Chapter 49
Sirius watched the dawning shock on everyone's face with a wide smile.
"Your island? Why have I never heard of this?" James exclaimed.
"Well, Prongsie my dearest friend. I never told you because it was going to be a surprise for graduation. I'd take all my friends to our island and celebrate, but because of the war and your marriage it was put on hold. Then You-Know-What happened, and here we are," replied Sirius.
"Well, tell us about it!" said Ginny loudly. Sirius smiled and scooted his bum down into the sofa.
"Get comfy kiddies, this is a long story," he said. "When I turned seventeen, I came into my inheritance. I decided that no one could possibly spend that many Galleons in one lifetime." Ginny and Ron's grew wide and he smiled sadly. "It was a ridiculous amount of money so what ridiculous thing could I buy? That day I overheard someone mention Caribbean Island Cruise and I thought…Island? It's ridiculous, it's unnecessarily extravagant, and I could use it forever and never get tired of it! So I ran to Gringotts and told my personal banker what I wanted, he looked doubtful but he pulled out a real estate package with several islands in that area plus several others around the world. We looked through them all and I even visited a couple but when I saw my island's paperwork and a few pictures, I was in love. It was smaller than some of the others, but perfect for a few animals to run and play but best of all, no local people. It had been bought by this old family that died out several dozen years ago and they had placed a Muggle repelling charm around the island so the Muggles don't even know it exists anymore.
"Like I said it was going to be a surprise for my Marauder friends and I, but things happen, events take place and plans change. We all know roughly what happened for twelve years so I'll skip to after I was rescued.
"After leaving Hogwarts, I hid out for a couple days until I got the chance to talk to Albus. I told him about my island and that was where I was going to go. It's private and secluded and the perfect place to hide out from the Ministry. He told me to wait another day because he knew the Auror on my case, Kingsley, and could talk to him about certain things. Well, as we all know, he was able to win Kingsley over to the Phoenix way and he fed the Ministry fake leads and if something got a bit too close to home, he would warn Albus who would warn me if I needed to hide.
"Because the Ministry knows all, they knew I had an island of my own, so there were a few cases where I had to hide off the Island on this tiny little rock. Albus and I put the Fidelius Charm on this twenty meter square rock that lies about a hundred meters off the coast of the island. If Albus warned me someone was coming, I'd Apparate to the rock and watch for the person to arrive and leave, and then I'd Apparate back. It only happened a few times."
"Where exactly is this island located?" asked Lily.
"It's in the Caribbean located about forty-eight kilometres to the north of the Isla de Margarita which is west of Trinidad and it's got some official name, but I dubbed it Marauder Paradise. I was going to go with Sanctuary, but I figured that was a little obvious if someone came looking for me and saw the sign."
"The sign?" asked James.
"Yes, the sign that says the official name and in smaller, red letters right underneath says 'Marauder Paradise' and below that are 'Beware the Wolf'. It's a big sign, right next to the designated arrival station," Sirius said with a grin.
"When can we go and see the island?" asked Harry excitedly and bouncing in his seat.
"Well, I would say perhaps Christmas time. I want to get some contractors out there to build a bigger house before a load of people arrive. Right now all there is for a dwelling there is a small shack-like cottage. One room, spare hard furniture, no indoor plumbing…" Sirius said with a shudder. Everyone else grimaced as well. "I figure a couple months should be long enough for a few people to build a nice sized house there and by Christmas we can grab everyone who means something to us and have a Caribbean Christmas!"
Everyone was smiling widely and laughing at Sirius' enthusiasm.
"Oh, we'll have to buy a speedboat too, Harry! And maybe some jet skis and water toys," said Hermione whipping out a spiral note pad from her purse to make a list.
"Oh, wouldn't little Teddy look so cute in little tiny swim trunks?" squealed Ginny.
"What's a jet ski?" asked Ron. Harry, James, and Sirius all shrugged.
"It sounds like a wonderful idea, Sirius," said Lily.
"I can't believe you kept this from me…" said James with a frown. Sirius leaned over and clapped James on the shoulder while muttering quietly, "You have no idea how much I've regretted not telling you all these years, mate. As soon as I got the news of what happened, I wanted to throw myself from the Astronomy Tower. I could have let you guys hide out on the island instead of Godric's Hollow. It's almost driven me insane knowing this all these years, but now, Marauder's Paradise can be used for what it was meant for…Partying. With the people we care about." He and James shared a smile and nodded firmly.
"Now, who wants to hear about Dumbledore in a Speedo?" asked Sirius loudly. Hermione, Ginny, and Lily all blushed and started giggling madly while all the guys groaned and shuddered.
