Enigma's Love – Part 3 – A Promise from the Heart
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Special thanks to enigma 58s, cageruler9697, and Tami for their help with this chapter, providing me with inspiration and bounce off points when I needed it.
The day the Lupin twins went to Hogwarts for the first time was one of the happiest in Remus and Dory's life. Since Dory was one of the professors, she went ahead and left Remus to put their children on the train. He had tears in his eyes as the train pulled away, remembering what he had to go through for the opportunity his children didn't have to fight for. He knew they were safe now and Dory would be meeting them there. Remus knew that he would be spending a lot more time at Hogwarts now.
Dory waited anxiously in the Great Hall with the other professors. She knew the students would be arriving soon and her children would be sorted. The returning students filled into the Great Hall first and separated themselves into their houses, catching up with each other after the holiday. And then McGonagall came in with the first years and Dory could not help but smile when she saw Cesare and Anastasia among them.
Now it was time for the sorting ceremony. Dory hoped that they would be put in Gryffindor. She watched each child very carefully. First was Hermione Granger – Gryffindor. Then came her twins – Gryffindor. Dory's smile was hidden when she heard the name Malfoy. "That fool had children…Merlin help us all, another Slytherin." Dory thought to herself. And then was a moment that changed the course of everything that was to come. McGonagall called out Harry Potter. Dory's attention was fixated on the eleven year old boy with messy jet black hair and unforgettable green eyes behind a pair of glasses. It was James and Lily's son. Tears started to fill Dory's eyes when he was placed in Gryffindor. She had always felt so sorry for that poor boy and renewed her unspoken promise to Lily and James – she would watch over him for them.
After the feast, Dory sat in her office going over her class lists for the new year, thinking about everything that had happened since she left Hogwarts as a student. Her mind was becoming quite numb after going over all the papers when she heard her children come in. Cesare and Anastasia flung themselves into her arms and hugged their mother happily. They were obviously thrilled by being placed in Gryffindor and seeing their best friend again. Cesare proudly announced that he and Harry were in the same room, which was also occupied by Ron Weasley, who he son had obviously befriended. Anastasia had already bonded with Hermione, her dorm mate. Dory was so happy for her children but hurried them out and back to bed so they didn't lose points on the first day for being out past curfew.
Later on that evening, when most of the castle was asleep, Dory crept out of her room and out to the courtyard. Her mind was filled with memories as she sat out among the stars. James, Lily, Sirius, Remus…she wished with all her heart that they could be there with her. A lone tear rolled down her husband, who was probably missing her as much as she was him. She wanted to see her friends again with all her heart. She leaned back against the fountain that she was sitting on and took out her wand, mumbling a spell she had learned her first year. This spell allowed you to see whoever your heart desired in a small window that showed your memories like a movie.
The pictures began to move…the first day at Hogwarts…James and Sirius playing quidditch…Dory and Lily conspiring against the guys…Remus being the shy but highly intelligent member of the group… the six of them goofing around in the courtyard…Sirius' birthday where he got drunk and got sick all over…graduation…James and Lily's wedding and then hers and Remus'…Harry and the twins…
"You were always my strength and you shall soar in my heart forever. I will watch Harry for you. I won't let you down." She whispered to the images of James and Lily playing with Harry and the twins. A few tears for her departed friends rolled down her cheeks. Dory would have given herself completely into her tears if she wasn't distracted by a hand on her shoulder.
"I was wondering when you would use that spell."
Dory whipped her head around and the images vanished into the night. "Remus!" she screamed as she flung herself into her husband's arms. Remus wrapped Dory in a warm hug as he kissed away her tears. "He's here. Harry has come to Hogwarts." She whispered as she fell into his embrace.
Remus was not totally shocked but he was curious. "How does he look? Is he alright?" he asked in an obviously concerned tone. He had wished just as much as Dory did that they could have been given Harry. They would have more than happily raised him for their friends…their family.
