The Return of the Father: Searching for Sirius
Thank you to all of the reviewers. I know I left a mean cliffhanger for you all, and I'm afraid things aren't going to get better any time soon. I am sincerely sorry for making you all wait so long. My computer, in short, is fading fast, and I have been trying to write around that. Also, to all that have finished the HALF BLOOD PRINCE, you are all more than welcome to sound off or share theories over at my livejournal.
------------------------------Hospital Wing
"I can't believe them!" Hermione angrily exclaimed. In her hands she half held, half strangled the morning edition of the Daily Prophet. She sat in a chair situated between Harry and Ron's beds, as both boys were still not allowed out of them for periods longer than the three minutes required to slowly walk to the bathroom, take care of business and slowly walk back.
Ron carefully munched on his eggs, less than willing to step in and calm Hermione. While he hadn't sustained any major injuries like his father, or major curses like Harry, he had exhausted himself in his efforts of protecting his father, along with collecting a rather colorful array of bruises after he'd been thrown back rather violently into a hard, unyielding tree. Madam Pomfrey, who had made her reappearance three hours after Harry had been told about his godfather, was keeping him there for observation for one more night.
Harry's sentence was still unknown, though is throat was healed enough for him to speak – which relieved him to no end after having spent hours making wild hand gestures and significant looks.
If Hermione was aware that both boys were keeping uncharacteristically quiet in the face of her outburst, she didn't let on. "How dare he? After all this time of discrediting Harry and Dumbledore, making everyone think they were crazy, he goes and makes the least threatening announcement he can. Before he practically had people thinking that Voldemort was back, but had no greater ambitions than opening a flower shop! And now this?" She said, slapping the paper with the back of her hand and breathing heavily after her near shouts. It would be a wonder if Madam Pomfrey didn't rush out to tell her to be quiet.
"Read anything interesting in the paper today, Hermione?" Ron inquired mildly after she'd taken several deep – and much needed – breaths. Harry snorted into his hash browns, but quickly turned his slip into a coughing fit.
Judging the expression on Hermione's face, she would have smacked Ron had he not been in a hospital bed. Ron, knowing this, kept an infuriatingly innocent smile on his face.
Heading an argument off at the pass, Harry hastily sent Ron a warning glare before interrupting Hermione before she could get even one scolding syllable out of her mouth. "What's in the Prophet that's got you so upset, Hermione?"
Hermione seemingly decided to answer Harry in favor of dealing with Ron, though her voice was less than calm, cool or collected. "Our esteemed Minister," She sneered in a un-Hermione-like fashion, "Recently held a press conference to tell the wizarding world at large that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named – which is a direct quote – has started a series of large scale attacks. We are apparently…" She said, tone condescending as she glanced back down at the article, "Are on high alert, for we are knee deep in a second coming of the war."
"Now he admits it!" Ron groaned. "Just in time right? It would have been real nice for him to tell everyone this before we got attacked with enough Death Eaters and Dementors to make him pee in his bowler hat!" he raged, making some rather rude gestures that made Harry's communications from earlier seem like docile waves.
Harry, though not quite as vocal as Ron, nodded in agreement all the same. "It would have been good if he could have sent out some better reinforcements."
"That would have given out the impression that things were really bad, which he didn't want. Now that he's made this announcement though, it hardly matters." Hermione said, lifting the paper a little.
Harry couldn't help but make a face at that, thinking about how if they'd had backup Aurors on the scene right away, Sirius's kidnap could have been stopped. Pushing that aside, for he knew Hermione would want to talk about it, which he just wasn't ready for yet, Harry hastily changed the subject, "Does he say anything more?"
Hermione sighed, lifting the paper again to read aloud. " 'On behalf of the Ministry, I would like to give our most sincere apologies to Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter, who never gave up in their pursuit for the truth. We hope they will forgive our inability to believe Voldemort's return on their word alone, and will continue to help the wizarding world at large and share their knowledge of what's to come.' "
"Sounds like they're afraid that Dumbledore's going to keep them out of all the important You-Know-Who decisions." Ron said, reading between the lines.
"Can't you just say Voldemort? You've been doing better since the end of the last year." Harry asked Ron, exasperated. Before waiting for the customary shrug that would accompany such a request, Harry said, "Why would it matter to them? If anything, being so incompetent, you'd think they would just gladly hand of the reigns to him."
Ron shook his head, "The Ministry is too into glory and being right."
"Listen to what it says here." Hermione said, reading from the bottom of the article. " 'Since the announcement of You-Know-Who's return to full power, the Daily Prophet offices have been swarmed with owls. People all over Britain are writing in their complaints to the Ministry, and the Prophet itself. This reporter would like to apologize for the false information printed throughout the last few weeks, and promises to go to a more competent source in any future war-related stories.' "
Harry grinned, liking the sound of that. "Guess the Prophet isn't too pleased either."
