I think it's time I updated this story, don't you think? Especially after those wonderful reviews all of you gave me; you have NO idea how happy they made me, and I completely appreciate the time your taking to comment on this story.
I finally reached 100 reviews, and only on the 6th chapter – which, after spending the better part of two years on this site, is not very common! And now, my next goal is to reach 200 reviews by the time I get to chapter 10. Please help me out ;)
Lastly, I'd also like to gratefully thank Nosi for the – immensely- helpful review you gave me. Your criticism was vastly appreciated, and I thank you for being gentle about the mistakes I've made. In all honesty, the reason I chose to name then "The Dead" is because I couldn't really think of anything else. So, from now on, I'm going to act on your suggestion, and use the name "The Arrivals" while referring to the people who've come back from the dead! Thank you so much.
The Entrance Hall was dark and silent. No students were roaming around, which was usually an everyday occurrence; and even the hallways were empty – despite that it was a Tuesday, and classes were supposed to be in session. The only human being present was the Auror, whom stood right beyond the Great Hall doors, guarding it.
Yet, it was still silent and dark. That is, until light footsteps could be heard, accompanied by feverish whispering.
"Be careful! Don't trip! You'll give us away!" A loud whisper reprimanded. The Auror snapped his head toward where the sound came from, though as he looked around the vicinity, it was still vacant.
"Oh shut up, it's not like anyone can see us!"
The Auror frowned, stepping away from the door and walking to where he knew he heard someone speaking.
Immediately, the footsteps and whispers seized.
Groaning, and wondering whether or not he was just hearing voices in his head, the security guard resumed his place by the door, this time conjuring a chair and plopping down onto it.
Once again, the footsteps and whispers were underway.
"Dad knows we have the invisibility cloak! He'll be able to find us!"
This time, the Auror chose to ignore the voices, and closed his eyes to "rest" them.
"But dad's not here!"
"You know, if he does catch us somehow, you'll be in major trouble, James. He told you to stay in Gryffindor Tower, and you clearly disobeyed him. He's going to be extremely angry"
"He won't catch us, Al. Stop being such a rule abiding git. We have to find out what's going on that's gotten dad so… agitated. Besides, some rules are meant to be broken."
"You say that every single time, and when we're caught breaking those 'rules that are meant to be broken', you put the blame on me. I really don't know why I allowed you convince me to do this."
"It's not like everyone believes me when I say it's your fault, Al. Everyone in the family knows how much you hate breaking the rules. And anyway, you and I both know you came along on this investigation with me because you're just as curious as I, if not more."
"And how do you know, pray tell, that I'm curious? Maybe I came with you to make sure you're not your stupid self!"
"Al, really, you're not fooling me. You were born a curious cat – it's a well known fact. I find trouble by causing trouble, but you find trouble by attracting it! You're too curious for your own good! Remember that time when we were sleeping over at Rose and Hugo, and you woke up in the middle of the night and heard noises from Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron's room, and you went to check it out. When you opened their bedroom door, you caught them -
"Alright, James! I get it! I'm still embarrassed about that night; I don't need to be reminded of it!"
The Auror by the door was pulled out of his 'rest' by the sound of loud laughter coming his way.
Jumping up to his feet, he pulled out his wand and whispered the Light spell, and as soon as the tip of his wand was lit with a bright glow, he moved it around here and there, looking for the source of the laughter. The laughter detained. He was out of luck, however, because the Hall was, and still is, as empty as it was a few minutes ago.
"Bloody hell" He muttered, going back to his seat, "I really am hearing voices"
And for the next 5 minutes, the silence stretched. Only a few centimeters away from where the guard sat, two boys stood with grins stretching across their faces, and leaned again the wall right beside the door.
James Potter reached into his pockets while his younger brother, Albus, watched him silently. "You got it?" the younger Potter asked.
"Yup. I'm glad mom didn't find out Uncle George gave me another pack of these" James replied, smiling widely and holding up an object shaped as an ear with a string attached to it. Handing it to his brother, Al bent down and placed it right where the Great Hall doors were, and immediately, sounds of loud chatter could be heard.
Glancing at the guard only a few feet away, whom was now looking around confusingly, James quickly took out his wand and whispered a Muffliato. Smiling in satisfaction, James and Albus simultaneously leaned forward and pressed their ears against the Extendable Ear.
All they heard were voices over-speaking voices – random snippets of chance conversations.
"This is pointless, James. We're never going to hear anything" Albus whispered, glaring heatedly at his older brother.
Yet, at that moment, Albus could never have been more wrong. A voice, loud and clear, could be heard through the Extendable Ear, yelling out the name: "Lily Potter!"
Albus and James instantly turned to each other, sharing a confused look. "What's Lily doing here?" Albus questioned.
