Chapter Eighty-One

Endings and Beginnings

Minerva was tense as she waited for the scene to unfold for, she knew where that was. After Lily and James had died, she had visited the place they had been killed to find some closure for the brilliant, bright young people who had been taken to soon. And given the Halloween decorations on the walls she could guess what they were going to see.

But why?

As shocking as Greyback's memories were, Minerva understood why Remus had been given them. Mr Black must have been in contact with Greyback and Greyback wanted Remus to believe him. Because it was clear from the memories that Greyback dear loved Remus.

But what good would seeing the memories of James and Lily's deaths do them? Everyone knew what had happened – You Know Who had arrived at Godric's Hollow, killed James and Lily and attempted to kill Harry, the curse had rebounded, and the Dark Lord had been driven from his body for almost sixteen years. Except there had always been a lot of questions about the how and the why especially given the revelations of the last few months. After all Harry Potter being You Know Who's son did change things.

Minerva couldn't help but smile as she watched James produce brightly coloured smoke from his wand to the delight of little Harry. But then she spotted Lily who was scowling at her "husband" and "son". Minerva frowned, come to think of it she had never seemed to interact much with little Harry at the time Poppy had theorised she might have post-natal depression … but given she was not the mother maybe she was less than happy about being saddled with a baby (especially You Know Who's baby).

'These must be the young Heir Slytherin's memories,' Filius said sounding surprised.

Remus frowned, 'he would have only been fifteen-months-old.'

Filius frowned, 'yes, but he is the only living person to be able to see it all … ah, he must be an Occlumens and retrieved the memories.'

Before Minerva could say anymore there was a loud crash as the front door was blown off its hinges. James and Lily turned towards the source of destruction. James who was still holding Harry leaped up clutching his baby to his chest.

And Minerva's heart sank as James attempted to Apparate away but there must have been anti-Apparation wards in place to prevent that from happening. Lily when seeing this sent a Patronus message obviously to call for help. Whoever she had called either didn't heed her call … or came too late to be of any use.

'Lily there's a pipe outside Harry's nursery,' James was talking fast taking action of the situation. 'We need to climb down it with Harry and get out of here now. Move!'

James with a plan in hand made a quick dash up the stairs for the nursery. James had hope in his eyes, but Minerva knew that there would be no escape not this time. James Potter would die in that room.

Lily was following close behind James. As soon as Lily was in James barricaded the door with whatever objects he could. Clearly, he was not planning to be there long enough for wards to be of use (or he thought that You Know Who would destroy them anyway).

'Bombarda Maxima,'

Lily's spell hit the pipe that James had been preparing to climb down sealing them in. And it was quite clear that it was no accident. Lily Evans wanted the two of them to be trapped with the Dark Lord on the other side of the room.

Remus hissed, 'oh no.'

'Why would she do that?' Minerva hissed incensed.

'I don't know,' Remus said. 'I thought she wanted to protect Harry from Voldemort as much as I did.'

'And James?' Minerva said harshly.

Remus refused to look at Minerva which left Minerva feeling that something very bad had happened. Remus' words came back to her – he had done something terrible. And Minerva had a feeling it was all wrapped up with James Potter and his son.

'She never forgave him for choosing Him and not her,' Remus finally said.

Minerva frowned, 'chose? It wasn't rape was it?'

'No,' Remus said in a very small voice.

Then how had James Potter come to be on the side of the Light if it was consensual? Was he really a spy? Then how had he died? And would You Know Who really send his pregnant lover on such a dangerous mission?

'Lily what did you do?' shouted James coming to same realisation as they had done.

Lily gave James a look of pure loathing, 'Dumbledore will get me out! You will die you filthy whore! I liked you when we were teenagers! I broke it off with Severus in attempt to get you to look at me! Did you ever see me? No! You were too busy whoring yourself off to the Dark. Tell me did he let his Death Eaters play with you?'

Minerva hissed at the bile that was coming out sweet Lily Evans mouth especially as it was clear that James had no idea what Lily was talking about. And as he tried to figure it out, he clutched his head in pain and swaying on the spot. Harry noticing his bearer's distress began to cry harder.

'He's been enchanted,' Filius said darkly.

Minerva shot Remus a look who was once again studiously not looking at anyone. That confirmed Filius statement. Dumbledore (because Minerva had no doubt her old friend was behind this) had kidnapped and enchanted the bearer of You Know Who's Heir. But why?

'What the hell are you talking about Lily?' demanded James once had caught his breath.