"That makes sense, since their reputation has been harmed by this also." Hermione reasoned. Her voice turned thoughtful as she mused further, "I wonder if Dumbledore has been getting any owls? I've read in Hogwarts, A History, that in the case of mass owlings, all mail is directed to a special room in the top of the Headmaster's Tower." She said, sounding remarkably like Professor Binns did when he discussed the closest thing that he had to a passion – the Goblin Rebellion.
A snort sounded from Ron's bed, "I'd love to see what some say. I bet you there's even a few mentioning Harry in there!"
"Wonderful." Harry glumly enthused.
"A few? There's got to be a lot more than a few mentioning him. It's much more likely that they all mention him!" Hermione said, wincing when Harry threw his head back against the pillows.
The doors banged open as James - looking even more tired than he had the day before - saved Harry from any further torture. "Dad!" Harry cried, sitting up straight. Ron and Hermione ceased talking immediately, almost as eager as Harry was for news. "Did they find Sirius?" He asked, knowing in his heart they hadn't, for in addition to tired, James still had that tight look of worry on his face.
"No, Harry, I'm sorry. We haven't." James said, sitting down on his son's bed heavily. "I just got back from checking out a lead where someone claims to have recently seen Death Eaters, but it didn't turn out to be anything."
Hermione looked worried as James ran a hand down his drawn face, "James, when was the last time you got any sleep?"
The elder Potter waved his hand aside, "I'm all right, Hermione."
"That's not what I asked!" She said, crossing her arms. Behind her, Ron dropped his head into his hands, shaking it back and forth.
Her indignant concern seemed to only make James let out the barest of smiles, and he didn't answer her – which told more than words could have. James turned to his son, who was looking equally as worried. "Don't worry, green eyes, this is hardly the first time I've gone days with no sleep. You put me through far worse when you were first born. I'm fine." James's confidence waned a little, but he pressed forward anyway. "We've, um, got a meeting, to talk about Sirius…it's really important, Harry. I can't really explain here. You're allowed to come though, Albus said, so if you'd like…" he said, letting the invitation trail off.
Harry's face lit up. "Of course I'm coming if it's about Sirius!"
If anything, this declaration of loyalty to the missing Marauder did nothing but make James's face fall a little. Harry couldn't quite figure that out. His father wouldn't have offered if he didn't want Harry to be there, and besides, it was only a meeting.
"Well, get dressed and we'll head up." James said wearily.
---------------------------Dumbledore's Office
Harry was slightly surprised by the turn out in the Headmaster's office. People he'd never seen before in his life looked up with interest the second he and his father came through the door.
Remus was there, and offered Harry a small smile of encouragement. Behind him, his father steered him into a seat next to Remus, then barricaded him in by sitting on his other side. They were all seated at a long table, which Harry'd never seen in the office before.
Further down, the real Mad-Eye Moody sat, and both his magical eye and real eye were fixated solely on the Potter's. Harry knew that this was the first time that Moody was seeing him in person, which was strange because he'd basically spent a year being taught by the famous Auror. He seemed to have recovered nicely from his time spent in a trunk, though he did look a little thinner than what Harry remembered. If anything, the man's paranoia was only going to get worse, a feat which many didn't think possible.
Arthur Weasley was sitting down also, with both Charlie and Bill. All three waved at him, though Arthur looked a little worse for the wear – Harry idly wondered what it took to get Madam Pomfrey to let him out of her clutches for the meeting. Though, he mused, Molly Weasley's presence next to him might have helped. She smiled warmly at him, and he waved a bit back. Beside him, his father did the same, which struck him as a bit odd; as he wasn't sure how friendly they'd gotten after James's accidental apparation to the Burrow.
A few teachers were around the table, including Professors McGonagall and Snape – who did not look like he wanted to be present.
One of the most shocking sights was his old neighbor from Privet Drive, and frequent babysitter, Mrs. Figg. His father whispered in his ear, "Yeah, I know, right? She's a squib, she was sent to muggleland to watch over you. Right good job she did, huh?" He seemed a bit annoyed with the woman, who was smiling a little smirk at Harry's surprised expression. James opened his mouth to say something else, but Remus shushed him.
That was where the people he knew ended. Though, the rather sleepy man looked slightly familiar, though Harry couldn't place why. He was the first to offer actual words for greetings, "Hullo, Jimmy, Harry."
"How are ya, Dung?" James replied with a short smile. The man in question didn't respond, but rather dropped his head into his hands.