"I don't know, maybe she came with da…" James trailed off, frowning, "I don't think their talking about our sister, Al. Remember what I told you in the Common Room after dad dropped me off? Our grandparents, Lily and James Potter, were on the map and in the Great Hall. That could only mean one thing…"
"That they're…"
However, whatever Albus was about to say was cut off by the abrupt jerking motion he felt as the Cloak was yanked off of them. Freezing in their places, their breathing coming out in loud breaths, they both gave each other mutual looks and concurrently turned around, groaning in synch when they saw the same Auror, whom they were sure was asleep only a few moments ago, staring at the both of them with a glare. "Weren't you students told not to leave your towers?"
Albus looked expectantly at James, waiting for his older brother to take the lead. When he saw that all his brother would do is stare back at the man with an equal heated glare, Albus rolled his eyes and replied, "Our father is Head of your department at the Ministry. Harry Potter."
The Auror stopped his glaring contest with the 13 year old and turned to the younger boy, his eyebrows raised, "Oh, and my grandmother is the queen of England." He mocked them, "I'm sure all of you youngsters would like Harry Potter to be their father; unfortunately, you ain't so lucky" Reaching forward, he grabbed them both by the arm and tugged them forward. "Come with me; I'm sure your Headmaster will have a suitable punishment for the both of you"
Jerking them alongside him, the Auror pushed open the large, heavy doors of the Great Hall and marched forward, attracting the attention of many on-lookers.
James and Albus shared a frightened look – Oh bloody Hell, dad is going to kill me; mom will probably do worse! James thought, wide-eyed – and together, they heaved a defeated sigh.
Looking ahead of him, James caught sight of his father, standing stiffly next to Ron Weasley – Uncle Ron is here too! Albus noted, must be important! – And braced him for a well-deserved yelling.
And it wasn't too long until he got it.
Because right at that second, Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley looked up and caught sight of them being pulled hastily by the Auror, and a fire blazed in his eyes. Striding forward in quick steps, with Ron right on his tail – Harry stopped right in front of them.
The Auror was forced to stop in his march toward the Headmaster, and faced his boss, "Auror Potter, I'm sorry but I must get these two trouble makers to Professor McGonagall. Caught them lurking right outside the doors of the Great Hall"
Harry nodded, yet kept his eyes firm on his older son, James, "I'll take it from here, Auror Peterson. These two 'trouble makers' happen to be my sons, and I think I'm best to decide their punishments; don't you agree?"
At this question, Harry looked up and met the eyes of his inferior, whom now realized that the two boys had spoken the truth, and instantly let go of his unyielding hold on them. "I'm sorry, Sir. I didn't have any knowledge that they were your sons"
Harry gave him a tight lipped smiled and shook off the Auror's apologies, "Its quite alright, Andrew. Now, get back to guarding the doors. And this time, make sure no one gets past you."
Nodded reverently, the Auror spun on his heels and quickly made his way outside, ignoring the looks everyone around him were giving him.
Meanwhile, James and Albus stood, side-by-side, shoulder-by-shoulder, staring up at their father with bated breath, while their father stood before them, hands on his hips and quivering with anger. Uncle Ron, on the other hand, seemed to find the situation his nephews were in quite amusing, and watched with a concealed smile on his face.
They were silent for the better part of 2 minutes when the father spoke up, "You have no idea how disappointed I am in you, James. I specifically told you to keep the information to yourself, to keep it away from your brother, and now, 10 minutes later, I find the both of you lurking outside the Great Hall – disobeying my orders."
Harry watched with slight satisfaction as his older son wore a look of utter shame on his face. However, the satisfaction soon dissipated when James broke eye contact with his father and looked down at his feet, muttering "I'm sorry"
"Not only that," Harry continued, this time with a gentler tone, "But I told you to stay put in Gryffindor Tower."
Moving his gave from his distraught son, Harry stared fixedly at Albus, wondering what made him defy the rules – when he knew quite well that Albus was the only one in the family to follow them.
Albus, though, stood his ground. He never liked to back down, and as he watched his brother do just that, he was firm to not allow his father's words to him – which would undoubtedly come, soon – to bother him.
However, Albus was wrong for the second time that morning, as his father simply turned his gaze back to his older brother without uttering a word to him.
"Alright, boys, since you're so, very curious, and the Aurors and I have established that there is no danger today, you may stay here."
Looking up at once, James stared, astonished, at his father; never, in all his years of living, has his father allowed him to watch as he worked. "You mean, with you? In the Great Hall?"
Harry was hushed for a moment, until he made up his mind. Shaking his head at his son's obvious suggestion, he said, "No, not with me. But you will be, technically, in the Great Hall. Follow me, boys. And do not converse with anyone, you hear me?"
