AN: Okay, I had to get this chapter out. This has been my goal and I've been trying to get to the point for this to happen since about the fifth chapter. So, don't be expecting me to update three times a week normally. I've been really amped for this one.
Thank you for the wonderful reviews!!! New chapter up ASAP!
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James and Sirius had gone back to the Potters two days following Christmas when they received a letter from James' mother. They promised they would return after a proper family Christmas and much prying for information.
Following the incident on Christmas the group had been obsessively looking for any information about what had happened. The Wizard Wireless and the Daily Prophet weren't reporting anything unusual. Remus and Harry had decided that the Ministry was keeping everything very hush-hush.
Lily, Remus and Harry continued their day-to-day activities of studying and dueling and Harry spent a great deal of time in his darkroom. Today was New Year's Eve, and Harry was in his darkroom developing the pictures he had taken of Lily and Remus at the park down the street. When he heard a loud thud and loud laughter brought Harry out of his quiet reverie and he cleaned up before heading down to the living room.
He found James and Sirius on the floor in the living room rolling around.
"Should I be concerned?" Harry said and he placed his hands on his hips.
James and Sirius looked up and Harry could tell that Sirius was drunk. The boy took several tries before he could stand and only then with the help of James.
"I'm real sorry, Harry, I didn't think he'd take the dare seriously." James sad with an apologetic look.
"SIRIUSly! That's me!" Sirius stumbled forward and fell into Harry. "Helllllllllllo. Mr. SexyPants."
Harry laughed before giving Sirius a quick kiss and pushing him down on the sofa, where he stayed seeming to lack the energy or coordination to move.
Harry and James moved to the kitchen and Harry got them butterbeers as they sat at the counter.
"So. How was your late-Christmas?" Harry asked.
"It was alright. The folks are really tense. Won't say anything about what's going on. Something about enjoying our childhood." James said and took a large gulp of his butterbeer.
"Why is Sirius drunk at four in the afternoon?"
"Well, I dared him to run out to the garden and kiss my next door neighbor, Old Mrs. Paterson." James smiled, "He said he couldn't do it unless he was drunk."
Harry laughed and shook his head. He looked over at James who had fallen silent and was now carefully peeling the label off his bottle.
"Why you so nervous?" Harry tilted his head to the side and looked at James. James blushed and smiled as he looked at the table.
"I'm…I'm going to ask Lily."
"To go steady? That's great…" Harry said patting him on the back.
"No…to marry me." Harry's head snapped up and he stared at the other boy amazed.
"Wha…really?" Harry sputtered a bit.
"Yea." James looked at him, "I love her, mate. There's nothing for it."
Harry got a big grin. "Well, we'll have to celebrate it then. Good thing it's New Years. Lily and Remus are already getting champagne.
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Sirius had sobered up just in time to get drunk again; Harry was watching James and Lily so closely that Remus caught on.
"You know something." Remus said as he threw an arm over Harry's shoulder. The wireless was playing music in the background.
"Maybe I do." Harry smiled wickedly.
The music ended and a voice came over the wireless, "Well, friends it's about time to ring in another happy new year."
The friends gathered in the center of the kitchen with glasses of champagne. Sirius wobbled a little and held tightly to Harry. Lily and James were holding hands and laughing. Remus sat on the table smiling and swinging his legs back and forth.
"Here we go! 10….9….8…..7…6…" the voice boomed out into the kitchen and Harry's eyes were glued to Lily and James, Remus' followed. "5…4….3…2….1…HAPPY NEW YEAR!!" and music blared out over the wireless and Sirius and Harry kissed, Sirius almost immediately turned and kissed Remus who was startled but laughed it off. The three of them looked to Lily and James who were still kissing. Remus reached over and turned the wireless down and finally James pulled away.
The two of them stared at each other for a long moment before James spoke. "Lily Amelia Evans, I love you. I know you love me too, and we've been just loving each other for so long. And I know that there is bad stuff brewing out there, and the only thing I can think of his how I want to protect you from it, and how I want to spend every new year we have just like this, with each other, not wasting anymore time"
Lily's eyes grew, wide as did Remus' as James sunk to one knee and pulled out a small velvet box. Harry glanced at Sirius to see that the boy had a self-satisfied smirk on his face.
"Lily, Will you marry me?" James looked up at Lily who had a smile on her face and one tear sliding down her cheek.
"Oh James, you're ridiculous!" She said, "Of course, yes."
Remus and Harry turned to Sirius as the couple kissed. Sirius shrugged. "James is apparently quite the romantic when it comes to writing letters."
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James' parents had held an impromptu engagement party at their house. It had been a wonderful affair with great food and greatly entertaining conversations between Lily's muggle parents and James' pureblood wizard-parents. The only downturn of the event was the presence of Lily's ridiculously negative and prissy sister Petunia, and her grossly overweight and idiotic, husband. Nobody had seemed to notice that Harry had avoided them at all costs.
After the party they had all returned to the house to revel in their last night of freedom before returning to school. They had a four-hour duel that resulted in Remus being pummeled by uncontrollable couch cushions, James and Sirius tied to each other and left in the upstairs hallway and Lily and Harry toasting each other in the kitchen. Remus had ushered them off to bed after the clock clicked past one AM because he insisted they would miss the train otherwise.