Remus leaned over to Harry, "Mundungus." He whispered, "Nice fellow, not much for following the law though."
Scattered about the table were various people who Remus nodded at in turn. "Kingsley Shacklebolt, he's an Auror. Next to him is Nymphadora Tonks – just don't call her anything but Tonks. Sirius's cousin Andromeda is her mother. She's a metamorphagus, which helps explain the green hair. That's Emmeline Vance, new member." Harry nodded, though he wasn't sure what a metamorphagus was, or what Emmeline Vance was a new member of.
After that, his father started in. In an equally quiet whisper – which was no longer needed as there were various side conversations going on around them – he said, "Then, there Dedalus Diggle, and judging from the way he's waving at you, you already know that." Which was true, as Harry did remember him from his first encounter with the wizarding world back in the Leaky Cauldron. "Hagrid is suppose to be here, but he's got a, um, mission of his own."
Harry was about to ask what it was, but Remus had taken up commentary again. Something was beginning to tell him that he'd best just sit back and ask his questions later. "That's Hestia Jones. She's rather new."
And then, at the very end of the table was the last person of this gathering, was Dumbledore. He raised his hand slowly, and all conversation ceased. Whatever they were there for, Dumbledore had made it possible. He slowly stood to address them all, "It is good to see you all again, no matter the dire circumstances. As you've all been told, this is the first meeting of the reconvened Order of the Phoenix."
This, Harry knew, was obviously a very serious announcement. For the life of him, though, he couldn't figure out what it was that Dumbledore was talking about. Never before had he heard of the Order of the Phoenix. But again, he didn't think it was time for questions. Unlike before, neither James nor Remus leaned over to tell him anything.
In his own way, Dumbledore did. Whether he knew that Harry would be confused, or he had seen the slight frown on the boy's face, he knew what it was for. As Dumbledore spoke again, Harry found himself amazed at the aged Headmaster. His voice, almost wobbly with age, commanded the attention of the room, even though he didn't raise it at all.
"The Order of the Phoenix was created twenty years ago, our purpose to fight Voldemort, and see the side of the Light victorious." Dumbledore intoned, his words wrapping around them all as some sort of incantation. If Harry's eyes were anywhere but Dumbledore, they would have seen no flinches at the mention of the Dark Lord's name, a truly once and a lifetime occurrence. "We have lost many members since the first coming of the war, brave witches and wizards who sacrificed their lives to seeing to the deaths of Voldemort and his Death Eaters."
Dumbledore paused, seemingly giving a few seconds of silence for those that had fallen. His father's face hardened briefly, thoughts of Lily visible through the grief in his eyes. Harry slipped his hand under the table to give his father's hand a squeeze. James's face didn't acknowledge the comfort, but he moved his hand to lace his fingers with Harry's.
"The battle fought on these grounds only a few days ago marks the resurrection of the fight between the Order and Ministry against Voldemort." Dumbledore said, before sitting back down in his seat. "There were no deaths for our side, and I know not of Voldemort's."
Breaking in quietly, Snape said, "The Dark Lord suffered quite a few losses. Most of the deaths though, were younger Death Eaters, new recruits."
Harry listened to this, his eyes taking in the sight of Moody glaring at the Potion's Master. Again, it was clear that the mark on Snape's forearm would forever brand him evil in the eyes of the Auror - no amount of information to Dumbledore or good deeds for the side of the Light would change that.
"Thank you, Severus." Dumbledore said. Snape inclined his head – just barely – to the Headmaster. "All those who were injured have been taken care of, and according to Poppy, will make a full recovery." He continued, eyes lingering on Mr. Weasley.
The man that Remus had said was an Auror spoke up. "It took quite a bit of pressuring on the head Aurors part to get Fudge to admit anything had happened at all."
Dumbledore sighed heavily. "I have no doubt, Kingsley. Cornelius is proving to the quite the thorn in our side."
"He's a fool is what he is." Moody growled. A few seats down, Tonks shot him a look.
"I agree with Moody." Professor McGonagall said, earning even more respect from the Marauder's section.
James was nodding along with them, adding in, "He had to admit it, or he really would have been a fool. This isn't the last we'll hear from Voldemort, that's for sure."
Shacklebolt glanced back to Dumbledore, "He's in enough trouble for waiting as long as he did." This news sent a wave of satisfaction over Harry. He hoped the public got angry enough to truly kick him out of office. If he kept making blunders with Voldemort, he would be.
"Fudge'll cover his ass – always does." Mundungus said, waving his hand.
"Mr. Fletcher!" McGonagall warned. "There is a child present."