"Okay, fine. I won't subject your innocent minds to that horror story," Sirius said with an evil grin. "Especially not the part about him running at the water and screaming 'Cannonball!'"
"Too late, picturing it and now it won't go away! Make it stop!" moaned Ron as his head landing in his hands. Hermione leaned over and whispered in his ear, he blushed and quickly turned to look at her in surprise. She just smiled innocently
"Ah hem, back to my story," Sirius said looking at the prim and proper girl suspiciously.
"I thought that was your story?" asked Harry. He also was looking at Hermione with a strange look but it passed when he turned back to his Godfather.
"Well, I guess you're right. All I did on the island was sun bathe, swim, and run around exploring as Padfoot. I was only there for…four and a half months I think. Yeah, arrived mid-June, got your letter about your scar hurting at the beginning of September, arrived back in Scotland near the end of October. Once a week someone brought me a care package of food, necessities, and newspapers. It was usually only Remus and sometimes Albus," said Sirius.
They chatted about the island and begged Sirius to show memories of it, but he stoutly refused.
"I want it to be a surprise for you all at Christmas. I don't want to ruin the surprise now do I?" he teased.
The conversation turned to other random things, adults talking amongst themselves and the kids doing the same.
"Harry?" said Lily. "Could you show us the end of your third year? Your father and I, and probably Sirius, want to see the whole Time Travel thing."
Harry thought for a moment and shrugged. "Okay, but since Hermione was there also, I'd like her to remain behind. We need to talk," he said looking her in the eye. She shrunk down into her seat but remained silent. "I'll throw in some memories of Remus teaching me the Patronus and some actual Defence lessons too."
He started putting his wand to his temple and pulling out memories to place in the Pensieve. He looked at Sirius and asked, "Should I put in the Shrieking Shack?"
"Er," Sirius thought for a second. "I don't know, it's not exactly my best moment," he replied hesitantly. Harry saw James nod slightly behind Sirius.
"Why don't I put it in, it really kind of sets up the whole memory for why I would suddenly save your life. It would be kind of confusing to just start as we all came out of the tunnel," said Harry.
Sirius shrugged and Harry finished depositing memories. Everyone except Hermione and Harry stood and stuck a finger in the memories to be sucked in leaving the two friends alone.
Harry just sighed with a frown while Hermione clasped her hands in front of her to stop them shaking.
"Do you at least understand why I'm so mad at you?" he finally asked her. She thought for a minute and nodded.
"I should have asked you first. I of all people should know why you are so mad at Dumbledore, but I ignored your feelings and went to him to get my answers anyway. I was wrong, Harry, I made a mistake. I'm sorry," she finished with a whisper. She willed her tears to stop from falling by blinking rapidly and glancing up towards the ceiling.
"Partly true but you missed something," he said quietly. She looked at him sadly and waited for him to continue. "How do you think it felt all my fifth year hearing the Prophet and half the school think I was touched in the head, bonkers, completely mad and then stop at the end of the year? Then you come in and explain away all the things you couldn't figure out, but by saying that I hallucinated, but not only that but hallucinated in order to kill myself.
"You of all people know that had I not walked into that forest we never could have won. I had no choice and that is so much more different than suicide bombers or actual suicide victims. They have problems that are personal, internal…mine was not my choice; I had to or suffer through the deaths of everyone I hold dear. So what if I used the Stone to show me my family towards the end. Can anyone really hold that against me? What purpose did answering your questions serve? Does the Wizarding population need to know what happened? Did I really need to hear that I hallucinated what I saw? What was the point?" he finished looking at her with a hurt expression. She simply looked down at her hands in her lap.
"That wasn't rhetorical, Hermione," he replied firmly. She took a shaky breath and exhaled.
"I don't know what to say, Harry. No, no one can hold what you did against you. What you did was the most heroic, altruistic thing anyone could have expected and it doesn't matter that the Stone was broken or that you may have imagined what you saw. The only point I had to answer those questions was to satisfy my own bloody curiosity…and I'm sorry," she finished weakly. Harry sat for a while not speaking, simply watching Hermione's inner struggle not to cry.
"Do you remember third year? The Firebolt incident?" he asked suddenly. She looked up at him and into his eyes before nodding slowly.
"I was so mad at you for that. But when I got my broom back, I realized we may have been a bit too harsh on you so I forgave you. Back then you were just trying to protect a friend. This time however, you weren't trying to protect anyone. I'm older now, hopefully a bit smarter, and I'd like to think that I'm a bit more forgiving, but this…I want to forgive you, but I just don't think it's that easy. 'I'm sorry.' 'Okay you're forgiven.' I just can't do that. I have to know you aren't going to do this again. Not just in my case, but everyone else's as well. You got your answers this time, but can you live without answers if it could possibly hurt someone the same way?" he asked.
