The Final Battle, part 2
Okay. This is for Kim. here's the second part. Hope ya fee better.
Anyway, I was wrong before. Everything belongs to me. But only in my little world. Hehe. Any way, reviews are welcome, flames are not. Oh and in case u were confused before this takes place in the summer of Harry's fifth year at hogwarts.
Remus still stood in front of James hardly daring to believe it. He couldn't help beaming.
James and Lily were alive. Who cares why or how? They were. He hugged James who looked confused but hugged him back.
"Prongs you have no idea how much we missed you."
"I have no idea what you're talking about. We never went anywhere."
His smile vanished.
"You mean you don't know?"
" Know what?" James asked. Remus tried to think fast. They didn't know they had been, were, are, whatever. They were dead.
"James you and Lily are, have been, were"
"Sirius!" Lily shouted. There was a small thump! James and Remus turned. Sirius lay on the floor shaking. His eyes were closed and his face was pale. Deathly pale. Worse than it had been when he first got out of Azakban. Remus ran to his side. His skin was clammy and wet. He was worse than he had been the day before.
"He, he just fell over. He looked kind of faint and I asked him if he was okay and he just fell over." Lily stammered. James held her and held one of Sirius's hands at the same time.
"He shouldn't have been out of bed anyway. Stupid, Sirius why can't you just do as you're told for once?" Remus moaned. James and Remus carried Sirius to the couch in the living room.
"Remus he really doesn't look good. We need to get him to a doctor." James said. He looked up at hi s old friends and saw fear in his eyes. Remus got up and turned away. He shook his head.
"Where. James? "
"Anywhere. He needs a doctor."
"I know. "
"So why haven't you taken him? He should be in the hospital." James was frantic. His best friend looked like he was dying. Lily had found some blankets and covered him with them.
"Where? Where can I take him? One look and they'll know him. Any wizard doctor would recognize him as an animagus. Any muggle or wizard doctor would know him and call the ministry. He'll go back to Azakban. I'm not sending him back there. He'll die for sure if they make him go back. He can't die. I'm not sending him there to die!" Remus yelled.
"Remus slow down." James said. "We need some help here. Sirius needs to see a doctor now. Call Pomfrey, McGonagall, Dumbledore anybody. But he needs help now."
Remus looked up. " Dumbledore, of course." He ran to the fire and threw some floo powder in.
"I'll be back in a minute. Don't open the door to anyone. I'll be back when I get Dumbledore."
He stepped in the fire and shouted " Dumbledore." Then in a whoosh of green flames, he was gone. James sat down next to Sirius and waited.
Remus arrived in a fireplace, in Professor Dumbledore's office at Hogwarts. The office was empty and he paced the room waiting,
Soon he heard voices and the door opened. Dumbledore walked in with Fudge trailing him.
" Professor, I see no reason why we should" He stopped when he saw Remus. Dumbledore smiled.
"Remus, how nice to see you. You contacted everyone I asked."
"yes, sir. But when I came home, " He paused and glanced at Fudge. "Maybe it would be better if we talked in private."
"Anything that you say in front of him, you can say in front of me." Fudge growled.
"Actually sir, since you refuse to believe me in anything else I have told you, I very much doubt, you will believe me on this."
"Try me." Remus glanced at Dumbledore who rolled his eyes and motioned for Remus to go ahead.
"Two things. First the most important. Sirius is sick. Really sick. "
"What is wrong with him?" Dumbledore looked worried. Remus knew he was counting on Sirius, to appear and back up his innocence, not to mention if Sirius was sick Voldemort might try something with Harry. He didn't know what, but he knew shortly after Harry's birth, James and Sirius had preformed a secret spell, to protect each others children. Cassi, Sirius's daughter was safe as long as James was alive. But he had died. Still Voldemort had never gone after her so there was nothing to worry about for her. Harry was safe from Voldemort as long as Sirius was alive.
" I don't know. He came back yesterday, shaking and coughing. It got worse over the night and he got out of bed and was running around when I got home, and when I was talking to James he passed out."
"talking to James?" Dumbledore wasn't sure he had heard right, after all he was getting old.
"That's the other thing. James and Lily are back."
Whatever Dumbledore had been expecting, that wasn't it. His mouth dropped open and he just stared at Remus.