This comment made Harry frown. He was a teenage boy who roomed with other teenage boys, what did she think went on in the dorms? On top of that, his best friend wasn't exactly shy with word choice. At fourteen, he certainly was used to the word "ass" – or anything else Mundungus Fletcher wanted to spew out for that matter.
"Yes, I do see that." Moody said slowly, eyes – again, both of them – fixed upon Harry. Only sheer will kept Harry from squirming under the intensity of the stare Moody had fixed on him. Finally, the magical eye swiveled to Dumbledore, "Bending the 'no minor's' rule, Albus?"
Dumbledore glanced between Moody and Harry before settling his gaze on the younger of the two. "Under the circumstances, I thought it best."
"And I insisted." James put in, shooting Moody a look that clearly dared the gnarled Auror to challenge his parental rights over Harry.
Moody wasn't finished, though he didn't say a word to contest Harry being at the meeting. He, clearly, had more important things on his mind. "You were at the battle, weren't you boy?"
"Yes, sir." Harry said, speaking for the first time. He wondered where his former professor – well, former almost professor – was going to go with the particular line of questioning he'd started.
Several pairs of eyes shot to Harry, making him all the more determined to keep his eyes on Moody and Moody alone. Underneath the table, his father held his hand just that much tighter.
"Fight anyone, did you?" Moody asked, peering intently at the flushed boy. Harry was no longer sure what was really going on in this conversation, but again, his father gave his hand a reassuring squeeze, almost letting him know that it was all right to answer the question.
And so he did, nodding hesitantly. "Yes, sir." He said quietly. "I did."
He'd been expecting another question, something else about the battle maybe, spells he'd used, who he'd fought, but Moody asked no more. Silently, he gave an almost imperceptible nod in Harry's direction.
For some strange reason, he felt as though he'd passed a test that he didn't even know was being given.
Silence reigned over the table for mere seconds – time people took to stare at either Harry, or look questioningly at Alastor Moody – before the woman that Remus had pointed out as Emmeline Vance spoke. "Was Voldemort there?" She asked, unflinchingly.
This question was thrown out for the table's general answering, though she gave Harry's scar a peculiar look, and he knew instantly that she knew of it's reaction to being near Voldemort. Harry wasn't sure if he liked that this whole Order of people knew this, even if Rita Skeeter had written about it.
"Voldemort was not present." Dumbledore answered. "Originally, I thought his lack of presence indicated that this was not an attack so much as a warning of sorts. He has regained much of his former power – if not all of it. He is, and was, telling us that there will be no more peace."
Remus turned his eyes to Dumbledore; "You don't think that was his intent anymore?"
"With the kidnapping of Sirius, no, I do not." Dumbledore said, shaking his head sadly. "Though it may have been an underlying aim to send such a message, I think the actual purpose was to take Sirius."
Harry glanced briefly as his father, unable to keep his mouth shut any longer. Before Shacklebolt could get his first word out, Harry barreled ahead, "But why not Dad?"
James turned to Harry, almost surprised. The rest of the table turned confused faces to the teen, but he refused to be daunted by that. Dumbledore, however, had a strange twinkle in his eyes that had not been there moments before.
"Pardon, Harry?"
Slowly, Harry kept looking between his father and Dumbledore. "Well, why did he want Sirius? Dad said that they found him first, so why not him? Voldemort is bound to be…um, upset…that he's back, so why pass over him in favor of Sirius?" Harry finished quietly, the uncomfortable subject kept him from going much louder, but his curiosity would not leave him alone.
James's eyes had moved back to Dumbledore, the look on his face demanded an answer. It seemed that this too had been bugging him. Behind Harry, Remus whispered quietly to himself, "I'd wondered also."
"I know not for certain why James was passed up in favor of taking Sirius. Losing either of them would hurt Harry greatly, and would be a blow to our side." Dumbledore mused aloud, oblivious to the tight face that Harry had at these words. It was certainly true, he knew, for it would kill him to lose his godfather or father.
Tonks frowned, "Maybe Sirius knows something that Voldemort needs? Something about the Black family could be important." She said, throwing her theory onto the table to be examined. With her mother being Sirius's cousin, and a former Black, she was more aware than most to the dark Black family, even if her mother had kept her separate from it.
"He's got a Black." Mad-Eye Moody snapped.
Harry must have looked confused, for Remus answered aloud for everyone. "Bellatrix Lestrange – one of the Death Eaters who tortured your friend Neville's parents – is Sirius's cousin, she was Bellatrix Black before she married Rodolphus Lestrange." He explained, before looking back at Moody, "But she's in Azkaban, she has been for almost as long as Sirius."
"Besides," James added, "Voldemort could ask Lucius Malfoy's wife, Narcissa. She's Bellatrix's sister."