Then the door burst open revealing a very familiar Tom Riddle from Minerva's school days. They were under the impression that he had corrupted himself too much to have a human form. But the only sign of anything other was his red eyes. Little Harry instinctively reached out to the new presence.

'Does he know?' asked Remus frowning.

Filius frowned, 'Family Magic is one of the least studied of all magics. However, he shouldn't recognise a distant cousin … unless the Dark Lord is young Heir Slytherin's father.'

'Harry don't,' James said.

Lily looked at Harry's innate instincts with complete and utter disgust which had Minerva's heart sinking. No matter whose son he was Harry was an innocent. Kingsley was right his treatment had been awful.

He Who Must Not Be Named looked at the child with red eyed fury, uncomprehending of why Harry was reacting in such a way. He Who Must Not Be Named ire was then directed to James. And was that betrayal in his eyes.

'How could you James?' he hissed.

'How could I what?' demanded James. 'Stand up against oppression against someone as inhumane as you.'

'You betrayed me James and I want to know why!' hissed the Dark Lord.

'You mean the fact that I'm not a blood supremacist!' James shouted.

'You believed the old fool over me,' hissed You Know Who. 'After everything we had you believed him over me!'

Minerva could almost here the heartbreak in that sibilant voice. Was it possible? Could it possibly be true? Did the Dark Lord love James Potter?

'Everything we had?' shouted James incredulously. 'We had nothing!'

Minerva heard the Dark Lord let out a cry of rage, pain, grief and betrayal. There was no doubt about it You Know Who loved James Potter. And James Potter had been enchanted enough that he had no idea what was going on.

'Petrifcus Totalus,' shouted You Know Who.

'He didn't kill him,' murmured Minerva.

'Oh Merlin,' groaned Remus. 'If he didn't … then it was Dumbledore. Oh, Merlin. What have I done?'

'Pongs, Dada, Pongs,' Harry cried sounding terrified.

'Now James you are going to feel my pain as your love,' red eyes met green eyes with absolute fury, 'nd your future are ripped from you. I've never killed a child before. You know I don't hurt children but for your bastard child I am willing to make an exception.'

'Pongs, Dada, Pongs,' Harry cried sounding terrified.

Minerva didn't miss the fact that despite the fact that Lily, the woman acting as his mother was still stood unharmed Harry was not calling for her. And Lily did not look at all concerned with the James or Harry. It was only when You Know Who turned on her did, she react with anything other than disgust.

'Dumbledore will come he promised to save me,' Lily said.

'Why?' asked Remus hollowly. 'Why did Dumbledore want this?'

'Family magic,' murmured Filius. 'If … He Who Must Not Be Named is Heir Slytherin's father … and You Know Who attempts to kill him then He Who Must Not Be Named's magic will turn revert back onto him. It would certainly explain what happened at Godric's Hollow.'

'Yes, it would,' Minerva said grimly.

'So, he wanted Harry and James attacked,' Remus said glumly. 'It was never about protecting Harry … just using him!'

'It would certainly seem that way,' Filius said.

'What worries me is that means James was not killed by He Who Must Not Be Named,' Minerva said grimly. 'Then what happened to him.'

Remus let out an almost hysterical laugh looking close to having a breakdown, 'it was Dumbledore, it was always Dumbledore!'

'Dumbledore wouldn't come for you slut, Avada Kedavra,'

Minerva looked away as the body of one of her most promising students fell to floor lifeless and inert. Harry was still crying but as he and You Know Who's eyes met his cries ceased as he stared up at his father. It was obvious that You Know Who had no idea especially when he fired the Killing Curse at the baby. And that was when everything went wrong for He Who Must Not Be Named as the green curse suddenly reversed trajectory and hit him full force with an explosion of golden light.

'Tom,' whispered James.

'He remembered,' Remus said. 'How?'

'It must be the Family Magic,' murmured Filius. 'He's the bearer after all, so will be interwoven into it.'

James stumbled to his feet as the Dark Lord left the building. James stumbled to his feet picking up Harry who was screaming and bleeding from his scar. James wiped the blood from Harry's head and tried to comfort the little boy who had been through so much that he couldn't even begin to understand.

Then Dumbledore appeared in the ruined nursery looking shocked, 'James?'

'He wasn't expecting James to be alive,' Remus said hollowly.

'No,' agreed Filius. 'He was expecting You Know Who to kill him due to his perceived betrayal. He failed to take in the fact that You Know Who loved Lord Potter enough to forgive him for any betrayals.'

'Professor Dumbledore always said that Voldemort was unable to feel love,' frowned Remus.

'Well, that was blatantly untrue,' Minerva said.

