Author's Note: Words cannot express my apologies for taking so long to get this out. I had less time this summer than I thought! It can be blamed on my Role Playing for Twilight once more. I was completely consumed in that and the friends (or wifeys, but that's a long story unless you're one of them reading this…in which case HI I LOVE YOUUUU) that I've made on there. If anyone has any questions as you're reading this about what happened earlier in the story, please ask in a review!! I'm sure I'll probably post a synopsis/character list chapter. I would have done it now, but I couldn't wait to get this chapter out as I was writing it. So ENJOY and REVIEW.

Chapter Ten

Lunch

Miley POV

James, Tyler and I walked out to the grounds for lunch discussing Harry's DADA lesson. We all agreed that this year would be a great one in that class and that Harry was going to be great at teaching it because both the kids and their parents trusted him to do the job right. Not only did he defeat Voldemort, but eventually word had gotten out about Dumbledore's Army as well; people knew about Harry being able to teach twenty-odd kids Defense Against the Dark Arts at the age of fifteen. Even though the group didn't exist anymore, they were still well known in the Wizarding community. The Order of the Phoenix, however, was still very much together, and still a well-kept secret.

We left the entrance hall and stepped out into the gorgeous fall day. The sun was shining but the air still had that crisp fall feel.

James pointed to a tree near the edge of the grounds, but still in view of all the other kids eating lunch. "Let's sit over there," he suggested.

"Yeah, sure," I agreed while Tyler nodded.

We settled under the tree and began eating. "How was History of Magic, Miles?" James asked before taking a drink of pumpkin juice.

I rolled my eyes. "Ugh, it was awful. Professor Binns is so bloody boring, and he kept calling me 'Milly' or 'Miss Malfax.'"

They both laughed and James said, "Malfax sounds like some sort of Muggle cleaning product."

"Ha ha, very clever, James," I retorted, biting off a piece of my sandwich. "What about Charms? Any better?"

They both shrugged at the same time. "It was alright," Tyler spoke up. "We both managed to levitate the feather just like Mum did her first day."

"Excellent, well done," I complimented.

We all finished our lunch rather quickly after we stopped talking and just watched the other students on the rest of the grounds. One lot was tossing a Quaffle back and forth, and others were experimenting with what was clearly a Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes product.

"James, what are you doing?" I asked. I had turned to comment on how one of the kids tossing the Quaffle around would make a great Keeper but instead found him staring toward the Forbidden Forest.

He turned his head back toward me, a mischievous smile on his face. "None of us have class after lunch," he pointed out.

"What's your point?" I asked, eying him skeptically. I knew I shouldn't have had to ask. Of course he was planning something; he was a Potter. My father taught me well that Potters were mischief makers whether they meant well or not.

"Well I was thinking we could explore the forest. It can't be so harmful during the daytime," he suggested, his sly grin only growing has he took in my wary expression.

"James, are you insane? Even your dad wouldn't have just gone in there for kicks. There's a reason it's called the Forbidden Forest, you tosh pot!" I exclaimed, unbelieving he was seriously considering going in there.

"I think we should do it," Tyler piped up, eyeing James's book bag.

I followed Tyler's eyes and saw what he was staring at, and obviously the thing that gave him the courage to agree to James's escapade: Harry's Invisibility Cloak. I felt my eyes widen and pushed a piece of hair back that had fallen in my face when I leaned forward to get a better look.

"James, where did you get that?" I asked in shock, looking up to his still-smiling face. This time his smile was more triumphant than mischievous. He could obviously tell that Tyler and I were slowly climbing on board.

"Dad gave it to me," he answered simply. "He should have waited until after Mum went to bed, though." James winced as I laughed. I knew Ginny all too well.

"Was it something along the lines of, 'Harry James Potter what are you thinking?! Do you know how much trouble he could get in? Do you remember how much trouble you got in? All you're doing is giving him the means!'" I surmised.

James laughed and nodded. "That was a wicked impression of my Mum and Grandma, by the way. She said something like that then my dad took her in the kitchen and got all lovey and mushy which he thought I didn't see. He convinced her that it was a father/son thing and he wanted me to have something of his and he couldn't think of something better than what had once belonged to his namesake."

