' wanna stay wif them", Harry sniffled.
"You are such a sweet boy Harry", Remus said and hugged him close. Harry snuggled close.
"Uncle Moony…"
"Yes Prongslet?"
"Can… can you sing the pretty song please?"
"The pretty song?"
"That you wanted to sing for Padfoo…" Harry mumbled.
Remus smiled and wrapped the blanket around Harry and softly started singing.
I could hold out my arms and say "I love you this much"
I could tell you how long, I will long for your touch
How much and how far, would I go to prove
The depth and the breadth of my love for you
From here to the moon and back
Who else in this world will love you like that?
Love everlasting I promise you that
From here to the moon and back
From here to the moon and back
I want you to know you can always depend
On promises made and love without end
No need to wonder how faithful I'll be
Now and on into eternity
From here to the moon and back
Who else in this world could love you like that?
Forever and always I'll be where you're at
From here to the moon and back
And I'll spend forever just proving that fact
From here to the moon and back...
From here to the moon and back
Oh-oh, mm-mm
Remus smiled and noticed that Harry was asleep on his lap. The little boy's head resting against Remus' chest. Remus smiled and kissed his hair gently. He looked around the room. They had had a loving home, a nice life and so much love. Remus had done his best to raise Harry as James and Lily would have wanted. But now they would do it themselves. Remus only hoped that they would allow him to still be part of the little boy's life.
Remus got up and carried Harry through the house after shrinking Harry's trunk and putting it in his pocket. They had been at the Henderson house yesterday and had told them goodbye. Remus had explained that Harry's parents had come out of their comas after the accident and that Harry was to go back to them now. Mrs. Henderson declared that she would miss them both very much.
Remus looked down the road. He could not see their house but he knew they were there with their family. Family… Harry was his family. The last part of his family or so he had thought at least. Now he found out that most of his family was still alive after all. He looked back at their house and smiled. Then he turned around and apparated them away. Moody had given him the address after the trial.
Lily Evans was nervous. She, her husband and Sirius had spent all morning making sure the house would be ready for Harry. Now they were waiting for him and Remus to show up. James had showed them his memory from the trial and Lily had gasped when she saw Remus. He looked so utterly crushed and sad that her own tears started falling. Hearing his voice after all these years didn't help either. Luckily James had been by her side. Sirius had looked like he wanted to cry as well. But he was too "manly" to admit it. Lily however had noticed the longing looks he kept giving Remus. He never took his eyes off Remus. Lily smiled fondly. Sirius got it and he got it good. He just wasn't really aware of it. Lily looked out the window again and sighed.
Five years. Harry would be seven soon. She had missed so much. She knew Remus would supply the memories if she asked but it wasn't the same thing. Whoever had controlled Dumbledore had taken away so many precious first times for her and James and Sirius. Lily didn't blame Remus at all. He had just done what was asked of him when he thought everyone he cared for had been either killed or were missing. Someone had needed to protect Harry and Remus had done so. Lily felt a bit ashamed about one thing though, she wondered what Remus had done during full moons. She was also worried that Harry had witnessed it and gotten scared or hurt. She knew Remus would never put him at risk but Harry was a child. What if he did something he was not supposed to do? She shuddered. She had to stop thinking like that. Remus would never put her son at risk. He loved Harry too much for it.
Lily smiled when she remembered the day Harry was born. It had been the happiest day in her life and seeing the faces of her loved ones made it all the better. While James and Sirius were cooing over the baby Remus sat beside Lily on the bed and wrapped his arm around his sister's shoulders. She had leaned into him and he had kissed the top of her head and had said:
"Thank you Lily."
"For what?" she had asked.
"For letting me be part of this. Not many would trust one of my kind around babies."
"Well for your information Remus Evans I trust you more than I trust those two."
"And why is that Lily Lupin?"
"Because of what's in here", she had said and put a hand on his chest. "And here." She had pointed at his forehead. "Merlin knows those two would never get here in time if it wasn't for you."
"They tend to get into all sorts of trouble don't they?"
"That they do. Which is why you and I will have to be the responsible ones in this family."
"Of course", Remus said and kissed her hair. "I promise to always be there for you and the baby Lily Lupin."
"Good Remus Evans because I want you there."
"I promise."
"Pinkie promise?"
Remus had grinned and they had pinkie promised. James and Sirius had commented about that strange thing they always did and James had half-heartedly told Remus to stop flirting with his wife. To which Remus had replied that it would be incest.
Lily chuckled at the memory. She and Remus had used to call each other by the other's surname to mess with Sirius, Peter and especially James. There was nothing but brotherly and sisterly love behind it though. One of her favourite moments when they did that was during sixth year when there was a yule ball and both James and Severus had tried to get Lily to go with them. She had refused and had then walked up to Remus, had taken his hand and declared loudly:
"I am not going with you because I am going with Remus Evans."
"Wait, what, when, what?" Remus asked as she pulled him away.
He had gone with her as brother and sister of course but James hadn't spoken to him in a month out of jealousy and Severus had thrown a really bad hex at him. Something Lily had paid him back for. Princess dress, tiara, curls and high heeled shoes anyone?