She thought for a moment and looked him straight in the eye before answering.
"Do you realize Harry, that by asking me this you're asking me to ignore my true nature? I have to have answers. That's just the way I am… I can't promise you this Harry. But…" she said quickly stopping him from saying something. "But, I can promise that from now on I'll ask first, and I'll promise that if someone says no, I'll try my hardest to ignore the feeling I get to answer any problem I'm faced with. That's the best I can do, Harry and I'm sorry if you can't accept that." She started to stand up but he leaned forward and grabbed her wrist.
"Sit?" he asked. She did, and he sighed. "I can accept that, Hermione. I was wrong to ask you to change yourself, but this is probably better. Thank you," he said sincerely. She smiled at him with tears in her eyes.
"Friends again?" she asked. He smiled and nodded.
"Good, shall we go in there and see where they're at in the memory?" he asked. She nodded but just as they were about to step towards the Pensieve everyone showed up around the bowl. Harry chuckled and sat back down.
Ginny ran over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a long kiss before letting go and saying, "You are so amazing!" He grinned up at her and she got off his lap to sit beside him.
"That was so bloody fantastic, Harry!" exclaimed Ron. Harry looked around and saw James and Sirius were grinning like Cheshire cats, and Lily was smiling also, but he could see the telltale signs of her earlier fright even though she was trying to hide it. He gave Ginny's shoulder a squeeze before getting up and walking over to his mum and giving her a hug.
"I just can't get over how many times I've seen you so close to death already and we've still got some of the worst years to come, I believe," she whispered in his ear.
"Yes, that is true. I have many more near death experiences to come after third year, actually the first three years were extremely tame compared to the last four. But you have to remember that as close to death I am in the memories, I'm still here, I'm still kicking, and I'm going into a profession where I'll frequently be in these situations still. I may have some of the worst luck when it comes to finding myself in bad situations but my experience and abilities keep me alive. Next time you are watching a memory and I'm battling Voldemort, or running for my life, repeat this, "He's still alive, he's still alive," and so on. Okay?" he asked. She smiled and nodded.
"I know, sweetheart, I'll try," she said with a smile. They sat down, Harry back next to Ginny who squeezed his hand, and Lily next to James.
"So, any questions?" Harry asked the group.
"Yeah, what happened to Buckbeak?" asked Sirius. Harry burst out laughing.
"He's with Hagrid right now. We figured it had been long enough that no one would recognize that particular Hippogriff and we re-christened him Witherwings," replied Ron.
"I've got one. How exactly did you get the map? Last I had ever seen it, Filch had confiscated it and it was locked in his office forever," said James.
"Oh, I have no idea how but Fred and George got it somehow. Not sure when they got it, or how they figured out the passwords for that matter, but they gave it to me in my third year when I wasn't allowed to go to Hogsmeade. Uncle Vernon refused to sign my permission form so I snuck out a few times to be with these two. Snape caught me sneaking back in one day with my pockets filled with stuff and Remus found the two of us in the hall and saw the map in Snape's hands, he convinced Snape into letting me go and then guilt tripped me into not going again until Sirius sent in his permission at the end of the year," said Harry.
The seven people sat and talked for a while. After a couple hours Harry dozed off and Lily woke him up and made him go to his room and go back to sleep in his bed. The others decided that sleep sounded nice and they left as well.
A/N: Okay...I have no excuse except summer fun. Life is busy and I apologize for my tardiness...and the shortness of this chapter. If it helps i just spent all day on the boat with my family, then spent several hours hanging out with a group of friends, and it is now almost 2 am...I only checked my email before bed and found my chapter returned to me, so instead of going to sleep and spending my entire holiday tomorrow busy as a bee, I stayed up and posted for all of you! Happy 4th of July or Independence day to all my fellow Americans! Enjoy your fireworks and barbecues and be safe!
I'd like to add that I did set up a website for you all and at the request of a couple readers I'll post the URL here with some spaces to keep it on here.
http:/ /firephoenix86- fanfiction. webs. com/
Please go check it out! I've blogged about my busy summer so far there and I also post where I am in the chapters and when I send them to beta. I feel disappointed in all the work I put into it and only have one member...thanks to Pari for being my first member and helping me out with ideas and letting me run things past you! and thanks to my awesome beta Teufel1987 for doing such a good job editing for me!
Hope everyone is staying cool...I know I'm not...unfortunately. Please Review! Thanks!