The grave voice of Dumbledore broke into their conversation, changing it's topic, "I truly do not believe that the Death Eaters in Azkaban will remain there much longer. Fudge refuses to take the Dementors out of control of the fortress, and it is only a matter of time before Voldemort breaks into it to reclaim some of his strongest followers."
Snape's eyes darted to Dumbledore, "He has been planning as much. I do not yet know a date. Though, from what I've gathered, it will be soon."
"It is inevitable." Dumbledore finished.
Bill leaned forward in his seat, bringing focus back to the problem at hand, "That still doesn't answer the question of why Sirius."
"No it does not. We know nothing of Voldemort's reasons for what he needs Sirius for. It may very well be though, that it's something that James could have been just as good for." Dumbledore said. "The sole reason that it was Sirius he wanted and not James could be that James has returned from the dead."
The other occupants of the table, very much used to Dumbledore's vague way of speaking, were brought up short by this. James himself quirked an eyebrow at Dumbledore's statement, while Mundungus and Diggle looked around the table to see if anyone else had ended up at Dumbledore's conclusion. Most people, Harry included, frowned, not knowing quite what Dumbledore meant.
"Care to elaborate, Professor?" Charlie Weasley quipped from the redheaded section, bringing wan smiles to the faces of a few who were grateful for the break in the dark mood of the conversation.
James narrowed his eyes at Dumbledore, "You think he's afraid I'm invincible or something?" he asked slowly, dearly hoping that this was not the case. It certainly wasn't true.
"Oh no, my dear boy." Dumbledore said, twinkle back in his eye – Harry could have sworn that he loved confusing people. "Tom has been desperately trying to achieve immortality for decades, so I think he's become somewhat of an expert on the subjects of invincibility and immortality." He said with something akin to a smile on his face. "No, no, nothing along those lines."
With a restless shift in his seat, Remus said, "Then what?"
"We know nothing of why James has returned. I've given the matter much thought, since he was found, and I've continued to create theories and then discredit them as impossible or improbable each time." Dumbledore explained. James looked particularly interested at the beginning, but by the end he'd leaned back in his seat when it became clear that Dumbledore knew not of why he had returned. Harry was beginning to think that they might never find out.
McGonagall nodded along to Dumbledore's reasoning. "You think Voldemort has done the same." She said. A nod from Dumbledore accompanied her own and acted as confirmation.
"I know that the Dark Lord has been working tirelessly – almost obsessively – to discover what happened to bring about…" Snape trailed off, staring at James in a less than pleasant manner. "Such an event." He finished, glaring.
Dumbledore looked as though he'd been expecting that. "To Voldemort, James is now a dangerous enigma. I do not believe he will proceed much further with James until he has found out the secret of the return."
Remus frowned, "So you think it wasn't so much of Sirius specifically having something that Voldemort needs, rather that Sirius was the safer option of the two?"
"I think that is a distinct possibility." Dumbledore concluded.
Everyone around the table seemed to be ready to thrown in their own theories, but Harry was no longer interested. There were more important things going on than the how and why of his father's return, that could be dealt with later. "This is all well and good," He broke in, "But how are we going to get Sirius back?"
"Patience, Potter." Moody said. Harry didn't turn to look at him, nor did he really care. How could he advise patience when Sirius could be out there hurt somehow? Whether it was good advice or not, Harry knew he wouldn't be able to follow it until Sirius was home safe.
"Easy for you to say." James mumbled under his breath. He felt exactly as Harry did, and was not willing to wait for careful deliberation about the best rescue technique. He continued to ignore the little voice in his head that called it "Gryffindor recklessness" – a voice which was sounding rather nastily like Snape, really the last thing he needed.
Dumbledore watched Harry and James carefully. "James, Remus, did your leads turn up anything more?"
James sighed heavily, telling the table the results before he even opened his mouth. "No, we went to one of the places where Death Eaters were supposedly sighted, but if they were there, then they're long gone now. On half of the checks, I doubt they were ever really there in the first place. People are scaring themselves into sightings."
Taking up from James, Remus continued. "We've got a few more to check out, but we had to stop for the meeting. It'll probably take us all night to follow up on the rest."
Speaking for the first time, Molly Weasley's mothering side came out in all its glory. With her finger wagging warningly, she said fiercely, "You'll not work yourselves to exhaustion. Sirius would…"
"Do the same." James said, cutting her off. Molly shut her mouth abruptly, sensing the dangerous grounds she had come close to treading upon. Exhaustion tended to cut a person's patience short, and with someone a close as a brother missing on top of it, James has very little of that patience left.
Dumbledore kept the silence that followed their exchange from becoming noticeable. "Severus, see if you can't find out something about the Dark Lord's plans for Sirius. Perhaps Lucius knows something."