"He looks exactly like James did when he was that age. The scar that Voldemort gave him has made that poor boy a celebrity. Cesare and Anastasia have already told me that they have renewed their friendship. They remembered him right away." Dory exclaimed.
It was quite clear that Remus still missed his best friend. Dory could see a few tears building her husband's eyes when she mentioned James. "Maybe the twins should be told more?" Remus pondered as he leaned his head against Dory's. "Harry deserves to know and it may be easier if it comes from them. Those muggles probably poisoned his mind against them. I just wish we could have done more." He said sadly, his heart still feeling the pain.
"I know exactly what you mean. We promised James and Lily and them to us that if anything would happen to either of us, the other would watch over their children. It feels like we failed them. We have to keep our eye on Harry…we owe them." Dory whispered sadly.
For some time more, the sat in each others arms comforting each other once again. Both Remus and Dory could not hide their tears, tears of love, of loss, of guilt. They heard the clocks in the castle chime one and they knew that they should get to bed. They crept quietly back into the castle and up to Dory's room, where they fell asleep in each other's loving embrace. When they awoke in the morning, real life set in again. Dory got ready for the first day of classes while Remus said a quick hello to Dumbledore and then ducked out through the tunnel that headed to Hogsmeade and apparated home. Dory smiled slightly that he still knew the routes from that damned Marauders' Map.
The day was like any other first day of classes. Dory went through the usual routine with the beginning fifth years, telling them that Ancient magic was a complex study that required them to have a decent background in herbology, potions, and spell casting. Of course fear swept over the room until Dory reassured them that it wasn't that difficult. The day was nothing out of the ordinary until Cesare and Anastasia came to their mother's office.
"What were you watching last night?" Anastasia asked bluntly to her mother's shock.
"What were you doing up?" Dory returned.
"We couldn't sleep and we saw the faint lights in the courtyard and then we saw Dad there too." Cesare added.
Dory knew she couldn't avoid this much longer but she knew she couldn't do it alone. She went to the fire place and yelled for Remus, who appeared quite quickly. "We have to tell them." She said sadly.
Remus took a deep breath and sat down on the couch, dreading when he would have to do this. "Well, everyone knows that Harry Potter is a legend…" Remus started as his children nodded in agreement. "He is only famous because he survived his parents' death when Voldemort took them." Remus was beginning to get choked up as he had to relive all those memories. "His parents were our best friends and we would have done anything for them, except we couldn't save them." He said as tears started to fill his eyes when he thought about his best friend.
"You now know more about Harry Potter than he knows about himself, and we need you two to be there for him as his friends when he needs you." Dory continued for her husband. "Your father and I made a promise to his parents that we would watch over him and never let him get hurt. We need you two to help us. Can you do that?"
"Of course we can…he's our friend." Cesare responded as he and Anastasia went back up to their rooms for the night, thinking about how they would help their friend.
They didn't have to wait long before they had their opportunity to help Harry. That Saturday morning, they were all down in the Great Hall having breakfast when the Malfoy brat came over.
"Hey Potter, or shall I say our Excellency, where is your harem? Retired for the morning? Who'll help you drown your pancakes?" he mocked.
The twins saw Malfoy come over and they knew things could get ugly. They had already seen how much he got to Harry. Cesare and Anastasia took a quick scan of the room. Hermione had her nose in a book at the end of the table and Ron was jabbering away with his brothers about quidditch and they saw Harry already start to seethe with anger. Before Harry could speak up, Cesare stepped in.
"Why don't you go have one of your flunkies go worship you somewhere else? No one asked for your opinion so I would suggest you back off and find the rock you crawled out from and return to it." Cesare stated with venom in his voice as he and Anastasia walked over and stood by their friend.
Malfoy was shocked that someone would say that to him and was just about to open his mouth for a retort when Anastasia spoke up
"As you said, some wizarding families are just better than others and you have to be careful who you choose to be around." She said icily as she and her brother stood by their friend. Malfoy was dumbfounded and backed off with his little flunkies to their little Slytherin hole. Anastasia then turned back to Harry and sat down next to him, along with her. "Are you alright?" she asked sweetly.
