CHAPTER EIGHT: Harry stared at his father, taking in the black hair, messy like his, and the brown eyes that never took their gaze off him. He stepped back, not believing what stood before him. He looked at Ron, whose face was just as amazed as his own. His eyes moved towards Ginny, who was staring at James with a secretive smile on her face then towards Dumbledore, who was perfectly still. "W-what's going on?" he muttered, half to himself, not thinking that anyone would answer him. "It's okay, Harry," James began, before he was cut off by Harry. "No, it's not okay! Who are you? What do you guys think you're doing, disguising some man as my dad? What are you trying to do?" he said, turning to face Dumbledore. "Let me explain- no, actually, I think, that perhaps, I'm not the one who should explain it all. Ginny, could you please tell Harry what exactly we are trying to do?" he said, his blue eyes never leaving Ginny's face. Her mouth opened in shock, and she tried to think of something to say. "Don't you think James, or you, should be the one to tell him?" she finally managed to get out. "We'll add our bits, but you know the most of what is important for Harry. Don't you?" he replied, knowing that Ginny couldn't back down. She nodded her head slowly and turned to Harry, who was glaring at her expectantly. "Okay. Well, this kind of all started at the end of term last year, the beginning of the summer holidays. Draco got the letter from his dad, telling him that he was dead. It also had the Krilic curse that Draco used in it-" "What's a Krilic curse?" Ron interrupted. "You'll find out later. Anyway, the night we came back to school, we all saw the Bloody Baron lead Draco out of the hall. And you'll also remember, Harry, Ron, that I left the table to go to the toilet. What I really did was follow Draco and the Baron and listened to what they were talking about. It appears that the Baron owed Draco's father a favour or two, so he decided to give Draco some help. At first, I had no idea what they were talking about, but I heard the word Krilic a couple of times and knew all about the banned curses from dad-" "You actually listened to Dad when he yakked on about all those things?" Ron interrupted again. "Ron, shut up," Harry said, waving a hand to silence Ron. "Anyway, as I was saying," Ginny glared at Ron. " So I had figured out that Draco was planning to bring back his father from the dead. He got permission from Snape to get a book on the curses from the Restricted Section in the library, researching it. And then, when he got the detention from Snape, he found a box with the banned curses in them and he managed to translate the curse fully. Then he performed it in one of the abandoned dungeons near the Slytherin commonroom." "So how does that explain about my dad?" Harry asked. "Well, Draco, being the idiot he is-was-, didn't think about the consequences. The Baron told him that he needed something of his fathers to perform the curse and he used a necklace that his mother gave him. Only, it wasn't his father's. His father had stolen it off James in their third year. Draco, of course, did not know this. This was just one of the reasons as to why James was brought back instead of Lucius. Gryffindor the first and Slytherin the third started the Krilic language. This created a loophole in the curse. It meant that a Slytherin could only bring back a Gryffindor and a Gryffindor could only bring back a Slytherin. So, even though Draco wanted his father to be brought back, the fact that the necklace was rightfully James' mixed with the fact that, as a Slytherin, he could only bring back a Gryffindor, he brought James Potter back to life," she finished off. "How do you know all this?" James asked amazed. Ginny blushed. "Should I tell them, sir?" she asked Professor Dumbledore who hesitated slightly before nodding his head. "As long as it doesn't go pass this room," he said. "Well, I am a Mage. A mage is a witch, or wizard, who has powers other than the normal magical person. Kind of like a Squib, but the opposite. I can read minds- sometimes, and I know spells that not one other student at Hogwarts can perform," she explained. "So that's why you weren't scared when you were fighting You-Know- Who," Ron exclaimed. "But what were you saying about Mum? Is she okay? Did you really mean it when you said You-Know-Who killed her?" "Yes, I did. M-mum's dead Ron. Voldemort killed her and planted the body on Snape and Quirell, to make it look like they were the ones who killed her. Tonight, when Draco and I were leaving Professor Dumbledore's office, we had a fight and I ran into a room. Draco followed me and we were fighting when we heard Snape and Quirell coming. We hid under a desk and watch them drag mum in," her voice cracked at this point and tears began to fall over her lashes. "We had to hide her in the cupboard when Voldemort dumped Siria into the room, before coming here." "Yeah, who is this Siria anyway?" Harry asked, intrigued. There was an awkward silence as both Ginny and Dumbledore stared at James. "You really shouldn't have told him, you know that, don't you?" Dumbledore said. "I know, but I didn't think it was fair, Draco not knowing, you know," James replied, glancing down at his feet. "Not know what?" Ron asked impatiently. "That Draco had a sister who went missing eighteen years ago," James said, turning to face both Harry and Ron. "What?" Harry said, amazed. "His father sold her to Voldemort, as a trick, to distract the Ministry while Voldemort went on a killing spree. It worked, but Voldemort refused to give her back. He eventually said that he'd killed her. This sent Draco's parents over the edge. Narcissa was pregnant with Draco at the time, so he never knew her. He tried to find out about her after I told him, but