"Lucius has been rather tight lipped as of late." Snape replied with a sneer, as though this perturbed him to no end, though, knowing Snape's own rather limited patience, it probably did. Harry knew that it was probably killing the man to be having to go through all this trouble for Sirius Black, a man he hated with unconcealed heat.
It seemed that Dumbledore already could guess that, leaving Harry to wonder how little he had left to find out. "Continue to try and figure out the date for when Voldemort attempts to break into Azkaban. I'm afraid we've run out of time for convincing Fudge to up the security and take the Dementors out of power. Voldemort will anticipate this and use it to his advantage. I truly do believe that the break in will be sooner rather than later."
Shacklebolt directed to Dumbledore, "I will continue to try and influence Fudge."
"Fat lot of good that'll do." Arthur surprising muttered. His sons smiled and Molly frowned. Percy Weasley had become further and further isolated from his family, and before attack, he had left Hogwarts entirely. Dislike for Fudge – and in the case of the twins and Ron, Percy himself – was running rampant through the Weasley clan.
Harry couldn't help but feel bad for Mrs. Weasley, who wanted nothing more than her family together and safe. He knew it had to be hard for her to know that Percy would rather believe the lies of the Ministry than his own family.
All through Fudge's attempts to discredit Harry and Dumbledore, Percy had believed him and wouldn't hear a word against the Ministry. Even now, knowing he was wrong to doubt them, Percy hadn't really apologized. He'd gone so far as to call the Minister into Hogwarts over James's return, against his parents and Dumbledore's wishes.
And while the twins saw this as no great loss, the Weasley matriarch – a mother above all else – did.
"Everyone needs to keep an ear out for any information." Dumbledore advised gravely. "Mundungus, I know you have many friends who may have heard things. You also, Dedalus."
The wizards in question nodded, and in the case of Diggle, he followed suit quite frantically.
"Is there anything else that people feel need to be addressed?" Dumbledore asked the table at large.
The table shook their heads, and no one spoke up. Dumbledore stood then, and bowed to them all. "Thank you all for coming. Please, remember, be careful." He said in parting.
At Dumbledore's cue, they all stood also. Various wizards going to the fireplace to floo out, and other's going through the door.
Harry watched as Bill and Charlie helped their father out the door, with Molly supervising worriedly. Judging by the reluctant expression on Arthur's face, it was more than likely it was back to the Hospital Wing for him.
The Aurors used the floo to leave, with Mundungus and Diggle at their heals. The two Professors in question hurried out of the room, though most likely for vastly different reasons. Hestia Jones followed them, and Emmeline Vance stayed behind to talk to Dumbledore, whose eyes twinkled as he watched an unsuspecting Harry.
Harry felt his father pull his hand away before settling it on his elbow to steer him out. He and Remus stayed on his either side as they propelled their charge out the door, not saying a word.
By their route, it was clear Harry was going back to the Hospital Wing. "Dad, can't I go to the Tower? Hermione will be there." He said, hoping to be allowed to return to a less pestering place. Hermione would no doubt smother him, but he could handle her far better than he could Pomfrey. At least Hermione would let him walk to the loo at whatever speed he'd like.
"Madam Pomfrey would rather you stay in the Hospital Wing." James said reluctantly. Considering how little both Potters liked the infirmary, James' condemning words were practically a betrayal.
Or at least, Harry scowled as though they were.
"Besides, Harry, we would rather we knew you were safely in her care while we're out." Remus explained in a voice that undoubtedly hoped to be placating. The words were very much true, at least. He and James had enough to worry about without adding Harry's safety to the list, more so than it normally was, at any rate.
If there was one thing Remus could admire about Poppy Pomfrey, it was her ability to protect her patients. They could have left Harry with a mother bear and gotten him the same protection.
James jumped onto the line that Remus has started. "Yes! And maybe, when Ron is out too tomorrow night, if Bill or Charlie don't have a mission that is, I could smuggle you out."
"Or," Harry said slowly, "You could just let me go with you."
This caused both men to stop in the middle of the hallway momentarily in shock. "Absolutely not." James refused, almost instantly after he'd taken a second to recover.
"That's much too dangerous, Harry." Remus said sternly.
"But if I was with you, I could help!" Harry cried, eager to join in the search for Sirius. When his father seemed ready to interrupt, he continued hurriedly, "And you'd be able to keep an eye on me!"
Though the argument seemed perfectly rational to Harry, it was clear by the way he was being pushed even faster towards the Hospital Wing that his father did not feel the same. "No, Harry. You are staying in the castle; in the Hospital Wing unless Voldemort himself gives you reason to leave it. Do you understand me?"