" Lily and James Potter?" Fudge asked disbelieving.
" Yes." Remus said.
Dumbledore was up in a flash. "Fudge go back to the ministry. File that report. Tell them that Voldemort is back. " Fudge started to say something but Dumbledore held up his hand.
"Tell them. Remus take me there."
Remus stepped back into the fire and Dumbledore followed him, leaving a confused Fudge behind.
They exited in Remus's house. James was still by Sirius's side. Lily ran forward to meet them.
"Oh professor, I'm so glad you're here. He's getting worse."
"Lily." Dumbledore grabbed her in a hug. She looked confused and hugged him back.
"You're alive. "
"Of course she's alive. Why wouldn't she be?"
"James." Dumbledore could bearly believe it. James and Lily, alive. He turned to face James and was faced with a terrible picture.
James was seated next to the couch and Sirius lay unmoving on it. His face was white except for his cheeks which were flushed with fever. His breathing was shallow and he was shaking.
" At least he's not coughing anymore." Remus said. As if on cue Sirius began to cough. His shoulders shook with the effort of trying to take a breath. James sat by helpless. Lily had only seen that look on his face once. When Sirius had faced Voldemort in their seventh year. Sirius had driven away the dark lord but had come out severely wounded. Erin, one of their friends and Sirius's girlfriend of three years had been killed when she jumped in front of a curse meant for Sirius. Sirius had lain in the infirmary for a month before he woke up. James hadn't left his side the whole time.
Dumbledore ran over and put a hand over his forehead. It burned his hand. He frowned.
"He needs a doctor." James said behind him.
" there's no place to take him." Remus answered.
"There is one place." Dumbledore stood up. " The only place. Hogwarts."
Lily wrapped Sirius up in more blankets while James, Remus and Dumbledore got ready to take him.
"James , Lily. There is something I want you to do. "
"what is it?" lily asked.
"Go to your sisters and get Harry. He isn't safe there anymore. With Sirius distracted, Voldemort might strike. He'll be safer at Hogwarts. We'll get Sirius there. You just bring Harry."
James looked torn between making sure his best friend was alright and seeing his son again. Finally he followed Lily out the door. They found Sirius's old motorcycle in the garage. It was covered with cobwebs.
"Sirius was here two days. How can it be covered in cobwebs?" James asked "It looks like it hasn't been ridden in years."
Lily only shook her head." I don't think it has, James."
":What do you mean?"
"James, I think we're or we were dead."
"What?!" James stared at her.
"Remus, Sirius, and Dumbledore have all asked us if we were alive. They all look ten years older. Remus and Sirius do not look 19 anymore. They look more like thirty. And I saw the newspaper when I was looking for blankets and Remus said it was yesterdays."
"So?"
"So the date was July 3rd, 2000."
" What!? That's fourteen years, "
"I know. So Harry would be fifteen. Almost."
James grinned." I wonder if he's' found any of our little presents."
"What presents? James, what did you boys do this time?"
"Nothing. Come on lets go." They brushed off the cobwebs and sped off toward number four Privet Drive.
They arrived in the early evening. Lily could see a family clustered around the table in number two. They were laughing and talking. She turned away. That would have been her family. James and Harry and Sirius and Remus. Sirius's wife Mari and his daughter Cassi. His sister Adhara who had been engaged to Remus. That was the thing about his family. Everyone was named after a star or constellation. Kind of odd. But it fit him. In the old days they would gather around the table and be one big happy family. Even though Mari and Adhara were muggles, they loved magic and there were often sudden explosions until Lily made a rule, no exploding things at the table. People learned soon after meeting them, that explosions would come from where ever the Potter gang happened to be. She smiled at the memory of the time James and Sirius had almost blown up the potions room. They had been given detention for all eternity , but they drove Professor Beaker so crazy he gave up after a week. They really were best friends. She could see how much James was hurting, thinking about Sirius. That reminded her about the task at hand.
She marched with a determined stride up the steps of number four. James watched her for a moment. She looked mad. He loved Lily mad as long as it wasn't at him. It reminded him of why he married her. How much he loved her. And he hurried after her.
She knocked on the door. There was a pause and then a fat, no fat wasn't the word, a human pig , yes that's more like it, pulled the door open.
"yeah?"