Ginny tried to stop him. She ripped out a page in a newspaper that he knew he'd look at," James finished off. Both Harry and Ron shook their heads in amazement. "What about Quirell?" Harry asked. "Ginny told me about Draco, as I know she is a Mage, of course. And I knew that Quirell was alive. When you fainted, Harry, all those years ago, you know that I came to save you. I told everyone that Quirell died when Voldemort fled from his body. He didn't though- he was just a step away from doing so, though. So I sent him to a place in northern Europe, to stay with an old friend of mine. He recovered and came to me a year ago, wanting to help me get our revenge on Voldemort. He made his existence known to Voldemort and Snape, knowing that Voldemort would follow him," Dumbledore said. "You mean, you knew that Voldemort would kill our mum?" Ron asked, mouth wide open in horror. "Of course not. We were not expecting that. But you see, it was all a master plan. Snape and I deliberately brought Draco and Ginny to my office tonight. Ginny knew, of course, but Draco didn't have a clue. She led him to the room, knowing that they were going to dump the body there. Only we didn't have the heart to tell her that it was her own mother. So this was a surprise and she didn't really know what to do when Voldemort came; she knew he would, but she just went into some sort of shock and all spells flew out of her head. At least, that's what I think happened, is it not, Ginny?" Dumbledore asked her. She nodded dumbly, tears still leaving salty tracks down her cheeks. "We thought we'd planned it all perfectly. We would have Siria back, a girl who'd been missing for eighteen years; we would kill Voldemort, clear Quirell's name. Everything. Only we didn't plan on a little something called fate. We had no idea that Pettigrew would come, or that Harry and Ron would find out about Ron's mother and come looking for Ginny. We really didn't plan for Draco to die tonight either. With all the distractions, Voldemort managed to get away, so we've just dug ourselves into deeper trouble. How will we explain the mysterious death of a student and the reappearing of a man killed seventeen years ago?" ? They raced to the room where Siria lay. Harry and Ron stared at her, at the blood pouring down from a large cut on her forehead, at the silvery white hair that was so much like Draco's. Dumbledore held out his hand to help her up, but she ignored it. "Who are you?" she asked angrily. "Where am I?" she asked again, staring around at the room she was in. Ginny leant over her. The girl jumped back on her heels. "Don't touch me," Siria threatened. "We weren't going to," Dumbledore replied softly, just as Ron muttered under his breath, "Like we'd want to anyway." "Ron!" Ginny exclaimed. "Don't be so cruel. Come on," she said to Siria, holding her up. "We better go to the hospital wing." "So first you decided to bash me up and now you're my friend. Well, I'm just lost!" Siria exclaimed, even though she let Ginny walk her toward the door. "Ginny wait," Dumbledore said. "Don't you think we should be a bit more careful as to how we get her to the hospital wing? We don't want anyone to see her, at least not yet." Ginny hesitated for a moment before nodded her head. "How are we going to do it?" she asked, letting go of Siria who sat down again on the floor, apparently exhausted. "Harry, Ron, I want you to use Harry's invisibility cloak. Ron, you run up and get it from the dormitory." "What will I'll tell Hermione?" he asked. Dumbledore paused. "Hermione can come back with you. She'll be good in a time like this," he said. Ron nodded and raced out the door. "Harry I want you to wait here with Siria while I take James and Ginny to my office. Under no circumstances are you to leave this room or let anyone in, until Ron returns with the cloak, okay?" Dumbledore said, already half way out the door as Harry nodded. "Come on!" he called out to Ginny and James. Harry stood there as the door swung closed. It was silent for a moment before Siria spoke. "You're the guy that almost killed Voldemort," she said, glancing up at his scar. "How did you know that?" he asked, confused. "I hear things," she replied. "What do you mean, you hear things?" Harry stared at her as though she was crazy. She blushed and bowed her head down. "I just hear.stuff. I hear people talking when there's no one there. I see people too, people that no one else can see," she replied. "I've seen that man that looks like you, the one called James, I think. He always talks about his son- you and Voldemort." "Why are you telling me this?" "I don't know. It's just that Voldemort has had such a big part in your life, like me; he's ruined your life like he ruined mine, I guess," Siria replied. "How come you aren't afraid to say his name?" Harry asked curiously. She shrugged. "He was a family friend, and I'd always called him that. When he kidnapped me, he told me that if I ever called him You-Know-What or whatever everyone calls him that he'd kill me, and then he'd kill my mother and my father and my brother. What would you have done?" she asked. Harry paused for a moment. "I would've kicked him in the balls and ran away," he said, trying to lighten the heavy mood. "Hmph- what balls?" Siria replied. "I decided long ago that Voldemort is-" "Back," a voice finished off. They spun around quickly, staring straight at Voldemort. "Speak of the devil," Siria said before screaming out. "Run!" Both of them turned around, racing for the door. Harry grabbed the handle, shaking it violently. "Dumbledore must've put a spell on it or something," he said, kicking it. "Actually no, it was me," Voldemort said, twirling his wand around between his fingers. "Quite clever, don't you think?" he said. "Harry," Siria whispered quietly. "Try