'Probably a result of his Lightside bias,' Filius said.

'Lightside bias?' asked Minerva.

Filius sighed, 'the belief that some Light wizards and witches carry that they are morally superior and Darksiders are immoral degenerates. It is, of course, completely untrue as the last few weeks have shown magical affinity has nothing to do with morality.'

Minerva blinked; Filius had always been neutral. The only time he wasn't was if Death Eater activity got too close to Hogwarts because as he saw it his priority was the students. Minerva had been under the impression that he had only maintained neutrality due to his heritage as the goblins had declared themselves neutral and Filius was unable to go against his people, even if he was half human. But from the sounds of it he disagreed with the standard viewpoint of Affinities.

James Potter whipped around to stare at Dumbledore with absolute fury on every line of his face, 'HOW DARE YOU!?'

'That was unwise,' Filius said.

'Gryffindor through and through,' Minerva said sadly.

'How dare you come here after setting up Tom's downfall by his own son? How dare you show your face after kidnapping me before either of us knew I was pregnant? How dare you after keeping me locked up for the duration of my pregnancy! Couldn't risk your little weapon being aborted because of putting potions and spells onto the bearer!' James spat.

'Evans fucking Evans wearing glamour's and telling everyone we were married when I'm already married! Who was it you had running around pretending to be me whilst I was pregnant!? You're lucky I named him before you drugged and obliviated me to believe this fucking charade. Now let me go so I can find my husband, explain everything to him and return him to full power so he can destroy you!' James shouted.

'Husband,' Remus said weakly sounding much like Minerva felt.

It shouldn't be that much of a shock after everything else they had discovered that day when You Know Who and James' feelings were clear. But somehow it still was. Maybe that was Filius called her lightsider bias.

'Dada,' Harry whimpered clutching at James' robes.

'It's okay, Hadrian,' James whispered.

'I can't do that,' Dumbledore said gravely. 'I need your son to be my weapon.'

'He's a boy, not a weapon,' Minerva burst out angrily.

'Well, clearly Albus never saw him as such,' Filius said grimly. 'Probably only ever saw him as an extension of his father.'

'He'll never be yours!' James roared causing Harry to start. 'No matter what you do to me even kill me one day Hadrian and Tom will find out the truth and then it will be the end of you!'

'Well, he was not wrong,' Filius said crisply.

'Avada Kedavra,'

Minerva forced herself to watch as her old friend and mentor killed one of her favourite students. James' fell to the floor still holding is crying infant son. Dumbledore grabbed the wailing child with all the care and concern that most students gave to their school bags. And they were spat out of the Pensieve as the memories came to an end.

After watching James and Lily's death Remus had to get out of there despite Minerva's shout. Dumbledore had killed James and from watching it was obvious that Voldemort genuinely loved James exactly as Sirius had said. And Remus had helped keep James prisoner, it was all his fault.

He was a monster.

And this he couldn't blame on being a werewolf. No, this was something that he had chosen! Remus felt sick with guilt. No wonder Sirius was so angry at him … and Sirius didn't even know everything that Remus had done. Yet, when he got home, he found the mirror because he was weak and selfish.

'Sirius Black,' Remus called out. 'I saw the memories.'

Sirius looked sad, 'I'll be over.'

And true enough five minutes later Sirius Black was standing at the door looking at Remus seriously. Remus stepped past to let his ex-boyfriend in. He was here alone so that was an improvement, but he seemed to be purposefully keeping his distance as they made their way into his living quarters and took seats on the lumpy armchairs.

'Are you alright?' Sirius asked.

Remus let out an almost hysterical laugh, 'it's all true … I should have listened … it's all my fault!'

'Being kidnapped was not your fault,' Sirius said gently.

'No, but not listening to Greyback, not helping James was my fault!' Remus said half hysterically.

Sirius crinkled his nose in the way he always did when something confused him. Remus realised that he didn't know how involved Remus had been with everything. Remus closed his eyes he would have to tell him the truth … and Sirius would quite rightfully hate him.

'Sirius …' Remus swallowed. 'I … I … knew that Harry wasn't Lily's … I knew that James was being held against his will. I … I … thought we were protecting Harry from Voldemort. I should have listened to him. If I had he would probably be alive.'

Sirius flinched and almost immediately got off the chair and began pacing.

'HOW COULD YOU?' Sirius yelled. 'JAMES WAS OUR FRIEND AND YOU ABANDONED HIM! Is this why you were always coming in late and wouldn't tell me where you had been!?'

Remus nodded woefully, 'yes.'