"Dad!" Harry yelled indignantly.
"No, Harry!" James said again, more forcefully.
Harry shook his head as the doors to his doom came into view. "I have to help find Sirius! Voldemort could be hurting him!"
At his desperate reasoning, James was forced to stop again with a heavy sigh. He turned his son to face him, placing his hands on the dejected Gryffindor's shoulders, "Listen to me, Harry. Sirius would not want you putting yourself in danger for him. You know that."
"I have to try and find him." Harry insisted again, though his voice had lost its fight. The worry and guilt felt like a lead ball in his stomach, weighing him down. He wanted his godfather back. Why was it he couldn't seem to have both of his father and godfather for very long before Voldemort snatched one away?
One of his father's hands left his shoulder and went to stroke the side of his face, and action he did mostly in the most stressful of conversations. "I know, green eyes, I really do." James said gently. "I need you to stay here, all right. Do you understand why?"
As much as Harry would have liked to say no and argue the point a bit further, he knew he couldn't. His father wanted him to stay safe, just as he wanted his father to stay safe. "Yes." He conceded miserably.
"Good." James said, slightly more cheerfully as he gave a quick squeeze to the shoulder he'd held on to.
Remus, who had remained quiet for the exchange between father and son up until then, ruffled Harry's hair a bit. "We'll be careful, we promise."
"Yes, Marauder's honor." James said, putting his hand over his heart and bowing extremely seriously. Harry couldn't help but quirk a smile at his father's teenage antics, leading James to smile happily in response. He absolutely detested having to be strict with Harry, but unfortunately, it did come with the job of parent. When Harry had been a baby, James had always envisioned Lily being the disciplinarian, a dream with would sadly never come true – sadly, because he both missed Lily, and really didn't want to ever have to be the one to ground Harry.
That out of the way, James finally managed to force Harry into the Hospital Wing at long last. It was getting late, and Hermione had long since left. Arthur Weasley was happily snoozing in his bed. The only other person remaining behind was Ron, who was enduring his final night in Pomfrey's clutches. He too was asleep, leaving the infirmary to be quiet and dark.
The ruler of the wing was presumably either in her office or staying to the sidelines to let James settle Harry. Whichever it was, Harry was grateful.
Harry trudged sullenly to his bed, not at all pleased to be trapped there yet again. Madam Pomfrey was nice enough, but Harry'd seen the sterile wing far too often to be content with staying there.
"To bed with you, boy!" James said, pulling back the covers for Harry as if he couldn't do it himself. Harry knew they were eager to be off, but were staying behind to see that he was properly tucked in. Remus even fetched a glass of water to put on his bedside table.
Once Harry was settled down in the covers, James leaned down to place a kiss on his forehead. Harry almost felt guilty to be enjoying the attention so much. He was far too old to be happy about his father tucking him in as though he were a child still, especially at a time like this. "Night Dad, Remus." He said, pushing his blushing but smiling face under the covers.
"Sweet dreams, Harry." James said quietly, before walking to the doors.
Harry would have thought that Remus followed him, but when he looked to his other side, he was still standing there. With a smile, Remus leaned down to Harry, and for one moment, he thought Remus was going to give him a kiss goodnight too – which might have proved to be all the more embarrassing, it was his former Professor after all. Instead though, Remus bypassed his forehead in favor of his ear. "I'll look out for your father, Harry, don't worry." He whispered so as not to alert James, who at the other end of the wing thought that Remus was indeed giving Harry a goodnight kiss.
Pleased, Harry nodded. Remus pulled back and started to walk away before Harry shot out his hand to grab the werewolf's wrist. "You look out for yourself as well." Harry whispered back. Remus looked strangely pleased with this and gave Harry a smile.
With both men out of the wing, the silence almost felt oppressive. His eyelids were steadily falling downwards, and Harry only then realized that he was getting tired. His fear for Sirius was tapping him of energy, though he'd originally thought it to be just emotional. Harry wanted him back, safe and in one piece. But the longer Voldemort kept him, the less likely it seemed that he would return that way.
A thought that scared him all the more.
Stubbornly, Harry tried to keep his protesting eyes open. He wanted to be awake for any news that came. His body had other ideas though, and Harry soon lost the fight he'd been having with consciousness.
----------------------------Dream
Harry found himself in a long corridor that he'd never seen before in his life. Darkness surrounded him, making things hard to see. He walked forward, unsure why he would do this without knowing what was to come.
