Harry was still in shock although his conversation with Dumbledore
had been a week ago. At the moment Harry was in a library even larger than
the one at Hogwarts. This was Dumbledore's personal library. Hermione had
a thick leather book, Powerful magic commonly (and uncommonly) used by
Gryffindors, and was running through the spell that Harry was to perform
the next day.
"All right Harry" She said after about the two-hundredth time going
through it, "I think you should get some rest"
"Sure" said Harry. He really didn't want to go to bed even though it
was almost midnight. Lately he had really began to enjoy spending time
with Hermione.
"nervous?" she asked.
"yes, What if I do something wrong?"
"don't worry Harry. You'll do fine. Just remember that no matter
what happens keep your concentration. Now get some sleep, you're going to
need it." She gave him smile and turned away quickly to go out the door.
It was quite early in the morning and Harry was sitting in the living room of dumbledore's house surrounded by all the people he had ever cared about. You might also say all the people who had ever cared about him. The following were present: Hermione, Ron, all the Weaslys, even Percy wasn't at work for once, McGonagol, Dumbledore, of course Sirius and Lupin. Dumbledore was giving Harry some last minute instructions but he wasn't hearing them. When Dumbledore finally said that they should go Harry took a deep breath and promptly began to panic. Thoughts like What if I do something wrong and even What if I do it right; then what? Harry had been told a lot of things about his dad but he had never really met him (that Harry could remember). Harry's thoughts were interrupted when it was his turn to go into the chimney. One of the requirements for the spell was that they were at the exact place of death, yet another thing for Harry to be afraid of. "Harry are you all right?" Sirius asked him. It was only the two of them left "look, if you don't want to do this." "I want to" interrupted Harry "I'm just a bit nervous is all" Then they exited the room, into the chimeny following the others. Harry landed, as usual face first, on a flush blue carpet. Sirius pulled him to his feet and they both started to look around although the area was very well known to Sirius. As Harry looked around he felt unbelievably connected. Although the last he had been here he was merely an infant and couldn't remember any of it except what the dementors had sooo gratefully filled his head with. Harry's thoughts were interrupted by Dumbledore's concerned voice. "Harry" he said, "Are you ready?" Harry nodded and took a life long breath of air as he followed the headmaster upstairs to where his parent's lives were so unfairly taken from them and their young child. Harry couldn't help but tremble as they opened the door to his old bedroom. The sight of this brought back the exact memories given to him of his parent's murder. Remus reached into his cloak pocket and pulled out the golden medallion that he had shown Harry that day at the Dursleys. As Harry hesitated he walked toward Remus with an outstretched hand " Are you sure that you are ready for this?" Remus asked quietly and Harry nodded "then good luck" said Remus. Harry took the medallion and placed it around his neck. More nervous than ever he began to say the incantation Dumbledore had taught him how to pronounce. He could feel that this spell took some great deal power to perform. Harry was beginning to get tired. All of the sudden the room filled with a bright white light. Harry was rushed unwillingly into memories he would rather forget. When the light finally went out there was a man standing in front of him. Harry passed out from exhaustion before he could react.
****************************************************************************
Harry woke up to the sound of laughter. For a minute he lay with his eyes closed and listen to what was said. It seemed that they were taking several trips down memory lane. Harry opened his eyes and sat up. "Good morning Harry." said a voice that Harry recognized only from the unhappy memories he had from dementors. Harry looked over and replied with a weak "good morning". Then he looked around to see where they were. It turned out he was in his bed at Hogwarts. He turned to Sirius and asked, "What are we doing here?"
"Dumbledore thought you would be more comfortable here." He answered, "Would you rather be at the Dursley's?" Sirius continued sarcastically.
"Right" Harry replied also sarcastically.
" cuz ya know it wouldn't be hard to get ya there"
Harry gave him a look and then remarked "you know since we are on school grounds it'd be quite simple for me to say. turn your hair purple or something"
"You wouldn't dare and besides we were in the middle of discussing how James practically gave filch the map."
James looked indignantly at Sirius "it wasn't my fault. It was that bloody cat!"
At this point Harry decided to join the conversation. It was amazing how naturally Harry spoke and behaved although it should be an awkward situation.
"So what actually happened?" Harry asked.
"Well" Lupin began "James was on his way down to the kitchens for a bit of extra food at about midnight."
"A simple task if you asked me." Sirius put in.
"It wasn't my fault!" James protested, "Look. What happened was, I was coming out of the kitchens so I took a look at the map and Mrs. Norris was right outside the door. I thought that if I went past her fast enough that I could avoid filch and get back to the common room unseen. Obviously I was wrong but that doesn't make it my fault!"
"Does too!" Sirius argued.