'I thought you were the spy!' snapped Sirius.

'I know,' Remus said.

'Why did you never confide in me?' demanded Sirius.

Remus shrugged helplessly.

'Because you knew I would never go along with it,' Sirius said softly. 'Knew I would have stopped you and saved James. Because I think deep down you knew how wrong you were.'

Remus gulped but couldn't refute anything he said.

'I can't even look at you right now,' snapped Sirius.

'Please, I love you,' Remus begged.

'I love you too,' Sirius said quieter than Remus had ever heard him. 'But I don't forgive you and I certainly don't trust you – not to be honest … and I don't think I ever can … and without trust I don't think love will be enough to fix all of this! And I never want you anywhere near Harry! We weren't good together, Moony, we didn't trust one another, and we didn't talk – not about the things that matter. We never even discussed James' allegiances or our feelings towards it … if we had maybe you wouldn't have made the choices you did!'

'I'm sorry,' Remus said mournfully.

Sirius nodded, 'I know you are … but it's not enough Remus. You hurt James, hurt Harry, and turned away when I needed you the most. You might have had a tough time of it these last few years – but I was in AZKABAN! AZKABAN! And you never even came to see me! NEVER QUESTIONED DUMBLEDORE'S ASSERTIONS THAT I WAS THE TRAITOR! I needed you!'

'I'm sorry,' Remus said again.

'STOP SAYING THAT!' shouted Sirius. 'Apologising does not make it better, doesn't take away all the hurt and pain you caused, doesn't bring James back, doesn't give Harry his childhood back!'

'How can I make it better?' asked Remus desperately.

Sirius shrugged, 'I don't know if you can.'

Remus slumped, 'I'm sorry.'

Sirius sighed and pulled out a piece of parchment, 'this is the current location of Greyback's pack – you should go talk to him, he deserves that at least … and I'd stay away from the Wizarding World if you know what's best for you. Voldemort may be trying to stay quiet … but when he finds out what happened to James … I don't want you dead.'

'Are you going to tell him?' asked Remus brokenly.

Sirius sighed, 'Harry deserves to know what happened to his bearer … and well you've seen Harry's memory you know Voldemort loves James – he deserves to know how his husband came to be taken from him.'

Remus flinched as Sirius stomped out of his flat. Sirius was right to hate him. He had done such awful things. At the heart of it he was no better than Wormtail, he too was responsible for James' death and he had tried to rationalise it for almost sixteen years.

…..

Remus had fled the room soon after watching James die. Minerva felt sick; Albus had kidnapped, drugged and murdered James to get control of Harry. And He Who Must Not Be Named had clearly been distraught about James and despite his apparent betrayal refused to kill him. First Dumbledore, now Greyback and You Know Who – was anyone what she had been led to believe.

'What are we going to do now?' asked Minerva.

Because that little bottle contained enough evidence to prove that Hadrian Slytherin was He Who Must Not Be Named's son and therefore Lord Foma Slytherin was He Who Must Not Be Named. Dumbledore Minerva felt weakly would have killed for that information. But given what had come out in the past few days – the Prewett twins deaths and James. That meant that three supposed Dark side murders were committed by the Light. Did that mean there were more?

'I think for now we make a copy of the memories and should the war start up again we take it to the Aurors then,' Filius said. 'But until the Dark Lord makes a move to take this out of the political arena, we leave him to it. Because as we saw with Greyback's memories – the war didn't come from nowhere anymore than the numerous goblin rebellions did.'

'So, you think that they are the right side?' asked Minerva.

Filius lips quirked slightly, 'I don't think there was any right side. But given what Albus was willing to do if there was a right side – it certainly wasn't his.'

Minerva was about to say more when a Patronus came through the door. It was canine – either a dog or a wolf, it almost looked like it was shifting between dog and wolf like it was at the moment a Patronus was changing and wasn't sure what form to take.

'Dear Minnie Remus needs you,' Sirius Black's voice said.

'I have to go,' Minerva said.

Minerva was quick to leave Hogwarts and Apparate to Ilfracombe. She still had a key to Remus' flat from his dark days after the war when she had to make sure he didn't inactively kill himself by not getting out of bed even to eat. That thought made her worry about what she would be walking in on – he had had a lot of shocks today.

And indeed, when she walked in Remus Lupin was curled on his floor beside his couch, dried tears on his face. Minerva walked in gently and took a seat on the floor beside him as her bones creaked in protest – she was too old to really be doing this, but Remus needed her.

'Do you want to talk about it?' Minerva asked.