Lily smiled and looked out the window. She felt an arm around her shoulders and turned her head to look at Sirius. He was just as nervous as her. She smiled. Sirius and her had been in a hate-tolerate relationship from first year to seventh year where it turned to annoyance-friendly relationship. These past five years had brought them closer as well. They had both lost someone they cared dearly about. Come to think of it Sirius had hurt more than anyone else over the loss of Remus. Lily knew why even though James didn't. Sirius loved Remus and not in the brotherly way that James and Lily did. No this was truly, madly, deeply loving. If Lily was James' sun, moon and stars then Remus was Sirius'. Before Remus "died" and before things got complicated in the war Sirius would leave little notes to tell Moony he was on his mind. Sometimes he had even sent Remus yellow flowers. Well he had sent them to Lily too but that was because he proclaimed that the two needed cheering up the most because they were the most in touch with their feelings… or had a hard time once a month. Prat. Sirius and James had taken Lily and Remus out to dance on multiple occasions. Lily had always suspected it was just so that both of them could hold Lily and Remus close, respectively. Lily giggled when she got reminded of that time James, Sirius and Peter had written a song for Remus for his birthday. Accompanied with horrible singing of course. Lily was sure Sirius had written it with words meant just for Remus. Sirius would also make sure to wear Remus' favourite colour just to match his eyes. But then the war had gotten darker and Sirius forgot or lost that part of himself. Whatever had been about to bloom between Sirius and Remus withered and died. Lily would never forget the look on Remus' face when Moody went on and on about evil werewolves and no one defended him or when James had shouted:
"They're all beasts!" She'd slapped him for it. She shuddered when she remembered Remus' look and his words:
"Never", Remus had begun, nearly crying. "I never… I never thought any of you would…"
She shook her head. That was a day she wished would never have happened. She felt Sirius stiff beside her and looked at him. His eyes were wide and he was pale.
"They're here", he said and Lily followed his gaze. Outside of the window she could see a shape holding the hand of a much smaller shape.
"Harry!" she cried and ran out of the house.
Remus held Harry's hand as they walked up the footpath towards the Potter-Black house. Harry had woken up a little while ago because Moody had given them the wrong address so Remus had been forced to floo him and demand the real address. Now Harry was awake and looking around in awe. It was a pretty garden. Not as big as his and Remus' and not as cosy but pretty. The autumn leaves were falling but there was still some flowers blooming. Harry had no idea what they were. He turned his head and saw a nice big tree with a swing on it. He smiled happily. He loved to swing! Behind a few bushes he saw a garden decoration in the form of a stag. It was very pretty. Harry looked up at his uncle. Uncle Remus was very pale and looked nervous. Harry was nervous too. It was a little scary to meet people he had thought was dead and had only seen in Uncle Remus' memories.
Suddenly Remus stopped walking and just stared ahead of him. Harry followed his gaze and saw the door to the house open. Out of the door came a beautiful woman with long red hair. When Harry saw her he realized who she was at once. She smiled and he could see tears in her eyes. She put her hands over her heart and slowly walked down the small stairs of the house. Harry looked up at Remus and Remus let go of his hand and nodded. Harry slowly started walking towards the woman with the gentle smile, red hair and green eyes like his own. Harry suddenly stopped and started brushing off his clothes and fixed his glasses. He then tried to fix his hair but it refused to lie flat. He heard the woman laugh and looked up at her. She was kneeling on the ground and held her arms out to him.
"Welcome home baby", she said. Harry felt a big grin on his face. He was overcome with such joy now that he could actually hear her voice for real and not in a memory.
"Mummy!" he screamed and ran to her. He ran into her arms and she held him close and rocked him.
"Oh you're so beautiful", she sobbed and kissed his hair. "And so big! Oh Harry!" she hugged him closer. He buried his face in her chest and clung to her.
"Mummy, mummy, mummy", he kept repeating as he snuggled closer. He looked up when he noticed someone come out of the house. The man had black, silky and half-long hair. His eyes were grey and filled with happiness. Harry cuddled closer to his mum but he knew who this was too. It was Sirius.
Remus watched Sirius hug Lily and Harry and smiled sadly. He took out the trunk from his pocket and enlarged it. Then he looked at the little reunion and smiled.
"Bye Harry", he whispered and turned around to leave. Only to collide with something. He realized quite quickly that this something was in fact a man, a man that was much taller than him. Remus looked up and met a pair of amused hazel eyes behind a pair of glasses. The man had wild black hair and was dressed in Auror robes. When their eyes met the man smiled.
"Leaving so soon?" James Potter asked. "How rude Remy."
"James", Remus whispered. "I'm sorry I-"
He didn't get any further because James pulled him into a bearhug.
"Just shut up and hug me", James said and pulled Remus closer. What ever resolve Remus had left vanished and he clung to his friend just as tightly as James to him. He sobbed into his best friend's chest and knew James was crying into his hair. James then kissed Remus' hair and whispered:
"Welcome home Moony."
TBC Don't you worry my darlings, this may seem happy now. But it is only the beginning :) Songs not mine and yes there are multiple songs in here, just look a little closer.