"Knowing your dad that's probably at least halfway true," I joked. Harry was very sentimental like that, but he had also learned a great deal from George…and also Fred when he was alive. On some level he more than likely wanted James to get into a little trouble; of course he'd never tell Ginny that.

The boys nodded in agreement as James stood, brushing crumbs off of his robes. "So? What do you say?"

"I'm so in," Tyler said, also standing.

I looked up at them, then between the two of them. Then I scanned the grounds to see if anyone else was coming before standing up and hissing, "Alright, I'm in, I'm in."

The way James's face lit up when I said I'd go was worth any trouble we might get in. He pulled the Cloak out of his bag and held up the shiny, delicate material. We looked around to make sure no one was looking, and seeing that everyone was occupied with their own activities, we threw the cloak over the three of us and hid our book bags behind a bush.

The feeling of being under the Invisibility Cloak was nothing new; Harry had let us play with it as long as we stayed in the house or in the yard. We were so excited that he let us use it that we didn't dare disobey.

"Where are we going?" Tyler asked.

"Er, I think we should just walk in…I mean we don't really know what we're looking for, do we?" I suggested.

"Yeah, I agree with Miley. Let's just start walking," James said. As he took a step forward I felt him brush up against my arm, and I swear my heart about stopped. And somewhere buried deep inside me I wished Tyler was gone leaving me alone with him. However, I'm not sure I realized it at that moment…I was sure it was later on as my brain explored its hidden thoughts while I fell asleep.

We walked cautiously through the woods, not only so we didn't fall but incase any angry Centaurs decided to jump out of nowhere. Not that they could see us, but if they scared us enough we may accidentally drop the Cloak.

It wasn't until we had been walking for about ten minutes that we realized we hadn't left any sort of trail to get out.

"Oh, bloody hell," James hissed turning around looking the way we had come.

"It's dark, James," I whispered back.

"I know, Miles," he said. I looked the same direction he was, and I couldn't see a single ray of light from the school grounds. All we could see were trees and forest floor. He put his arm around me when I shivered from a sudden breeze. "Don't worry, we'll get back, I promise."

"We will, Miles," Tyler vowed. "I have this really strange feeling. I can't describe it. It's like someone is here who will help us." I felt him shake his head. "I don't know what it is."

As soon as he said that, I had the exact same feeling, and he was right. It was completely indescribable. I had been cold just a moment before, but it was this warm feeling that spread from my toes to the top of my head. It was the feeling you get when you see someone you love for the first time in a long time.

Just as I realized what feeling he spoke of, he started to walk a bit further in the forest, just as James started to steer me back the way we had come. Both James and Tyler were gripping the cloak, and when they walked in opposite directions it caused us to topple over sideways.

I heard a couple groans, one presumably coming from my own throat, and the other came from Tyler. "James? You okay?" I asked.

"Wow," he replied.

"Wow what?" I asked.

He sat up and held out his hand palm up, holding some sort of black stone.

"It's a stone, James," I said, giving him a blank stare.

"I know, Miles, but there's something engraved on it, look. There's something so familiar about it but I can't put my finger on it." He held out the stone to me and I took it in my palm.

I examined it closely, turning it around three times in my hand. After the third turn, something floated out of it and stood before me. It was neither a ghost nor a human, and the most beautiful, amazing thing I had ever seen in my life.

"Mum," I whispered, looking up at her. I had no idea what the stone in my hand was, but it had brought my mother back to me when I turned it three times, and that's all I cared about.

I felt the tears bubble to my eyes and spill down my cheek as I stood slowly, Tyler and James still on the ground watching me nervously. "Miles?" James prodded, but I ignored him, or didn't hear him; I wasn't sure which.

"Mum is that really you?" I stepped cautiously toward the figure of Hermione Granger-Malfoy standing before me, afraid my young girl's mind desperate for a mother was deceiving me.

When I was close enough, she smiled and reached out a hand toward me. I flinched, but when she touched my cheek, it felt like nothing else I'd ever felt. I heard the murmurs of my best friend and brother behind me, but I didn't care. Nothing mattered right now more than my mother's hand on my cheek. It didn't feel human, but simply divine at any rate.