'It's my fault …' Remus said miserably. 'I knew that Dumbledore was keeping James a prisoner – I thought we were protecting Harry. I … if I had done something, said something, maybe he would still be here. Sirius … he could barely look at me.'

Minerva closed her eyes wondering how it had come to his. Remus had been party to kidnapping one he called friend because Dumbledore had convinced him they were protecting an innocent. It was awful but Minerva doubted if it had been her things would have been any different. After all she had done nothing to remedy Harry's homelife when it was obvious that the situation was less than ideal because Dumbledore had convinced her it was for the best.

Minerva sighed, 'what you were party to was atrocious. But you are not the only one to be in that position. I suspected that Harry's homelife was not as it ought to be. I brought it to Albus' attention and he assured me it was for the best and not anywhere as bad as it looked … and I looked no further into it.'

'You would have done something if you knew what he was doing to James,' Remus said voice cracking.

'I don't know what I would have done,' admitted Minerva. 'James was a Death Eater, probably a murderer, definitely an enemy – Albus would have likely convinced me that what we were doing was for the best for the child.'

'What do we do now?' asked Remus brokenly.

'The only thing we can do – try and make up for what we have done,' Minerva said.

'How?' asked Remus.

'I don't know,' admitted Minerva.

'Sirius said I couldn't,' Remus said morosely.

Minerva sighed, 'maybe we can't … doesn't mean we shouldn't try!'

'What about Greyback?' Minerva asked gently. 'Are you going to talk to him?'

Remus let out a harsh, hysterical laugh, 'he … I ruin everything … he's better off without me.'

'He'll want to see you,' Minerva said gently. 'No matter what you have done you are still his son.'

…

Sirius refused to look back at Remus' flat knowing that if he looked back, he would be unable to ignore Remus' distress. But he had to for him because it was too painful. Sirius had never wished more than now that James was still here because Sirius did not want to be alone with all of this. But he didn't want Harry to see him when he felt so miserable.

Instead, Sirius apparated to Crouch Manor in Somerset to find Barty. Over the last few weeks, they had managed to become friends. It was something that Sirius would never have expected to happen, but Sirius couldn't find himself to regret it. And now he had been given permission to come and go from Crouch Manor as he pleased.

Sirius found Barty in the music room playing the piano. Sirius smiled and just listened to the melodies. Just basking in the music helped bring his mind at peace. It was only when Barty finished did Sirius make himself known.

'That was beautiful,'

Barty startled pale skin flushing red, '… Sirius … how long have you been there?'

Sirius too went red, 'a few minutes. You do play well.'

Barty snorted, 'my father didn't agree – considered it a waste of valuable time.'

'Your father and my mother would have gotten along well,' Sirius said darkly.

Barty laughed, 'except for their affinities.'

'The Dark and the Light aren't as different as I thought they were,' Sirius said with a sigh.

'Lupin contacted you?' asked Barty softly.

Sirius nodded but was unable to verbalise anything.

'What happened?' asked Barty.

Sirius closed his eyes, 'he's ready to listen … but he helped keep … imprison James and all he could say was sorry LIKE THAT SOLVES ANYTHING!'

Barty got up and approached Sirius and pulled him into a hug. It wasn't what Sirius was expecting the younger man to do but it was … nice. Sirius closed his eyes as Barty Crouch gave him comfort without words perhaps knowing that nothing he could say would help.

Tom was in his study reading through the resumes of the prospective teachers. The next governors meeting would be in a few days and they would have to decide on a new charms, history, potions, defence and English teacher. As well as promoting someone to the position of Head of Slytherin House now that Severus had been pronounced dead.

He had just opened a resume when Sirius Black and Barty Crouch entered the room. Tom immediately put down the parchment. He could tell from the look on Sirius Black's face that it had not been happy news. It was the same look he had seen on his face when the rumours of James' "marriage" to Lily Evans had begun circulating.

'So, we were right … Fenrir's son knew,' Tom said grimly.

'He knew, he helped, and did nothing to help when James asked him for help,' Sirius said pacing the floor.

Tom felt the urge to find this werewolf and make him beg for death. He could have saved James and Hadrian from Dumbledore. Instead, he had turned away and James had been killed and Harry had been hurt!

'What are you going to do?' asked Sirius still sounding worried despite what his ex-lover had done which Tom understood all too much.

'I cannot press charges legally, not without exposing Hadrian and myself,' Tom said. 'And as much as I would love to make him beg for his life; he is Fenrir's son and harming him would risk my alliance with the werewolf community. But I want him nowhere near my son – I think I will suggest to Fenrir to take his son in hand, or I will!'