There was something he needed to see…
The end of the hallway had an open door, and Harry strode through it, knowing he was going the right way. This was where he needed to go, this was the way. The room it opened to was an equally dark room with no corners - a perfectly circular room. Doors surrounded the walls all around, though only one of those many doors were open
Without knowing why, he chose the open door straight across the room. He rushed ahead, wanting more and more to see where he needed to be. There were voices ahead of them, though Harry couldn't make out what they were saying. Was it important?
He walked more determinedly, eager to make out their hushed sounding and indecipherable words.
Another door opened for him, and he went through it – never questioning why it opened or why it was that door to do so and not any of the others. He felt a though something was pulling him in the right direction, a little voice in his mind telling him the way through something other than words.
The room he'd entered was unlike one he'd ever seen before. Where was he, why was he there? Confusion that came so often with dreams like these ran through Harry. He had no answer, other than the knowledge of what happened in the dreams that had come before like these.
It was a cathedral-like room, filled with shelves and shelves of glass spheres. He raced forward, and when he passed number ninety-seven, he turned and hurried down the aisle.
He was there, he knew it.
Ahead of him were two men. He could see them clearly, though his mind was sluggish to realize who they were. One man lay fallen on the floor, and Harry watched him carefully. He said nothing, though he was breathing harshly. The other man loomed over him, taking no notice of the crouched man's pain. "Take it down for me…take it now." The standing man hissed. The voice was familiar. He could not see their faces yet.
He couldn't place the first voice right away, but the voice of the man below him instantly rang though the strange feeling in his mind. "Never."
"Sirius!" Harry called, so very happy to see his godfather.
Neither of the men heard him. They never did in dreams like this. The images in front of him were slowly being processed in his mind, making his thoughts sluggish and not completely his own.
Sirius was hurt.
Sirius was in this strange place.
There was a man hurting him.
"Lift it down, do it…" Came another hiss. This time it filtered through.
Voldemort.
Voldemort had his godfather.
Voldemort was hurting him.
"Leave him alone!" Harry cried, rushing forward. They did not hear him again, they could not see him.
Whatever it was that Voldemort wanted of Sirius, his godfather didn't seem willing to do. The Dark Lord raised his wand, pointing it on the already weakened man in front of him, "Crucio!"
Sirius's body slammed back against the ground, arching in pain. He was writhing on the ground, using whatever control he had left to keep from screaming out in agony. Harry knew what he was going through. "NO, leave Sirius be. Stop!" he said, unable to do anything more.
"Sirius…" Harry whispered, his heart breaking.
Voldemort ended the curse. "Take it for me, you foolish boy! I cannot touch it…you can…you can touch it…take it down…"
Sirius lie still on the ground, moaning in pain. Voldemort took no notice to it, though the noises Sirius was making tore through Harry as if they were daggers.
"I must have it…you know what it is, don't you? You know what that old man's been hiding away in the Department of Mysteries…you know…you know I cannot touch it…get it for me…" Voldemort instructed again. He sounded angry, no longer willing to keep asking.
Harry was torn between wanting to keep Voldemort away from whatever he wanted so badly, and begging his godfather to just get the thing so the dark man would stop hurting him.
"You'll have to kill me first." Sirius snarled, raising his head in defiance against his enemy.
"Crucio." The snake said again, letting the curse go until screams echoed through the darkness………
PLEASE READ: I want everyone to be clear on what Harry's dream was. I am aware that his visions have not been factoring in largely with this story, though it has been established in previous chapters that he does in fact have them. I hate having to give things away in author's notes, but to make sure I don't receive confused reviews, or people telling me I've done things wrong, I have to explain. This is an actual vision. This is not like OotP where it was a false vision fed to Harry (please be aware though, that a great deal of this and the next few chapters borrow heavily from Rowling's fifth book, so much credit goes to her). Again, this is a true vision. The reason that it does not follow the characteristics of a normal vision is that Voldemort is forcing Harry to see it. Voldemort has been aware that Harry can see through his eyes, and he has learned to choose times in which Harry sees things. This is a liberty on my part, that will be explained to the characters in later chapters, but I am letting you all in on it to explain things better. Instead of their link just activating and allowing Harry to see through Voldemort's eyes, Voldemort has forced through that to make the link show Harry an event that he wishes to be seen. This is a true vision, and Harry is being forced to see it for a reason, which I am sure you all are aware of.
All readers of Harry Potter and the New Start, please note that the story is giving me problems, and it will take a while longer to get it started, I am sorry for this, as I hoped to get the sequel out much sooner. It is actually in danger of being scrapped altogether. You can check my profile for more information.
I hope you all understood what I was trying to say, and I am sorry for the long – but somewhat necessary – explanation was about. Spoilers will be posted on the livejournal soon.
-Stars Enchantress
NEXT IN RETURN OF THE FATHER: An Old Man's Mistake