"Is this the home of Petunia Dursly?" Lily asked in her sweetest voice.
"Yeah," Dudly took after his father. James thought. He didn't like Vernon. At their wedding Sirius had annoyed him so much he tried to strangle him and Sirius had to apperate to the other side of the room to save himself. And Vernon wouldn't listen when James tried to tell him it wasn't very nice to try and kill the best man. Nope, he didn't like Vernon. Not at all.
"Can we see her?" James asked.
The kid shrugged. And let them in. " MUM!" James flinched. God that kid was loud.
"Coming Dudlykins."
"The kid is fifteen and she calls him Dudlykins?" James whispered to Lily. She giggled.
" Who is " petunia walked out of the kitchen and stopped dead when she saw Lily and James.
She stared open mouthed at her supposedly dead sister.
" petunia, How lovely to see you." Lily gave her surprised sibling a hug.
"But, but, but, you're dead."
"Not anymore, dearest sister in law." James said as he lifted Petunia off the ground in his hug.
"James, put her down. That is not very polite." James put Petunia down and stared at his shoes like a guilty little boy. Petunia backed away. Vernon came into the hall and promptly turned purple. James laughed at his multicolored face.
" Vernon, how have you been? Long time no see, huh? How have you been? Now if it's not too much trouble could you tell us where our son might be?" James shook the mesmerized muggles hand.
" Dudly go get your cousin." Vernon stammered.
"But Dad," he whined.
"GO!" Vernon shouted. Dudly flew up the stairs.
"I didn't know he could go that fast." James whispered to Lily and she laughed again. It was good that James was making jokes again. He hadn't for a long time. And he wasn't so worried about Sirius. The excitement of seeing his son won over his worry for Sirius.
Dudly slunk down that stairs.
"He doesn't want to come."
"well, make him. " Dudly went back up that stairs. In a few minutes he was back.
" He says He's not feeling well, and if you make him get up he'll write to his godfather and tell him you made him sick."
"good move. I wouldn't want to see Sirius mad at these people." Lily whispered in James's ear.
" Why don't we go and talk to him?" Lily said and she was up the stairs before that Durslys could say anything. James was on her heels.
She knocked on the door.
A voice from inside yelled through the door. " I told you, I'm not coming down. "
"Harry James Potter, you do as you're told and open this door right now!!" Lily yelled in her
'you're in trouble now, mister' voice. James had been on the receiving end of it for a long time. There was a pause then the door opened.
If Harry had looked anything like James as a baby, he was his twin at fifteen. Except for the eyes. They were bright green. And full something that hadn't been there the last time James had looked in them. Pain. But as soon as he opened the door his eyes were filled instead with shook. They opened wide, just like Lily's did when she was surprised. And on his forehead, James saw a small lightning shaped scar. He drew in a shaky breath. He knew what that scar meant.
" Harry. " Lily said.
"Mum? Dad?" They nodded and he flew into their arms.
Harry had been up all night coughing and was not in the mood for the Durslys whining. So when Dudly told him to come downstairs Harry flat out refused. The second time, he threatened to send his Godfather after him. Of course he didn't know his god father was deathly ill. But the threat worked just the same and that's what he was going for.
The third time someone knocked on his door, he just didn't even bother getting up. He just yelled he wasn't coming down.
He was very surprised to hear an angry female voice that did not belong to Aunt Petunia call him by his full name and tell him to answer the door.
For one brief second he had a flash back. Not many picture but a voice the same as the one who was shouting at him now.
"James Harry Potter! Sirius Polaris Black! Remus Jeremy Lupin! Do you know how worried I've been?" His mothers voice.
He leapt off the bed and pulled open the doors. And there in the flesh were his mum and dad. For one brief second Harry could do nothing but stare. Then he flew into his parents arms.
Without a word James pulled out his wand and waved it. All of Harry's things packed themselves into his trunk and his trunk rose into the air.
Harry followed Lily and James down the stairs where he was startled to se his aunt and uncle standing open mouthed at his parents. His mother giggled and his father beamed.
Then they left. Harry glanced behind him one last time. I'll never have to live there again. He thought. My parents are alive.
Harry turned expecting to at least see a car. But what he saw was a beat up old motorcycle.
He raised his eyebrow. Lily noticed it. It was something James had picked up from Sirius.