and open it from the outside," she said. "How do I do that?" Harry asked. "Hello! The glass has been smashed, remember? You can put your hand through the hole and see if it's locked from the outside, idiot," she replied, keeping an eye on Voldemort who was opening the cupboard door. She could see, out of the corner of her eye, Harry's dark hair rustling as he carefully put his arm through the hole. As though sensing movement, Voldemort spun around. "Acraschias!" he cried out. The shards of glass, hanging from the broken window trembled and fell. Harry yelled out as a thick, sharp piece shot through his forearm, blood spurting out. He heard Siria gasp behind him, and felt her fingers on his arm, trying to pull the glass out. He screamed again, this time even louder as the pain shot through him, before everything went black. ? Dumbledore spun around. "Did you hear that?" he asked, cocking his head in an attempt to hear something. Ginny looked up from the parchment she'd been studying. Seeing the look on Dumbledore's face, she dropped it and jumped up. "What do you think it was?" she asked hurriedly. "I was certain I heard a yell, or a cry of some sort," he replied, edging towards the door. "I'll go and see if Ron has come back with the Invisibility cloak," she muttered, racing out of the room. She twisted and turned in the hallways, finally turning into the corridor where Harry and Siria were. She stared at the door, and at the shattered glass lying on the floor. She was certain she could hear some sort of dripping. "Peeves?" she asked warily as she made her way over to the door. Then she saw it. Dripping from the shards of glass, making monotonous splatters on the ground was the rich red colour of fresh, new blood. Ginny opened her mouth soundlessly. She raced over towards the door, peering in through the broken window. "Harry?" she whispered, squinting into the darkness. Just then, a cloud moved from the moon, filling the room with light. Ginny glanced at the floor, and recoiled back in horror as a dark trail of blood, leading to the window, met her gaze. She turned down the hallway, racing as fast as she could to Dumbledore's office. When she finally reached it, she barged in, red-faced and breathless. "Ginny, what's wrong?" Dumbledore asked frantically. "Harry and- Siria are- gone. The-re's blood all- over the - room," she gasped out between sharp, short breaths. From the corner of the room, James spun around and bolted out the door. "Come on!" Dumbledore said, following James. ? Draco's face fell into an undisguised look of horror as his father, whose face was set in a murderous glare, stepped out of the dark shadows. "I really thought you'd be able to do it Draco. I though you'd want me back. A son's love for his father.I guess I was wrong," Lucius Malfoy snapped, walking circles around Draco's trembling, crouched body. "Do you realise what you have done?" he spat into his son's face, holding his chin between his hands. "You have bought a Potter back from the dead. A Potter! Of all the ways you could've bungled up, you had to do it by bringing him back." Lucius stepped back. The glare on his face. "I suppose you think I'm a bastard for doing what I did to Siria. There's just one problem with the story that foolish Weasley told you. She told you what she'd heard, what the rumours were. I never killed my daughter, Draco. I never even gave my daughter to our master-" "He's your master," Draco quickly interrupted. Lucius paused, an eyebrow raised curiously. "Oh? So you've given up what you've lived for all your life now? You've given up on the one man who gave you had and loved?" he asked. "No," Draco replied. "I gave up on the man you pretended to be my saviour. And I gave up on you as well." Lucius' face glared with anger. "How could you do that to my sister? How could you sell your own child?" Draco asked, no longer able to keep quiet. Lucius smirked in satisfaction; satisfaction that confused Draco and intrigued him even more. "You weren't listening," he began. "I already told you that I never, ever sold my daughter to the Dark Lord. I never killed ANY child of mine. You see-" "No, I don't see. Do you really expect me to believe, now after you lied to me all my life?" Draco interrupted. Lucius reached down and slapped him squarely on the face. Draco raised a hand and placed it against his cheek but he felt no pain. His face must have shown his amazement at that, because Lucius cackled and spoke. "Yes, that it but one of the disadvantages in the afterlife. You feel no pain; none emotionally, physically or spiritually. Now, as I was saying, I NEVER killed any child of mine. You know why? Because Siria is not my child." This statement caught Draco off guard. He stared up at his father, knowing that he was telling the truth. Though, at that very moment, he hated the man who stood before him, he'd known him his whole life. Draco, of all people, would know if his father was planning something.. "W-what do you mean?" he stumbled over the words, trying to roll them over his tongue, but his voice seemed to have suddenly died in his throat. "What do I mean? I mean that I did not father Siria. I assure you, I am, unfortunately, your father, but I am not your sister's. Think hard, Draco. Think really hard. Who do you know whose name is so like Siria's, a man you've always heard me cursing about?" Draco stared at Lucius Malfoy, whose eyes were almost black with a bright anger. There was only one man who he could think of, one person whose name was similar to Siria's. But the thought of that man being the father of his half-sister was absurd, he just couldn't believe it. He looked up at his father and he knew that Lucius Malfoy could see the answer brimming in his eyes. "That's right. Sirius Black," Lucius finished off. ?