Sirius had gone to take a shower, and Harry was in his room in the process of changing into his pajamas. Harry caught his shirtless reflection in the mirror. He ran his hand over his abdomen, which now held a thick ugly scar from Snape's curse. He couldn't tear his eyes away from his damaged skin.
He didn't realize Sirius had returned until the boy was standing behind him.
"Are you ever going to tell me your secrets, Harry Pierson?" Sirius said quietly and Harry raised his eyes to meet Sirius' gaze in the mirror. "You know all mine."
"Someday. I'm too happy to think about it now." Harry said, and he knew it was true. He would tell Sirius—if not everything than most of it.
Sirius' arms snaked around Harry's waist and he kissed the boy's neck. Harry turned to face him and kissed him fully on the mouth.
"I think I'm falling for you." Sirius said.
"I think I've already fallen." Harry returned.
Sirius took Harry's mouth in a deeper kiss and Harry reached down and pulled the t-shirt over Sirius' head.
There was a gentleness and sweetness to their kisses and touches. And as they came to the bed they didn't fall into with a wild passion as they often did but Harry sat down and watched as Sirius undressed himself before pushing Harry carefully backward and kissed him again. Sirius moved his hands down and unbuttoned Harry's pants hand helped him out of them.
Harry reached up and pushed the hair back from Sirius eyes before pulling him down for another kiss. Sirius looked at Harry for a long moment.
"You read chapter six." Harry smiled, the emotions that were coursing through him were nearly too much to take.
"Do you want me to stop?" Sirius looked down at Harry and the concern and care in his eyes made Harry pull the boy into a long deep kiss.
"No."
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The next morning Remus and James bursting in their rooms startled Harry and Sirius awake.
"GUYS! We've got like half an hour to---MERLIN'S SOCKS!" James' voice had gotten impossibly high.
Sirius glared at James before pulling the blanket over to cover himself and Harry. "There's this thing called knocking…mates…honestly."
Remus had a smirking smile on his face but there was a definite color to his cheeks. "Well, anyway, we really have to get going.
Harry had thrown the pillow over his head and Sirius now pulled it away from him.
"How do you feel?" Sirius said as he leaned over Harry.
"Embarrassed."
"I mean…about…" Harry smiled and flipped the other boy over and kissed him hard.
"Magnificent."
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The four friends were running through the train station at 10:55. Harry had convinced them to shrink their trunks and carry them in their pockets so that they didn't' have to worry about wheeling them through the station.
They didn't even break stride as they ran straight into the column between platforms nine and ten.
There was a collective sigh and a lot of heavy breathing when the realized the Hogwarts Express was still there.
James and Lily hurried off to the front of the carriage to speak with the conductor, as was their duty and Head girl and Remus, Sirius and Harry headed toward the train. The platform was nearly empty most of the students were on the train and most of the parents were already on their way out trying to get a head of the crowd.
As they made their way to the train something didn't feel right and Harry came to a dead stop. He turned around and looked up and down the platform. There were maybe a hundred odd students and parents still milling about. Harry was searching for the focal point of this foreboding he was feeling. He didn't see anything obvious.
"Harry! What's the matter? Did you forget something? Remus came up behind Harry with Sirius trailing behind. Harry glanced at them and in that split second a loud scream echoed across the platform and Harry turned his eyes to see a literal flood of robed death eaters streaming on to the platform.
Harry was moving before he even knew what he was doing. He sent off curse after curse, and two death eaters were down. He got to the little girl who had screamed and grabbed her around the waist and threw her over his shoulder. He fired another round of curses off at the death eaters before running back in the direction of the train. Students were standing petrified, unsure of where to run or where to hide.
"GET ON THE TRAIN!" Harry bellowed, as he handed the girl off to the closest student and his voice reverberated off the stone walls. It seemed to shock some of the older students into action and they began herding people on to the train. Harry saw James and Lily jump down from the conductor's compartment and come running in their direction. He turned back to the fight and continued firing off curses as the death eaters continued to throw them. He saw an older man fall to his right after a familiar green light struck him down.
"Lily get these kids on the train. James can you send a Patronus to your dad? Tell him to bring everyone they have here." Harry yelled over his shoulder, when he didn't' sense any movement he looked back again "NOW!" he shouted and Lily gave a little start before turning around with the little girl in her arms and shouting to the remaining students and parents to get on the train immediately. A cutting spell hit Harry right above his left knee and he almost lost his balance. He watched the never-ending stream of Death Eaters and the barrage of spells that got thicker as they approached. There was only one thing to do, Harry silent prayed that it would work.
"SIRIUS. REMUS. COME HERE." Harry was panting. The boys appeared at his side, and Harry could feel the fear coming off of them in waves. When the came up next to him, Sirius on his right Remus on his left, Harry reached down and grabbed his each of their hands in his.
"I need you to focus all of your energy right now." Harry said staring at the Death Eaters approaching they number near fifty now. "Listen to me, focus all of your energy. We're the only hope for everyone on that train."