"How in the world are we all going to fit on that?" Harry asked. James laughed
" Harry, my boy. This is Sirius's old bike. It has a lot of special modifications." James grinned evilly. " Remus, Sirius, and I spent three summers working on this thing. Making extra surprises. We might even get to try a few of them out."
"No James." Lily said as she fastened Harry's trunk on to the back.
" Aw, come on Lil. Just one."
"No James."
"Please Mum?"
"I said no. Dumbledore is expecting us. And I'm sure you would like to see how Sirius is doing."
James's grin left his face as he remembered his sick friend.
" What wrong with Sirius?" Harry asked. Lily and James glanced at each other and in that look Harry saw that something was wrong. Very wrong.
" He's just a little sick, that's all." Lily said. " Come on." Harry opened his mouth to ask some more but all that came out was a fit of coughing. Suddenly he didn't feel so good.
James held his son up. A feeling of dread was growing in his stomach. Harry's cough sounded too much like Sirius's. They had to get Harry to Hogwarts soon.
Somehow, Harry would never really be sure, they all climbed onto the bike. And too soon they pulled up in front of Hogwarts. James was about to knock on the door when it was pulled open and a flushed McGonagall ran out.
"So, Albus was right. You are alive!" James felt very odd Being hugged by his old teacher. It kinda felt like it had when they had graduated and left her a small present. Sirius's unturned in term paper from third year and a bag of doungbombs and she had started bawling.
" Come inside. They're waiting for you up in the infirmary. Madam Pomfrey is trying to figure out what's wrong with Sirius." She told them as they followed her up the stairs. Harry had never been here outside of school. The halls looked dimmer and the portraits looked much less interested in life in the castle than usual. Harry figured it was more exciting with the students around.
They reached the infirmary and saw Remus pacing back and forth in front of the door.
" Professor Lupin." Harry cried. Remus smiled and gave him a quick hug.
"Professor?" James asked. "Since when are you a professor?"
"Since Harry's third year." Remus told him. " I've waiting for you."
"Where's Sirius?" James asked
" Dumbledore and Pomfrey are in there with him now. They're trying to figure out what's wrong with him. He looks really bad." Remus began pacing again.
"Don't worry Professor he can't die. Not now." Harry said. James and Remus shared a long look. They knew he could.
"I can't lose him. He's my best friend." Remus sat down.
"We won't Moony."
"That's just what he said about you know. 'don't worry Moony. He's Prongs. He can't die. ' But you did."
No one said anything for a while. Then the door opened. Dumbledore stepped out.
"James, Lily. I'm glad you're back. Harry, welcome back to Hogwarts."
"Thank you Professor."
"Sir, what wrong with him?" James pleaded..
"We're not sure yet. Remus I want you to go to Ireland."
"Ireland? Why?"
"To get Mari and Addi. And Cassi. He needs them."
"But I can't leave." Remus protested. " What if something happens? "
"Please Remus go. " Remus opened his mouth to protest again but then he thought. Without a word he turned and strode down the hall.
" Harry, James, Lily, you can go in. James he's asking for you."
James gulped and entered the room.
He was surprised to see it really hadn't changed much since his years at Hogwarts. He smiled thinking about all the time he had spent in here. Either recovering from some prank gone wrong or paying for it with detention. Sirius usually got cleaning duty in the trophy room but it never bothered him. He had been raised as a muggle and found it easier to clean without magic.
It was sort of dark but he could still see Sirius lying on a bed.
He hurried over. The sight didn't help much.
Sirius was even paler. He was shaking with the effort to breathe. His bare chest was wet with sweat and James could see a small scar right over his heart.
Sirius opened his eyes. James bent over.
"Prongs, "
"Padfoot, don't worry. You're gonna be okay. We're at Hogwarts. "
" Where's Moony and Wormtail? "
Lily and Harry glanced at each other. Why would Sirius be asking about Peter? Harry thought. And he always referred to Peter as Pettigrew, never Wormtail.
"Wormtail was my friend. He was a marauder. Marauders never die and they never turn on each other. Peter Pettigrew killed him. Peter Pettigrew was a lousy lying traitor. There is a difference." Sirius had told Harry one time after he had asked.
"They went out for a second Sirius. They'll be back." James told him. Sirius nodded and closed his eyes.