Harry decided to cease the argument. "You know there is really nothing to argue over"
"Yes there is!" said all three marauders simultaneously.
"No there isn't" Harry said as he looked around. He located his trunk and tried to get up but was stopped by Lupin.
"You need to rest Harry, but I think that I know what you are looking for. I'll get it."
While Lupin was looking in Harry's trunk for a map Harry looked for some answers to some things he was curious about. "How long have I been here?" he asked.
"About three days" James answered, "to be honest I was a bit worried."
"Is Hermione here?"
This time Sirius answered, "no but Ron will be here a week before school starts. So you'll have time to have a bit of adventure without classes in the way." Just then Lupin returned with the map and handed it to Harry. James grabbed it before Harry with a look of complete astonishment on his face.
"Where did you get this?" he asked
Harry gave his father a shortened version of his third year. He seemed to have already been told about Sirius and Pettigrew and was quite upset on the matter.
"So then," James asked, "you know how to work it?"
"Of course." Harry replied as if everyone on earth knew. He looked around and saw that his wand was on his bedside table. He took it and took the map from his father who was watching him intently and tapped, what seemed to be a tattered old piece of paper, with his wand saying "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good" The map came alive with ink running to get to the proper place. Harry looked up and passed the map to his father who smiled. This simple smile astounded Harry in two ways; one it made Harry so extremely happy that he felt like he had just won the quidditch world cup the smile truly did look like a double of his.
*******************************
3 WEEKS LATER
Ron had arrived via the Hogwarts express a week before and they had explored the castle thoroughly finding that when Filch couldn't give them detention it was quite fun to torment him (vowing, of course, to never tell Hermione she would throw an unbearable fit). It was quite enjoyable to wreak havoc with help from three of the marauders. Sirius they found was most adventurous but liked to jump in too fast. James was the most strategic and came up with full-proof plans every time, putting Sirius's ideas to work. Remus was quite like Hermione in that he enjoyed quoting out of textbooks. He was always the one to come up with the most useful spells for driving Filch insane and even keeping Peeves out of the way.
At the moment Harry and Ron were heading to Dumbledore's office for a meeting concerning Sirius's trial. They had just had another round on Filch.
"You know Ron" Harry said thoughtfully "maybe we should lay off filch for a while."
"What! Why?" Ron replied
"Well if we keep at it like this then when school starts he'll give us detention for walking too fast."
"Oh, well, I guess your right. We Probably should back off"
"We can still torment peeves though."
They suddenly found themselves in front of the statue guarding Dumbledore's office. Harry said the password (sassafras) and the door slid open. When they got to the top and slipped through the door the others were already there. The Discussion was mainly about what to expect when they got there. It wasn't going to be a big trial like the ones Harry had seen. Dumbledore also gave Harry Permission to go down to Hogsmeade station to meat Hermione.
End of chapter
It was quite early in the morning and Harry was sitting in the living room of dumbledore's house surrounded by all the people he had ever cared about. You might also say all the people who had ever cared about him. The following were present: Hermione, Ron, all the Weaslys, even Percy wasn't at work for once, McGonagol, Dumbledore, of course Sirius and Lupin. Dumbledore was giving Harry some last minute instructions but he wasn't hearing them. When Dumbledore finally said that they should go Harry took a deep breath and promptly began to panic. Thoughts like What if I do something wrong and even What if I do it right; then what? Harry had been told a lot of things about his dad but he had never really met him (that Harry could remember). Harry's thoughts were interrupted when it was his turn to go into the chimney. One of the requirements for the spell was that they were at the exact place of death, yet another thing for Harry to be afraid of. "Harry are you all right?" Sirius asked him. It was only the two of them left "look, if you don't want to do this." "I want to" interrupted Harry "I'm just a bit nervous is all" Then they exited the room, into the chimeny following the others. Harry landed, as usual face first, on a flush blue carpet. Sirius pulled him to his feet and they both started to look around although the area was very well known to Sirius. As Harry looked around he felt unbelievably connected. Although the last he had been here he was merely an infant and couldn't remember any of it except what the dementors had sooo gratefully filled his head with. Harry's thoughts were interrupted by Dumbledore's concerned voice. "Harry" he said, "Are you ready?" Harry nodded and took a life long breath of air as he followed the headmaster upstairs to where his parent's lives were so unfairly taken from them and their young child. Harry couldn't help but tremble as they opened the door to his old bedroom. The sight of this brought back the exact memories given to him of his parent's murder. Remus reached into his cloak pocket and pulled out the golden medallion that he had shown Harry that day at the Dursleys. As Harry hesitated he walked toward Remus with an outstretched hand " Are you sure that you are ready for this?" Remus asked quietly and Harry nodded "then good luck" said Remus. Harry took the medallion and placed it around his neck. More nervous than ever he began to say the incantation Dumbledore had taught him how to pronounce. He could feel that this spell took some great deal power to perform. Harry was beginning to get tired. All of the sudden the room filled with a bright white light. Harry was rushed unwillingly into memories he would rather forget. When the light finally went out there was a man standing in front of him. Harry passed out from exhaustion before he could react.