"My beautiful Miley," she said softly. "You're such a beautiful girl, and you've taken wonderful care of your poor father." She looked at Tyler, smiling down at him. "He can't see me because you were the one holding the Stone. I'm a part of you right now."

"You mean my imagination?" I asked.

"No, not your imagination, I'm really here. As soon as you let go of the Stone I'll disappear," she clarified.

"But you'll come back?"

"I can come back anytime you wish, as long as you have the stone. It's called the Resurrection Stone. It's one of the Deathly Hallows," she explained. "Has Harry told you the stories of the night he came out here to sacrifice himself to Voldemort?"

I nodded quickly and she continued. "Well I'm assuming he didn't tell you that he had the Stone with him. His Mum and Dad, Sirius and Remus were here with him while he walked."

"He just left it here?" I asked as she nodded.

"He didn't think he'd live to need it back, of course," she said sadly.

"Would it be alright if I kept it?"

"I'm sure Harry would be okay if all of you shared it," she said with a smile. "Tell him he's dead meat if he gives you lot punishment for coming out here after all the times we came out here without permission."

I laughed and she did too. "I'll tell him. How did you know he was teaching here? And Daddy is too."

"We know a lot, Miley." She stroked my hair as she spoke. "Do you have any idea how much I love you?"

"I love you too, Mum," I said, more tears pouring down my cheeks.

"Miley!" Tyler was more urgent behind me now. I imagined it was pretty obvious that I looked completely insane. It probably looked to them like I was imagining my mother's appearance.

I turned around to look at him, being sure not to drop the Stone.

"Tell him I love him, Miley," Mum asked and I nodded.

"Tyler," I began, "this Stone is called the Resurrection Stone."

"Oh, I know what that is!" James interceded. "Dad told me about the Hallows once. You really are talking to your Mum, aren't you, Miles?"

My answer was my continuing tears that were accompanied by a smile. He immediately hugged me, which I returned.

"You see Mum?" Tyler asked sadly. He looked like he felt completely left out.

"I do, but don't worry. You can't see her because I'm holding the Stone." I took a deep breath, knowing my brother needed to see her just as much as I had. "I'll say goodbye and you can talk to her."

He nodded and I turned back to her. "I'll let Tyler talk to you. Can we take you back and give you to Daddy? He's so sad all the time, Mum."

I saw something silver trickle down her cheek that looked like a tear as she nodded, smiling softly. "Please do. I've been wondering if Harry would ever come to look for the Stone. I'd like to see everyone, but especially your dad. We have a lot to talk about."

"I will then," I said. "I'll bring you back soon. Maybe we can try to find the Room of Requirement to talk to you."

"That's a brilliant idea, Miles," she said. "I can't wait. I love you." She came forward and kissed my cheek. It tickled a bit, but it felt wonderful.

"I love you too, Mum." With that, I passed the Stone to Tyler who went through what sounded like the same scenario.

"What do you think your dad will say, Miley?" James asked after a couple minutes.

"I think he'll be thrilled, honestly," I said. "He'll be able to see her whenever he wants. He'll be ecstatic."

"I agree. I bet even my dad will be pleased we found it. Maybe he wants to see his parents again, too, and that one Cedric bloke."

"Cedric?" I asked

James nodded. "The boy who was killed during the Triwizard Tournament. Sometimes I still here my mum comforting my dad after a nightmare about it. She'll say, 'Harry, love, listen to me. It's not your fault. You didn't know the cup was a Portkey.'" James shook his head. "So I know Cedric means something to my dad."

I nodded my understanding. "I'm sure he does," I said as I put an arm around him.

"Mum's going to lead us out of the Forest, you two," Tyler said suddenly as we both stood up.

James threw the Invisibility Cloak around the three of us as Tyler led us out of the forest, while being led by my mum.

Author's Note: Yes, I'm ignoring the moral implications of using the Hallows…for now. Maybe I'll bring it up later. And no, I didn't proof read it before I put it up because I'm so antsy to finally upt up a chapter!! If you notice any obvious mistakes please let me know!! You can't see me right now, but I'm pointing to the little purple button below the chapter! It means REVIEW puhleassseeeee.