Nodding rapidly, both boys began to follow his father and Uncle Ron to a door, where both adults shared a look, and entered together.
They walked for only a while longer, until they took a stop in front of a group of 3 people, all of which looked familiar to the young boys.
Harry reached behind him and took hold of his sons arms, pulling them forward, and placing his hands on each of their shoulders.
By now, the three adults whom they stood in front of seized their conversations and turned to them. "What's up, Harry?" A man with long, black hair asked, smiling as he glanced at the two young boys.
"These two boys were snooping by the Great Hall doors, so I agreed to let them stay here since there is no danger. Would you mind watching over them as I work? I'll be back in an hour to collect them"
"Of course we wouldn't mind, Harry. We'd really like to meet your children" A man with several scars commented, smiling gently and the Mini Potters.
"Thanks guys" Harry replied, "This is James, and this is Albus. Boys, say hi to Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Tonks"
James and Albus froze, staring at their father in flabbergast. Finally, James seemed to awaken from his trance and frowned, "But, aren't they supposed to be dead?"
Harry and Ron stepped exited the doors to the chamber with tired looks on their faces; despite the fact that there was no explanation for this, they took almost half an hour to inform James and Albus of the going-ons. And now, they were exhausted from their insistent questioning, and disbelieving statements.
"Bloody Hell, that was hard." Harry muttered, leaning against the wall for support.
"You know, Ginny is going to kill you for telling the kids. Not only are they too young to know, but you told them before you even told her."
Harry chuckled, "Yes, I know. I've been thinking about that throughout the whole conversation."
Their conversation was cut short by the approach of Auror Abigal. "Mr. Potter, may I have a word with you?" She asked quietly, as to not receive attention. She glanced up at Ron, and then to Harry again, anxiously.
Harry smiled at her, "Whatever you have to tell me can be said in front of Ron, Abigal. He's not only my brother-in-law, but also my best friend. I tell him everything"
Ron grinned proudly at that.
Nodding nervously, Abigal began folding and unfolding her hands together, opening her mouth every now and again to begin a sentence, but failing miserably.
"What is it, Abby?"
Biting her lip, she looked behind her, before returning her gaze to her boss, "Mr. Potter, I'm done interogatting James and Lily Potter, and they refuse to enter the chamber without speaking to you"
Harry iced over in his spot, his heart instantaneously going wild within his chest. His breaths came out in short gasps, and he couldn't seem to breathe. Closing his eyes tightly, he thought things over. He wasn't ready for this confrontation yet, he knew that much; but what if they didn't like him? What if they weren't proud of him, as he thought they would be? This would be, initially, the first time he ever spoke to them while alive.
"Harry, mate, breathe" He heard Ron say. Opening his eyes, he focused on the face of his best friend, whom adorned a concerned expression. "It's alright, mate. You knew this moment would come, and you have to get it over with. You did with Sirius! And with Dumbledore!"
Taking in a deep breath, Harry shook his head, "But that's different, Ron I knew them before they died. But my parents were dead for over 30 years! I never had an actual conversation with them!"
Ron smiled gently at him, "You have to do this, Harry. It's now or never. This is your chance to re-connect with them, your chance to 'have an actual conversation with them'. Come on, do it!"
Biting his lip in frustration, Harry took only a few short seconds to consider this, then nodded, "You're right Mate; for once in your life" He joked halfheartedly.
"Oh Ha-bloody-Ha. Now get going; your parents look pretty restless. I'll be here if you need me"
Smiling his thanks, Harry pushed away from the wall and squared his shoulders, getting ready for something he had wanted for so long.
Sucking in a profound breath, he strode slowly and deliberately to where his parents sat, on black leather couches by the left-hand corner of the room.
It seemed to take hours, yet it was only a few diminutive minutes, until he reached the couch. He swallowed the lump that formed in his throat, and spoke, "Hello mom, hello dad"
Both his parents stopped their conversation abruptly, and snapped their heads to where they heard the voice coming from.
A loud gasp left Lily's mouth before she could stop it, and her hand flew up to her mouth as her eyes filled with tears. James, on the other hand, stared at him with a large, proud smile across his face.
Jumping up from her seat on the couch, Lily approached her son in quick strides and threw her arms around his defined waist. Instantly, she began to sob.
And as his father's arms stretched around him and pulled him and his mother closer, he was dismayed to find that he had fat tears rolling down his own cheeks too.
AN I hope you enjoyed this chapter; I sure did! It was, not only fun to write, but for some reason a lot less difficult. I was considering leaving their reunion till the next chapter, but I couldn't wait to get it out!
Please review; remember, it took a lot of effort to write out this chapter – despite the fact that I said it was less difficult than usual.
This is the LONGEST chapter I've written so far! Yay me!
Anyway, once again; Review!
Roxy x