****************************************************************************
Harry woke up to the sound of laughter. For a minute he lay with his eyes closed and listen to what was said. It seemed that they were taking several trips down memory lane. Harry opened his eyes and sat up. "Good morning Harry." said a voice that Harry recognized only from the unhappy memories he had from dementors. Harry looked over and replied with a weak "good morning". Then he looked around to see where they were. It turned out he was in his bed at Hogwarts. He turned to Sirius and asked, "What are we doing here?"
"Dumbledore thought you would be more comfortable here." He answered, "Would you rather be at the Dursley's?" Sirius continued sarcastically.
"Right" Harry replied also sarcastically.
" cuz ya know it wouldn't be hard to get ya there"
Harry gave him a look and then remarked "you know since we are on school grounds it'd be quite simple for me to say. turn your hair purple or something"
"You wouldn't dare and besides we were in the middle of discussing how James practically gave filch the map."
James looked indignantly at Sirius "it wasn't my fault. It was that bloody cat!"
At this point Harry decided to join the conversation. It was amazing how naturally Harry spoke and behaved although it should be an awkward situation.
"So what actually happened?" Harry asked.
"Well" Lupin began "James was on his way down to the kitchens for a bit of extra food at about midnight."
"A simple task if you asked me." Sirius put in.
"It wasn't my fault!" James protested, "Look. What happened was, I was coming out of the kitchens so I took a look at the map and Mrs. Norris was right outside the door. I thought that if I went past her fast enough that I could avoid filch and get back to the common room unseen. Obviously I was wrong but that doesn't make it my fault!"
"Does too!" Sirius argued.
Harry decided to cease the argument. "You know there is really nothing to argue over"
"Yes there is!" said all three marauders simultaneously.
"No there isn't" Harry said as he looked around. He located his trunk and tried to get up but was stopped by Lupin.
"You need to rest Harry, but I think that I know what you are looking for. I'll get it."
While Lupin was looking in Harry's trunk for a map Harry looked for some answers to some things he was curious about. "How long have I been here?" he asked.
"About three days" James answered, "to be honest I was a bit worried."
"Is Hermione here?"
This time Sirius answered, "no but Ron will be here a week before school starts. So you'll have time to have a bit of adventure without classes in the way." Just then Lupin returned with the map and handed it to Harry. James grabbed it before Harry with a look of complete astonishment on his face.
"Where did you get this?" he asked
Harry gave his father a shortened version of his third year. He seemed to have already been told about Sirius and Pettigrew and was quite upset on the matter.
"So then," James asked, "you know how to work it?"
"Of course." Harry replied as if everyone on earth knew. He looked around and saw that his wand was on his bedside table. He took it and took the map from his father who was watching him intently and tapped, what seemed to be a tattered old piece of paper, with his wand saying "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good" The map came alive with ink running to get to the proper place. Harry looked up and passed the map to his father who smiled. This simple smile astounded Harry in two ways; one it made Harry so extremely happy that he felt like he had just won the quidditch world cup the smile truly did look like a double of his.
*******************************
3 WEEKS LATER
Ron had arrived via the Hogwarts express a week before and they had explored the castle thoroughly finding that when Filch couldn't give them detention it was quite fun to torment him (vowing, of course, to never tell Hermione she would throw an unbearable fit). It was quite enjoyable to wreak havoc with help from three of the marauders. Sirius they found was most adventurous but liked to jump in too fast. James was the most strategic and came up with full-proof plans every time, putting Sirius's ideas to work. Remus was quite like Hermione in that he enjoyed quoting out of textbooks. He was always the one to come up with the most useful spells for driving Filch insane and even keeping Peeves out of the way.
At the moment Harry and Ron were heading to Dumbledore's office for a meeting concerning Sirius's trial. They had just had another round on Filch.
"You know Ron" Harry said thoughtfully "maybe we should lay off filch for a while."
"What! Why?" Ron replied
"Well if we keep at it like this then when school starts he'll give us detention for walking too fast."
"Oh, well, I guess your right. We Probably should back off"
"We can still torment peeves though."
They suddenly found themselves in front of the statue guarding Dumbledore's office. Harry said the password (sassafras) and the door slid open. When they got to the top and slipped through the door the others were already there. The Discussion was mainly about what to expect when they got there. It wasn't going to be a big trial like the ones Harry had seen. Dumbledore also gave Harry Permission to go down to Hogsmeade station to meat Hermione.
End of chapter