Harry felt the tension in the boys shift and knew they were ready.
He closed his eyes and summoned all of his magic inside of him. "parietis diligo"
Many of the Death Eaters were stalled momentarily when the saw the three boys facing them as the others ran for cover behind them, even more when the saw the linked hands of the boys glow for a minute.
"RAISE YOUR HANDS!" Harry shouted as the Death Eaters shook off their surprise and came with a newfound sense of purpose. He put his hands out in front of him and saw the air ripple as if it was water. "RAISE YOUR HANDS!" the two boys raised their hands as well and glanced at Harry when their hands caused a ripple in the air too.
"I want you to think about a wall that stretches the length of the train. A strong, solid wall." Harry said and he could sense their uncertainty. "If you cannot do this, those students will die. Lily and James will die. I will die."
And like the last time he had done this spell it was the last three words that made the difference. The air shimmered before them and Harry could feel the resistance as if his palms were pressing against a thick rubber.
The Death Eaters were no more than fifteen feet away and were firing curses that bounced off of their invisible wall and rebounded into their midst. Several of them fell but the others pushed closer.
The closer they got the stronger their curses were and Harry could feel the shield weakening. "Remus! You are my family. I need you now. All your strength all your focus."
Harry glanced at Remus and there was sweat on his brow. "Remus. FOCUS!"
The wall shimmered again and a few more Death Eaters fell.
"HARRY! What…?" Harry heard James' voice behind him.
"Did you get to your dad?" Harry answered.
"The Aurors are on their way! What should I…" Harry could hear James getting closer.
"STAY BACK!" Harry shouted as he felt the shield weaken. "Sirius, Remus. Focus. I want you to focus all of your love for me, for Lily for James right now and push it outwards focus it on this wall. You feel this…" Harry gathered his emotions and imagined the love and loyalty he felt for Remus and Sirius outward. The shield flashed a bright white and Harry could feel the wall hold strong again. "Did you feel it, Sirius?"
"yes" It was a hoarse whisper.
"Good. Focus it. Think of your feelings for me, your love. For Remus too. Imagine it and push it outside of you." Harry heard a grunt from Sirius and the wall shimmered again.
"Good! Good! Remus now you!" Almost immediately the shield shimmered and felt stronger.
Harry could feel Remus and Sirius' exhaustion. They weren't going to be able to hold it much longer. The Death Eaters continued to come. And Harry's mind slipped back into a memory of the last battle, He, Hermione and Ron stood in this same position….but they hadn't held and images of death seared across Harry's mind. He saw Hermione fall and the wall disintegrated.
Harry screamed out and shook his head forcefully, "NO!"
And he pushed all of his love for everyone he had lost and the wall flashed and then became an opaque white color for a moment. Harry's heart was beating so fiercely he knew he was pushing it, this spell could do severe damage to the caster if its use was prolonged. If he pushed too hard, it would have all have been in vain.
"Harry…I can't…" Sirius was fading fast.
"Hold on Sirius, hold on for me." Harry was begging and he felt Sirius give another push of emotion.
Suddenly behind the Death Eaters dozens of Aurors apparated in. Harry breathed a sigh of relief but when he felt Remus and Sirius start to let go he focused himself again.
"Don't drop it yet! Back up with me. Slowly." Harry said, and they stepped back slowly moving toward the train. "James! Get back to the conductor and tell him to get ready to take off immediately."
They continued backing up until they were about a foot from the entrance to a car. Harry glanced backwards.
"Okay, Remus I need you to hold on for me. Keep focused, keep pushing." Harry looked over at Remus. "Can you do that?"
"Yes." Remus said but it was a breathy word.
"Okay. Sirius. Drop your hands and get on the train. Don't argue just go." Harry said, "Now."
Sirius dropped his hands and turned and climbed onto the train disappearing inside. The spell weakened and it was like a heavy weight was dropping upon him.
"Okay Remus, Go." Harry said. Pushing out what little energy he had left.
"Harry…I can't leave you." Remus' concern made Harry smile as a wave of love for this boy flowed up inside of him. Harry pushed it outward and the spell strengthened a little.
"Go now. I'll be right behind you." Harry felt Remus hesitate, "Remus go, I can't hold it for much longer. "Now!"
Remus dropped his arm and the weight of the spell caused Harry's injured knee to buckle. He closed his eyes and pushed himself up, sweat dripping off his brow. Spells were still impacting against the shield as the Death Eaters who weren't involved with the Aurors were still advancing. Harry held it for as long as he could, he heard the train come to life behind him and with one last look at the battle ensuing on the platform he released the spell and stumbled to the car entrance. He grabbed a hold of the railing as the train started moving. Harry felt himself being pulled forward as the train picked up speed.
James and Lily helped him into the nearest compartment unsettling three terrified third-years. Sirius and Remus followed them in and sat heavily on the seat across from where Lily and James sat Harry.
Harry's heart was still thudding in his chest. He couldn't get his breathing right. He had pushed it too far, he could feel the world slipping from him.
"What the hell was that?" James asked quietly, near whispering.
"Love." Sirius said staring at Harry who nodded and closed his eyes.
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