Harry's anger had dissipated when Malfoy retreated. His anger was replaced with something else that Anastasia and Cesare could see in his eyes, something they couldn't describe. "That's the first time anyone has ever stood up for me." Harry exclaimed as what looked like tears were forming in his eyes.
The twins could not let him suffer like this so they suggested they go back to the common room, away from the Slytherin threat. When they arrived, Harry crashed down on the couch and the twins pulled up two chairs beside him.
"Why does everyone always make such a big deal about me?" Harry said miserably as he wiped his eyes. "Everyone treats me different because I am 'the boy that lived,' everyone but you two. You guys are nice to me and make me feel like I belong. That's why I like having you as my friends."
"We have known you longer than everyone else." Cesare spoke up as he moved his seat to the couch next to his friend. "We are only 10 days younger than you and we used to play together when we were little from what our mother told us."
Harry looked a bit confused at this, wanting to hear more.
"Mom told us that we were inseparable when we were babies because our parents were best friends with yours." Anastasia finished for her brother. "Mom also said we were lost when Dumbledore sent you to the Dursleys and not with our Mom and Dad."
Harry was amazed at all this. He was finding out stuff the Dursleys had never told him, or wanted to. He had friends and people had loved him, something the Dursleys had never shown. "Who's your Mom and Dad?" he asked with a hint of happiness coming into his voice.
"Well our Mom is Professor Lupin; you know the one who teaches Ancient Magic and Spells to the fifth years and above." Cesare explained.
"You wanna meet her?" Anastasia added excitedly.
"Yes!" Harry screamed as he jumped off the couch and followed the twins out of the room down the hallway to their mother's room. "Maybe she can fill more of this in for me."
The twins dragged Harry down the hallways up to the door that was marked "Prof. D. Lupin – Ancient Magic and Spells." They knocked quickly and the door opened on its own to reveal Dory and Remus on the couch playing Wizard's Chess, which Remus was undoubtedly winning.
"Mom! Dad! Look who we brought!" Anastasia screamed as she presented Harry.
Dory and Remus stood up from the couch and smiled when they saw Harry. "It's nice to see you again, Harry." Dory stated, hiding the obvious excitement she wanted to express at seeing him.
"Cesare and Anastasia said you knew my Mom and Dad." Harry stated excitedly.
"They were our best friends." Remus replied. "We would have done anything for them and we would still." He said a bit on the cryptic side.
Harry was beyond curious about his parents since he knew nothing about them. He wanted to ask so many questions but he couldn't find the words to ask them or if they were proper. "How did you meet them?" he asked sheepishly.
"We all were in the same class at Hogwarts. All of us more or less ruled Gryffindor House." Dory said with a small laugh, wanting so much to tell him more. "Would you like to see a picture of them?" she added.
Harry practically jumped at the opportunity as Dory removed an old photo album from the shelf. She opened the pages and found one that she had a double of. It was a picture of James, Lily, Remus and herself at the shore after graduation from Hogwarts.
"You can keep this one, Harry. I know your Mom and Dad would want you to." She said as she handed him the picture, trying to keep from crying, trying to keep up a brave front for Harry as an example. "You kids don't want to spend the day with us. Go and have fun. Probably two certain other Gryffindors may be hunting you down by down." She said with a smile as she referred to Hermione and Ron. The children bid farewell to Dory and Remus and fled the room to probably find trouble somewhere. Once the kids were out of sight, Dory crashed onto the couch next to Remus and finally let her tears fall. She saw in his eyes as well the tell-tale signs of bursting emotions. "I want so much to help that poor boy." She said sadly. "He has so many things that he is entitled to know but we can't tell him yet. I still wish we were allowed to be his guardians, rather than the Dursleys."
Remus sighed in slight relief but only part of their burden was lifted. "It's a good thing Harry doesn't know everything because it'd hurt him more than help him. One thing especially…" he said looking at the calendar, noting that the full moon was in only two days. "For now, all we can do is just be there for him…like James and Lily would have been."